Archive for the 'Bra Fitting' Category
Should Overweight Women Be Modeling Lingerie?
April 20, 2010
I came across a curious online survey recently A UK based retailer, Wickedelic Lingerie, found that 24% of the 500 respondents felt allowing larger women to model lingerie was promoting an unhealthy lifestyle.
Whether you agree or not, my website from time to time gets input from large-sized customers saying they wish we would display our products on models more their size. So, several years ago, we ran a test on one of our more popular bras where we tracked sales with two different images – half the time we displayed the image of the bra on an average-framed woman, and the other half on a full-figure woman. The results were signficant– the average model image generated more sales.
If you think about this, it really makes sense. I will buy an item I see displayed on a model that is smaller than me. But, I can honestly say I have never purchased an item when it has been shown on a model that is larger than I am. Take a look at these two photos of the same dress. Would you buy this dress if you only saw the model wearing it? Or would you buy the dress based on the display on the mannequin? I think most would agree they find the mannequin shot more appealing – unless they are the same size or larger than the model.
I don’t think this is discrimination. I think this is simple marketing. However, having said that, I have tried very hard to answer the need for women who wear larger bra sizes to see a model wearing a garment more to their size.
You may not know this, but the HerRoom site has alternate shots on a larger model (usually a 36DD) for bras that come in larger sizes. For example, look at our page for the Chantelle Fete Bra style 1960. You will see that we also show another image of a 36DD model wearing the same bra.
It is true that some bras have subtle design changes in the larger sizes. We make every effort to show the larger size on a fuller model, or at least mention the design change in our descriptions.
No one is here to judge. Yes, marketing is important, but we also want to satisfy all our customer needs. If anyone has a suggestion to improve what we are doing, I’m all ears!
Find bras that come in larger sizes at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Plus-Size Lingerie
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Posted by Tomima at 7:32pm
9 Comments »
A New Average Bra Size in the USA
March 23, 2010
The average bra size used to be a 34B in America. In fact, when I need a sample of a new bra style, what size arrives? Yes, a 34B. Everyone in the bra industry still uses this size as the norm. But over the last 10 years, the average bra size has been climbing.
Ten years ago, when I started in this business, I was informed that the new average bra size was a 36C. Well, it is now being reported that today’s median bra size in the US is 36DD – that’s an increase of 2 cup sizes.
I’m happy to say that the bra industry has seen this trend coming. I’ve noticed that many traditional manufacturers, like Wacoal for example, have increased their cup size range. You can now purchase many of their bras in a G cup (which is the same as a DDDD cup). The brand Olga actually revamped their entire bra size range two years ago. Their products now start with a C cup and go up – no more B and A cup sizes.
As the need for larger cup sizes grows, I really do wish we could standardize how these cup sizes are named. You may not know this, but many manufacturers could be calling your cup size by other letters. For instance, some manufacturers refer to a DD as an E cup, a DDD as an F cup and so on.
For those of you needing help deciphering all the variations for your cup size, I’ve tried to make it easy by creating our size conversion chart. Simply find your column, and you now have your cup size in every bra brand available.
Find all cup sizes at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Follow HerRoom on Twitter for daily tips.
Posted by Tomima at 1:45pm
4 Comments »
Bra Fitters are Failing Most Full-Figured Women
February 10, 2010
An interesting article was posted in the United Kingdom Telegraph recently. A London consumer watchdog group called Which? sent eleven mystery shopping women with cup sizes of DD or larger to 70 stores in the high street area to see how well they would be fitted in bras by the so-called experts in each store.
The results? Only 29% of the bras sold to these women were rated as a ‘good fit.’ But even then, none of the eleven women felt the service they were provided at any of the stores warranted a recommendation.
Many of the women from the watchgroup were sold wildly different sizes. For one of the women, two different shops had fit her in bras that differed in cup sizes by 7 sizes. Another went to the same store in two different locations–one sold her a 34C, the other a 34F.
Now, I have written on this before. Yes, there are hard-working bra fitters out there who do a very good job of getting women into the proper bra size. Unfortunately, it’s hard to know which are good and which are not. And, keep in mind, that if they can convince you that you are a different size than what you walked in wearing, they can probably talk you into buying several new bras. The temptation is simply too great to get you into a different size – especially if the fitter is working for a commission or piece of the sale.
I have said this before, so I’ll gladly say this again. I think we women are smart enough to figure out what size we are with a better understanding of bra sizing and how to translate your fitting symptoms into size changes.
I’ve spent hours researching and writing about bra sizing. Simply go to the HerRoom Bra Fitting Advice section located at the bottom of each page of HerRoom.com. There are over 40 pages that I hope will answer any questions you may have on how a great-fitting bra should look and feel.
Read earlier posts about proper bra fitting and about understanding cup sizes.
Find bras at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Follow HerRoom on Twitter for daily tips.
Posted by Tomima at 12:35pm
4 Comments »
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