I’ve said that I would use this blog for my whole life rather than just Tarot. Of late, I’ve been primarily back to Tarot. In a way, it’s a challenge for me to try to loop everything back to Tarot somehow. It’s easy to do that with food, but what about foundation garments.
Foundation garments? Please. You mean bras and panties, Arwen?
Well, I mean specifically bras in this case. Did you know that a huge number of women wear the wrong bra size? I’ve seen figures from 70% up to 85%. This subject was being discussed on another board I frequent. One woman brought up that fact. Then she stated that she’d been professional fitted and how it had really changed things for her. I admit it. I was a bit skeptical. I mean…c’mon. It’s just a thing to hold your boobs from flopping, right? If you have big ones that is. Or it is just a thing to make your boobs perk more than they do.
I don’t know. I wasn’t sold on this whole–you gotta have the right bra thing. Sounded like a manufactured excuse by the bra makers to get women to buy expensive bras.
I’ll take my slice of humble pie with a side of “I was wrong” topping.
I had already done some research on a good bra place here in Austin. From what I could tell from reviews I read at Yelp.com and other places, was that I was going to have to drive to a place called Petticoat Fair. I whined. It was too far (read: further than five minutes from my door.) It was going to be expensive (read: I’d rather by five $20 bad bras than one good one?) It was going to be weird. (read: I was letting my own heterophobia rear its ugly head.) I had those and other really fabulous excuses. Okay. Maybe not fabulous.
Anywho! I finally got in my car on my day off to make the drive north. It wasn’t that far. In fact, at the time of day that I went up, it only took me about 25 minutes. Going home I hit rush hour, but that’s my fault for not going up earlier in the day. Back to my Petticoat Fair experience.
I already knew how it worked. You went in. You signed up. You waited. I only waited about 10 minutes. They told me Betty would help me. I looked around then I looked down. There stood my fairy godmother–only I didn’t know it yet. Turns out Betty, or Mrs. “A”, is the retired owner of Petticoat Fair. She opened the place in 1964. That’s three years after I was born, y’all! Their FAQ’s state:
Fitting techniques have been passed down from our store founder who learned to fit through corsetiering schools. We use knowledge of breast health, anatomy, and garment construction.
At first I was worried that I would be embarrassed, but Betty put me right at ease. She was methodical without making me feel like a dress dummy. Taking the time to explain to me what measurements she was taking and why really helped. She viewed my body as a whole rather than parts. Her personal approach woven with her obvious know-how soothed me.
Of course, I was wearing the wrong bra size. I tried on a number of bras until I found the ones that fit. NOTE: Not fit the best. Just very simply fit. Then Betty showed me how to adjust the bra once it was on. I learned all sorts of things about my tap-dancing fairy godmother. Sadly there were no black bras in my size, but I did walk out with a snazzy number in sapphire. I don’t know about you, but one of the things I hate about bras in large size is the dearth of color and detail. Even Betty discarded one as an “old woman’s bra”.
Oh, and the cost? I bought three bras plus some detergent specially made for no-rinse cleansing for no more than I would have spent on three bras at Lane Bryant. Seriously. I know some of them are expensive. But mine simply weren’t.
If I was going to tie this into Tarot, I would remind you bra-wearers reading this post that foundation means support. It is what supports you and your body. If you are large-chested, you have more back problems and shoulder aches than you know what to do with. Do yourself a favor? Google the nearest bra-fitter to you and go. This is you understanding that you are a Queen who deserves to be treated well. No, let’s one up that. Let’s make you the Empress in your life. Shouldn’t the Empress have a bra that fits? Isn’t it time to take care of yourself?
We can’t all be drawn by Luis Roya like the Empress from the Labyrinth Tarot show here.
I also avoided creating a Bra Spread for What Supports Us. That may yet happen. HA!
Nice save on the tarot front 😉 Seriously, though, I’m sure I could wear a better fitting bra, but what happens when I gain or lose a few pounds (as happens fairly regularly)? As it is, I have bras in about 4 different sizes in my drawer, so surely I’m wearing the right size bra at least some of the time :-b
Grin, I gave myself permission to blog w/o Tarot but rarely take that opportunity.
I was really surprised to find out how much difference the right bra made for me. Even if you only go get fitted to make sure you are in the right size. It was amazing!
*fanatic* lol
Interesting post. I know I’m guilty of wearing the wrong size, and they are very uncomfortable. Slipping and siding and what have you.
Nice touch with the Tarot card choice.