First of all, if you are looking at my blog on this site, I should let you know that I have changed platforms. The new blog is now at http://www.seattlelingerie.blogspot.com/

Unfortunately, I am sorry to announce that I will not be posting for the next few months. You might say, “But wait! You haven’t posted in a super long time already! How is this different?”, and the answer is that while I haven’t been posting anything, I have been researching and shopping and writing like a maniac. The more of this I do, the more I realize that I’m not really ready to launch this blog from the school project that it was, to the awesome blog it could be. Sad, but not tragic.

The good news is that I WILL be launching it in a few months, complete with all the gidgets and gadgets the blog deserves. It will be epic. Ok, maybe not epic, but I won’t launch it until I’m proud of it.

Also, thanks to all of my friends who are always so supportive of my idea! You guys are the best

-Abigail

There are a few pieces in the window display, a robe, a bra and panty set, and couple of other accessories. I think immediately that I am about as faraway from the salacious as I can possibly get. As I walk inside, my suspicions are confirmed.

The decor inside reminds me of Zovo Lingerie, which is good. Warm, intimate, not too bright, but not too dark. But it’s a lot smaller, and there is less merchandise on display. From what I’ve gathered, this is a clear marker of any high-end retailer. Either you know the product/designer well enough that you know exactly what you’re looking for and exactly what you’re doing, or you just have a ton of money to blow, and expect the associates to do it all for you.

I introduce myself to the girl behind the counter, and tell her about my blog. I can see that she’s not adverse to helping me, but she’s a little wary. This much I understand- at Bra Central we love publicity, but we’re constantly afraid that someone’s going to say something that misrepresents us.

The store is pretty self-explanatory. The wall on the left is stocked floor to ceiling with luxurious robes, soft night gowns, chemises, teddy’s, bustiers, and pajamas. As I look through it, I marvel at how beautiful everything is. This is going to sound so hokey, but I’m in awe. Beautiful lingerie like this is not underwear- it’s art. Everything from the high thread count cotton robes to the hand stitched peignoir set is beautiful, and I’d be perfectly happy to wear any and all of them instead of clothes.

So of course it’s exorbitantly expensive. The Daniel Hanson cotton kimono robe is nearly $1,000, and the cashmere robes are more than $2,000. These are some of the priciest items in the store, but still! We’re not in Kansas anymore.

And the $795 Carine Gilson Les Antoinettes Babydoll and Kimono Set… I’m drooling. These pictures absolutely cannot do the ensemble justice. It’s one of the most exquisite sets I’ve ever seen in real life. (It also comes with a matching bra and panty set!!!)

While Nancy Meyer carries these high-end pieces, they do have slightly more realistic options. I see a good collection of Chantelle and La Perla, which are slightly less expensive, and still high quality. If you go to the Nancy Meyer website, you can find plenty of simpler pieces under $170.

As I move away from the sleepwear and loungewear, and realize that I seehardly any bras. I ask where they’re kept, and the store associate shows me a giant base of drawers behind the counter. All of the bras in the store are stored there by size. A+ for organization, and props for keeping messy customers from screwing it up.

I ask her if I can go through their fit experience, and she politely informs me that they do not do bra fittings. (This further bolsters my assertion that you only come to stores such as this if yo know what you’re doing!) That’s fine by me, so I tell her my size and she gives me a selection of three to try one. As I head back to the fitting room, I’m reminded again of Zovo Lingerie- large dressing rooms with pale gold curtains instead of doors. I kind of like this touch. It adds a certain romance to what is often considered an unpleasant task.

The first bra I try on the Chantelle Rive Gauche Unlined Demi. I’ve tried on other bras from this collection before, and I must say, still lovin’ it!

The second one I try is the Myla Bodysilk Strapless. This one she didn’t have in a 34DD, so I had to try it on in a 36D. (Normally I would have gone to a 32DDD, but they don’t carry cup sizes that big. Sad.) Obviously it doesn’t fit as well as it could, but I can still tell that it’s a good bra.

The last one I try on is a total wild card- the Bordelle Bondage Triangle Bra. This thing is totally awesome, but definitely not something I’d wear everyday. I also remember seeing several chemises and dresses from this designer on the sales floor. Not exactly my style, but pretty nifty.

