Advance Praise
“Busted examines why the fit of a woman’s bra is not only incredibly complicated, but also integral to good health. Author Ali Cudby finally solves the bra fit conundrum with easy humor and deep knowledge, then explains how to address those issues successfully.”
—Jeffrey Kluger, New York Times Bestselling author of Apollo 13 and The Sibling Effect
“A bra is one of the most misunderstood parts of a woman’s wardrobe. Fortunately, Ali is here to change all that! Her debut book not only lifts bust lines; it also lifts spirits, with a reassuring yet informative style that’s perfect for all your bra questions.”
—Treacle, The Lingerie Addict, World’s #1 Lingerie Blog
“Can a bra change a life? The answer is yes, and Ali Cudby has crafted a wonderful book that will resonate with women looking to change not only their wardrobe but their lives. Busted! is truly uplifting—full of solid advice and personal stories that readers will find illuminating, insightful, and hard to put down.”
—Luis Paredes, publisher and founder of TheLingerieJournal.com, an online resource and publication for the lingerie industry
Advance Praise
“Ali’s book makes you want to go bra shopping, just so you can use her amazing advice to finally find that perfect bra!”
—Ellen Shing, Lula Lu Petite Lingerie
“If you want a PICTURE PERFECT fit with comfort and style, Busted! is a must-read. Picture this: Ali Cudby has taken a difficult topic and made it simple.”
—Howard Shapiro M.D., New York Times bestselling author of The Picture Perfect Weight Loss series
“Ali Cudby is a one-of-a-kind genius and a gift to every woman (and man!) alive. If you want to look thinner, eliminate neck or back pain and wear your clothes with confidence, then you need Ali. If you’ve got dozens of bras that are sitting in your drawer collecting dust, then you need Ali. If you care about your breast health, then you need Ali. Seriously – don’t buy one more bra until you read Busted!”
—Wendy Lipton-Dibner, bestselling author of Shatter Your Speed Limits™: Fast-Track Your Success and Get What You Truly Want in Business and in Life and founder of the Move People to Action System for Experts, Authors and Entrepreneurs™
BUSTED!
The Fab Foundations™
Guide to Bras That Fit, Flatter and Feel Fantastic
By Ali Cudby
Copyright © 2011 by Ali Cudby
Smashwords Edition
BUSTED! The Fab Foundations™ Guide To Bras That Fit, Flatter and Feel Fantastic is not intended as a substitute for professional medical consultations in matters of physical health. Whenever appropriate, we encourage you to seek expert medical help and/or legal advice. This book should be used only as a general guide. The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have been caused, directly or indirectly, by the information contained in this book. Without exception, names have been changed or left anonymous in all anecdotal profiles and first-person accounts used in this book.
All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage and retrieval system now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages for inclusion in a magazine, newspaper, or broadcast.
Published in the United States by Journey Grrrl Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-936984-06-0
Library of Congress Control Number: 2011934597
Interior Design by Karen Leigh Burton/Poodles Doodles
Cover Design by Abby Weintraub
Cover art: Imagezoo/Getty Images
Fab Girl Illustrations by Judith Shakes Design
Headshot of Ali Cudby courtesy of Brian K. Donnelly
To Joe,
My Aphrodisiac Is You
Table of Contents
1Fit’s Not Rocket Science: It’s Harder!
