Those of you who have read my op on La Senza will know all about the troubles my big busted buddy encounters when shopping for that necessary everyday item known as the bra. At a size 30G she has found that:
# Most manufacturers assume that a big cupped lady will be large round and it is therefore hard to get G cup bra's lower than 36 round. Equally, manufacturers assume that a small cupped lady will be small round.
# The manufacturers who have not assumed the above tend to be the expensive brands and you are talking a minimum of £20 per bra. hardly fair when the 32B's and 32C's of the world can find bras in every high street store for as little as £5.
# Most bras that are available in sizes like 30G look like something your great grandma wears. Hardly what a young trendy girl wants to be wearing. My friend was too scared to bare all with her boyfriend for months because her bras were so monstrous!
# Finding the right bra takes a lot of time. Many a day has been spent driving miles to larger cities so we can trawl their bra retailers (and still come home empty handed).
# V. diifcult to get styles in colours other than white.
# Swim wear is the ultimate depressing issue. Again, expensive, difficult to come by and often granny like.
Until discovering Bravissimo, the above described shopping trips were becoming more and more frequent and more and more depressing.
Bravissimo recognises that women like my friend exist. Bravissimo have a shop in london, a mail order catalogue and on-line shopping.
More importantly, Bravissimo has ended the miserable days out, the depression bra hunting was causing my friend, and has boosted her confidence and in her eyes, her sex appeal!
The catalogue has bras for every occasion in all kinds of colours. With special occasion bras, everydat bras, minimising bras, pretty bras, sports bras and great swimwear all very sexy, my friend is in heaven. You can even buy strappy tops with a built in bra.
Prices start at £17, the average price being £25. Much more reasonable than what we were used to.
Expect to find well known makes such as Berlei and Charnos.
Expect to find styles that you'll never find anywhere else.
Expect to be very pleasantly surprised.
Expect to see and end to awful shopping trips, granny styles, boring white, very high prices.
Expect great service and advice.
My friend and I recommend this to all ciao readers with a D cup or larger bust.
We have not yet visited the store in london or shopped on-line and would appreciate any comments on readers experience of these.
For information of those with big busts i can tell you the following:
# M&S go up to F cup but very few styles.
# La senza and Ann Summers go up to E cup.
# If money is no object, department stores like debenhams and John lewis will have a variety of styles for you.
# Don't even bother with high street stores like Dot Perks, Topshop and Miss Selfridge. They don't go higher than a D and these are rare.
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Another great opinion off you! i read you la senza one, and was hoping for an update on your friends! hopefully your smaller chested friend will find something for her too sometime soon! Naomi :)
Ariel 02.07.2001 17:20
Regarding their London shop, I can opnly recomend the trip - it's a beutiful purple boutique, with well trained staff who all *have* breasts, so know what you're going through, and the same fabulous selection as the catalogue. The whole approach is very fun and girly, but you are guarenteed to go away delighted with your purchases - just be carefull of your credit card limit! Having been a long time fan, I love taking riends there to be fitted, and to enjoy the revelation that a well fitting bra can be comfortable *and* gorgeous.
Ladychatterbox 05.06.2001 15:01
Excellent and very informative op. I thought I had problems with a bust of 44DD, but I pity your friend. When I was pregnant with my second child, I went to mothercare to be fitted for a maternity bra only to be told that they don't stock my size (most expectant mums go up at least several sizes), but they could order me one in at £44.00 - needless to say I declined the offer - Welcome to my COT. :o)
Advantages: Multitude of ways to shop, expert advice onhand, vast, ever-changing product range with something for all ages, tastes, shapes and sizes Disadvantages: Only 2 retail outlets
creckless 01.08.2001 (02.08.2001)
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Review of Bravissimo
Advantages: Extremely helpful staff, excellent fitting experiences, lovely choices Disadvantages: Some very pricy ranges, might not be able to buy exactly what you want, need to book fittings
JeeanA 09.10.2009 ·
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