Fashion Blog » Bras

Last week a friend of mine mentioned on her blog that she was doing “C25K.”  I, being uninformed, asked what “C25k” stands for and was told it means “Couch to 5K.”  It’s an interval running program that teaches your body how built up the endurance to be able to run for 30 minutes straight (or approximately 5k) over the course of 9 weeks.

Now, considering I’m preparing to hit heavy training mode I thought that trying C25K would be a great way to get started. I am not in the worst shape ever but between having asthma and not knowing “how to run” I could never really work myself up to being a person who laced up her sneakers and hit the pavement for fun.

But there I was on Saturday afternoon, pacing the aisles at the local Walmart looking for a decent pair of running shoes that wouldn’t break the bank. (I found the Detra by Athletic Works for a mere $22, by the way).  When I got home I found a C25K companion podcast and downloaded it to my iPod. I was ready to hit the field on Sunday morning.

There was just one problem.  I do not currently own any cute exercise apparel like the Under Armour Action Racerback Tank ($14.95) or the Brooks Energy Short ($24.15).  I will remedy this situation when I feel like I’m not wasting my money “pre-weight-loss.”  My real concern, however, was a lack of- uhm - control in the chest region, if you catch my drift.

Why on earth is there no reasonably affordable high-impact sports bra for women with larger chests?  In Walmart there was a really cute Danskin high-impact bra - not in my size.  The same story repeated itself in both Dick’s Sporting Goods and Sports Authority.  The closest I came was a really great looking Under Armour bra but it was tagged at $44.95.  For a sports bra?

Further research proves that if I am going to pay big money for a bra I may as well stick with Under Armour. I already love their sports products and I have found that (despite it not being on store shelves) there is a great Under Armour Heat Gear Endure D Zip Front Sports Bra available online.  What a mouthful, right?

Check it out, though.  It’s specifically made for women with D cups who participate in high-impact activities AND it zippers up the front so you don’t have to worry about stretching out the bra you just paid all that money for.  Looks like a win to me!

After that first run it’s safe to say I’ll be looking for something a bit more controlling to wear under my soon-to-be-cuter exterior gear.  My feet were aching for their UGG slippers by the end of that first workout but rest assured I’ll be back on the track tomorrow!

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop through all sports bras.

Yes. You read the heading correctly.

Yes. I’m going to go there.

Yes. It’s important.

The perfect brassiere (that’s formal for bra, silly).

If there’s one thing I hate more than anything else it’s shopping for the perfect bra. As a matter of fact, I’m thoroughly convinced that the “perfect” bra does not exist.

I’m not going to get into all of the nitty gritty details about how to determine your bra size, but I will say this. Once upon a time I was in a to-remain-nameless-high-quality-bra-store when the salesgirl asked me if she could help. I told her I wanted a bra without an underwire, which seemed to be nonexistant at the moment. When she asked why I told her they were uncomfortable.

She promptly offered me a formal bra fitting, explaining that most women were uncomfortable only because they were wearing the wrong bra size. What do you know - she was right (though I do still prefer those w/o the aforementioned wire).

So here’s a piece of advice. Let the woman at the bra store you choose give you a formal fitting. It’s really not as embarrassing as you think and, in the end, you may be surprised at what knowing the correct bra size will do for your sense of self-esteem!

A word of warning, though - the girl in Victoria Secret is probably more skilled at measuring bra sizes than the girl in Fashion Bug - but that’s just my experience speaking.

Ok. Have you determined the correct size? Time to start trying them on. Make sure you pay attention to the following:

• Make sure the underband is firm but doesn’t cause you pain. Can you comfortably run you finger underneath? If not, you need a larger size.
• Does the underwire extend past your rib cage and under your armpit? If so, the wire isn’t right for you. The wire itself should only encompass your breast and should never dig into your skin.
• The bra you choose should be able to support the weight of your breasts between the cups, underband, and broadband. A bra that pulls on your shoulders does not fit correctly.
• Bulge is bad. Let me say that again - bulge is bad. You need a different cup size if you are bulging out the top of sides!

Bra shopping may be a pain in the tush but it’s a necessary evil. I have no idea why finding something to comfortably hold  our treasured chest pillows can’t be as easy as finding a pair of comfortable UGG boots, but I digress.  Get yourself a formal bra sizing and you’ll be well on your way to a more comfortable (and hopefully painless) bra shopping experience.

To shop for low priced lingerie- BRAS - Click here.