When I’m done, I’m thinking that the only downside to this place is the price, when I watch the sale associate put the bras away. She puts the two unlined bras away properly, and then, get ready for this, INVERTS THE CUP of the strapless bra and stores it like that.

Epic Lingerie FAIL.

Usually when I visit a store, I buy something to be polite, but I honestly can’t afford anything here. All I can do is promise a good review. Maybe right now my college student budget can’t bankroll this lingerie party, but if I’m ever rich and successful, I will return and shop with a vengeance.

So how does Nancy Meyer rate? On a 5 point scale:

Cost: 1     Selection: 3     Customer Service: 5

Looking for something particularly nice? Go ahead and check them out:

1318 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA, 98101

206.625.9281

www.nancymeyer.com

I’d say Victoria’s Secret is largely to blame.

Not that I mind. We don’t exactly specialize in “naughty lingerie” at Bra Central, but we have some stuff, and the desire to be sexy drives a lot of our business. (Last night I had a 60 year old woman spend an hour in the store trying to find something sexy but not too obvious for the seduction she’s planning this weekend. I love my job!) Victoria’s Secret has very efficiently capitalized on this desire.

Victoria’s Secret was started by Roy Raymond in San Francisco in 1977. He understood the overwhelmed feeling men would get in department stores when trying to buy lingerie for women, so he started Victoria’s Secret as a boutique geared specifically towards men. Decorated with a darker, more masculine theme (nothing pink and frilly like now) he set up entire “outfits” of lingerie on wall displays, so men could easily point and say “That one!”. Obviously this was a huge hit, because what guy wants to be the creepy lingerie dude?

Since then, Victoria’s Secret has changed dramatically. They we’re bought by The Limited Brands in 1982, and have since become the Goliath of lingerie that they are now; Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, the “Angels” such as Tyra Banks and Heidi Klum, the newer Pink store geared specifically to the younger demographic. They are overwhelmingly the most well-known and well marketed lingerie brand there is.

If you look at the Lingerie Poll a little further down this page, you’ll see that this is true. 50% of the people surveyed at the time of writing this post said that VS is the first place they thought of when it comes to buying lingerie. Sure, it would be better to have a larger sample than 16 people, but I can’t even imagine that the results would change very much.

But their stuff sucks. Ok, maybe that’s overstating it. But it kind of does. VS is the fast-food of lingerie. Cheap, tasty, instantly gratifying.

Think back to any time you’ve gone into the store. The decorations are ostentatious and overwhelming. Their marketing with orgasmic looking models makes even ME uncomfortable. And since they introduced their beauty products, the place even smells overdone.

And their product is very low quality. For one thing, they don’t custom cut their materials for their bras. What this means is they may use the same size wire in an A cup that they use in a D cup, or use the same amount of material in the band of a 34 as they would in a 38. This makes for poorly fitting bras.

They also have a very small selection of sizes. Yes, if you’re a preteen girl who is a 32A, then you’re in luck, but try to find a pretty bra in a 38D. I dare you.

I won’t lie, like fast food, Victoria’s Secret has its place. That’s THE place to go for simple cotton thongs, and my favorite cotton modal panties… Sort of the way McDonald’s is THE place to go for french fries. And it’s nice to know that if I need any sort of generic “Sexy Lingerie” for whatever occasion, they’ll have something that works for me. Sort of like if I want a hamburger, I know a Whopper will do the trick.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying don’t shop there. If you like the product, by all means, go ahead! But if you’ve found yourself wondering, “What am I doing in this preteen hell-hole?”, you’re not alone. There are other options.

So How Does Victoria’s Secret Rate?

Unfortunately, I’ve been to too many of them to rate EVERY store I’ve been to, so I’ll do it as a pros and cons list:

Pros: Small and Extra small sizes, huge color/style selection within those sizes, associates that know what they’re doing most of the time, fun hosiery, good price range from inexpensive to expensive, and “sexy” lingerie.

Cons: Inferior merchandise quality, limited bigger sizes, overwhelming atmosphere, so-so customer service, and having associates push the Angels Credit Card on you whenever you go in.

