Australia's Lingerie Market part 1

I know that I like to complain about the  state of the Australian mainstream lingerie market, but here I want to outline, concretely, its main faults, why it is letting us all down, and what should be done about it. This post has no pictures, you are warned. Part one, which is this, deals with the practical and external aspects of lingerie down under (#awful puns).

Firstly, the only places you can buy buy bras are the two big department stores, small boutiques, which are quite expensive, sometimes hard to find, and do not often carry all sizes, cheaper department stores like Target (http://shop.target.com.au/) and K-Mart, and the chains Bras N Things (http://www.brasnthings.com/) and Cotton On Body (http://shop.cottonon.com/shop/body/). (That was a mouthful indeed). This presents problems, because, the main focus of the department stores is not to carry a huge array of bras, lingerie and accessories, which is understandable, so only a narow range of brands is showcased, and rarely accessories, corsets, bloomers, etc. The lower end of these carry from an 8AA (30AA) in training bras ONLY to an E cup in plus size bands, which, I suppose, means they are acknowledging a more diverse size bank clientele. But COME ON! what about D+ sizes, and 28 and 30 bands, and I mean not just in AA cups for juniors. Hell, little girls wearing wired bras should probably be given 26 (or even 24) bands if need be (and grownups for that matter). My first bra was a horrifically fitted 10B (32B) bra by Berlei (http://www.berlei.com.au/bras/shop-by-style/wire-free/first-wirefree-bra.html#80=65&142=521), from Myer, one of the two main 'respectable' department stores, fitted to me after a 10A Bonds bra was deemed 'too big' . Well DUH. I was a super-skinny 14 year old, more of a 24 or 26 band. As it is now, I am only 27" on my ribs. That bra HURT.

Myer (http://www.myer.com.au/) does carry 30 bands in D-G cup sizes, but only really in the CBD stores, not suburban branches (I do not think DJs does). Also, the fitters are only sporadically competent, ie, I have been fitted as an 8DD/E (30DD/E), which, at the time, was only a band size off, a 10D (32D), 6F (28F, which they didn't carry, and the fitter did not know where to buy) and a 10C (32C). Oh yeah, and that time a scary Russian fitter told me that the 8E Freya bra I was trying was "only for big breast lady". This was all at Myer. David Jones (http://shop.davidjones.com.au/djs/en/davidjones/women) apparently, (according to the website) carries 3 bras in 8DD/DDD. That's not even Australian sizing! Confusion!

So the high prices and store reputation convince buyers that hey are getting the right garment, when this is frequently not the case. Solution? Carry more bras in a bigger range of sizes! David Jones; Chantelle and Simone Perele have more sizes than you stock, and Myer' so do Freya and Elle McPherson. You are both stores that promise quality, so PLEASE deliver. Also, Myer, train your fitters more consistently. There is a misconception that a 'quality' fitter fitted you, and so the bra must fit. Obviously, this is not always the case. David Jones I have not been to in a while, not being impressed with my local branch, and the CBD store not having anything close to fitting me, so I can't comment of the fitters as of late.

Next are the two chain brands, Bras N Things, which is a less cheap, less pretty and less famous version of Victoria's Secret, and Cotton on Body. Bras N Things offers from an 8A (30A) to a 22G (42G), exhibiting this weird Australian G cup barrier. So their size range is pretty good for Australia. But the quality, to me, seems sort of cheap and scratchy looking and feeling. It is not sophisticated or elegant. Also, when I still fit the cups of 8E bras, I got a funny flattened look. So the quality isn't the best, and it can be expensive for what it is, occasionally a bra is $60 AUD or more (around the same in USD) full price. Meh. This brand has shops everywhere, but I do not think it is so swish.

