THE NONNATIVE

I listen to Howard Stern every day. I love his attitude, I agree with most of the show, and I really feel that I learn things when I listen. I’m not necessarily learning facts, but as an American living overseas I get 4 hours of listening to a show about pop culture in America. Yeah sure a ton of it is about pornography and strippers riding on a giant mechanical dildo, but I learn valuable facts!

For example, Howard’s famous sidekick Robin Quivers went on air and was discussing her bra size. Everyone has heard at one time or another about Oprah telling women to find the bra that fits them correctly, well I don’t listen to Oprah. Robin was on the radio the other morning and it came about that she had gone in for an official bra fitting. She claimed to have been purchasing 36DD bras for the past year, even after going under breast reduction surgery.

Looking at her in this photo, I can understand where she’s coming from. I mean, I think about it and I have never asked someone to measure me for what bra size I should wear. I was wondering how many women have actually gotten measured then? I guess we all just wear what size we think we should be wearing. As it turns out, Robin was told by a professional that she should be wearing a 34G – that is SO dramatically different from a 36DD!

After looking around on YouTube, I discovered a short video highlighting some of the main problems with ill-fitting bras. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2-OG6f8PtE)

This leaves me with the question of: where do I go to get a professional bra fitting in Hong Kong?

Well, that is precisely what I plan to find out. This is a two part "Bra Quest", documenting my journey in figuring out exactly what size bra I wear and where to find the best one in Hong Kong.

I currently shop for bras at Cotton On (D’Aguilar Street, Central), H&M, and Marks & Spencers. At H&M I recently bought a 75B strapless bra because I have one down a cup size in the past year and my 75C is way too big. Well being the daring girl that I am, I didn’t try the bra on. I came home tried the bra on, I thought I would suffocate. I was a fashion disaster, boobies pushed up to my neck, my cup overfloweth. This bra now lives at the back of my drawer for that sad day when I will be able to wear it.

I have now determined I don’t wear a 75B or a 75C from H&M. And then I have 3 Marks & Spencers bras laying right here. They are all 32C, 2 of them are just typical looking bras, and one is a strapless bra. Now… The two regular bras fit fine, but the strapless bra is just way too big. Does any of this make sense?!?! NO! How can one size bra fit great, then you buy another one and has an entirely different fit? I must have some sort of a mighty morphin’ chest, or maybe I actually wear a 34G and I’m just in serious denial.

I leave you all to ponder this great mystery. Are different bra sizes like the fashion industry's "vanity sizing"? Or does this issue with sporadic sizing have to do with women not being properly fitted for bras in the first place? Do different brands have different methods of sizing, or once you get properly fitted you will always find a great bra?