Your journey in buying bras

[blad]

This has been a slow news week, so I thought I would have a discussion about one's journey in buying and obtaining bras.

As I have often said I first became curious about trying a bra in my early teens as a result of the constant comments in school that I needed a bra. I guess a light went on that maybe I would fit a bra. The obvious source for me to try one was to see if there were any "retired" bras in my older sister's room I could "borrow". I picked a time when I was alone at home to raid my sister's lingerie drawer and try on several of her bras. The rest is history as I quickly realized I fit a bra rather well and liked how it contained things.

But how does a shy teenager add to his bra collection on his own. I would scour over the Sears catalog wondering how this or that bra would fit me and wish I could acquire them. As a young teen I was just not brave enough to go into a store and pick up a bra. Although my mother was well aware of my breast development, having me seen by specialists, we never talked about wearing a bra and I was not brave enough to ask.

But an opportunity presented. My parents were to be away for a week on a business sponsored trip and I would be left alone at home with meals brought to me by a neighbor. In the pre internet world you could order from Sears by mail. I calculated mail delivery times and sent off a COD order before my parents left such that the delivery would show up while they were gone. I left money taped to the door and by the middle of the week I came home from school to find several boxes of new bras for me...a very good day.

As I got into my late teens I began to very nervously shop in the lingerie section of department stores. I would circle the periphery of the department and surgically strike in the racks that seemed to have the bra types and sizes I wanted. Obviously no fittings or try ons happening so it was a bit of a hit and miss. I would nervously deflect any questions for help, and as I was young when I married I had a wedding band on and could fake that I was looking for the wife. This process went on for some time, even after the wife became well aware I preferred to wear a bra.

As a side, my wife early on commented that I needed a bra, much like the kids in school. She became aware that I preferred to wear one but I still shopped for myself. It took a degree of time before she was fully accepting of me wearing a bra daily, but has been fully supportive for a long time now.

Although we have shopped for bras for me together sporadically, I still usually shop on my own. But now when I am asked for help I say that I wear a bra for my gyno condition and ask for specific help in selecting and trying on various bras in store. It has been liberating once I came to the decision to admit that the bras were for me and to ask for help. It is no longer stressful to look for bras and is actually enjoyable to feel confident looking though the racks with a sales assistant and head into the change rooms. I feel at ease when the sales assistant pops into the change room to check on how I am doing and comment on the fit. I have never had a bad experience yet with a sales assistant.

I have come along ways from raiding my sister's bras and covert mail order procurements.

What is your story?

[42CSurprise!]

I appreciate reading your story blad... it seems so normal to me despite the subject.  That perhaps is the result of spending some time on this website where such things are discussed.  I'm happy you've found a good place with all of it.  It can be a harrowing journey.

My journey with regard to brassieres has been very harrowing.  I've made allusions in posts along the way that my relationship to lingerie is complicated by the fact I was sexually traumatized as a young boy.  I'll leave it at that for the moment simply because my story is so off the beaten track I think it best to not complicate this conversation.  I would simply note that there is both what happens to our bodies physically and what happens to our minds psychologically... all of which can be at play in how we make life decisions about breasts and brassieres.  I have real breasts that have grown over the years and I occasionally wear a brassiere.  Both are fine with me.  In fact, I'm rather enjoying it all. 

[aboywithgirls]

Well Blad, this girl had some similarities to your story and some differences as well.

I was also  in need of a bra as a tween. I also started wearing my older sister's retired bras. Mine however, were gifted to me by my mother who noticed my need for support. 

As I started to overflow the cups of my initial bras, I was told that I could no longer opt to go braless. She told me that she would take me shopping for some decent bras that actually fit. I will say that I was nervous at first but I was quickly put at ease and tried several bras just before my 16th birthday. I've been professionally fitted for my bras ever since.

My wife has known from  the beginning that I wear a bra. My breasts have always been as large or larger than her own. As matter of fact, for a few years, we wore the same size and would share our bras. She's lost some weight and with that, breast volume. I on the other hand had a few growth spurts.

Over the years I had abandoned the men's department and clothing stores in favor of finding better fitting clothing in the ladies department and clothing stores. 

I also realized what I knew all along that I am a woman. Wearing a bra is something that I not only need to do but, it's also expected that I do.