Mad Men Determined Our Bra Size • The Three Biggest Myths of Bra Sizing • The Search for a Bra Can Feel Like a Bust • Finding the Right Bra Is Hard! • Personal Assessment
2WARNING! The Wrong Bra Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
Once Upon a Time, When Fit Was a Fairy Tale • A Brief History of the Bra • Inventory Blues • Size Doesn’t Mean Fit • International Cup Size Conversion Chart • The Hazards of Wearing the Wrong Bra • The Emotional Consequences • How To Lose Ten Pounds Without Going on a Diet • The Right Bra Can Be Life Changing
There’s No Such Thing as a Cup Size • The Myth of the DD • Why Women’s Bodies Are Changing • All Fittings Are NOT Created Equal • Don’t Let a Good Fitter Get Away • The FabFit™ Filosofy
The Bra Band • That Dreaded Back Fat • The Cup • Are Your Cups Too Big or Too Small? • The Bridge • The Straps • Understanding Your Underwire • How the Bra Should Fit YOU
Petite • Feeling Good About
Petite • Standard • Are You Uneven? • Full-busted •
Full-figured • Notes to All Large-Breasted Ladies
• Busting
the Myth of the Minimizer • The Grass is Always Greener
Bra Innovations • Why Some Bras Are More Expensive Than Others • Engineering and Construction • Fabric • Embellishments • Hand Sewing • How To Customize Your Fit • The Most Economical Piece in Your Wardrobe • How Much Should You Spend on a Bra? • It’s All About the Fit
7Essential Steps to Stress-Free Bra Shopping
The FabFit™ Formula in Action • Fitting the Band • Finding Your Cup Size • Jennifer Learns a Lesson • Your FabFit™ Assessment • Is It the Right Bra for You? • How To Put On Your Bra • Making Internet Shopping Work for You • Which Cup Size Should I Buy? • Considering Your Cycle • Brand Comparison Sizing Chart • Trial and Error
8How to Save Your Bra from an Untimely Death
Give Your Bra a Break • Washing Tips • Dryers and Delicates: A Lethal Combination • More Tips for a Long-Lasting Bra • When to Replace Your Bra
9Bras Through a Lifetime: Revisiting The FabFit™ Filosify
Your First Bra • The Teen Years and Training Bras • Weight Gain and Loss • Sports Bras • Hormonal Changes • Maternity and Nursing Bras • Tips for Trying on Nursing Bras • Surgical Changes • Prosthesis • Sleep Bras • Aging
Guide to Bra Styles • Terminology
My mission is to help every woman understand how a bra should fit her unique body, so she can enjoy a lifetime of Fab Foundations™.
— Ali Cudby
Introduction
Tears in the Fitting Room
I was a late bloomer. As a young teen in summer camp, I was teased for being flat-chested. Eventually, I started developing in eighth grade, and once I started growing, I didn’t stop. During my high school years, I went from average to busty to huge. I joked to my friends that I had a six-pack: two resting in my bra, two spilling over the top, and two sliding beneath the underwire.
Bra shopping felt like an act of masochism. The largest bra I could find at our local department store was a DD, and it didn’t come close to fitting. I’m sure the saleslady felt sorry for me. When I did find a bra that sort of worked, it was always something resembling a flak jacket. As a teenager, all I wanted was lacy lingerie in pretty colors, but there was nothing available in my size.
Every time I went shopping, I couldn’t help hoping that the stores would have something new. I was always disappointed, and no matter how much I steeled myself beforehand, I always ended up crying in the fitting room.
These shopping experiences made me feel humiliated, as if each bra that didn’t fit was communicating a larger message: that I didn’t fit. Although I excelled in lots of areas, failing to feel good about my body compromised my self-esteem and undermined my confidence on the dating scene.
After years of insecurity and adolescent heartache, I had breast reduction surgery during my freshman year of college. Although they removed half of my breast mass I was still a D cup. I could finally walk into just about any lingerie department and find a bra my size! While bra shopping was great, the surgery did not restore my self-esteem as effectively as I had hoped. I was satisfied with my bra selection, but I was still unhappy with my body.
Inevitably, I gained weight, and the extra pounds found their way to my chest. It didn’t take long before I was right back where I had been throughout high school: not fitting into any of the bras available in an average department store. Once again, I found myself crying in the fitting room. As I transitioned through my twenties, I figured out other ways to feel good about myself. I focused on my career and friends and eventually came to embrace my curves.
I began dating a charming Englishman who, before long, insisted it was time to meet his family on the other side of the pond. On a whirlwind weekend in England, we were walking through lovely, historic Cambridge with my boyfriend’s family when I spied the marquee of my dreams.
Bravissimo—For Big-Boobed Girls was a shop made in heaven. It was like a beacon of light entering my body, drawing me in. As I veered in closer to look at the merchandise, I couldn’t help myself. Without thinking, I went inside, leaving my boyfriend’s family standing on the sidewalk, wondering what had come over me.
