Been there?  I think every woman has at least once in her lifetime.  One of the questions I’m most asked once I’ve been outed as being in the lingerie business is "Why did my favorite bra get discontinued?"

Generally, there are 5 reasons a bra style gets shelved.

1. Lackluster Sales – It’s simple economics.  If the bra is not selling well, a manufacturer will stop making it.

2. A Major Department Store Stops Buying It – The lingerie industry is ruled by the major department store chains like Federated, Macy’s, Kohl’s Nordstroms, etc.  Not all of them carry the same bra styles.  In fact, they like to have styles exclusive to them, or ones that not all stores have.  So, when one of these major chains decides not to carry the style for whatever reason, the manufacturer will discontinue it – regardless of other smaller stores and websites that might be selling the style well.  Simply put, it’s the Big Gorilla  symptom.

3. High Return Rate – If the bra style has a high return rate, neither the manufacturer or the retailer wants the style.  This is one of the reasons that so few front closure bras are on the market.  They have a high return rate because they don’t have enough adjustability like a back closure bra, so they get returned because they stretch out and women can’t make them tighter.  Also, that front closure clip breaks and limits the support that can be created in the center of the bra.

4. No Longer Fits The Manufacturers Design Direction – I have seen fabulous selling designs be abruptly discontinued by a manufacturer.  It’s crazy and makes no sense, but when asked, the manufacturer will say things like "It’s the only remaining piece in the collection" or "We are designing in a different direction" or "We want to make a new statement."  Here are some examples.  Olga bras (made by Warnaco) decided that they only wanted to make bras in C cup sizes and larger.  They had several terrific styles in A and B cup sizes.  But, they decided to let them go.  To this day HerRoom gets inquiries from former Olga customers asking where their B cup sizes are.  Chantelle is another company that discontinues great styles every year.  It’s a little more understandable with this brand because they consider themselves very fashion forward, with European styling, so they want to have fresh new styles to offer each season. 

5. Materials used for the bra can no longer be purchased – Most lingerie manufacturers are very specific on this point.  If they can’t get the exact fabric or lace, they will discontinue the style rather than find an alternate fabric.  Over the years, they have learned that if it isn’t exact, the customer knows and gets mad.  It’s better to come back with a new style number using the new fabric than to risk trying to pull a switch on the customer.  Wacoal is particularly sensitive to this.  One of their best sellers had to be discontinued because the lace manufacturer changed the design just slightly.  Because it wasn’t exact, Wacoal chose to lose sales rather than disappoint their customers.

So, knowing all this, what’s a girl to do when this happens?  Allow me to put on my Super Hero cape and come to the rescue.  For the last 5 years, I’ve asked my staff to figure out what style to recommend as a replacement once we hear that a bra is being discontinued. Not every discontinued bra has a close replacement, but when there is, we document it.   We then put this information on our site.  So, if you key in the manufacturer name and the style number of a discontinued bra style (or panty or shapewear style for that matter) into our search box, most of the time you will see the recommended replacement styles.  As an example go to HerRoom and type this into the search box:

Warners 2015

First, we tell you that it was discontinued in August of 2008. This way you know it’s been gone for two years, so trying to hunt it down in any store will probably be futile.  And then we give you similar styles that might be a replacement option for you.

Now, truth be told, you probably are not going to like the similar items because they are not EXACTLY like your old bra.  But, my goal is to at least give you a starting point and make your search for your new favorite bra a little quicker and less painful.  Let me know if you like this feature.

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A side-effect of being in the bra business is that you tend to know the bra size and favorite style of all your female acquaintances.   So, I personally know of two women who don’t know each other, but both happen to share the same bra style, have been wearing it for more than 10 years, and ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!

Are you jealous?  I know I am.  I have never selected a bra style that’s stayed on the market that long.  Their bra is the Chantelle Tamaris Seamless Molded Underwire 1660.  And here are the reasons they sing its praises.

First, both women feel they have somewhat sloping shoulders.  And the straps on this bra do not fall off their shoulders.  Now, there are a number of reasons why straps can fall off shoulders – your upper breasts are shallow and do not fill up the top of the cup, your band size is too big etc.  The reason these straps stay on your shoulders is because they are located almost directly above the nipple.  This is known in the trade as "center pull" or "cup centered" straps. The cups are also shaped more as a triangle which assists in keeping the straps centered and on your shoulders. 