Go ahead and check them out: www.victoriassecret.com

The second thing I notice is all of the industrious looking women in short black kimonos, straightening panties, hanging bras, the usual. A tall blonde woman in a kimono approaches me and gives (what I assume is) her assigned greeting, “Hey there! Welcome to Soma! My name’s Erin. Have you shopped with us before?” 

So maybe they’re very corporate, but I’m not turned off yet.

I tell her no, but I explain to Erin about my blog, and right away she tells me a little bit about the company. They’re owned by Chico’s F.A.S., which was founded in 1983. She points to the right side of the store, and I see that they’re connected to Chico’s, right next door. Definitely a plus for the Chico’s loving crowd, but not so much for the younger set.

Soma was introduced by Chico’s about five years ago, but she assures me, Soma is NOT Chico’s. Soma’s goal was to build on the Chico’s customer base, as well as extend the demographic to a younger crowd. They have the same standards in high quality clothing, but it’s fun. After all, it is lingerie.

Chico’s F.A.S. also owns White House Black Market. To me, this shows the desire to cater to a younger demographic. I wouldn’t say that they’re there yet, but it’s a good alternative for some who feel stuck in the Victoria’s Secret rut.

Erin continues on her little speech while she shows me some products. (definitely a corporate scripted speech, but VERY informative). The main philosophy of Soma is beautiful and comfortable bras. To illustrate, she shows me a definite “wow!” item, the Bridget Bra.

I see what she means. This bra is not only super cute, it’s very functional. Perfect to make a plunging neckline more modest, or just brighten up an outfit.

I ask her to fit me, which she does (and accurately, I might add) and takes me back to the fitting room with a selection of bras. This brings me back to my first observation, how well-lit the store is, because at once I immediately notice how flattering the light in the fitting room is. This is a minor detail, but my customers at Bra Central will do just about anything to avoid actually trying bras on, so I imagine more flattering lighting definitely helps.

The first bra I try on is the Bridget. Not only is it super cute, it’s super comfortable. I then try on the Travelers Allura, which Erin informs me is their #1 best selling bra. It’s just a T-shirt bra, but it too is super comfortable. I look at the tags of the bras she picked out for me, the Rachel and the Kristina, (kind of silly, but I imagine it helps with organization) and then try on both. The Rachel would be comfortable, but the cups are too big. Not a good bra for me, but good for a woman who is full-figured.

Allura Bra                        Rachel Bra

The Kristina, an unlined sports bra with underwires and convertable straps, is nearly impossible to get on. However, once I get it on, it’s boob city. Lift, separation, support. Awesome!

The Kristina Bra- You may not be able t tell, but her ta-tas are sky high!

When I’m finished in the fitting room, Erin shows me some of the other products in the store. Not only do they have a great selection of bras and panties, they also carry a great selection of sleepwear, loungewear, and activewear. Some more “wow!” items? Their cotton modal and bamboo sleepwear. So soft! How have I not been sleeping in this before?

She gives me a moment to look (and feel!) and I take that time to watch the associates and check out prices. Soma is well staffed, with three or four associates ready to help at a moment’s notice. This type of service might be annoying to some shoppers, but definitely a plus to women who don’t know what they’re looking for.

And the price is good too. Most of the bras range in the $35-$45 range. I only see one bra thats $60, and it has a less expensive version available.

The sleepwear and activewear is expensive. The bamboo and modal nightgowns are in the $60 range, and the “Sports Solutions” and “Synerchi” activewear runs about $150 for an outfit. To compare, that’s much more expensive than Target, (approx. $50 per outfit), about the same as Lucy Activewear, and much less expensive than Lululemon Athletica (approx. $200+ per outfit).

Panties, on the other hand, are almost a steal. They range from $12-$18, but there is always a sale for bundling. The average sale is 3 pairs for $27, (and you can mix and match panties!) but right now they’re doing a “Buy 3 Get 2 Free” sale. And these aren’t just poorly made panties. They have wide range from the Vanishing Edge, to some cotton modal styles, and then some mesh and microfiber. They have something for everybody, and are introducing a new line of 100% cotton in January.

