Okay, when I said I needed a hand finding a bra, I didn't mean literally! Wow! This would DEFINITELY not be a good T-Shirt bra--can you imagine the lines? Anyway, finding the perfect bra is a necessity and a mission. I think I found my new best spandex and nylon friend--if the bra in the above picture could gesture, he'd give me 2 thumbs up!

Dear Ether,

Okay. Finally. It has happened.  I have found the right bra.  This is shocking to me too.  As I sit here writing, breasts where they should be (and should’ve been for the past 16 years) I am feeling perky (truly).  I’m a woman who has NEVER skimped on a bra.  I have bought Wacoal, Lejaby, Elle Macpherson, Chantelle. I know what it means to own a good piece of underwire (I don’t know about you, but I can’t wear anything that doesn’t have support).  

I was given 200 pounds worth of gift vouchers from a Revlon event to go to Rigby & Peller (for those of you who are unfamiliar with this lingerie love-nest it is an English staple for any woman who thinks she has been wearing the right bra or 20+ years and then discovers with one quick glance of a pro’s eye that she hasn’t).  I walked into the shop off of Old Bond Street, ready with an appointment, and a very old woman gave me a look of dismay right away (and I was wearing a heavy sweater and a scarf—she must have had X-ray vision).  The whole experience is hilarious and degrading at the same time.  You go into a tiny room, take your top off in front of a total stranger, she looks you up and down and then claims you are a totally absurd bra size.  It’s so funny—you hear things from other booths like “38G—what! I’ve been a 34B my whole life.”  Or, “34B, YES! I thought I was a 34AA.  Wait until I tell my boyfriend!”  Well, my “girls” were sagging and my bras were looking tired and the lady told me that I was a 32C.  I actually wasn’t far off—I’d been wearing a 34D. LOL!  She explained something interesting that I didn’t know.  She said you should always buy a bra and wear it on the loosest hook because the bra will stretch and then you will need room to make it tighter.  If you’re wearing your bra on its tightest hook to start, the back is too big.  Good piece of FYI, right?  Anyway, Rigby & Peller is very expensive and I only walked away with 3 bras (seriously) for 200 quid and I didn’t want to waste the money on utility bras—I wanted them to be beautiful.  So, now that I knew my real bra size I knew I needed help!  

Months of sagging went by and I didn’t do anything about it until finally I looked in the mirror and saw myself in clothes and thought, “enough is enough!”  I was on a mission.  But here’s the deal—it is not an easy task finding a 32C.  I guess the back size and the cup size aren’t a usual match and I couldn’t get anything decent for the life of me.  Until….I hit of all places, The Gap!  English gent decided he wanted a nautical looking top and where better to go than the above (they’ve been pumping those suckers out since the bloody 80’s).  As he was looking around, I popped around to the back of the store near the storage area and noticed they had a body section.  I didn’t even know The Gap made loofahs let alone brassieres! I love a sale and all of their body section was having a blowout.  And what do they have an abundance of—32C’s!  Excited, I grabbed a lovely nude convertible bra and a sexy lilac convertible with lace.  With the help of a wonderful sales lady and a dressing room, I got my “boob” on!  Slipping these gorgeous and lightweight bras on that held me in like a corset but gave my boobs a lift and cleavage like a Miracle Bra—well, I just didn’t know something so vanilla as The Gap could dream up such things.  Originally priced at $40 I paid about $13 for each and they came with free clear straps so you could have a sheer line if you chose (I don’t care for that look but some people love it—I just think plastic, latex straps look tacky).  Unbelievable.  I have to say, I am so much more confident with my new boobs.  I have found in the nude seamless a great t-shirt bra or an ideal strapless piece and with the lilac lace, a lovely dressy bra and a fab halter or cross back in a feminine and unusual color.  

I have to say I have not been to The Gap in years, but I will definitely be going back for their lingerie (I also bought two pairs of adorable underpants, they had great bargains on those as well–5 pair for $20 and they were so comfy and with great patterns!).  They feel good and the price is right (even full price it’s a good buy) and the service was top-notch.  Oh, and I noticed they went from the tiny to the mighty in terms of bra sizes so there was something for everyone—and they had unusual sizes as well.  

So now that I have discovered The Gap, I no longer have a “gap” where my cleavage should’ve been all these months!  Excellent.  They shall sit delightfully next to my pricey Rigby & Peller’s.  I bet you the R&P’s will be resentful, but hey, if the job is done with cheaper labor—and we know they’ve raised the bar, in so many words, well, they’ll just have to stuff it (not with tissue I hope!). 

Dedicatedly yours,

—One of 365