Bras 101: The Great Post-Exchange Debate
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Val61 - I don't know when I'll have a chance to post my own pics but here are some links to what I wanted and what I bought from figleaves. I really wanted the "Loretta" that bra is sooooooo pretty. But it didn't come in my size. It's in your size, Val ... let me know if it is as fabulous in person as in the pic!
Here is the Loretta:
Here is what I bought, the "Zara." Sounds kind of like, "Zeena" but it is no warrior princess bra ... this is simply a princess bra. It's so pretty and fits fabulously.
I've looked for "Loretta" on ebay and she's there just not in my size. But Zara is sufficient. She's really pretty and very summery.
If anyone buys "Loretta" I want full details! 
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Also ... something random ... just a tip ... maybe a no-brainer to most of you but it was a revelation to me. It's blazing hot where I live (115 today heat index) and i know it's hot in most of the country right now ... today I wore Freya "Cindy" and I hadn't washed that bra yet ... and it was so hot ...I broke out in a little rash just below my right foob ... I think it's from the dye in the bra or something from the manufucturing process? I'm not sure. Most of the time, when I buy a bra, I don't wash it first unless I buy it from e-bay. Anyway ... from now on I'm going to wash them first thing. Some of that dye or dust or whatever is irritating to the skin especially when it's this hot.
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Thanks for the links, Dawne-Hope - I'll check them out later today! And great tip about washing bras - or any other clothing item - before wearing! Since I DO (sadly) live where we spend most of the entire summer over 100 degrees, I'm well aware of what dyes and sizing (that stuff that is on fabric from the manufacturer to give it "body") can do, as much of my family has super-sensitive skin. My son made the mistake one time of wearing brand new dark-wash jeans when it was hot.........result?.......red bumps and blue skin......not so comfy or attractive. Being a Midwest girl in my childhood, I know y'all are not used to quite this much heat, so be careful! Water, water, water!!
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Dawn those bras are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO pretty!
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I'M SUPER PATIENT AT WAITING FOR PICTURES Dawne-Hope. Just super patient. Patient like a kindergartner patient.
I also recommend washing before wearing because sizing never made anything feel better. So you decided to keep Freya Cindy, huh? Cindy is, IMO, the cutest Freya in my collection, HANDS DOWN. Love.
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Cameron - I'll post when I can, promise!
I did keep Cindy because she was so pretty. I'm such a sucker!
These foobies are so strange ... I've started loosening the straps (where before I had to tighten them) and they feel better. I guess the girls wanted tight after the exchange and now they want some breathing room. When I loosened the straps on Cindy she felt better. Zara is on my drying rack. Pictures coming soon! Edited to add: Thinking back over it ... actually really tight after my exchange isn't true ... I needed something loose. Then about three months later it was really tight ... now I can handle the tight band but loosening the straps. I've said this before ... I have diva foobies. They can't seem to make up their minds what feels comfortable.
Crazy!!!!0 -
Diva Foobs.......don't we all??!! Perfect!
Speaking of our girls.....not THOSE girls.......the ones who SUPPORT them......Cindy, Zara, Pollyanna, and Eloise.......I wore Cleo Jude all day once this week and felt just fine! A pleasant surprise, actually. Not that it's for you exchange newbies - not enough lateral support, I think - but I'd definitely recommend adding it to your wardrobe eventually!
For those of you (whose names just might include Dawne-Hope & Cameron
), here's something to look forward to in the next few months: http://www.freyalingerie.com/lingerie/coming-soon.aspx I'm personally waiting for Sadie, who "just refuses to be ignored.." 0 -
hillck -
Val61 - ohhhhhhhhh! you're killing me! Sadie, yes indeed 'she refuses to be ignored.' But my girl may be Naomi. And Crystal's a beauty too. And MBJ - check out Nieve. Longline & padded. Pretty hot! Good to know about Cleo Jude. I've yet to find a white/ivory/flesh colored bra in a 30band that doesn't hurt me by the end of the day. That's next on my list for sure. Thanks, Val!
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OMG. Freya Sadie. Yes please!
Coincidentally; I have a tiny rat terrier pup named Sadie. She is 5. She "refuses to be ignored" on a daily basis. High maintenance little twerp...her nickname is "hateful". I love her like crazy.
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Love those bras Val! I agree Sadie is pretty... and wahoo, MBJ, padding!
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Ladies
As I stated on the picture forum "post your bras" I have been living vicariously through your bra purchases since I am months away from exchange (personal and work reasons, fully filled). I have not worn a decent bra since bmx in March.
