<p>I have never been “fitted” for lingerine. I guess it might be worth a try but it doesn’t seem like there are many options. If I buy any larger band, it will ride up; any smaller & it’s tough to breathe. When I tried at Victoria Secret, I couldin’t find one that was comfortable! Maybe I’ll give Neiman Marcus a try, but I think my current size is probably correct.
I mostly wear sports-type bras w/o underwires since I really hated the underwires I wore for decades previously. I really dislike shopping for lingerine and swimsuits so rarely do either. They seem to rarely have “fitters” on hand in our city.</p>
<p>Here’s an interesting article about bra fitters that provides food for thought:</p>
<p>I HATE shopping for myself, but this thread is getting me inspired to get out there and shop! I love, love, love, shopping with (for) my daughter. Everything looks so cute on her! </p>
<p>She finally insisted that I had to have a pair of jeans without a hole in them (I’m talking about the kind of hole that’s made from being worn out, not the kind you pay extra for-lol), so she took me to the Gap and had me try on countless pairs until I found one that worked. Sometimes I just need to be forced to shop.</p>
<p>Maybe I’ll take these tips to heart and pick up a few new things. Thanks for sharing.</p>
<p>As far as clothes in general go, I don’t really like to shop and try things on that much, and malls make me feel claustrophobic (as well as overheated in winter when I’m walking around wearing a coat). So I try to buy online once I figure out what size fits me at particular stores – since we all know how inconsistent sizing is between brands or stores! Sometimes even within brands, of course, so what I do doesn’t always work. </p>
<p>I have to buy from places that have a good selection of petite clothes, so I probably buy more work clothing from Ann Taylor and Talbot’s than anyplace else. When I shop in person, I try to go to the Macy’s in Herald Square, which has the largest petite department of any department store I know of. Jones New York is a brand I like that they sell there. Lord & Taylor has a fairly large petite department too, but not like Macy’s.</p>
<p>I used to buy from Land’s End sometimes, but their clothing runs really large, and their smallest petite sizes are usually much too big for me. Except for blue jeans, which is basically what I wear on weekends, and which I buy pretty much exclusively from Land’s End because their petite size 2 jeans happen to fit me very well, and because they will make the legs whatever length you want for free. I have, proportionately, very short legs, and I’ve never bought a pair of jeans in my adult life that didn’t need shortening. So all I need to do is order the petite size 2 with a 26" inseam, and I know I’m set. </p>
<p>I have difficult feet that are quite wide, and I don’t like wearing heels higher than about 1 1/2". It’s almost impossible to find anything comfortable at most stores. So I buy most of my shoes for work from places like Easy Spirit, online. The shoes aren’t particularly pretty, but I don’t really care as long as they’re comfortable. On the weekends, I wear women’s Rockports a lot, because they’re also very comfortable and come in wide sizes.</p>
<p>I like to purchase things from Costco, take them home, try them on & then decide whether to keep them. It’s fine for very casual stuff but I really have to be in the mood to buy dressier stuff and especially to consider lingerine.</p>
<p>I also prefer shopping from my D–she generally looks great in just about everything!</p>
<p>Interesting article about bra fitters. Oh great – just what I need: More cynicism about the world at large. Like I don’t have enough already . . . .</p>
<p>When I was a newly minted lawyer and we all wore the little man skirt suits, I weighed 98 lbs and wore a size 4. Now, over 20 years and three babies later, I wear a size 2 - and even a size 0 in certain pants. I know they’re just cutting the clothes larger to flatter us ladies of a certain age, but I certainly appreciate it. I can wear a size Extra Small camisole from White House/Black Market, but at American Eagle I have to guy a Large. Where do you think I prefer to shop?</p>
<p>I can tell you that a women’s size 8 from 15 years ago is SMALLER than a same sized item today. They have done this to make us feel like we can fit into the same size as before (of course missypie is one of 3 women on the planet who is smaller than they were years ago :-)</p>
<p>My D is a size 0 and does not appreciate having to shop in the children’s section, even tho the prices are often cheaper. She can still often fit size 14 jeans & saves me lots! There are often very few clothes that fit her, so when I find anything, I snatch it up! We like Ross, because sometimes they have cute things that actually fit her & we don’t have to wait for it to go on sale.</p>
<p>I never fit size 2 or 4 before in my life–I was always a size 10 or so from when I was 12 years old. Nearly 40 years later, I am now sometimes slightly heavier but the same height but now fit size 2 & 4 and sometimes 6! I’d much prefer to stay a size 10 and have size 10 mean the same at all stores.</p>
