finding the right bra

Summer Bra-blems Solved: Broad Lingerie [2/3]

The Summer weather is here!

And you know what that means – beautiful Summer dresses with difficult necklines for a bra to work with.

Le sigh…

As If it wasn’t already oh-so-dififcult finding bras that fit larger chests properly + pretty + affordable. But Summer brings with it a whole other set of bra-blems!!!

This week on the blog we’ve got a mini-series dedicated to specific Summer Bra-blems I’ve experienced and showing you how Broad Lingerie found me a solution, making that Summer outfit even more Wow + Wearable this time around 😉

BEFORE

Here I am… last Summer I found this adorable halter-neck dress, one that I’ve been coveting on my Pinterest closet for months and suddenly found it on a sale rack in a shop here in Toronto!!!

It got me. Hook, Line and Sinker … Click here for that original post for frock deets.

Sadly it was a bit too small to button over my ta-tas. But I loved it anyways and came up with the following way to wear it in public. :p

My tank-top solution worked out well to cover up the gap in the front, buuuut the giant black bra straps and tank straps view from the back isn’t so cute.

THE SOLUTION

Smoothing Strapless/Halter Bra by Elomi

AFTER

Strapless bras are always a challenge when it comes to a good fit and the stay-in-place factor, especially if you’re blessed-in-the-chest.

There was some gaping with this bra, but once the hater strap was attached the fit of Elomi’s strapless bra was much improved.

What do you think of Broad Lingerie’s solution to my bra-blem for this summer outfit?

Tell me about your thoughts in the comment section below.

And stay tuned later this week for another Summer Bra-blem Solved post 😉

Before…

After…

Want your own Elmoi Strapless Bra?

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Visit them at 1763 Danforth Avenue – just east of Coxwell in Toronto

Store Hours: Wed-Thurs 11-6, Fri-Sat 11-6, Sun 12-6.

Owner Sam Conover @ Tel (647) 725-6838

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Broad Lingerie [1/3]

With the weather warming up at hyper-speeds in Toronto and the CAD $ yet to improve, my need for finding over-the-shoulder-boulder-holders WITHOUT cross-boarder shopping was becoming an urgent priority.

At the beginning of May, on the heels of me posting a Boobs & Bra-related rant post – click here for that – She Does The City, an online ‘imperfect life guide for women” announced that there was a new lingerie boutique that had opened in Toronto specifically for those blessed in the chest!!!

❤ ❤ ❤

Could it be? Have the stars and straps really aligned? Could all my bra-blems be solved with the arrival of this much-needed local shop?

Only one way to find out! 😉

Broad Lingerie is a store dedicated to women who wear cup sizes DD and above. Our aim is to make bras and swimwear accessible to fuller busted women by offering a smarty curated selection of basic and fashion styles sold at affordable pricing in a welcoming atmosphere.

What really struck me about this shop was the fact that those larger bra sizes that I was on the hunt weren’t all hidden in a backroom requiring a special request before they could be seen. 😮

Nope. They were just hanging out there with all the rest of ’em… in all their glory awaiting to be perused, touched and even tried on without anyone’s assistance.

A shocking, yet refreshing approach rarely seen in my bra-shopping experience.

Fellow blogger and friend, Stef, did a great write-up of her experience with Broad Lingerie upon their store opening.

Checkout SassyPlus’ review of the shop here 🙂

Sam, the shop owner, provided me with a proper bra fitting, since every brand fits a little different.

Together we selected TWO new Boobie-Traps (ha!) to solve my biggest bra-related irritants:

1. the “back band ride-up” and 2. the “quad-boob + underwire poke” combo!

Stay tuned for a special Summer Outfit Bra-blem Solved series THIS week where I’ll be featuring the Broad Lingerie fixes for some of those “difficult summer necklines”! 😉

Broad Lingerie on Facebook, and on Instagram

Mention the blog Petite Plus, Meow and get a 15% off your purchase!!!

Visit them at 1763 Danforth Avenue – just east of Coxwell in Toronto

Store Hours: Wed-Thurs 11-6, Fri-Sat 11-6, Sun 12-6.

Owner: Sam Conover @ Tel (647) 725-6838

Have you LIKE’d the Petite Plus, Meow’s Facebook Page yet?

LIKE. Comment. Share.

Boobs & Bra-blems

Did you know that 90% of women are wearing the wrong bra size!? 😮

Did you know that many women (myself included) also take several different bra sizes, depending on the shape, cut, fabric and brand of the bra.

AND….did you know most women are not entirely symmetrical, meaning they may have uneven breasts! 😮

78348578_l — Photo taken from the article: New York Women Draw Their Own Boobs

Your shape is unique, which makes it sometimes difficult to find bras that are made in standard sizes, work for you. I am desperately in need of a bra-shopping-haul.

Buuuuuuut with the CAD$ being in the toilet right now, cross-boarder shopping and online shopping has been put on pause until further notice. 😦

So I thought we could all use a good ol’ rant about boobs and our bra-blems!!!

Underwires stabbing you in the chest.

Straps constantly falling down.

Riding up back-band.

Oh and a personal favourite: The Quadboob…ugh! #TheWorst

Just writing these few frustrations is annoying enough.

But we – the boob having ones – have to deal with these frustrations on a daily basis, forever!!!

No wonder all of us women agree that ripping off your bra the moment you walk in the door at the end of a long day is THE MOST glorious feeling!

So, let’s look at some solutions to some of these common bra-blems…

BACK BAND RIDING UP

If the band of your bra rides up in the back (i.e. curves towards your neck, not straight across your back), that indicates that the band size is too big.

Solution: Go down a band size.

Remember that the cup and band are not independent; cup volume changes if you change only the band size. And every brand of bras is different … so its best to get properly bra fitted EVERY TIME you’re out shopping for a new bra.

QUADBOOB + UNDERWIRE POKE

Quadboob occurs when breasts spill over the cups, either on the tops or out the sides (like into the armpit area), giving an impression of four breasts. If this happens, generally that means the cup is too small and you need to go up a cup size.

Sometimes even if the cups are the right volume, too wide wires can cause a bra to cut into the breast tissue, making the bra look too small.

If the underwire frequently pops out the bra, the band is too large or the wire has been overly distressed by too small of a cup. Typically, go up in cup size and down in band size.

To avoid underwire betrayal aka poke-outs and try to protect the longevity of your bras ….

you should never put them in a washing machine! 😮

How many of you actually hand wash your dedicates… like your bras?

I have to admit, the best I do is clasp them and shove them into a mesh bag so that I can toss them in with whatever load of laundry is about to be done.

Not a good move if you’re trying to extend the life of your bras.