Their next favorite feature is the leotard back. Lately, you’ve probably been seeing commercials on TV about Bali’s new "Comfort-U Design" back.  Well, it’s not new.  This has been called a leotard back in the industry and has been around for years.  The Tamaris has this back which allows the bra back to look more pared down, and again helps keep the straps on your shoulders.

Both women are in the 34-36, B-C size range, so granted they don’t have any real size issues.  But the other thing they love is the cup design.  Again, this was really one of the first seamless cups to come onto the market.  But, what is different is that these cups are not made of a stretchy fabric that can make your breasts look floppy.  Rather, the sheer/lacy fabric is non-stretch.  This goes a long way in giving you a great uplifted breast shape.  And, the unique horizontal lace along the cups helps to eliminate a woman’s "high beams" if you know what I mean. 

Finally, a few historical side notes.  Chantelle shared with me that this bra has an extremely loyal following (my 2 friends back that up), and it was one of the very first seamless molded bras ever offered. And the lion’s share of sales for this bra are in the USA.

So, here you have a very comfortable bra, with straps that don’t fall off, gives great shape, is pretty, modest, and supportive.  No wonder it’s been a favorite for so many years.  Its size range, though,  is a little limiting – 32B to 38D with a few E cups in range as well.

Find Chantelle lingerie at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Panties

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I’m the first to raise my hand and say that bra sizing is confusing and convoluted.  It’s one of the reasons women find themselves in the wrong size bra.  In an effort to sort this all out and reduce the number of bra sizes on the market, Hanesbrands has stepped up and created a new sizing technology that they claim will replace multiple current sizes with one size.

The goal, according to Hanes, is to make it easier for shoppers to buy bras while also providing superior comfort and a better fit.  They feel their goal has been met with a new ‘breakthrough’ fit technology.

Their proprietary bra technology called "Smart Sizes" will be rolling out this fall under their Hanes and Barely There brands.  It is a series of floating and flexible bra frames that lets the bra mold to the shape of the wearer.  And it does this with just 5 bra sizes rather than the traditional 16 cup/band sizes.

“Smart Sizes is a very big concept that revolutionizes how women fit and buy their bras,” according to Sandy Waitz, vice president of intimate apparel design and development for Hanesbrands. “With the flexible fit properties of Smart Sizes, women can find a bra that literally molds to their individual shapes, including unique fit challenges such as between sizes and unevenly sized breasts.”

Okay, here is where my enthusiasm wanes.  The five Smart sizes are extra small, small, medium, large and extra large.  And these five sizes will replace the traditional size range of 30A through 42C. 

Though I wish it weren’t so, I’m afraid this new breakthrough could be a bust.  Sure, less sizing means less choices when trying to figure out your size.  Retailers will like only having to stock 5 sizes instead of 16.  But I need to see and try on this product to really get on board with this new sizing technology. 

Hanesbrand claims they don’t need that many sizes because the bra somehow will mold and custom fit to your individual shape.  Hearing this, my mind races to a picture of me being ’shrink-wrapped.’  We all know that when we find our correct bra size, we look terrific.  I can’t help but wonder if these blended sizes will still give that crisp supported look, or more of a shelf-bra or bathing suit look where if you’re falling out or the fabric gaps a little, you’re supposed to assume that’s as good as it gets.

Find Hanes and Barely There lingerie at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Panties

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It was announced recently that Zoe Saldana will be the star of Calvin Klein’s Fall 2010 Global Advertising campaign.  So, who is this Zoe?

 I guess I’m getting old because the name meant nothing to me until I Googled her.  She was the oh-so-blue Neytiri in the movie Avatar, and the new-and-improved Lieutenant Uhura in the 2009 remake of Star Trek.  Oh… now I know her.

Anyway, she will be the model for Calvin Klein’s new Envy collection .

Find Calvin Klein lingerie at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Panties

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I seem to have a lot of racerback clothing in my wardrobe this summer.  I’ve been wearing my favorite (discontinued) strapless bra, but this year’s Overall Undie Winning Bra was a racerback style, so I decided to buy it and give it a try.  It’s the Vanity Fair Body Sleeks Flexi Back Front Close Racerback bra 75263.