Cotton on Body makes bras in 8A-C (30A-C), 10-12A-E and 14A-DD. I don't think either of these shops do a good job as dedicated lingerie shops. Solution? I am not going to advocate the abolition of chain stores, as I feel that, when offering a desirable commodity, they have as much of a place as independent designers, and can be dependable on offering basics and consistencies. What I would like is chain stores like Bravissimo (http://www.bravissimo.com/), Boux Avenue (http://www.bouxavenue.com/), and Rigby and Peller (http://www.rigbyandpeller.co.uk/). These stores are dedicated to lingerie, everywhere, and, in the first and last twos cases, carry a large range of brands. Boux Avenue caters to a younger, poorer clientele (like me), and is tacky, while also being pretty and over the top and, well, fun! *Cough, cough Australia!*

Lastly, boutiques. I think that all boutiques, unless specified as a 'large' or 'small' band shop, should carry bands from 28-42, or even higher. You  pay more at a boutique for a superior service and product, which is what you should be getting. Also, prices! In the department stores, bras, especially D-G ( an heaven help you if you are over a G cup), are usually over $50 or $60 dollars, at LEAST. In boutiques, this figure can become a 3 digit number, or close enough, sometimes for brands like Panache, Freya, and Curvy Kate. This makes boutiques obscenely expensive and completely unaffordable (which is why I buy online from the UK). I think that if boutiques were a little cheaper, even by 15-20%, they would be a lot more successful. Also, they really must stock 28 bands.

Xoxoxoxo
Princess

Zia Spot by Cleo

I promised a review, and here it is. I ordered this one (not the panties) along with my nude Juna from Bravissimo a few weeks ago. It was so difficult to choose between all the purdy bras, and if I would have been a little less impatient, I could have waited until midyear sales and gotten more bras for the same price. As it was, I chose the Zia spot in 28F on the basis of 3 factors. 1, it was under 30 pounds. 2, it was my favourite colour, purple, and 3, I wanted to get a brand I had never tried before.

The colour is really nice in person, vibrant and fun, exactly how it looks in the picture. You get what you see, which is great. There is also a tiny charm on the gore. It is hardly noticeably,and you don't feel, see or hear a thing. I apologize for the lighting, the colours are being distorted by it!

In terms of fit, I pulled the thing out of the box...And held it up in dismay. The band looked too tight even for Kate Moss! Indeed, the first time I wore it, I felt chocked, the second I used an extender, the third it was tight...and after that it felt fine. It just needed a little stretching. First judgments girl, watch out!

Invariably,  the stretched-into-proper-shape band had problems too. Like most bras I have tried in 28, the band was too high on my back,  because my breasts are high, pulling the bra up higher, which feels a little irritating. Upon measuring, the stretched band was 29.2 inches, which is a tiny bit big for a 28 band, and certainy for my 27" ribcage.  The gore was fine, and the wings dug in a little at my armpits, but ^high boobs thing. Also, the lace on the cup, where it attachs to the actual cup itself,wrinkles slightly, which you can see a little in the photo. Fortunately, Boosaurus (http://www.boosaurus.com/2013/06/picture-tutorial-how-to-take-in-loose.html) has a tutorial n how to rectify this.

Shapewise, it was a tiny bit minimising, ie not the most projected (perhaps due to wrong size). The cup was VERY snug fitting, and cuts in a little. I am not gong to fault the bra for this. 1, its barely noticeable. 2, my breasts are full on top anyway, and 3, I am not 100% sure if a 28FF wouldn't have fitted better, so perhaps I am simply in a too small size. I also got the feeling that, in softer and more 'natural' shaped boobs, a slightly more natural shape is probably what the bra would have given.

All in all, I am not displeased wit the bra. Certainly, it is not perfect in some respects, but who gives? Its comfortable, well made, well priced and pretty!

Here are some lovely and artistic photos illustrating the fit and shape:

Freya Just Flew In Longline and changing sizes

Note: Blogger is messing up, and not letting me upload photos from my computer. When this fixes I will add my own photos. Until then things are going to be pretty text heavy.

Oh My God. Midyears have finished, the semester is over, mid year sales are on! I have bought SO MUCH STUFF! I have shopped so much that it makes me ashamed to admit how much. I am consequently poorer than ever, but ho hum. This post has been opened as such, because it is about my new Freya Longline, and my expanding boobs, my worst fears confirmed at Myer CBD, a main department store in the city, where I have spent too much time.