[Orb]

For me it was a later in life thing.  As the orbs grew and developed so did my need to learn to add a new line to my wardrobe.  I have learned a lot here and have done a lot of research on the matter.  I continue to grow.  Mentally and physically.  New year and new cup size.  I had a few favorites that I no longer can wear.  Oh well.

[aboywithgirls]

Whether you are 16 or 60, male or female, if you find that a bra is what you need, then wear one. 

I definitely realize that some of us are in a relationship where the partner may not be on board with this decision. My advice is  to take things slow. I think that we can all agree that if it was a decision for 1 or 2 people to make it would be easy. However, it's society seams to be the governing body that says women have to wear a bra and men can't. Period.

How silly is that. Having society make personal decisions for you?

[42CSurprise!]

After washing three of my favorite brassieres two days ago I came to the realization many of the men here have already reported... bras eventually need replacing.  I've learned as I did a bit of shopping recently that the brassiere that fits both my body and my breasts best has been discontinued by the manufacturer.  The thought of beginning the search anew motivated me to do some serious shopping.  I just placed an order for three more brassieres which will join the two brassieres now sitting at the bottom of the drawer in their original packaging.  Soon I will have four brassieres I wear and five waiting to be worn.  Unlike many here I don't wear a brassiere all day every day, though I have been wearing one more often of late.  It is quite an adventure and acceptance is key.  I've spent most of my life embarrassed by my fleshy chest.  Now as my breasts fill out I'm learning that acceptance is the only response at this stage in my life.  Thanks to everyone here for helping me to realize that.

[aboywithgirls]

Congratulations!!! We all have our own paths of accepting our breasts and bras. Wear one when you need to. Wear one when you want to. Just because you buy your bra at a boutique, department store or online from a site for women, doesn't give women exclusive rights on breast comfort, shape, and support. Bras are breasts.

[Busty]

I now shop for bras in person like any other woman.  Peruse, try on, sometimes get a bra fitting. My full bust makes it obvious I am buying bras for myself and I need to wear a bra like a woman does. Like a woman I feel proud of my full bust and want my bras to make breasts nicely shaped and uplifted, while providing support and modesty. 

Sales associates never ask me what size is she, but are likely to tell me a certain bra might work well for me 

[aboywithgirls]

The sales associates or fitters are very aware that men are now wearing bras too. It was never a secret who I was shopping for. It was never even a secret that I was wearing a bra. The fitter would always ask me what I was looking for and then, she would ask me what size I was currently wearing.

Not that I had to provide a explanation, but, as a woman, it feels easier. I still shop at the same boutiques and most of the same girls still assist me.

[SideSet]

I remember after I tried on a bra after hearing so often I needed one, I became so interested in bras. 

I looked for, took advantage of, and looked forward to wearing my mother’s bras every single chance I could.  I became familiar with all her bras and how each one worked for me. 

 I loved how I felt in a bra. I loved how well I filled a bra’s cups. I loved how a bra looked on me. I loved that I needed to wear a bra. I even started to somewhat like every time I was told, and it was pretty often, that I needed to wear a bra.  A part of me even liked having breasts and felt proud how good I looked in a bra and needed to wear bra and that I had bigger breasts than did a lot of girls I my class. 

[Busty]

Sideset, my reaction was similar. It was like a switch going off. Wearing a bra I felt  comfortable and confident about my breasts, whereas until then I had always felt awkward and embarrassed about them. 

I continued to go braless to school and hear all the teasing that I needed to wear a bra.  But now a part of me liked hearing it and wished I could wear a bra to school.  Everyone, including me, would be happy they could see they were right and not only did I need to wear a bra, but a bra looked good on me. 

I looked closely at every bra ad I saw.  Taught myself all about the different styles of bras.  I wished I had my own  bra collection instead of wearing my mother’s, although I did start to think of it as she and I sharing the same bra collection.  

[taxmapper]

Mine started at 51.  

I am 54 now. I just simply realized that my breast growth wasn't going to stop despite my other half's urging, and plus, I actually like them. 

I have had good results with one brand of the ol' Amazonia, and try to stick with those.   Sports bras yes, but they fit well and keep everything in place.  

