The Importance Of Buying Yourself New Bras

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Last week, in celebration of my week of freedom, I took myself shopping. Shopping usually involves a list that starts with avocados and ends with potty training nappies so I thought it might be nice to visit my old friends the clothes rather than the groceries. I wanted to wander the halls of the shopping centre, stopping only to look at price tags and feel fabric quality rather than to retrieve lost balloons and tiny errant socks. I had nothing on my list other than a vague idea to look at coats and knickers but hey, none of the best adventures are planned.

My shopping trip started, as all good trips do, with a glass of wine over lunch. OK, so it was two glasses of wine but it was 1pm and my dining companion (hi mum) is doing dry January. I had to show her what she was missing, right? As is our tradition we chowed down at Carluccios (always pate followed by Milanese di pollo… if they ever change their lunch menu we’re well and truly screwed) and I have to say it was nice to not have to share the best bits of my meal with grabby little hands. Beautiful grabby little hands.

After lunch we mooched on over to Marks and Spencer. And this is where my day of shopping highs began. Well, it was actually when I started spending money, but really? Look at this coat! I’ve been desperate for something smarter than my leather jacket to wear to meetings and this one spoke to me. I love it. So let’s just forget that my Friday night drunken behaviour took my new coat onto a Kings Cross R&B dancefloor, shall we? Such disrespect for the beautiful new coat.   photo (19)

You know that feeling of invincibility you get when money ceases to have a meaning and you become some sort of shopping machine, instinctively knowing what is going to look awesome on you? It was either the wine or the coat but that’s what I had that afternoon. The shopping high had arrived.

The shopping high led me to the one place I’ve been avoiding for months. Because my body has a sick sense of humour, when I lose weight the first place it leaves is my boobs. They weren’t that big in the first place if I’m honest so the fact that my funbags had somewhat deflated didn’t bother me too much but my baggy bras did. And so I headed to M&S’s lingerie department to get my undergarmets fixed.

I don’t know why I’d been avoiding this. Shopping for bras is something I find impossible with kids, especially with a three year old who thinks boobs and bellies are hilarious (and really, why wouldn’t you?). I’m often so tired that the hours of hunting the racks for such specific sizes really gets on my wick and I usually end up exiting the department with nothing but a packet of microfibre pants (the comfiest pants out there. FACT). The whole experience is just such a faff and a headache that I do it online, get frustrated that everything is the wrong size, and end up exactly where I started. With badly fitting bras.

But this time I did it properly. I sought out a friendly middle-aged lady brandishing a tape measure and got properly fitted. I made embarrassing boob jokes when I was naked from the waist up but I suppose this just proves Elfie gets her sense of humour from me. I scoured the department and found some underwear sets that I liked and more importantly that fitted.  They were matching and comfortable, a total revelation.

I journeyed home via GAP (apparently I’m a size 8 jean size, thanks gym and paleo!) because their manager is the best looking in the whole of the shopping center and I can’t get enough of their grey marl jumpers that are now on sale. And ever since I got home from that trip I have felt awesome. I’ve been through my underwear drawer, thrown out the greying items that I really should have stopped wearing a year ago and replaced them with my lovely lacy items. I relegated my Bridget Jones pants to a different drawer, telling myself I will wear them at night time only, and sorted the others by colour.

Now every time I get dressed in the morning I do not start with despairing over the state of my baggy old tshirt bras. My days begin with lace and frilly bits, and these small scraps of fabric have revolutionised the rest of my wardrobe. I’m suddenly excited to wear items of clothes I haven’t worn in ages and it’s nice to know that there’s something nicer that plain white cotton going on under my jeans and jumper combo. My new bras have given me a hit of winter confidence which is well-needed after months of hiding white my limbs under wool. Come at me, Spring, I’m totally ready for you.

My new underwear was the first purchase I’ve made in ages that felt selfish: bras won’t keep my children warm or impress potential clients at meetings (well they might, but then I’m probably doing business wrong) and the happiness of doing something just for me has lasted for ages. My new brassieres have lifted both my boobs and my spirit, and well, is there ever a better day than one in which you compare your state of mind to your breasts? If there is I want to know about it.

The next time I’m having a bad day I’m going to forget the comfort eating, the whining on the phone to my friends and heading straight for the lingerie. I’d suggest you do the same.