I put it on and it was not an instant love connection.  On me, this bra was full coverage, and I’m not a big fan of bras that cover my upper chest so much.  I also wouldn’t call it pretty.  But, the damask neutral color was a good flesh tone for me, and the bra is seamless with contour padding in the cups which I like very much.  So, I pressed on.

What I have never liked about racerback bras is the straps coming so close to my neck.   There is this muscle called the scapula that goes from your neck to your shoulder.  I don’t like pressure on it, and every racerback bra I have tried seems to hit at the most painful point.

But unlike most racerback bras, the Body Sleeks Racerback actually has what they call a "flexi back."  The straps are not actually connected.  They cross in the back, but also move as you do.  So, I was able to place the straps farther down my shoulders and they stayed put.  It’s a simple design, but actually quite ingenious.

With this bra on, I went about testing it with all my racerback tops.  I was stunned.  Absolutely every top I tried on completely covered this bra.  I mean every one – including a racerback where the narrowest point was only about 2 inches wide. Not a strap showed anywhere. The full cup coverage prevented any bra lines under my tops. And, this bra has front-adjusting straps.  I figured out that by loosening them a little, the straps would sit wider on my shoulders.  When they needed to be up higher, I adjusted the strap tighter and it stayed where I needed it to. 

Conclusion:  Our Undie Award voters know their stuff.  I now understand why this bra won such high marks.  I’m a convert, and I know you will be too.  Unfortunately, the size range is pretty small.  It starts at 34B and goes to 40D. 

Find Vanity Fair lingerie at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Panties

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There’s a curious reality to men’s underwear sizing; It assumes all men who wear the same size underwear have the same size…er, private parts.  So, to put this in bra terms, it’s like thinking that all woman with a 36 band size, for example,  have the same cup size.  And we know that’s not true.

I discovered this fact back in 2002 when I first went live with HisRoom.  I interviewed some mens underwear manufacturers and asked how a man is supposed to size his jock strap and thongs for a document I was creating.  Naively, I just assumed it was a similar system to a woman’s bra.  A few questions into my interviews, I found out I was wrong.  All the jock manufacturers told me that if a man’s "package" didn’t fit in the cup, he would need to go up a size (e.g. from a medium to a large) to get a larger cup – even if that meant his waistband would now be too big.

I admit I was surprised by this because it didn’t make sense to me.  Men are already size conscious when it comes to their package.  Why wouldn’t they have a sizing system in place to accomodate this?  Since over the years, HisRoom received very few comments on this subject, I chalked it up to sizing and fit not being a big deal with men.

So now,  along comes a new men’s underwear line, HARDDRIVE, with an attempt to address this issue.  They claim to have created proportion fit underwear for men, and it’s sized by both a man’s waist AND cup size.

When I saw this my mind immediately started racing…  How are they determining cup size?  I jumped to their size chart,  found their "How to Find the Perfect Fit" instructions, and let out a howl that brought my dogs running to my office.  Here is what it says:

"First, measure length.  Next, measure girth.  Multiply length & girth."  And, I particularly loved the footnote: "Remember… always measure yourself in the state of mind that you expect to be in while wearing." At last, giving men worldwide a legitimate reason to measure.

Not being one to totally dismiss an "out-of-the-box" idea, I decided to do a little research. Searching on "average penis size" I found that this apendage averages 6 inches long with a girth of 3.5-4 inches when at rest.  Their calculation therefore concludes that the average guy is a 21-24 measurment.  And, according to their size chart, this would be an "A" cup.  Oh, did I mention they decided to match the letters given to womens bra cup sizing?  At least I would have thought they would have chosen something more "guy-friendly" like, I don’t know, maybe coffee sizes… regular, tall, venti?  Or, maybe a car analogy like Boxter, Cayman, 911 and Panamera?  Oh, what about hamburgers: Junior burger, Big Mac, Quarter Pounder and Angus Delux? But, I digress.

Feeling that further research was needed, I grabbed a tape measure and headed for my pantry.  I wanted to find examples that represented the various cup sizes they are porporting in their size chart. Here’s what I found:  a can of tuna fish qualifies as an A cup.  A traditional soup can is a C cup.  A 16 oz. water bottle is a D cup.  And a mayonnaise jar or larger is a DD cup.