I decide to check out, and considering the massive amount of lingerie I already I own, I buy a mesh laundry bag and lilac detergent for my delicates. A $14 investment to help make my lingerie last longer. Totally worth it.

So how does Soma rate overall? On a five point scale:

Cost: 5     Selection: 4     Customer Service: 5

Check them out for yourself!

2012 Bellevue Square, Bellevue WA, 98004

(425) 688-7933     www.soma.com

What’s Up Next? Nancy Meyer Lingerie and Victoria’s Dirty Little Secret

At Bra Central we advise that women own a minimum of three bras. Personally, I think five is a better minimum, but none of my customers want to hear that. However, the more bras you own, the longer each one lasts. If you cycle through your bras, never wearing the same one two days in a row, each one lasts longer. It’s best to wash them after about three wears, so another plus is that if you have a lot, you don’t have to wash them as often.

Which brings me to the question of washing. Ideally, you hand wash them. Practically, that’s a huge pain. What I like to do is dedicate one load completely to delicates. At my last count, I own 30 bras, about 10 of which I wear regularly. This means I do my delicates load about every two weeks. This isn’t just bras- it includes panties, hosiery, camisoles, shapewear, garter belts, bustiers, and corsets. And now you all now know way too much about my life.

A good investment might be a mesh lingerie wash bag. Stick to one with a zipper, as opposed to buttons or a draw string, which tend to open up in the washing machine. These bags help keep your delicates from getting caught around the agitator, which can stretch and/or ruin them. Clasp all the hardware (hooks, eyes, zippers, etc.) to prevent it from snagging on anything and tearing it.

Personally, I only use the mesh bags for hosiery. You can only fit about 3 bras in one bag, which is about 6 panties, and when I’m washing 10 bras, 20 panties, and various other items, you run out of money for bags rather quickly. I only use the bag for the things that are the most delicate.

Also, while most of my customers swear by the mesh bags, some say that they don’t get as clean that way. I’ll let you decide what’s best for your lingerie, but just remember that this is not an area on which you want to cut corners in cleanliness. Gross.

Moving right along! Use logic when it comes the washing machine- cold water, delicate cycle. If you’re anal retentive about your lingerie (like me) your can clothes-pin the band of your bra to the center front, or put a rubber band around that area. This again helps keep them from getting tangled and stretched.

To dry them DON’T put them in the dryer, and DON’T hang them dry. Unless you honestly don’t care. The best thing to do is lay them FLAT to dry. This way, they don’t get tangled or smushed in the dryer, and the band and center front don’t stretch from hanging. Yes, it can take up a lot of room, but bras can be expensive, so it’s worth it to take care of them.

Don’t do it!

Last of all, storage. Unlined bras, i.e. bras without molded foam cups, can be folded, wrinkled, whatever. Lined bras, with molded foam cups, need to be “nested”. Line them up in a drawer with the cups inside of each other, but NEVER invert the cups. This wrinkles them, which can show through your clothes, and the wrinkles may not be noticeable until after you wash them again. You can’t get the wrinkles out unless you steam them, and if the wrinkles go all the way through the cup, there’s no hope at all.

Yes!                                                               No!!!

That all may have sounded trivial to you, but when you spend $80 on a beautiful, sexy, and super comfortable La Perla bra, and it gets wrinkled and stretched because your boyfriend put it in with his jeans, it’s a tragedy.

So now you know!

Here’s a video that can help you out. It’s actually the first thing that pops up when you Google “Bra Fitting”, but I’ll put it here because it’s pretty good.

Because I doubt that you will be carrying your laptop into the fitting room with you, here’s five tips to remember that will help you discern whether or not your bra fits.

1. Center Front: This is the part of the bra where the two cups meet in front. Ideally, that piece should be laying flat against your breast bone, and not digging in. However, once you get to larger cup sizes, this isn’t exactly realistic.

2. Cups: Use the “no more, no less” rule. You should no extra room in the top of the cups, and you shouldn’t be “muffin topping” over.

