Archive for the 'Brands--The Inside Scoop' Category
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
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Posted by Tomima at 1:45pm
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A New Concept in Shapewear – Annette’s ‘Diva Defined’
March 10, 2010
My buyers and I have noticed that EVERYONE is now making shapewear. It’s a hot category in the lingerie industry, so you can’t blame them. But honestly, it all looks and feels about the same. Everything is either beige or black, seamless, with spot concentrations of firmness and pretty much the same silhouette. There’s been nothing much new. Then we saw the Diva Defined Collection by Annette. Our eyes popped!
Based in Cali, Colombia, Annette has been supplying Latin America for years. In 2002, they brought their creativity to the US, and in November 2009, introduced Diva Defined.
Here’s how I explain the Diva Defined Collection. We all want firm control when we are ‘on’ – like standing around at a reception, or walking down the aisle, or presenting to a group of people. But, after that, it would be nice to get a break from the firm control– when sitting down or driving, for example. In between appearances, wouldn’t you secretly love for your shapewear to loosen up? Well, Diva Defined does just this.
The five pieces in the collection all have an inside invisible wide belt that attaches in the back. For firmer control, put the belt on a tighter setting. When you want a break, reach back and reduce the belt to a looser setting. Each garment has 4 setting to choose from. We here at HerRoom think it’s genius.
I encourage everyone to take a look at this collection. It really is shapewear for every day that can be adjusted to fit your needs. If you’d like more information, we even have a video, which you can find on each product page of the Diva Defined collection.
Find Annette lingerie at HerRoom in these departments:
Shapewear
Bras
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Posted by Tomima at 12:45pm
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A Girl’s First Bra – When and What?
January 23, 2010
Let me get this off my 36C chest – I’ve always hated the phrase "training bra." What are we training? Breasts don’t need to be trained. It’s not like a bicycle where you eventually remove training wheels and you’re off. It’s hard enough for a girl to actually put on her first bra, so let’s not make it worse with a dumb name like training bra! Okay, my rant is over. Thank you.
It’s pretty much universal as to when a girl needs to get her first bra – middle school. It was for me, but it was called Junior High. Up until my first gym class, I had always worn an undershirt. But then I found myself having to undress in front of my peers, and everyone was looking at each other to see what was being worn. I ran home and informed my Mom that I needed a bra.
As a mother to two daughters, it pretty much went down the same way. My oldest is now 13, but has always been fascinated with wearing a bra. I was able to find some for her when she was around 8 – they didn’t really fit, but she wasn’t really wearing them either; they just made her feel grown up. Then, during the first week of 5th grade, we had to get serious about finding bras for her to wear every day. Now, my second daughter is in 5th grade, and as reluctant as she is to grow-up (she once told me she wants to take her childhood slowly) even she has informed me that the peer pressure is on and she needs to be wearing a bra too.
Now I know what you’re thinking; I’m in the business, so it should be simple for me. I honestly thought the same thing. But boy, it wasn’t. My older daughter was my foray into this difficult project. She measured a 32AA. So, I went on my site and looked. About a dozen styles appeared. I bought all of them and brought them home for her to try on.
Here’s what I learned. Wacoal makes a really fabulous line of petite bras. But they do not fit young girls properly. The underwires fall on the wrong part of their body, and the cups don’t look right. The Wacoal petite bras really are designed for a petite woman – not a young girl. Any bra with an underwire is problematic, and frankly unnessesary. Yes, my daughter liked the look and the idea of wearing a bra with an underwire – very grown up in her mind. But again, the wires tend to fall in strange places, and without enough breast tissue, tend to move up the chest.
Here’s another mistake moms make – they buy white bras for their daughters. The girls don’t want white. They want nude and/or black, or a cute pastel print. To them, a white bra looks too much like underwear. They are growing up in a world where seeing a bra strap or parts of the bra showing feels natural. If it were white, it would look like a mistake.
Remembering that several bra styles on my site come in only a band size, I returned to HerRoom and bought several of these. Definitely, more success with the soft-cup or wireless bras rather than bras with underwires.
So, after this exercise of trying to match fit with the taste and desires of my daughter, here is the list of bras that worked the best for her:
Elita 3076 Incognito Triangle Bra
Elita 8838 Silk Magic Crossover Bra
Pure Lime Fitness Sports Bra 0097 (expensive, but looks great on her)
A recent addition to our site has been some adorable bra and panty sets from CC Girl. Both of my daughters love them and have snatched them up. They are not that expensive, and it’s the first time the girls have actually had matching bras and panties. They simply love that.
So, all you mothers (and possibly fathers) with young daughters out there. I hope you take advantage of this hard-fought knowledge I’ve gained. Trust me when I tell you it will save you countless hours in research, returns and most of all, arguments.
Find more bras at HerRoom in these departments: Bras
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Posted by Tomima at 8:38am
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