Mom Confession: I’m a bottom of the barrel kind of gal when it comes to buying myself bras.
For the better part of 15 years I have shopped the sale racks and those bins of bras and undies at Victoria’s Secret, the Gap, Old Navy, Kohls, Walmart and the like to buy my undergarments. I had a strict “no more than $20 for a bra and $3 for a pair of underwear” rule, which meant that I would buy bras with band and cup sizes that were “close enough.” (To be fair, I had no idea what my bra size was—the last time anyone helped me find my bra size was in the department store in my hometown with my mom at age 15.)
The right fit was a nice bonus and comfort was like finding a unicorn.
Call me crazy, but it seemed like spending a whole bunch of money on something that no one but me was going to see, was a little frivolous. Then, shortly after the world shut down (circa March 2020), those Third Love Instagram ads really started speaking to me. And as we all know, one click on an Instagram ad unleashes the avalanche of Instagram ads for similar products meaning I was getting ads from Parade, Spanx, Me Undies, and Pepper — just to name a few.
In a moment of sheer boredom one afternoon I bought myself my first bra that I selected for fit and comfort before selecting the bra for the price (just to be clear I’m talking bras, like for work and every day. I still shop for all of my sports bras on the sale racks at TJ Maxx and the like, I’m not a complete “nice bra” convert).
I went through a few different companies, trying on bras, sending back the ones that didn’t fit or were uncomfortable, and found a few that I decided to keep.
You guys, comfortable bras, are a life changing experience—I’m not exaggerating for effect—they are truly life changing.
I ended up really, really, liking the Spanx brand of bras (the bras I prefer are this one and this one. Oh, and this nice little bralette from Free People.
Instagram taught me that I really only need three bras and one or two bralettes in rotation at any given time and that if I want to keep said bras in working order, I need to take care of them.
Meaning, lingerie bag, cold water, no dryer. Bras are supposed to last about a year and a bra can be worn one or two times before washing (just don’t wear the same bra 2 days in a row—it messes with the elastic band or something.
I think good bras may be harder to come by than partners who do the dishes without asking, so just like searching for that special someone to share household chores with; there is a bra out there for you—just don’t stop looking before you find it.
ProTip: I highly doubt it’s in the bottom of one of those bins at the Victoria’s Secret Semi-Annual Sale — trust me, I’ve looked.
