On the importance of a good-fitting bra...

Much can be said of the importance of a good-fitting bra. It's one of the most personal things for a woman that guys will never understand. (Men only see bra as some sexy object that is meant to be taken off when the sex starts.)

Interestingly, my sister would also emphasize of the importance of good quality toilet paper. Afterall, we use it so often everyday, and no one wants a chafed butt. Ah, but that's another story for another day...

Back to the point on bra, I was reading an interesting article on Sydney Morning Herald about bra, how important it is to have a good-fitting bra, the variety of bras available, etc. Much fuss is made out of it, like the variety of bra, and how to choose a bra. But to me, it only comes down to two questions: is it comfortable, and is it appropriate?

On the question of comfort, I've lived my earlier life wearing ill-fitting bra when I was growing up. There's no under-wire. They were hand-me-downs that are loose-fitting (since my big sis are all bigger than I am in body size and boob size), and they don't hold shape. The idea back then was, as long as the bra prevents the showing of the nipple, that's good enough. Worse still, the straps were always slipping off my shoulder which was a constant nuisance. In short, I hate them.

I've been complacent for so long since I have been doctrinated into thinking that all bras are like that, or that women have to suffer through it, much like period cramps every month. I never knew better.

I remember, the first time I realize there's other option was when someone mentioned to me about sport bra. What caught my attention was the cross-shoulder strap that would not slip. I thought I found my savior.

The problem with sport bra is that, they lose elasticity pretty quick. Perhaps it's the earlier invention of sport bra, and the fabric just wasn't very good (even though I paid good money for it). With sport bra, the shoulder straps no longer slip down my shoulder which is a great relief. But after a short while, the bra itself would start sliding upwards. I found myself having to pull my bra down every so often which is a new nuisance. I blame my small boob size for the problem, rather than the bra. I don't know better.

My second epiphany came, when I was carrying my first child. With the hormonal changes in my body, my boob suddenly went up two sizes, both in inches and in cup size. I find it almost impossible to have to pull the sport bra on/off me, given the increasing bulk of the baby in my stomach. And then, someone suggests this radical idea to me: I should give under-wire a try.

It's radical to me because it's almost counter-intuitive. With the baby growing in size, perhaps the last thing I would want is to put wire between my breast and my stomach. Wouldn't that hurt the baby, I had thought. What I really need back then is the support to my breast that is getting heavy, so that I can focus on carrying the baby. And, of course, I know now, that it won't hurt the baby one bit.

I can't tell you how much of a difference to me, when I first tried on an under-wired bra, it's like night and day. It's so comfortable because it provides the kind of support to my breast that I've never experienced before. And the padding helps protect my increasingly sensitive nipples from rubbing against the clothing.

I never look back because I've found what I've always needed. You might ask, don't you want to try this, or that? I'd say, I know what I want now, and what I have now is comfortable to me. That's what I need.

As to the question of appropriateness, I'd say, get me a few different colors, and I'm good to go.

Do I really need 300 different varieties of bra? I highly doubt it. Sure, there will be occasions when I wear halter and strapless dress. All I need is simply a variation of my padded under-wired bra when I can easily remove the straps; and I'm good.

So, there you have it. It took me decades to get to this point. And the solution is so simple: I just need under-wired padded bra. It's almost like a no-brainer, much like having wings in sanitary pads to prevent leakage. Why does it take the industry so long to come to this?

But then, different people might have different needs and wants. Some people who have big boobs would probably hate padded bra because they don't want their boobs to look any more bigger than they already are. Some people love lace; some people hate it. (I personally hate lace. It's not comfortable, and it's mostly just for show...to the guys.) Some people don't like bra at all. That's all well and good, as long as you find what you need/want...and I'm happy to say, I've found mine. :)