Why your bra doesn’t fit: Sizes used by lingerie industry are based on men’s …
December 7, 2014 by admin
Filed under Latest Lingerie News
Comments Off
- Bra sizes were developed from blouse sizes based on military uniforms
- Measurements are no longer suitable for women of today, say critics
- As women continue to grow larger, bras that fit are more difficult to find
Fiona Macrae, Science Correspondent for the Daily Mail
94
View
comments
Bra sizes were developed from blouses based on men’s proportions, experts say (file image)
You’ve been professionally measured and spent a fortune on new bras – but they still don’t fit.
Now, experts believe they know the reason why.
Surprising as it may seem, the sizing system used by the lingerie industry dates back a hundred years – and is based on men’s measurements.
Sue McDonald, a bra fitting specialist who has researched the system’s origins, said bra sizes were developed from blouse sizes, which were in turn based on male military uniforms from World War I.
Critics say the measurements are not suitable for women today. Atul Khanna, a consultant plastic surgeon, said that while women back then were typically slimmer and may have had boyish figures, the female shape today tends to be much fuller.
Some 60 per cent of women in the UK are now overweight or obese – meaning millions will struggle to find a bra that fits them properly.
Joanna Scurr, an expert in breast health from Portsmouth University who carried out separate research into bra measuring, said that the cup-sizing system was never designed to go above a size D.
‘Our research shows that as breasts get larger, the measuring system gets less accurate,’ she said.
‘Bra-fitting becomes more of an issue as the breasts and the body get larger. We know that within the UK and in many other parts of the world, women are getting bigger and we are seeing an increase in breast size as well.
‘I’ve seen reports of ZZZ-sized females and the system was never designed for that.’
Scroll down for video
-
The drum kit you can play ANYWHERE: Sensor clips transform…
The most talked about science of 2014: Facebook’s…
Mr Khanna, who performs breast-reduction operations on women who are in so much pain that surgery is the only option, asked a group of overweight women if they suffered from common symptoms of an ill-fitting bra such as back and neck pain.
Nine in ten said their bra was painful – even though most of them had been professionally fitted. Rashes were the most common problem, with two in five saying their bra chafed.
Some 35 per cent had sore shoulders, 20 per cent had neck pain and a similar number suffered back-ache. Mr Khanna, who is a member of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, also found that a bra that was the wrong size according to the traditional system was often a better fit than one that was supposedly the right size.
Bra sizes are based on blouses developed from WWI uniforms, similar to those portrayed above, say experts
But it is not just overweight women who run into difficulty – for slim women with large chests are also likely to find lingerie shopping tricky.
This is because a quirk in the sizing system means that they will be pointed towards bras that are very small around the back, which makes them extremely tight.
The current system involves taking two measurements – one under the bust and one over it. The under bust number gives the back size, such as 32 or 34, while the difference between that and the measurement over the bust gives the cup size, such as C or D.
Mr Khanna has co-designed a bra range called Optifit, which takes three measurements instead and is said to be a better shape for the modern woman’s body.
Share or comment on this article
-
Shocking attack on contestant on a Russian game show
-
Little girl starts hoedown on subway platform
-
Tina Fey jokes about Bill Cosby allegations NINE years ago
-
Incredible moment man rescues Shark pups from dead mother
-
Hilarious moment girl challenges Beauty and the Beast…
-
Friends mourn boy who killed himself ‘over cheerleading…
-
Forget the naughty step, this kid is on the dubstep!
-
Michael and Robin Hamby deliver heartbreaking news
-
Backstage with 9-year-old model Kristina Pimenova
-
Police have gunned down an ‘armed’ man in center of LA
-
Not your usual feline: The green cats of Bulgaria(related)
-
Footage of female Texas judge failing her sobriety test
-
Tragedy as boy, 12, kills himself after ‘he was bullied for…
-
REVEALED: Navy Seals hiked six miles and got within 100…
-
‘One-in-a-million’ conjoined Atlanta twins who shared arms,…
-
Wisconsin college gymnast, 21, who was found dead in a…
-
EXCLUSIVE – ‘You must think like a paedophile to see sex in…
-
Beloved two-faced cat that was only meant to live a few days…
-
Cops shoot knifeman dead in front of scores of tourists on…
-
Cops investigate Bill Cosby: Detectives meet woman who…
-
U.S. Airways plane makes emergency landing as two passengers…
-
Now where did I park my 60 cars? Incredible treasure trove…
-
Now arriving at platform two, New York’s smallest cowgirl!…
-
Bill Cosby accused of sexually assaulting TWELVE Playboy…
Comments (94)
Share what you think
-
Newest -
Oldest -
Best rated -
Worst rated
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Who is this week’s top commenter?
Find out now
Share and Enjoy
Indian brides want sexy lingerie
December 7, 2014 by admin
Filed under Latest Lingerie News
Comments Off
No longer blushing brides, Delhi girls know exactly what they want when it comes to lingerie for their wedding night
Till some years back, honeymoon shopping for a Delhi girl meant picking skirts and dresses which, with her chooda and mangalsutra, would make for the perfect honeymoon Facebook album. The other kind of honeymoon wear, the to-be-worn in the bedroom kind, was an embarrassing secret and everyone preferred pretending that it didn’t exist. Cut to 2014, and we have lingerie stores across malls, markets and online spaces with screaming banners that promote their sexy bridal collections and honeymoon must-haves – and equally enthusiastic brides, for whom lingerie is as important as saris and suits for their bridal trousseau. Sexy costumes and dresses, better known as babydolls, do not intimidate the buyers anymore and instead, have become the ‘cool’ gift to give to girlfriends and even daughters! DT spoke to some brides-to-be and their bachelorette party-attending friends about the growing popularity of the wedding lingerie gift pack and to retailers who are, if possible, happier than the husbands of these bolder, experimental Delhi brides.