Caitlin Moran, British Feminist, says that boobs are a horribly inadequate word. Its true. Boobs, it sounds all comic and stupid, like they need a saxophone accompaniment, or to be attached to a comic, bouncing blond cartoon character. The imagery in Caitlin's own-I take no credit-from her book, How To Be a Woman. Breasts are too clinical, maybe for a staid politician, somewhere where cancer is found. Bust is euphemistic, and also sounds like 'break'. I just busted your stereo! Caitlin prefers tits, but I feel uncouth saying that. We shall see. Maybe I will just write 'mammary appendages', but I think that that would confuse even me. Tits/boobs/breasts/rack/whatever the subject of my writings shall be called aside, I digress.

Right, the Longline. There are a million reviews out there on the net of this bra, given that it was Freya's first 28 back longline bra, and longlines are hard to find a the best of times, especially for a D+ market. Longlines seem more supportive, firm and stable, given that wide band, and shake up ones bra-wardrobe. I would have loved the Just Flew In. There were SO many things right with it:

First, the colour is nice. I am obsessed with purple. It looks great on my skintone, and is FINALLY age appropriate for me among Freya bras, which I can find a little too serious and, well, old. Not too old, just sort of wise, and a little toned down. I also like the lace on the top of the cups. It isn't tight, and doesn't make the cup dig more than it already does on me, which is a sizing fault, not the bra's fault.
The band stretches to 28.5", which is very reasonable for it's size, but like some other Freya bras, it may stretch out more in time.
The band was really supportive, not too tight, maybe like a pair of jeans, and I could not feel the bra at all the whole day, except maybe I was aware of the gore sometimes.

And now for the bad. Obviously only having two rows of hooks, meaning it will become too big and thus obsolete too quickly. Also, the band at the front crinkled up, and probably needs some boning.
The cups also seemed very low, and like thew projected outward to the apext of my bust, but didnt then curve upward a little to contain it. See here the comparison of the Just Flew In's cups with the cups of the Freya Taylor, in 30DD, which have the same size.

The rest of the bad is my fault. Most of my bras are 30DD/Es, and the two bras I have previously ordered in a 28 both didn't fit, each for their own reasons. I had tried on the longline in person a few months ago in 30E, which was too big in the cup and the band, and so ordered 28E.

Either I grew a whole cup size since then, or a tighter band simply pulls the cup closer to my body. Whatever it is, the cup was waaaaay too small. Before swooping and scooping, my nipples are covered, and I have a fairly normal shape, with semi-subtle cleavage.

 However, I have side boob, and the wire is on my breast tissue. After swooping and scooping I had quadraboobing. My nipple was barely covered. I had cleavage that made me gasp. I'm a sucker, and its for the cleavage, beauty of the the design, and hope that my bra size will go down that I am keeping the bra.

Note also the quadraboobing and flattened shape under a t-shirt:

My bra size going down doesn't seem too happening, and this next part will be TMI, so stop reading if you wish. Firstly, I'm quite skinny, and my breasts are very firm, mostly tissue and not fat, so losing weight isn't going to make a difference. Also, that was how the bra fit between periods, when I am at my smallest. At that time, I was filling out my 30Es better that usual, and my 30DDs where looking strained, though of course, because the bands are not tight enough, I didn't get overflowing quadraboob. Now, a little before my period, I am overflowing from the longline like nobodies business, and the thing sometimes doesn't cover my nipples.

I went to Myer in the city, which only carries down to a 30 back, just to try a couple more 30Es and maybe 30Fs to see where my bra size actually is. Surprisingly, the fitter was very competent. Moulded plunge Pleasure state bras in 30E where nixed. They contained all my tissue, and the wires where fine, but gave me a flattened effect because they where being pulled around my narrow rib-cage and distorted. The Babes in the Wood balcony bra, by Freya, in 30F was a little generous, but not big in, the wires. I filled out the bottom of it, but not the top lace, and certainly didn't get cleavage like the model. It was obviously too big, but I wonder if trying a 28FF would pull the cup closer towards me, and would be a better size than a 28F at some times during the month, given just how small the Freya Just Flew In longline is in 28E. I am tring to decide what bras to order online in a 28F, given my expanding tits, but perhaps I will continue to grow further, rendering any new bras in a 28F obsolete. After all, breast growth doesn't cease till your early 20s.

So saying, here are some bras I would love to get:
The Cleo Juna in nude.

Tempt Me by Curvy Kate.

Princess by Curvy Kate, I mean, it is practically named for me!

Zia Spot bra by Cleo.


Xoxoxoxo, Princess