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20 Comments

  1. WallyMummy wrote:

    I just had a total underwear clear out and it felt fab :) Bought myself an entire new bra and pants wardrobe in the debenhams sales and I agree, it has a complete therapeutic effect! Well worth it ;) xxx

    Posted 1.13.14 Reply
    • alice wrote:

      It really does! Going to do a Debenham’s dash tomorrow to see if there’s anything left… x

      Posted 1.13.14 Reply
  2. LOVE that coat!! ;) I have one a bit like it myself. It makes me feel like a proper grown up – and still looks wicked with trainers xx

    Posted 1.13.14 Reply
    • alice wrote:

      yes! Wore it with my converse today x

      Posted 1.13.14 Reply
  3. Loving the coat Alice! x

    Posted 1.13.14 Reply
  4. Ugh, bra buying. I have the opposite problem – the first place I gain weight is my boobs and I can DEFINITELY feel your pain.

    Posted 1.13.14 Reply
  5. Emma K wrote:

    Love this post Alice – I’m ever nearing my goal weight and cannot wait for ‘that’ first ‘proper’ shopping trip – for clothes to keep and not just to do me until the next weigh drop! Underwear is my favourite thing to purchase…! Steel yourself Markies…I’ll be coming to get you :) xx

    Posted 1.14.14 Reply
  6. Lauranne wrote:

    I’ll have to try this. I can’t find a bra that fits, despite having once been fitted for a bra. I also have the loose weight, loose boobs problem – it just ain’t fair!

    Posted 1.14.14 Reply
  7. Ohhh love the coat!!! :) x

    Posted 1.16.14 Reply
  8. I so need to have an undies clearout…. ;)

    Posted 1.16.14 Reply
  9. I love shopping but like you, my underwear is probably last on my list! But if they are going to lift my bust and my spirit I may have to have a rethink ;-)

    Posted 1.16.14 Reply
  10. Argh… I need to go and sort out my underwear drawer!!

    Posted 1.16.14 Reply
  11. New underwear is great isn’t it, beautiful coat too

    Posted 1.16.14 Reply
  12. Jennifer wrote:

    I need to sort through my underwear drawer, I’ve promised myself some new bits when I’ve lots the few pounds of Christmas weight! I’m just not brave enough to go and get myself fitted for a bra though, I really need to pluck up the courage. That is a gorgeous coat :)

    Posted 1.16.14 Reply
  13. Mum of One wrote:

    I desperately need new underwear. I keep putting t off in the hope that I will lose weight….but have now been doing that for 3 years! Might be time to bite the bullet.

    Posted 1.16.14 Reply
  14. I agree. Once a year if possible.

    Posted 1.16.14 Reply
  15. That’s actually one of my New years resolutions ;-)

    Loving the coat by the way x

    Posted 1.16.14 Reply
  16. Kirsty wrote:

    What a great way to spend time in your week of freedom. I haven’t been near a real, proper grown-up shop that doesn’t have groceries in it for probably about 2 years. I could do with an underwear drawer overhaul too :-/

    Posted 1.16.14 Reply
  17. Katy Beale wrote:

    Hello!

    Did you find M&S did you a good fit? They are the mainstay of the high street but I think they don’t fit well. The best analysis I had was at Rigby & Peller, where they didn’t even get the tape measure out, they just *looked* at my naked boobs and knew what size they were. Amazing.

    I wore a 34C (as measured by M&S) for years and years… then did the ‘Mumsnet Bra Intervention’ and realised I’d been wearing the wrong size for most of my life. Pre-pregnancy, I was actually a 32DD or even a 30E.

    See the ‘Bra Band Project’, campaigning and informing about better fitting bras:
    http://www.brabandproject.com

    My boobs have been up and down with pregnancy and breastfeeding for the last couple of years (am wearing 32FF at the moment Eek!), but I definitely go for a smaller band (and therefore higher cup size ) than I ever thought I would need and it gives me a better shape and supports the ‘front luggage’ so much better.

    Yay for boobs!

    Posted 1.23.14 Reply
    • alice wrote:

      I actually was v impressed with the lady measuring me at M&S this time! I’ve been to Rigby and Peller too and they were also brilliant, but as I buy most of my underwear from M&S it made sense to get measured there. I tried on A LOT of bras that day and am happy to report nothing but comfort in the boob region ever since ;)

      Posted 1.27.14 Reply