As I entered the store, I had to wonder, too. I consider myself a strong, independent woman. I’ve owned my own businesses and have done amazing things in my life (including marrying that charming Englishman). It may seem overblown to say that finding a store with properly fitted bras was life changing, but it was.
Up until that day, I had always felt uncomfortable—physically and emotionally—adjusting my bra all day long while waiting desperately for the moment I could rip it off at night. Over the years, dents had formed in my shoulders from the tight bra straps holding up my chest, and even worse, I was constantly self-conscious in my skin.
But Bravissimo changed all that. It was filled with bras that were pretty, lacy, feminine—and all in large cup sizes. I received a professional fitting and bought bras in a size I never knew existed. Even better, the lovely fitter brought me a dozen gorgeous bras to try on. With each new garment, I felt more and more whole. All of a sudden, I noticed myself standing straighter. I was actually lifted for the first time in my life in a bra that was also nice to touch and attractive to look at.
I already looked better in my clothes and the bras felt so comfortable! I never realized they could feel so good! I imagined I wouldn’t have to think about my bra anymore during the day once I put it on in the morning. More important, with the right bra, I could begin to focus on more important aspects of my life without distraction.
While my future family stood outside, wondering what kind of wacky American girl their boy had brought home, I was experiencing the most remarkable revelation. Once again, just as I had so many times before, I found myself crying in the dressing room — except this time they were tears of joy.
On that day, I knew I would never wear uncomfortable, ill-fitting bras again. I got home and began talking to my friends, only to realize that whether they had grapes or melons, almost none of them had bras that fit. In fact, most of them said, “I know my bra doesn’t fit!” When I heard them, I was floored. For all those years, I had suffered in silence, thinking I was the lone oddball. How could so many smart, successful women have ill-fitting bras? Then it struck me — as women, we never really learn how a bra should fit.
I resolved to start fitting my friends. The more I helped, the more people asked for a turn. All of a sudden, it was like that old shampoo commercial. Every woman I helped told their two friends — and so on, and so on. But working with my circle of friends wasn’t enough. I wanted every woman to look and feel amazing, and that was the ultimate inspiration for this book.
As I like to say, a bra is like a house. Without a solid foundation, everything sags. That’s why bras are called foundation garments, and it’s why I named my company Fab Foundations™.
The fruits of all my labors fitting women and studying the field has been distilled into a series of steps I call The FabFit™ Formula. It is the heart of this book.
Using The FabFit™ Formula, you will acquire skills and valuable information that can last a lifetime, even as your body changes. These include how to fit a bra correctly, find the garment you prefer, and shop strategically, thereby saving money, stress, and time — all key factors in promoting a healthier lifestyle. Because when you wear the wrong size bra day after day, year after year, there are consequences for your health, both physically and emotionally.
Once you’ve completed this book, you will be able to put on a bra in the morning that fits correctly and enjoy leaving it alone and have it remain comfortable all day until you take it off at night. Imagine standing straighter, looking better in your clothes, and appearing 10 pounds thinner. That’s what FabFit™ can do for you.
You will no longer have to endure the discomfort and indignity of bras that don’t fit. You, too, can join the club of healthy and happy women who are enjoying a lifetime of Fab Foundations™.
The FabFit™ Formula
• Your best bra fit is an important part of your physical and emotional health.
• Bodies are not one-size-fits-all so bra measurement systems shouldn’t be either.
• Focus on fit instead of size.
• Assess your fit in the band, cup, bridge, and straps.
• Determine your body type.
• Always try on a bra to know how it fits your unique body.
• Buy fewer bras of better quality.
• Take care of your bras to get the most mileage for your money.
Every woman needs—no, deserves—a properly fitting bra. Not only does it make a profound difference in the way you look & feel; the simple truth is that your clothes simply won’t work their best without one, no matter how much you may have spent on them.
—Treacle, The Lingerie Addict, World’s #1 Lingerie Blog
1
Fit’s Not Rocket
Science:
It’s Harder!