I agree Sadie looks pretty good. Dawnehope agree with Cameron pictures please but thanks for the links in the meantime
Question (I am sure it is somewhere in these 83 pages but thought I asked again since we were talking about pre washing). Assuming you hand wash but has anyone tried the bra holders that you put the bras in and throw in washer I can't remember the name. Also what are you using for a detergent
Liz0 -
Val - just was catching up on this thread - HAPPY FOOB ANNIVERSARY!!! So glad it is behind you!
Hugs, Valerie
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Re: washing bras... this may be sacrilege... but when I bought a bunch of bras this past winter at Nordstrom the specialist there told me its fine to put them in the machine, just never put them in the dryer. I have been washing mine that way and they are holding up! #Too lazy to hand wash anything!
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Today's my 1 year foobiversary!
Regarding washing ... I think if I had one of those front loader washing machines ... the kind with no center ... I would wash mine in the washer in a lingerie bag. Since I don't have one of those fancy washers, I do handwash. I use Nordstrom's lingerie wash. It was recommended to me by Val61 and whippetmom.
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oh ... and it's on sale right now because of Nordstrom's anniversary sale! You can buy it online.
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Ah... I do have a front load washer (so I guess that's why I have no problem).
Happy Foobiversary!!!
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Greetings everyone. I had an interview with SOMA last evening and an offer this evening ( my birthday no less). I accepted and will start Monday. Will work 2 to 3 evenings a week after my regular job for 4 hour shifts. Pay is not great but any extra will help. Someone needs to take my bra buying privileges away or I might get a negative paycheck - LOL. Will see how things work out. I think I can give a perspective to those in our situations that other sales people can't and perhaps build up a reconstruction clientele. Our nearest Nordstroms is an hour away in Tampa so some local knowledge might be a good thing. VS is right down the hallway, but most of us know their abilities to fit (or lack thereof).
happy weekend all. DH and I are going out for dinner for birthday. 2 years ago I spent birthday in ER in Delaware suffering from infection/reaction to adhesives from wire guided biopsies as well as yeast infection under breasts. This was just 2weeks prior to BMX. I've come a long way!0 -
Wahooo Delilahbear! Congratulations
And happy birthday!0 -
Dawn-Hope congratulation on one yr foobaversary! Deliahbear, Congrats on your job! Love Lido key too, we would stay at Turtle Bay Beach resort and take the kayaks and canoes out all of the time. Loved shopping on St Armands circle and then taking a walk on the beach. I just love the sand and water so much. I envy the sunsets you see. Happy Birthday to you, you deserve to celebrate!
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY DELILAHBEAR!!! AND CONGRATS ON THE NEW SOMA JOB!!! You are soooo right about being able to provide a much needed perspective for our bc sisters in your area! Paying it forward......
CONGRATULATIONS, TO YOU, TOO, DAWNE-HOPE!!!! What a year you've had, my dear; I know you are happy to keep moving forward!
Liz - Your time will come, sweetie! As for washing, I still wash my regular bras by hand with the lingerie wash from Nordstrom. I still am working on the same bottle I bought with my first post-exchange bra in October 2009! In fact, just moments ago I hung to dry no less than 7 bras.....I'd been putting off washing for awhile..... However, I DO use one of those round mesh bra-washing-container-things for machine-washing my sports bras. (I have no idea what it's called; I've had it for ages....the little girl bras I used to wear did not require or deserve hand washing...) They seem to come out just fine, but admittedly, I also have a front-loader machine.
Stay cool wherever you are, ladies! It's hot EVERYWHERE! We're on day 22 straight of 100+ degree days......
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Love Nordstrom lingerie wash, I do have a front load, but still wash all lingerie by hand and line dry. Hard buying bras when you want to wear them, but must be washed first.
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Regarding wearing & washing bras, here's my routine. This is an important subject to me BTW since I am in underwire 24/7. Foobs in training! <-- I should totally sell T-shirts.
I soak new bras in Nordstrom lingerie wash for 30 minutes, rinse & line dry. Then they get a day to rest; in the "clean and super happy" bra drawer. After that, I wear them either for work, home or sleep, and they move to the "worn but still relatively charming" drawer. They get a day off in between wearings to allow the elastic to return to normal, same as after washing. I wear them 3-4 times (or sometimes only ONCE if I go dog walking in the hot sun and sweat them all up.) Then they go in the sad but pretty basket of "bras waiting to be washed". Normal washing is in the sink, soak for just a few minutes, then hang to dry. I know this is all overkill in the way of explanation, but I seriously researched this. It's hard to believe, but true: I hated bras before this new world of foobs and implants. I had like 2 of them. They were ugly and got thrown in the washer like 6 times a year or something. So for those of you with NO CLUE, like me; this post is for you.
