A Girl's Breast...er... Best Friend

If you've read the Playground blog for any length of time you'll know that (1) about this time each year we get into a frenzy over the upcoming Romance Writers of America national conference and (2) we take our clothing for said event very seriously. And that includes undergarments.

I'm away from home, tending to my mother who is recuperating from major surgery, just finished teaching an online class and am in the middle of doing copy edits for a friend. I am devoid of creativity at the moment, so I dug through my email and found something my mother sent me a while back.

I will give credit where credit is due. It's from ConsumerSearch.com and was written by Sarah Burns.

The bra celebrated a birthday the end of May. The great whites finally turned 100, a milestone which has prompted us here at CS to pay a little homage. Here, some background on these cleavage caddies, and a few tips to ensure you're getting the proper fit. (Hint: There's a good chance you aren't!)

The first bra was patented in 1914 by New York City socialite Mary Phelps-Jacobs. Often on the town, Mary hated the constricting corsets of the time. Her idea: Two silk handkerchiefs tied together in the middle with ribbons sewn on to make straps--the first official bra was born. However, tried as she might, Mary could never drum up enough sales to sustain her idea, (many women considered her invention to be too taboo ) so she sold her idea to Warners. Yes, that's right, Warners -- as in the big bra company. And the rest, as they say, is history....

Today, these 'support systems' are a feminine staple. Available in every size, shape and color, women around the world now wear their bras with patience and pride. I say patience, because it's a rare woman who hasn't had to 'adjust' herself. Falling straps, too-tight bands, super-roomy cups -- any of this ring a bell? You're not alone. According to "industry studies," over 80 percent of women aren't wearing the right bra size. So, we thought, what better time than the bra's birthday to offer a little, ahem, uplifting advice.

The right way to wear a bra:

According experts, bras should be worn level (front to back). However, most women wear their bras too high on their torso, throwing their measurements off. "Most women go up in the back increasing their band size instead of getting a deeper cup," explains Susan Nethero, the "bra whisperer" and owner of the Intimacy lingerie store chain. "Instead, you want to keep the back lean so you can lift the bust." Plus, in order for your bra to maintain optimal support, she says you should give your bra at least one day of rest. "Don't wear the same bra two days in a row because you'll wear out its support elastic."

Four signs you're wearing the wrong bra size:

•Literally falling out of your bra? Go up a cup size.
•Cups caving in? Take it down one cup size.
•Suffering from unsightly back flab? Your bra is likely too big. Wearing the bra lower on your back with a smaller band size often fixes this problem.
•Straps keep sliding down? Go down a band size.

To calculate your correct bra size, Nethero suggests:

•Standing up straight, expand your rib cage (breathe out like you're going to blow out candles).
•For your correct band size: Then, measure all the way around your body, placing the tape measure directly beneath your breasts. Add five to that number, rounding up if necessary to the next even number.
•For your correct cup size: While wearing a bra, measure completely around the fullest part of your bust (across the nipple). Make sure the tape measure goes around your entire back. Then, subtract this number from your band size. The result will reveal your correct cup size (based on the guide below).

0=AA

1=A

2=B

3=C

4=D

5=DD

6=DDD

Carry on. Discuss as you will.

Or share an interesting undergarment story.

I'll go first. I was going to an office party one Christmas and decided to wear a pair of those pantyhose with the built-in panties. One less layer to worry about. So I get to the party and the pantyhose start to feel... odd. I went to the restroom only to discover the elastic in them was rotten. It had stayed in place just long enough for me to put the pantyhose on and ride to the party. But by the time I did my restroom check, the waistline was large enough to fit around a baby elephant. Oops!

How did I solve the dilemma?

HA! I'm not telling!