When it comes to finding the right bra—one that fits correctly, feels comfortable, and can make you look much thinner—it shouldn’t be an epic battle. When you read fashion magazines or websites, it seems like finding your bra size is easy. A little more investigation reveals that there are a lot of different methods to fit a bra, and many of them are contradictory. In fact, the entire philosophy of bra sizing is confusing.
Mad Men Determined Our Bra Size
Some of the confusion goes back to World War II, when band and cup sizing became the norm. The perfect hourglass figure was considered to be 36-26-36. The first measurement was supposed to represent the bust size, so women seeking that hourglass ideal wanted to buy a bra that reinforced the idea that they were “a 36.”
The problem was that the measurement actually corresponded to the over the bust measurement, not the band size. In reality, that 36-26-36 woman actually had a band size that measured somewhere around 32 inches.
The geniuses on Madison Avenue thought it would be confusing for women to think of themselves as a 32 when so much of the hype was based upon a size 36 being the ideal. So they came up with a methodology that became the norm: to ascertain band size, first you measure your body under the bust, then add four to five inches. So, essentially, women have an incredibly confusing process for measuring bra band size based on a marketing gimmick.
The Three Biggest Myths of Bra Sizing
Let’s begin by debunking the three biggest myths concerning bra size.
Myth 1: You don’t fit.
That is simply not true. There is a bra out there for virtually everybody, and this book tells you how to find it.
Myth 2: Once you find your bra size, you are done.
In fact, bra size is a moving target. Ask any growing teenager, new mother, or mature woman. Bodies change and bra sizes right along with them.
Myth 3: It’s easy to find your bra size.
Simply put—it’s not. If you have ever adjusted a slipping bra strap, felt uncomfortable in your bra, or wished for a better silhouette, then you know that the quest for the ideal bra can feel hopeless.
The Search for a Bra Can Feel Like a Bust
Anita, a 38-year-old mother of two, knew she needed to go bra shopping, but she couldn’t find anything in local stores that fit her properly. Feeling embarrassed and overwhelmed, she let her ill-fitting DD bras fall into tatters. That made it exceedingly difficult for Anita to feel professional in the clothes she wore each day, working as a bank teller.
Christina, a 24-year-old schoolteacher, had been hearing the same refrain for years from the sales ladies at the mall. Whenever they spotted her petite frame, they told her to shop for training bras in the children’s department, or worse, they suggested that she didn’t need a bra at all. Christina, a former gymnast, was too small for adult lingerie, which ultimately made her feel less like a woman.
Maggie, a 45-year-old lawyer, looked at her chest one night after a long day of work and childcare and felt utterly deflated, much like her breasts after nursing two babies. Without knowing any better, she continued wearing her 34B bras and assumed the sagging was a reality she would just have to accept.
Recognize anyone you know?
Anita, Christina, and Maggie are typical of the millions of American women who face daily issues with their bras. They may be successful and happy in their day-to-day lives, but when they walk into a lingerie department it’s a different story. These women represent a majority who may not like their bra size or breast shape or simply may not know what size to wear. As a result, they certainly don’t enjoy shopping for bras or like how they fit. All too often, bra shopping makes these women feel like there’s something wrong with them or their bodies.
But finding a bra that fits and makes you feel good can make rocket science seem easy; at least it follows a formula. Confusion about bra size explains why industry studies consistently show that somewhere between 70 and 85 percent of women are wearing the wrong bra size. That amounts to between 80 and 100 million women over the age of 18. And the statistics for younger girls are even worse.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Most, if not all, of the reasons these women are still struggling with finding the right bra are due to incomplete and misguided information. And some of the information out there is flat-out wrong.
Finding the Right Bra Is Hard!
Anita’s bra straps constantly fell off her shoulders, and she often readjusted them, even during meetings in her office.
When the time came for her performance review, her manager took issue with Anita’s “constant fidgeting,” as if it compromised her professionalism. Even though it was never specifically mentioned, Anita knew the culprits were her ill-fitting bras. Unable to find anything that fit, Anita felt sloppy, in her life and at work.
Because there are few industry standards for sizing, confusion about how to take a measurement, and inconsistent training of in-store fitters, women continue to be handicapped in their search for the proper fitting bra.