3. Straps: Make sure the straps aren’t digging into your shoulder, but also make sure that they’re doing their job. (Nordstrom says that 90% of your support comes from the band, and 10% from the straps. Straps aren’t integral to your support, but they make things more comfortable.) If they are digging in, loosen them, or look for a style with thicker straps.

4. Band: This is the trickiest part. Make sure it is horizontally aligned with the ground, and you can’t pull the band out more than an inch. If the band is riding up, DON’T tighten the straps. Tighten the band, but DON’T buy a bra that you have to wear on the tightest hook. Get a bra with a SMALLER BAND and BIGGER CUPS. Bras stretch a lot, mostly in the band, so you want to have as much room to get tighter as possible.

Bra Buying Tip: When the cups get bigger or smaller, the band gets bigger or smaller. The cup in a 32D is not the same as the cup in a 40D, just as the band in a 32A is not the same as the band in a 32C. Going down in band size and up in cup, or up in band size and down in cup is called “sister sizing”. I would recommend sticking with the size you’re measured at, but each bra fits a little differently, and this is a handy tool if just one aspect of the bra doesn’t fit.

5. Comfort: None of those 4 previous points matter if your bra isn’t comfortable to you. I have seen women muffin-topping like you wouldn’t believe, and they LOVE how the bra fits. And personally, I like my bands relatively loose. To each her own.

So now you know! Have fun shopping!

What’s Up Next? Soma? Yes Please! and Nancy Meyer Lingerie

For this blog post, I stopped by the Nordstrom lingerie department, VS, and Soma to compare prices on panty bundles. (Panty bundling is a common thing for lingerie stores because honestly, who buys just one thong at a time? Ok, I do, but that’s a different matter!) I also took into account wearability, because if it’s an uncomfortable thong, it  you wouldn’t wear it if it was free. Or would you…?

Anyway, first visit was to Nordstrom. I was disappointed, but not surprised, Hanky Panky thongs (A+ for brand recognition) was on sale, 3 pairs for $27. Soma Intimates has a very similar product, their Amazing Lace Thong, on the same sale ALL YEAR ROUND. I was hoping for something a little more exciting. Other panties were on sale, 3 pairs for $30-33, and boy-shorts were 2 pairs for $40. Again, dissappointing.

(Amazing Lace Thong vs. Hanky Panky Thong. Having worn both, they’re almost exactly the same, except the Amazing Lace are lined with microfiber, and the Hanky Panky ride lower.)

Next I stopped at Victoria’s Secret. Their cotton modal thongs, hipsters, and cheekies (my favorite!) as well as several other collections,  were on the regular sale, 3 pairs for $27-30. But the big wow moment? V-String Thongs 5 for $25!!! Apparently they have this promotion quite often. Awesome. What girl can’t use more cotton thongs?

(V-String Thong by Victoria’s Secret)

Last stop was Soma Intimates. Not as good of a price point as VS, but they had a “Buy 3 Get 2″ sale for every panty in the store, no matter the price. That’s a minimum of $36, but it’s EVERY PANTY, including the$18 ones! I asked if their sales on panties get any better, and occasionally they have 5 for $25 panties. This includes their Oprah featured ”Vanishin Edge” Panties, but it only happens 3-4 times a year.

(Vanishing Edge Lace Hipster wih patent-pending Stay Put technology. They’re fabulous!)

Lingerie Buying Tip: Both VS and Soma gave out $10 money cards with your purchase to be used once the holiday season starts. Save these cards and use them! It’s like a free panty! Nordstrom had no such offer.

So what did we learn? If you time it right, panties can come cheap in you get yours in a bunch.

What’s up next? Does This Bra Fit? and Soma Intimates? Yes Please!

Early on in my employment at Bra Central I had a teenage girl com in to see if we carried her size- 32H. My first thought was that she must have been measured wrong, (that’s the same as 32DDDDD!) but after doing it myself, she was right. She was 27 inches around her ribcage and 37 inches around her bust. Even in our most generous TripleD cup, she was spilling out the top. Unsure what to do, I asked my manager if there were any options.

“Send her to Zovo.” She said, and handed me a business card. “If you honestly can’t fit her, send her somewhere that can”. So I did.

