(no subject)

[pensnest]

Went to a celebration on Saturday evening with some of my barbershop choir: the city's male barbershop choir reached its 40th anniversary, and had a ruby party. There was a ceilidh band and only just enough room on the floor for everyone who wanted to dance, and the guys sang, and we sang as well, and it was a very pleasant evening.

*

Today, I went bra-shopping.

I've never had such a pleasant time bra-shopping before. I found a post, er, somewhere, that recommended a different way of assessing bra size. None of that "add four or five inches" nonsense, you just measure your chest, then measure your bust, start with an A cup at +1" and work from there (B = +2" etc). Instead of a 42B I come out as 38E or thereabouts, and experimentation leads me to conclude that 38DD works for me. I'm quite pleased about this, as (a) it seems like a more feminine bra size (I don't know why, it just does) and (b) because there are so many bras to try on! Scouring through the racks for a 42B was never any fun at all.

I *heart* Marks & Spencer, really I do. Lots of bras—lots of *pretty* bras in sizes that work for me. (I spotted some Gs and Hs and a couple of lines that went up to J as well, which impressed me.) This is quite the novel experience. I have ended up with a slightly odd selection, in that one of them is teal and one is leaf green (on sale) and one is a sports bra, so only one is a regulation white bra. Ideally I want at least one black one and a couple of beiges, but I think I'd better get used to actual bras again and see if they really do work for me. I've been wearing the "shaped elastic band with lining" style for a while now, which are comfy but not, I suspect, particularly supportive. So it'll be a change.

*

Two people are coming to inspect the swimming pool tomorrow to see if they want to buy it! *fingers crossed* If they don't, I think we will resort to drilling some holes in the base and filling it with rubble and (eventually) soil, rather than going to the expense of getting somebody to take it out. It will be interesting to try and negotiate the business of getting it taken out.

Comments

[chalcopyrite]

I hope those people decide they want the swimming pool! While I occasionally fantasise about having my own pool, I know realistically I DNW the level of faffery that maintaining one requires.

I share your love for M&S. One of the super-depressing things about living in the US was that once you were up to a D-cup seriously a fucking D-cup, your choices were This One Bra, and you could have it in white, black, or beige for a special thrill. And THAT WAS IT, at least in the places I knew/could afford. And you can just forget about a narrow ribcage/bigger boobs combo too -- while at M&S I have spotted a 34H, which is a bit like a lifetime sighting of an indigo bunting. When I heard a friend (who is something like a 32DD and has to order bras by mail-order in the US and hope some of them fit OK) was going to be in Edinburgh, I told her to find the nearest Marks & Sparks and go there forthwith, and she was eqully delighted.

Ahem. I have what you might call feelings about being able to locate and purchase undergarments that actually fit. I'm done now.

Barbershop + ceili(dh) sounds like a fun evening!

[pensnest]

I continue to find it UTTERLY LUDICROUS that the, what, 40% of women who are larger than a size 16 have so little supply of decent clothing. And when it comes to bras, anyone who isn't one of the 'standard' sizes has a tough time. Thank goodness for M&S.

Of course, I continue to be mystified that bras do up behind one's back instead of handily at the front where the owner can see what she is doing... but that's another rant.

[frausorge]

I congratulate you on the successful bra shopping! I made a similar attempt earlier this year based off a similar post (or maybe even the same one), and managed to get a few bras online that fit well... and then I lost some weight due to another thing, and that size is no longer the right one. At some point I'll have to repeat the exercise, but I'm a bit weary of shelling out for them.

[pensnest]

Trying on bras is a bit tedious, but much improved by actually being able to find bras that fit comfortably and are not made for matronly women in the 1960s. They are dismally expensive, too, but M&S gave me £10 off, my Beast had given me a £5 voucher, and one of the bras was On Sale, so I did okay.

[turlough]

That sounds like a fun evening.

I've never used bras before but my body seems to have reached an age where it's starting to hint that the support of a bra might be necessary. I'm NOT looking forward to trying to find something that fits! Though give that this different way of measuring bra size you're describing is the way it's always described in Swedish it might not be a completely impossible task here after all. It still sounds like a total hassle however. DNW!

I hope you managed to sell your pool.

[sperrywink]

Wow, having a good time bra shopping is unusual! Glad it worked for you.

[turps]

Considering how many people are miserable bra shopping there must be something wrong with the process.

I'm glad you had a good time and found some new bras.

[rikes]

Theoretically I knew about the correct way to measure your bra size all along, yet failed to realise that you should possibly re-measure yourself once in every few years. Turns out I'm not the same size as I was at fifteen! Shocking, I know. Somehow woke up to that last summer, and went up in cup size and down in band size. And then down yet another band size when I got measured at an actual bra shop this summer. It felt too tight for two days, but since then it's been perfect.

I'm convinced that most women must be wearing the wrong size bra. So glad to hear you had a good time bra shopping, hopefully the new ones are comfortable! The green ones sound fun anyway.