{"id":74,"date":"2005-12-13T13:02:25","date_gmt":"2005-12-13T17:02:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.femilicious.com\/blog\/?p=74"},"modified":"2006-01-08T21:26:34","modified_gmt":"2006-01-09T01:26:34","slug":"packaging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.femilicious.com\/blog\/2005\/12\/13\/packaging\/","title":{"rendered":"Packaging"},"content":{"rendered":"

Bitch Ph.D. <\/a>wrote a post yesterday <\/a>about finding a well-made and well-fitting bra. <\/p>\n

There\u2019s an update <\/a>today with more advice and some information clarified by a bra wizard<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I think the posts are great and the advice helpful – – – for people with symmetrical breasts! Feminism has struggled with redefining beauty and worked to make space for all shapes and sizes of women, but what hasn\u2019t happened is progress into the packaging, ribbons and bows (figurative and literal) for these diverse shapes and sizes.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not specifically talking about bodies that have had surgeries and grapple with reconstructing something that isn\u2019t there anymore, but about bodies that have grown and developed with significant differences between left and right, although the advice might help both groups.<\/p>\n

My feet are a full size difference \u2013 which causes me problems shopping for pointe shoes. If I were rich I\u2019d buy a pair of each size so that both could fit (and be safe) but student + artist = poor so it\u2019s just not happening.<\/p>\n

Usually though my feet survive nicely with half sizes. As long as street shoes don\u2019t rub in the wrong way I find I can wiggle one foot of toes better than the other, but both are sufficiently happy. Sandals are great. Ask Woman in Comfy Shoes<\/a>. The problem gets more serious as I climb upwards. My chest is lopsided. One breast must be at least a full cup size different than the other. I can’t be sure because the standard “how to measure your size” doesn’t work for me.<\/p>\n

Before I gained this latest fifteen pounds (it’s been a tough semester), it wasn\u2019t as big of an issue. Both breasts were As or less so I was happy wearing no bra, just an undershirt if my nipples were ultra sensitive (like during ovulation) or on rare occasions I could find a nice bra. I discovered though that most A cup bras are made for tiny people (which I\u2019m not). I\u2019m a tall woman, hardly petite and a 32\u201d band just isn\u2019t going to go around me. <\/p>\n

Then I gained some weight.<\/p>\n

And grew breasts.<\/p>\n

Two very different breasts.<\/p>\n

Now I feel more comfortable wearing a bra, but it\u2019s hard to find anything that fits right. I\u2019ve found this one <\/a>and other similar ones that have no cup that follow a small\/medium\/large sizing chart but day after day they get kind of dull. I have one in pink, one in blue, and one in burgundy but it just isn’t variety like what I see when I go to the sites Bitch Ph.D. recommended. The ones I have are made with stretchy fabric (lycra and tactel) instead of a wire and formed cup so that the fabric stretches only as much as needed. This seems to be my only choice if I don\u2019t want one side squeezed (too much mastitis in my past) or one side full of air. <\/p>\n