Venture into most lingerie fitting rooms and you’ll be greeted by a nice lady with a tape measure. Visit Rigby & Peller and there’ll be a nice lady, yes, but no tape measure.
If you think about it, this makes sense. We buy all our other clothes to fit by (usually) trying them on in what we think is our size then swapping for one that fits or deciding the style or cut isn’t quite right for our shape. Yet when it comes to bras, we rely on one person with a tape measure.
Break free
- All bra shapes fit differently; strapless, balcony, plunge, padded. Just as a size 10 shift dress will fit differently to a size 10 maxi dress.
- Each store’s sizes will be different. It’s the same for clothes.
- Every fabric stretches and works in its own way. A lace back will fit differently to a filled in back.
Rigby & Peller fitters are trained for 6 months to understand different shapes and sizes and the full range of underwear before being let loose on our, as Gok would say, bangers.
And you really can tell.
A Rigby & Peller fitting
I visited the King’s Road branch of Rigby & Peller to experience a fitting for myself. I was pretty sure I was wearing the wrong size; riding up at the back, straps tight, roomy cups, so was desperate for some advice.
First of all you’re asked to suggest your preferred colours and styles to your lingerie stylist. I’ve always stuck to plain, t-shirt style plunge bras in nude or black to go with everything. So that’s what I asked for. I also explained my current size and fit issues.
Polly brought me a beautiful selection of embellished, lacy (and plain) pieces. I’ll admit I thought, yes they’re pretty but not for me! For the purpose of research though, I gave them all a whirl. Polly advised based on each individual bra what worked and what didn’t in terms of fit and I could instantly see what she meant.
Then there’s that moment where you find The One.
It wasn’t plain, smooth, or plunge, but instead embellished, lacy and balcony. Yet the label read the same size as I wore pre-baby. Despite the visible change in my body after pregnancy and breastfeeding had taken its toll I was still technically the same size as before. Just changing the shape and style made the world of difference.
My clothes sit better, it’s changed my proportions and ultimately I feel more confident. So I’d say that was £83.95 very well spent.
Don’t get hung up on size
Remember a D cup on a 28 back bra will be very different to a D cup on a 38 back. It’s all proportionate. Just because you’re all round petite, doesn’t mean you’ll necessarily have a small cup size and vice versa. Try on a variety of sizes to get the right fit, even if you’re convinced they’d never work!
An example: a friend and I look as though we’d have quite obviously different bra sizes (she’s the lucky one!), but we’re currently wearing the same size label from the same store (Rigby & Peller). Different shape bras in different fabrics mean we end up the same ‘size’.
Do we really need to hand wash?
We all know we should really hand wash our lingerie to extend its life, particularly if it’s embellished, but how many of us have the time to do this? Not me, that’s for sure. But I picked up a great tip; using your regular shampoo (or even your baby’s) give your bra a quick hand wash while you’re in the shower, pop it out to dry et voila! Quick, easy, delicate and it could help your bras live a little longer.
And finally…
Maybe your budget won’t allow for a Rigby & Peller treat every time you need a new bra, or you can’t get to a store. But check your current fit with these tips and take their principles into consideration when buying a new bra and you might just find you get a better fit and style for you.
Visit www.rigbyandpeller.co.uk
Book an appointment
Think you’re an awkward size? Rigby & Peller offer an adjustments service to tailor your bra to your shape exactly.
If you’re in or around Guildford, pop in to their new branch on Tunsgate
Please note this is not a sponsored post. I’d like to thank Rigby & Peller and in particular Polly at the King’s Road store for answering my many questions!
Coming up
Maternity and nursing bra tips
Did you miss out on the Check your fit post?
