Marlene Dietrich in her daughter's words (sagging breasts)

[gotgyne]

After the death of Marlene Dietrich in 1992, her daughter Maria Riva published a biograpy of almost 800 pages of her mother. It was very unflattering. I don't own the biography but in another book (Farid Chenoune: Hidden Femininity - 20th Century Lingerie) today I stumbled upon an excerpt. Riva wrote that her mother's breasts always were sagging, even at a young age. She couldn't buy enough bras. In every city she visited with her daughter, at first she went to all lingerie shops and tried on several bras. Did she find one that fitted, she often bought dozens of the same model.
I think that her daughter had used this in her biography as many other details as a kind of revenge.
But this brings me to my question:
Bras are designed for the purpose to give breasts the best appearance. All women (at least women without gigantomastia) can benefit from the right bra. Even as a man, if I had voluminous sagging breasts I would be proud of them in a good bra, well supported and lifted. With a 40C they don't sag yet, but i'm not afraid if this should happen later.
In my opinion Marlene Dietrich was right to be always fitted with good dependable bras, even if this ultimately became an obsession for her. And there is absolutely no reason to be embarrassed with sagging breasts for bras are the remedy.
What do you think about it?
John

[Busted (and happy)]

Thumbs up from me!

[Johndoe1]

I know for me mine do sag. Perk for having DD/DDD boobs all my life. And I do feel more confident in my appearance if they aren't hanging down, flopping all over the place, even if the shape and projection are noticeable. I get less looks in a well fitting bra than braless. I get what Marlene Dietrich was doing. I fall in that same category. 

[Orb]

I get it also.  When I find one I truly like I purchase a couple.  Keeping for the rotation, taking advantage of my time,possible sale prices, and possibility of it being discontinued.  You also have to factor in the time period.  I believe its much easier to buy what you want, when you want, today.

[Gino]

I get the "buy a few" of the same brand / size it makes sense. 

My being an online shopper I found that certain brands usually have the exact style often with variations in materials used and give the exact same look, feel, and fitment.  

[aboywithgirls]

I know for me mine do sag. Perk for having DD/DDD boobs all my life. And I do feel more confident in my appearance if they aren't hanging down, flopping all over the place, even if the shape and projection are noticeable. I get less looks in a well fitting bra than braless. I get what Marlene Dietrich was doing. I fall in that same category.

John, I totally agree with you. After having my girls show up whenI was about ten, ad wearing a bra since I was 12 and over 30 years later of wearing a bra daily. My girls have earned their right to sag a little. They do still have some perk left to them ( as my wife points out to me when she gets in the mood).

A good bra is a good bra and my girls need a good bra. I have my favorites like my Elomi and Fantastie bras but once in a while when I go bra shopping, my fitter will suggest something new or different and I end up having a new go to bra in the rotation!

Sophie ❤️ 

[gotgyne]

All of you are right. We know, that a well fitted bra can do wonders for our breasts, especially if there is a litte sag or even more. In my opinion every person (be it female or male) has already sagging breasts when the 'pencil test' shows it. Breasts that can hold a pencil under them do sag. Sometimes you can compare photos with a bad and a good bra. The difference is astonishing.
And on the question of buying a few bras of the same brand and size I agree with you. I'm rather conservative in relation to my bras. I like the firm ones and especially those bras I already noticed as a boy or young man. In the 1970s I had several teachers at school who wore the Triumph Doreen bra and I always liked this perky look. As my breasts had grown up to a 40C, I started wearing them myself and own several of them in different colors. They give the best support without an underwire.
https://www.thelingerieaddict.com/2012/02/triumph-doreen-bra-review-2.html
John

[blad]

 In the 1970s I had several teachers at school who wore the Triumph Doreen bra and I always liked this perky look. As my breasts had grown up to a 40C, I started wearing them myself and own several of them in different colors. They give the best support without an underwire.
https://www.thelingerieaddict.com/2012/02/triumph-doreen-bra-review-2.html
John

This bra is quite a serious weapon !

But how did you know that it was what your teachers wore?

[gotgyne]

But how did you know that it was what your teachers wore?

This was quite easy. The Doreen bra was so popular in our country (Germany) that all mail-order catalogs had pictures of models with it. And the bra had a special pattern of the cups and wide straps and a wide back. Some of our teachers were still young and during summer often wore thin blouses because of the heat. You could see almost every detail. For us boys in puberty it was sometimes distracting from the lessons.

To add some details of the Doreen: For decades the Doreen range (normal and longline) was available from Cup A to Cup D. The larger cups came later. Cup A was for girls or women that didn't need this bra but liked it nevertheless because of the pointy breasts it created. It was not before the year 2000 or some years later, that Triumph discontinued the A cup in the Doreen range. I still own a white Doreen longline in 42A. I had not much of a breast then, three decades ago, but neck pain as a result of a whiplash injury after a car accident. The salesladies at my orthopedic supplier where I got my medical compression stockings for a long time, recommended this bra especially for such reasons. And it helped!
A word of caution: If you would like to try the Doreen bra, bear in mind, that the straps are adjustable but very short. And they are not very elastic, since they must lift even large sagging breasts. I'm not very tall, but with a quite normal upper body and short legs, and the straps are just long enough. 
John

[Evolver]

To demonstrate how well the Doreen bra does its job, check this out, especially when the beautiful lady turns around: 

Doreen Bra — The Worlds Best Selling Soft Bra! - YouTube

[gotgyne]

Two other videos on the Triumph Doreen bra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcgFBKfH4RI

The second video is By Anna Bellement:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8aiO0v3ybM

She also presents an alternative bra from China:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ayigedu-Ladies-Minimiser-Coverage-Padded/dp/B09B78V78R/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2DC8N37ZUVC7O&keywords=ayigedu%2Bbra&qid=1673188807&sprefix=Ayigedu%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-6&th=1
It is very similar to the Triumph Doreen, but a little softer. I had noticed this item already a year ago, but I hesitate until today to order it. Why? The bra is sent in a transparent plastic bag, so the postman (or postwoman) can see that the bra is for myself. And then there is the sizing. It is possible that a chinese 40C fits like a 40C here, but it is possible also, that it is much too small.
John

[blad]

The Doreen bra is obviously a very industrious unit, a serious bra for a serious job. It would probably be great to try as it likely would feel very firm and secure. Maybe it would enhance projection too much though?

[gotgyne]

Blad, you're right. For a man there is too much projection. For that reason I wear the Doreen at home or during the winter months under thick clothes.
John

[Evolver]

Looks like a bullet bra from the old days.

Not quite, but I know what you mean. Just goes to show, when people say they don't make 'em like they used to, they're not always right!

I'm guessing that when bras like the Doreen became a thing, underwire bras weren't yet popular or readily available. 

[Brdy64]

I think a well fitting bra is both a necessity as well as flattering. 
Everyone should enjoy the benefits of a proper fit. 👍
Mine definitely sag as well, gravity has not been kind to me either. 
I now catch myself watching the ladies around me and looking for poorly fitting bras 🙄
It's amazing where we end up after researching out bras and how they should fit.