I love the padded because they round off and actually hide my breasts a bit better than natural shape. That sticks out badly and its obvious and unattractive. 
I look more like a slightly over developed pectorals.  

I do however think that soon they will start to protrude much more outward, they have been growing again and I am slightly over 49 inches on the bust and heading to 50. 

So when I looked into bras the first time I looked first at the Wally world stuff and bought one bra to see what would happen. It didn't fit at all based on the measurements I was at the time, I didn't fill the cup at all. Then I went to Amazon and ordered up three MIRITY bras as a set, and they fit perfectly. I didn't turn back.  I also like racerbacks because they are far more comfortable to me. 

Strangely enough, I actually want them bigger.   And the way things are going, that may happen! 

[blad]

From Sideset
“I loved how I felt in a bra. I loved how well I filled a bra’s cups. I loved how a bra looked on me. I loved that I needed to wear a bra. I even started to somewhat like every time I was told, and it was pretty often, that I needed to wear a bra.  A part of me even liked having breasts and felt proud how good I looked in a bra and needed to wear bra and that I had bigger breasts than did a lot of girls I my class. “

From bustymale
“Sideset, my reaction was similar. It was like a switch going off. Wearing a bra I felt  comfortable and confident about my breasts, whereas until then I had always felt awkward and embarrassed about them. 

I continued to go braless to school and hear all the teasing that I needed to wear a bra.  But now a part of me liked hearing it and wished I could wear a bra to school.  Everyone, including me, would be happy they could see they were right and not only did I need to wear a bra, but a bra looked good on me.”


These experiences are exactly like mine. To realize that all those taunts that I needed a bra were true and that I agreed with them in the end. I found that I really accepted my boobs once I tried a bra and found it ironic that I felt I could not wear one full time nor publicly agree with all those who commented on my need for a bra. I would have been satisfied in an alternate universe where I could have openly worn my bras to school and openly accepted the comments that I had breasts and needed a bra like any girl. I was sort of living a lie to deflect the comments made to me rather than publicly agreeing with them. It certainly did not help to deflect the comments and perhaps actually wearing a bra would have eventually defused things more.

[aboywithgirls]

From Sideset
“I loved how I felt in a bra. I loved how well I filled a bra’s cups. I loved how a bra looked on me. I loved that I needed to wear a bra. I even started to somewhat like every time I was told, and it was pretty often, that I needed to wear a bra.  A part of me even liked having breasts and felt proud how good I looked in a bra and needed to wear bra and that I had bigger breasts than did a lot of girls I my class. “

From bustymale
“Sideset, my reaction was similar. It was like a switch going off. Wearing a bra I felt  comfortable and confident about my breasts, whereas until then I had always felt awkward and embarrassed about them.

I continued to go braless to school and hear all the teasing that I needed to wear a bra.  But now a part of me liked hearing it and wished I could wear a bra to school.  Everyone, including me, would be happy they could see they were right and not only did I need to wear a bra, but a bra looked good on me.”


These experiences are exactly like mine. To realize that all those taunts that I needed a bra were true and that I agreed with them in the end. I found that I really accepted my boobs once I tried a bra and found it ironic that I felt I could not wear one full time nor publicly agree with all those who commented on my need for a bra. I would have been satisfied in an alternate universe where I could have openly worn my bras to school and openly accepted the comments that I had breasts and needed a bra like any girl. I was sort of living a lie to deflect the comments made to me rather than publicly agreeing with them. It certainly did not help to deflect the comments and perhaps actually wearing a bra would have eventually defused things more.

I'm sure that you can imagine the overall feeling of relief that still remember to this day when my mother brought a stack of bras in my room that my sister had outgrown. I couldn't believe that I was almost as big as my sister who is 2 years older than me. She gave me the bra talk and according to her, it was the same o e she gave my sister. 

[SideSet]

Blad, I am struck by the similarities of our circumstances and responses. We developed breasts that jiggled and nipples that poked through our tops. Everyone could see it, tons of comments, and I felt totally embarrassed. 

After I started wearing a bra whenever I was alone and could, instead of being totally embarrassed, I began having this mixed reaction to being told I needed to wear a bra.  It felt part reaffirming and part harassing.  I suspect it is how a woman feels when she gets wolf whistles and cat calls.