My mom convinced me to experiment with lingerie For Avantika Sharma*, lingerie shopping was never an event and she would just pick up products whenever she went to the mall. But before her wedding, she received lingerie shopping tips from everyone around her, including her mother. She tells us, “I was excited about my entire bridal trousseau, including my honeymoon outfits. But as D-Day approached, I even started receiving lingerie shopping tips from my mother. We were shopping one day, when she asked me if I had my honeymoon wardrobe ready and before I knew it, we were in the lingerie section with her convincing me to experiment with colours, fabrics, cuts and whatnot. I have to agree, it was scandalising at first to do this with my mother, but she very coolly said, ‘Sharam kya karni hai? Shaadi ke baad toh pehnoge hi,’ and we ended up buying some really interesting things.”
And it’s not just the mall-hopping mother who is cool with buying wedding lingerie for her daughter. A lingerie shopkeeper in Lajpat Nagar, tells us, “Inn dino toh aise stylish products ki sale bahut badh gayi hai. Glamorous night dresses, matching bold sets – sab bikte hain. Aur lete bhi har type ke log hai, sirf brides nahi. Mummy, behen, pati – sab khareedte hain gift karne ke liye. Tabhi yeh ek-do mahina bahut sale hoti hai.”
Aman Jain, founder, GoPaisa.com, tells us, “In the online space, around 35% of the sales come from men shopping for the women in their lives. There are many websites to choose from, all providing gift pack options which make it easier for men to pick products for special occasions. The privacy of shopping from home makes it convenient for men to shop online, which they couldn’t have done in a retail shop.”
Brides demand lingerie as gifts Unlikein the past, when no one would discuss anything remotely associated with their honeymoons, brides now are clear about their wardrobe for their after-wedding life and have no qualms demanding the right kind of products from their girlfriends. Akriti Sharma, a digital media professional, had to go to a variety of stores to find babydoll dresses, which her bridezilla friend wanted as a gift. Akriti tells us, “We asked her what she wanted for her wedding and she was very clear and demanded specific kinds of lingerie packs. She joked about the usability of that gift over any other decorative item and so was very clear about what she needed. I actually had to go to stores asking for lingerie that’s sexy enough but not slutty. It was quite a task, but in the end, we had one happy bride and we slyly teased her husband about it too.”
Mitali Taneja, an HR consultant, was surprised to see the amount of time and research her younger sister had put into her honeymoon wardrobe. She says, “At the time of my wedding, six years back, honeymoon shopping meant buying dresses from Sarojini Nagar that one could wear during those six-seven days and then never again. Lingerie shopping wasn’t done and I picked out a few colourful sets just days before the wedding from my neighbourhood hosiery store and that too, with my mother. But my younger sister, who’s getting married at the end of November, already has her honeymoon suitcase packed. There is so much variety in the market and unlike my hush-hush shopping, her friends were coolly discussing the gift packs they got for her bridal shower.”
Bachelorette party equals lingerie overdose Bachelorette parties have become a routine pre-wedding event among Delhi brides and so has the tradition of gifting the sexiest and kinkiest lingerie to the bride. Shivangi Dhamija*, a bride-to-be, tells us about her overflowing lingerie collection post her bachelorette party. She says, “While talking about my bachelorette party, I knew my friends were planning to get me some kind of lingerie products and so I had very conveniently told them about my size. But even then, I was very surprised to see the huge collection I was gifted. There are night dresses, pop colour sets and even sexy costumes which I didn’t know were available in India. Forget about the honeymoon, I think I have enough sexy lingerie to last a lifetime!”
This is because for friends of the bride, gifting lingerie has become a sure shot way of becoming the cool friend. Prakriti Saxena, a corporate communications professional, says, “I had been mulling over what to get my friend for her wedding, and I finally decided on lingerie. I didn’t want to get her a stupid decorative item, picture collage or sari – things she could have gotten from anyone. So before her bachelorette party, I took her shopping and we made an event out of it. We joked about the funny names like babydoll dress and peek-a-boo-briefs, etc., but at the end of the day, I think that was the perfect gift for my BFF.”
Brides are more bold: Lingerie brands and sales portals According to shopping portals, lingerie sales have doubled in the last month, with bridal products becoming the most researched items on their websites. For experimental brides, shopping online gives them the privacy they need to buy the more sensual, romantic lingerie, without any awkward moments.
Vinay Mangalgi, merchandising head at Zivame.com, says, “We have specific products under the bridal category and the collections have been receiving the maximum amount of attention in the last few weeks. Brides have become more bold and spend a lot of time exploring these products, which include more romantic, sensual and attractive items like lace and satin sets, babydolls and more. These days, brides know what they want and to fulfill this demand, many brands on our website have launched special collections for the wedding season. The clicks per page have gone up by 50%, resulting in sales like never before.”
Suchi Mukherjee, CEO and founder of LimeRoad.com, adds, “Our lingerie sales have risen by 75% in October, compared to those in September. The online shopping experience allows the buyer to enjoy the luxury of discretion, and so women now can venture out to a vast selection of kinkier and sexier items within the comfort zone of their homes. For our shoppers, lingerie has slowly evolved from just a necessity to fantasy. We have a large collection that comes under the category of bridal products and the buyers of this segment are getting more and more adventurous.”
Smita Murarka, spokesperson for Amante, says, “We’ve seen increased interest in occasion-wear lingerie, with sales going up by 40% in this season. Our special collection of premium lingerie sees a surge in this period and so do luxurious fabrics like silk, lace and microfiber in jewel tones. Newer products have been added and we make sure that the premium collection is available across stores and online domains.”
(*Names changed on request)