Two hours later, the girl came back to our store to thank us for referring her there. I was a little miffed that someone else was now going to get what could have been our business, but she seemed so happy, I decided I had to check the place out for myself. Since then I have been back several times because it is fantastic.

First is the atmosphere. It’s one high-ceilinged room with warm decorations and lighting. The lingerie sets are displayed clearly all along the walls and on cachet tables that run down the middle of the room. The fitting rooms are large, with flattering lighting and comfy chairs and ottomans. I’d go on about how Zovo feels, but you’d probably get bored. It’s a luxurious boutique- go see it for yourself.

The second great thing about it is the size selection, the reason I went in the first place. They carry band size ranging from 28 to 44, and AA to K cups. I have never seen a selection so big. Molly, the store manager, pulled out a giant catalogue of all the manufacturers she orders from, and informed me that even if she doesn’t have it in the store, she can have it shipped in. Bras, panties, corsets, bustiers, stockings, garter belts, you name it. If they make it, she can order it.

But Zovo already has a nice selection of what I call “Extras” in the store. Camisoles, peignoir sets, stockings by Falke (my new favorite!), lingerie wash, and even (gasp!) sex toys? I ask Molly if she gets a lot of bridal shower business. Of course they do. Brides are a huge money-maker for lingerie stores, and Zovo is perfect if you’re shopping for a trousseau, and you want something classier and more intimate than Victoria’s Secret, but less expensive than Nancy Meyer (more on THAT and the $700 night-gown later!)

If you want something more conventional, Zovo also has a selection if you’re on a budget- Hanky Panky and B.tempt’d by Wacoal were my favorites.

After getting a bra fitting from Molly (done correctly, I might add. None of that “subtract measurement one from measurement two” nonsense), we talked lingerie nuts and bolts for a while and I tried on some bras. My conclusion? Zovo hires knowledgeable staff who know what they’re doing and will help you find what you’re looking for. I was very tempted to buy the bras she picked for me because they were just so amazing! But I already have about 30, so I settled for a garter belt and stockings.

So how do I rate Zovo? On a 5 point scale:

Cost: 3     Selection: 5     Customer Service: 5

Go Check them out!

4612 26th Ave NE Seattle, Washington

(206)525-9686

What’s Up Next? Get Your Panties in a Bunch! and Does This Bra Fit?

 1. Band Size. Measure around your ribcage, right under your breast tissue, where the band of a bra would sit. Pull tight. Take the number and add five to it. If you come up with an odd number, round UP to the nearest even number. This is your band size. Remember this number. I measure 28 inches around my ribcage, which gives me 33. By rounding up, my band size is 34. (I apologize for the quality of the pictures, but this is exactly what my training manual at Bra Central looks like, and that makes enough sense to me!)

NOTE: If you measure above 33 inches around your ribcage, this doesn’t work as well. As the band size gets bigger, you don’t have to add as much on. You may only have to add 2-3 inches, and if you measure at 40 inches or above, you don’t have to add anything. Like I said in the previous post, let a sales associate help you. Trying to guess on your own is too hard.

 2. Full/Average Figure Check. Measure over the top of the bust and around the back. (This is very difficult to do accurately by yourself, which is another reason I suggest being fit by an expert.) This tells you whether you are “full figured” or “average figured”, which is basically where the bulk of your breast tissue is. It can be a good tool to help you figure out what the best style of bra for you would be.

If the second measurement is more than three inches greater than the first, you are full figured. If it is not, you’re average figured. My second measurement is 34. I’m average figured.

3. Cup size. Measure around the fullest part of the bust. Do not pull tight. The tape should lay across the tissue and not pull it in.

Here’s where it gets tricky. If your band size and third measurement are the same, you have a C cup. If the third measurement is one inch less, you have a B cup. If the third measurement is two inches less, you have an A cup. You do the same thing for bigger sizes. If the third measurement is one inch greater than the band size, you have a D cup. Two inches greater = DD, and so on. 

So that’s how it works! Again, I would advise against trying to do this on your own, because it’s very hard to measure accurately, but now you know the type of thing they’re doing when they measure you.

What’s up next? Zovo Lingerie of University Village, and Getting Your Panties in a Bunch; Where to Go When You Need to Stock Up!