<p>My mom is the same weight & roughly the same height she was when she was married over 50 years & 7 children ago. Our pounds get redistributed, even if we keep our height and weight the same. <lol></lol></p>
<p>Kohls, even before they became a national chain (Herb Kohl is a good senator). Never was into fashion- money/size all of my life. Tall- not tall size tall- long waist, big feet, broad back and small chest… Even when weight appropriate body shape not for clothes. When I worked scrubs were my daily attire, hard to spend time with clothes when the first thing you do at work is take them off… I noticed the upper echelon nurses dressed a lot better than me as a well paid MD.</p>
<p>Bras- aargh- why can’t they extend the smaller cup sizes into the larger trunk sizes? Some day I will have to challenge those fitting experts when they come to town… In college I had one matronly woman tell me only young teens wear size AA- the gap in my size with an A cup then… (they add room when they increase the back size, so it didn’t help to gain weight). Swimming suits- for those who want to actually do laps? Need a long torso size (NO bikini/even 2 piece for me, at my age and shape, thank you), and those with the built in bras all assume a large size means a large bust… Comfort?</p>
<p>Colors- basic black is harsh with my skin tones. Styles- stopped wearing dresses when mid calf ones were all that were available, so much for showing off my long legs. Now the “knee length” ones remind me of my miniskirt days- way above the knee. Don’t care what the fashion is or which colors are in. Know what I like but have trouble finding it, then size/color… even if I wanted to pay the price. They assume the large sizes are for short very fat women, sleeves, shirt lengths don’t increase much with size. I am enjoying finally seeing color in the stores- another pet peeve of mine is the notion that dark gloomy colors are good for dark, gloomy weather. I think high heeled shoes should be banned- ridiculous for any woman to wear at any time. Short people are still short in them.</p>
<p>Enough of a fashion rant. I like being above average, society does not cater to us, however. If only they would mass market clothes that fit me, and in styles and colors I like.</p>
<p>I went to Kohls today. I had a 30% off coupon if I used my Kohls charge. I was VERY disappointed with the merchandise. I bought my husband two pastel dress shirts (for Easter time) and a pair of jeans that were on sale. I couldn’t find a SINGLE THING for myself.</p>
<p>Like I said, I do like Kohl’s for their shoe department - just decent everyday shoes and work shoes - at a decent price with sales - cause I do love to have several (more than several?) pairs of shoes!!!</p>
<p>I had a banner shopping day (for me). I picked up a dress at Macy’s (great clearance going on), stopped at TJ Maxx/Home Goods to look for kitchen stuff and found another dress for me and a rain coat for DD that she loves and is willing to wear. Yeah! it’s pouring rain here today and she wants to wear hoodie sweatshirts–they are not water resistant. </p>
<p>It’s a lot more fun to shop for my tall, blonde, skinny daughter than for petite, heavier me. I have found Petite By Design at TJ Maxx–a variety of designers, but well proportioned and inexpensive. I have a couple of pair of jeans, they fit, look good, are comfortable and I didn’t have to hem them. J. Jill works and I love their sales. I picked up several pieces at 70% last August. Almost year round wear in the right colors (S. Calif). Accessories from Coldwater Creek when they are having their XX% off everything sale–it includes their outlet, so things get very inexpensive.</p>
<p>Yea, the only place D can find bras that fit her is in Walmart! No one else carries the smaller chest sizes (she is petite). We are glad we at least found her size there, even tho the selection is more limited than she’d like. We have tried lots of other places, but 30 and 32 A and even B is really a difficult size to find. I know someone who wore a 32DD & had a heck of a time finding it–anywhere! Even a 32D was tough, but the DD was nearly impossible!</p>
<p><<i know=“” someone=“” who=“” wore=“” a=“” 32dd=“” &=“” had=“” heck=“” of=“” time=“” finding=“” it–anywhere=“”>>
that just screams special order/online possibly. there are probably so few women with this size that many places don’t make them/stock them</i></p><i know=“” someone=“” who=“” wore=“” a=“” 32dd=“” &=“” had=“” heck=“” of=“” time=“” finding=“” it–anywhere=“”>
</i>
<p>Victoria’s Secret has 32 A/B bras and even some AA I believe. I never shop there for myself but the younger crowd claims their bras are comfortable and there are a ton of different styles and colors.</p>
<p>There are more options now with the internet, but she (who wears 32DD) lives in HI & the retailers were limited until more started selling things on-line. It’s still good to be able to try bras on before purchasing since sizing is hit & miss.</p>
<p>I have never had any success buying anything that fit & I was comfortable in from Victoria’s Secret. I tried on everything they had in my size. I suspect it won’t fit my D’s taste or budget either, plus it’s not on or near campus & she doesn’t have a car & they have no stores in HI (for her to shop this summer).</p>
Thanks for sharing.</p>