I have 2 suction hooks I put up in my shower/tub and then I hang a clothesline up between them; I can fit LOTS of bras in my tub that way. They've never seen the laundry room! This is easier to me and it's kind of fun to hang up all your pretty frillies like a veritable rainbow of fanciful European unmentionables. And also those proudly made in the USA. Hey, I'm equal opportunity, I don't hate on anything with an underwire.
p.s. for other newbies: buy lots of bras. They'll last longer when you have a large number in your "rotation". Just like crayons. Buy the jumbo box, they'll last a year. Buy the 8-pack; you'll be buying more crayons by next week. Seriously just buy more bras. And then please post your pics on the bra thread and give me some recommendations because I'm running out of ideas on my own.
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Cameron - LOL! I love you, girl!
LOL!0 -
Cameron
You crack me up. Seriously you should consider writing a book about your journey you have such a great style and sense of humor.
Liz0 -
Cameron, How fun! I can't wait to have a"veritable rainbow" of fancies to enjoy
What a pleasant thought!0 -
Cam - write a darn book already, will ya?????
I can't wait to go bra shopping for real. I have only 7 that dont really fit me well. Gritting my teeth until Im at least 2 months out before I charge to Nordies!!!
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Hey Guys, I am new to the "exchange game", thanks for this post I found it to be very useful. In the past my PS and I had conversations regarding BRA's and underwire. Because my natural breast were so large 38DDD I was never without a underwire BRA. It was just the way I grew up, some women couldn't wait to get home and take theirs off, not me I was in them 24/7 I actually felt uncomfortable if I didn't have one on so I am sure the 24/7 bra thing will not be an issue for me moving forward. However I remember specifically my PS stating strongly that I would never need to wear another underwire in my life. Even at that time I thought that statement to be odd and to go against everything I believed. I remembered questioning to myself.........then "How would my body support the implants?" (I have 800cc's) So interesting to hear the different professional opinions on certain subjects. Some PS say yes, Some PS say no.
I know that I am going to go with underwire, only concern I have right now is the Underwire hits where my incisions are and that hurts! I am only four days out of surgery and I have been wearing a sports bra that snaps in the front. I am just fearful of interfering with the healing process so I've not put a underwire on yet. I think it may be too soon to go and get properly measured as I am still swollen, what are your thoughts?
Meek
BRAC1&BRAC2 NEG
Diagnosis: 12/17/2010, IDC, 1cm, Grade 2, 0/4 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-0 -
Meiko my PS told me to wait at least two months before a fitting or considering nipples because you want to wait until the swelling is completely gone. Im at 6 weeks now and feel like the swelling is really gone now. As for the underwire, I have an incision in the IMF so I cant have an underwire for at least another several months. I also understand that implants are wider than natural breasts so when you do get fitted, you may go up a cup size to accomodate the width of the implant.
So Ive been doing OK with my wire free ones but I am anxious for my real big-girl fitting!!!
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Meiko -- I waited 8 months to wear underwire (and I didn't even have an IMF incision). With that sort of incision it's better to find bras that are wire free and that have a wide lower band IMO. Eight months is probably way too long but I did find some very pretty bras that were unwired (Chantelle has some nice ones and the Wacoal Awareness is popular). But frankl the underwire bras are just so much darn prettier... I expect you'll want to wear them for that reason.
Cameron -- LOL on the names of your drawers. You truly are a gift!
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Meekone - Congrats on your exchange! Yes, as Lilah suggested, underwires will have to wait awhile for you. With the increased incidence of using IMF incisions - often done with NS (nipple-sparing) mastectomies - it changes things up a bit. Those of us with traditional transverse nipple-line incisions can - IF their PS's permit - go into underwires immediately after exchange. That pesky IMF incision requires a bit more love.....but they do heal quickly, so don't dismay! As for being more comfy IN a bra, I'm right there with ya! (p.s. I still sleep in underwires!)
Cameron - Girl, a book is a MUST.....but only if you include us all as characters......just kidding! We must be secret bra-sisters or something, because my system is nearly identical to yours! Here's what I do differently: after I've worn a bra one day, - if I'm not too sweaty, which isn't very often here in North Texas these days - I return it to my drawer (which has beautiful lingerie organizers from the Container Store purchased when I got my new foobs); HOWEVER, when I fold it in half (this is for my unlined bras, that is), I turn it inside out. That way I know I've worn it already and it can be washed after the next wearing. I know....I'm a dork...... Shall I also mention that they are arranged in color order - as is my closet - just like they taught me to do when I worked retail at Neiman Marcus? Again.....I'm a dork....and a compulsive one at that!
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