Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Introducing... Laura!

I have an announcement to make here at Thin and Curvy... 

I want to introduce you to Laura. As you've all probably noticed, this here blog has become a bit much for me to keep up with regularly. I wanted a way to keep things updating a little bit more often, as well as provide you with a different perspective. Enter Laura.

I met Laura as a Freshman in college, and we've kept in contact since. Via Facebook, I noticed that she was just as passionate and knowledgeable about bra fitting and big boob issues as myself. I wanted to give her an expanded platform in which to share her knowledge and passion. I know that you'll love her! 

Don't worry, though... I'm not going anywhere. I will still be posting here as often as I can (which will hopefully be more frequently than it's been the past few months.)

-Brittany

Hi everyone!

My name is Laura, and I have a problem: I'm addicted to bras and proper fit. GASP. Oh, and milkshakes.



I'm 25 years old and I've lived on the East Coast my entire life. My passion for properly fitting bras began when I was in high school, when I discovered the Livejournal community thirty_twod. Big boobs run in my family, and believe it or not, at 32HH/J, I am the smallest! Back then, though, I was a much smaller 34D (or so I thought -- probably 32DD). I learned a whole lot about proper fit and where to buy bras before I even realized I needed those resources -- I just thought it was interesting, at the time. Once I hit college and my boobs grew out of the ever-so-limited Victoria's Secret size range, I finally went to Nordstrom and learned a great deal about bras for gals like myself. I fell in love with brands like Chantelle, Le Mystere, and Simone Perele, and eventually, Freya, Fantasie, Panache, and beyond.

I love the feeling of a good quality, well-fitted bra. My posture straightens, my mood improves, and I feel beautiful and confident. I've become a bit of a bra-vangelist, trying to get all my friends fitted as well! My first truly successful fit was my mother, who went from wearing a 40G to a 38JJ. From there, I fitted a friend who went from 38DD to 34F/FF (depending on the bra). I worked on another friend for years, trying to get her to buy new bras. The four bras she owned when I met her were hand-me-downs from another girl. They were so stretched out that I could literally see the wrinkles of the fabric under her shirts! I was able to convince her to buy a few new bras at the time. She went from wearing ratty, hand-me-down 34Bs to wearing well-structured 34Bs, though I'd tried to get her to try a 32C then. Just recently, I was able to take her bra shopping as part of my 25th birthday present! She'd grown a bit since her "34B" days, and I got her out of a 34C and into a well-fitted, very flattering 32DD/E (depending, once again, on the bra -- see a pattern?).

Just like a well-fitted bra can boost my mood, so does well-fitted clothing. I just finished up law school, and in a few months will be taking the bar exam. Having to find properly fitting, appropriate professional clothing has been a bit of a challenge, but I embrace it head-on. Thank my mom for that, since she's the one who's encouraged the love of shopping in me.

My hope, in contributing to this blog, is that I will be able to shed some light on dressing professionally with a big bust, and to answer any questions readers may have. I am all about body-positive shopping experiences, and I believe that not nearly enough women have them. I'd like to help instill some body lovin' and appreciation in my entries as well.

6 comments:

  1. Good luck with the bar exam. I wish all women were made to take a BRA exam so they would learn how to properly fit themselves! ;)

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    1. Hahahaha, I agree! A BRA exam would be fabulous!

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  2. Isn't it amazing what a good bra fitting will do for you! Once I had my first bra fitting at Dillards, I felt more confident and went down from the size I thought I was.
    My posture improved too and I felt lighter and for sure more comfortable.
    I look forward to more of your posts! Thank you!

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    1. Thank you for the warm welcome! I hope I haven't disappointed. :)

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  3. I love your story. I had a similar experience making my mother try new types of bras and new sizes. She was resistent at the time, but she's happy as hell now.
    I wish I could say my experience was as good as hers. I wear 28FF and I'm not even sure that's the right size, but no one makes a 26 (and I live in an area when I don't have the option to get fitted).
    I gotta say I love the idea of this blog. I often find that clothes that fit me in one area really won't fit me in other areas (the ever-so-present maternety look when something fits my FF). On top of that, I'm also pretty petite. The size of any bra shoulder strap will be too big for me. Whenever I try a top/dress with some cleavage, it's always too big. Hell, I even shorten necklesses. I was so happy to find this site and the information in it and I'm going to check all of the sites mentioned in this blog. Thanks (to both of you) for putting all the information up here.

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    1. It's our pleasure to help! I often have a problem with clothes bagging at the waist in order for them to fit my bust. Waist belts are my saviors in those outfits!

      If you're comfortable in a 28FF, I wouldn't worry too much about sizing down to a 26. If you feel unsupported or that the band is too loose, though, I'd recommend giving Ewa Michalak a try. :) You can probably find 26-banded Ewa bras on Bratabase for sale, so you can try a used one before you take the plunge on a new one.

      For too long straps, you can try tying them together to make a bra racer-back style!

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