A few weeks ago I was all excited because I bought two “brand new” fashion bras on ebay for $22. As someone who occasional shops for plus size clothing and otherwise on ebay, I considered it an awesome deal for the flower and leopard duo (with matching panties). I was thrilled with myself and for my wallet. When they arrived I was less thrilled but still felt I had a gem of a deal. 
The straps were super stretchy, a little too much give for supporting the breasts of a plus size woman. The padding of the bra looked unbreathable. But overall, still cute and looking reasonably constructed. They were still tagged and looked unworn.
Yesterday I finally got around to wearing one of them on errands. OMG! I never understood it before; now I know why some women totally swear off underwire fashion bras. By the time I got home I had one of the supporting side boning poking into me, the underwires weren’t cupping my breasts but were digging into me and one of my boobs was peeking out from the bottom under the wire. One would think I had been playing a mean game of beach volleyball. I was floored (I’m not one to adjust one’s boobage in public but I nearly had to).
This got me thinking about price points when it comes to bras. I now firmly believe you get what you pay for when it comes to these plus size undergarments. And considering how often I wear them I will never complain again about the price of a good bra. I will also stick with my Cacique bras which have never given me any grief or unwanted exposure.
Specifically, I mentioned it before and I will mention it again, the smooth Balconette bra is one of my favorites. All wire is heavily covered for comfort, it is shaped properly for comfort under the breast and upper rib cage. The padding is breathable. And most importantly, I can move without fear of something coming out where it shouldn’t when I’m out in public. It comes in new colors/patterns every season but I’m partial to nude because it matches my skin and doesn’t show under clothing. I also have red, black and of course blue. They come in sizes 36C to 44H up to triple D. Prices range from $32 to $40. There is always a Lane Bryant coupon lying around and they often have Cacique bra promotions on. I highly recommend this bra. I see now they have a microfiber one without padding but the same great cut that I would like to try this summer.
If you don’t like Lane Bryant. Then consider the Le Mystére Tisha Bra from Her Room (a online shop with plus size bras out the wazoo). It has a similar appearance to my Balconette bra although the straps look thinner. The sizes range from 32C to 44 H (no double or triple cups) for $66. It is endorsed by Oprah for women with large breasts looking for a sleek contour, coverage and comfort. It is considered by many to be the ultimate tee shirt bra because of it’s invisibility.
For the amount of time we spend in our bras, they should make us happy not homicidal. If you have a favorite bra brand please let us know in the comments (please no links to your lingerie site – I’ll delete them. I want legitimate bra endorsements from the ladies who love them).
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Topic Links
* Get your own Smooth balconette bra from Lane Bryant
* Get your own Le Mystere bra from Her Room
The balconette is my favorite of LB’s bras. I didn’t like the lace version because I find it itchy. What I did find though was LB is now making bathing suits with balconette bras in them-very cool. I love the way it fits.