And this final suggestion from a male friend re naming the sizes: there’s no such thing as Small and Medium. Just start with Large and go up from there.

Shop for men’s underwear at HisRoom.

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It was announced recently that Jean Paul Gaultier is teaming up with La Perla to design a lingerie line.   Now, the first thing that jumped into my head was funnel-shaped bra cups designed by Gaultier and worn by Madonna during her ‘Like A Virgin’ tour back in the 90’s.

Well, I’m not totally off with this thought.  According to La Perla, the new collection with be comprised of 27 styles, including a Madonna-inspired waist-cinching corset and bra.

La Perla CEO Alain Prost claims the collaboration began a few months ago when they both met. "…we immediately hit if off because we shared a common vision of beauty, style, taste and quality.  So we agreed to try this adventure together and unite our savoir faire."

The new collection is scheduled to hit stores this November, with 2 limited-edition pieces scheduled to be featured in La Perla’s couture show in August.

Since 2003, Gaultier has been the artistic director at Hermes.  He recently revealed that he has given up his position there.

This is an interesting match – Gaultier and La Perla.  I for one can’t wait to see the collection.

Find La Perla lingerie at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Panties

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You’ve no doubt heard about ‘The Vagina Monologues’ and ‘Menopause the Musical’ –plays discussing coming-of-age for women.  Well, add  ‘Cups’  to the list.

I’m looking forward to seeing this 90-minute play for obvious reasons; it examines a woman’s life through the many bras she has worn. "I came up with the idea," says creator and Coloradan Joni Sheram, "that bras are diaries, and you can tell exactly where a woman is in her life by the bra she’s wearing."  You know, she’s right – training, push-up, longline, maternity, nursing, supportive, comfort strap…

This week the play is in Kansas City.  Sheram has sold the rights to have the show produced across the country.  So, it could be coming to a theater near you shortly.  And, according to reviews, men are enjoying the play just as much as women!

Find bras that tell your life story at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras

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You know when you find something fantastic, you want to tell everyone you know?  Well, that’s how I feel about Hue’s collection of skinny jeanz.

I’ve shelled out lots of money for the ‘in’  jeans of the season.  But, the moment I put these on, I was in love – and they’re only $30.

First, they are as comfortable as wearing leggings.  Those designer jeans may look great, but they are rarely really comfortable.  Then, I really like the fabric.  It’s thick enough so they don’t look like leggings, and they don’t show any VPL’s.  The back pockets are sewn on and actually work, and the length is long enough so there is some gathering around the ankle.

Hue makes two styles – the Jeanz Capri legging and the Skinny Jeanz legging.  I love both.  In fact, truth be told, I bought every color in every style.  I wear a size 4 pant.  The size small in both styles was perfect.  My two daughters, ages 12 and 14 could both fit in the extra small.

The best part is that when I wear them, I get stopped and told how terrific my jeans look.  Perfect strangers have stopped me and asked me what brand I’m wearing.  When they find out they’re actually a legging, they can’t believe it.  And again, they’re only $30.

Consider this my gift to you.  Run and get a pair.  I guarantee you will be back for more.

Find Hue lingerie at HerRoom in these departments:
Hosiery

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A 63 year-old man from Chengdu, China has invented, to great fanfare, a nipple bra.  He claims his bra is healthier and a more natural option for women’s nipples.

His absolutely ridiculous premise is that a normal bra today puts pressure on our nipples and thus is uncomfortable.  He thinks women need to be liberated from this bondage.   So, his bra includes a bump in the cup where he thinks your nipple should go.

First, has any woman ever felt nipple-bound?  Secondly, most of us don’t walk around with erect nipples all day. This bra would make us look like we are in a constant state of excitement. Third, check out the placement of his "nipple bubble" – anatomically wrong.  A woman could wind up with 4 nipple pops – talk about weird. Fourth, wouldn’t it be even more uncomfortable to have our nipples sliding in and out of this crevice? Finally, if not for men, we women wouldn’t even worry whether our erect nipples might be showing or not. 

Turn about is fair play.  Let’s invent a men’s brief with prominent pockets on each side for them to stuff their balls in.  Makes the same amount of sense.

Find everything but nipple bras at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras

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