According to recent research about 70 per cent of women are
not wearing the right size of bra. Il-fitting
underwear can lead to sagging breasts,neck, shoulder and back pain as well as
pinched nerves.
Thanks to Julia Mercer, technical manager and Marks &
Spencer’s bra guru, I am not one of them. A year ago, bemoaning the fact that I
found it extremely difficult to find bras in a 30 back in small cup sizes I
asked Julia to help me. She was horrified to find that I had had to resort to
teenage bras.
Marks & Spencer had just launched the Sumptuously Soft
Plunge T-shirt Bra (£18, which comes in a plunge and full cup) and low and
behold I found the perfect fit bra. Thanks to its clever design, smooth back
“bagged out” (no back fat shows) stretchy hook and eye and oh so comfortable,
this bra has become one of its best sellers.
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| Perfect Fit Memory Foam Lace Padded Push-Up Plunge Bra, £22.50 |
I am still buying the bra that she chose for me but I wanted
to see if I could find something different, especially as Julia thinks that women should have a wardrobe
of bras. M&S, apparently, stock 113 sizes. I recently caught up with Julia
to see if she yet again could help me.
Having just been into John Lewis and also visited bra
specialist Rigby & Peller, both of whom could not find even one to fit me,
I was not optimistic at the outcome.
Julia told me that M&S listens to their customers and
she listened to my problems when we met last year and wanted to come up with a
solution. It added a lot more bras in a
30 back to the range. I was impressed. Julia found me two other ones
which fitted me perfectly.
The first one was the Perfect Fit Memory Foam Lace
Padded Push-Up Plunge Bra (Sizes A-DD, £22.50). This gives a rounded fuller
shape and having the lace makes it look so pretty. This is a super bra.
I also got a silk and rose lace bra (£25) and matching
briefs (£12.50) from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s Rosie for Autograph range.
This is so sexy! To be able to have underwear like this is a miracle.
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| Rose lace bra (£25) and matching briefs (£12.50) from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s Rosie for Autograph range. |
Bras have to be comfy. An interesting fact which I learned
from Julia is that the body height contracts 3cm during the day. “So it has to
go somewhere,” she says. "This is why your waistband always feels tighter after
midday. So you want your bra to move with you.” Watch out for more bras with
soft touch
It t is always best to get fitted every six months. Ensure
that you have confidence in the person that is going to fit you. According to
Julia, 23 per cent of women won’t go and have a professional fitting. If you
are one of these there is an app on the M&S site to help you pick the right
size. Besides picking the right size, you also take in consideration your body
shape.
An advantage of buying one brand bras is that theoretically
all bras the same shape, for example a plunge, should suit you. This worked for
me.
Another great plus of the lingerie department is the choice of knickers. What
style you choose boils down to personal preference. If you like to expose your
bum, then the Brazilian will work for you. If your body shape is triangular,
then opt for a high rise brief. If you are an inverted triangle any cut will
suit you. High-cut briefs can make legs look longer, while midis are an option
for women who like shorts but are not as low cut on the leg.
I am thrilled now owning three bras in three different
designs. I have never had a wardrobe of bras before. I am absolutely delighted.
Marks & Spencer say they cater for every market and they do!
By Daralyn Danns
