Disclosure: I received a free copy of The Bra Zone, which I have read from cover to cover! Any opinions here are honest, as always.
Do you follow Elisabeth Dale’s blog over at The Breast Life? It’s a highly unique one – not so much a straightforward lingerie blog, it’s a resource all about breasts, covering breast health and surgical options alongside bra fit and fashion. Dale is also the author of two books, bOObs: A Guide to Your Girls and, more recently, The Bra Zone.
The Bra Zone is your ultimate guide to finding bras that make you happy. A large portion of the book is dedicated to sourcing bras that fit how you want them to, including tips to deal with common issues such as shoulder pain or uneven breasts, and advice to get measured or measure yourself.
This is where the ‘bra zone’ comes in. Did you know that it’s completely normal to wear multiple bra sizes, and that different styles of bra work better on different breast shapes? Dale explains everything from how to tell if a bra is fitting you well, to how to get your breasts to sit where you want them to on your chest. There are brief sections dedicated to the needs of people who are nursing, post-nursing, post-surgery, post-menopausal, transgender and more. The book essentially walks you step by step through working out the range of bra sizes and bra styles that will work for you and your body.
The Bra Zone is not all about bra fit though, with tips on where to shop, how to store and care for your bras and even how to recycle your old ones. It’s a small but jam-packed book that you can absorb in 2 or 3 sittings and then keep as a handy resource to refer back to whenever your breasts decide they fancy a change (which for me, seems to be about every 6 months). Although I already knew a lot of what this book was telling me – I don’t consider myself a bra-fitting expert, but I’m certainly no beginner either – this is the kind of fun, informative and not-at-all-condescending book that I really wish I’d had in my teens!
The Bra Zone is available on Amazon for £10.95 (or £3.84 for Kindle), though one of you is going to be getting it for free! Elisabeth Dale has kindly offered up a copy for one of my readers which can be shipped to the UK, USA or Canada.
To enter, leave a comment below with either a bra-related question you’d love to have answered or, if you consider yourself something of an expert on bras already, a fun/helpful bra fact that you know!
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After commenting, please click the link above to record your entry via Rafflecopter to ensure it gets counted. Once you’ve done that you’ll see some ways to gain bonus entries, such as subscribing to this blog. You have until 30th November – good luck!
P.S. My lingerie blogger database gets a teeny mention on page 105 and I just had to get that in here somewhere because oh my gosh, Esty Lingerie has been immortalised in print! Thank you Elisabeth!
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I would love to know how to find a strapless bra that keeps the girls up where they belong, and isn’t a push-up, since that doesn’t help!
This is on my Christmas list Something I really want to read
Check out reddit.com/r/abrathatfits for a community that will certainly help you out.
Hi Regan, I’m absolutely not an expert on strapless bras having only ever owned one or two, ages ago, but I have heard great things about the Curvy Kate Luxe (full bust sizes) and the Wonderbra Ultimate Strapless (core sizes). Perhaps they may be good options to look into 🙂
I love the idea of bralettes and I wear a 34D. I have shyed away from this style because most of them don’t have adequate support, despite being very pretty. Can you recommend a bralette that is pretty and has good support for a larger chest?
I like the idea of bralettes and I wear a 34D. I have shyed away from this style because most of them don’t have adequate support, despite being very pretty. Can you recommend a bralette that is pretty and has good support for a larger chest?
Hi Vivian, you won’t find a bralette that has exactly the same lift as a wired bra, because the main purpose of the underwire is support. However there are bralettes that are more supportive than others. Look for thick or lined fabrics (i.e. not just sheer lace), thicker straps, and a wide band.
I found my Bras Without Wires bra ( http://www.estylingerie.com/blog/2016/05/24/review-bras-without-wires-superhero-bra/ ) about as supportive as it gets for a bralette and had the three features mentioned above. Sadly that brand has now closed down but Fortnight bralettes appear to have a similar shape and construction and I hear great things about them! See https://fortnightlingerie.com/product/willow-longline-melange/ for example.
you should use a measuring tape when trying to find the right bra size .
I would love to read this book, the more info I can arm myself with, the more chances I have to find good bras! so hard, I have to rely on researching/finding good online options for myself, in-person shopping is extremely limited for me where I live. I’d like to know if there is a general rule of thumb for quality and good fit, regarding country of manufacturing?
Hi Tracey! It depends what you are looking for. Many countries have their specialities – beautiful lace in France for example. Poland is renowned for the fit of its bras, particularly for DD+ sizes. Many brands based there specialise in bras that give a very lifted, supported, round shape so if that’s what you’re into you may want to check out brands such as Ewa Michalak, Avocado and Nissa. Of course, in every country there are poor quality and better quality brands.
A common belief is that lingerie made in China is poor quality but in reality many luxury brands produce there, and the country has some of the best lingerie-manufacturing equipment in the world. It is often cheaper just because labour there is cheaper, rather than necessarily an indication of quality.
Hope that answers your question.
It’s always good to keep in mind that bras from different companies could fit different! (Might fit snugger/looser in the band, etc) so if no one is able to advice you on the fit take in your sister size!
To go up a band but keep the same cup, you go up a number and a letter before the one you wear! Ex: usually wear a 32C and band too snug? Grab a 34B! It’s the same cup with a looser band!
Now if you need to go down a band you go a smaller number and the letter after the one you wear, ex: from 32C, you would wear a 30D, it’s the same cup, with a snugger band!
If this jumbles your brain a little not to worry! Ask for help, but keep in mind grabbing the same cup in different bands does not make them sister sizes!
If you put 34B and 32B side by side you will notice 32B is actually a whole-nother smaller cup!
On another note, the book looks like an awesome piece to read!