Lingerie

[myperm]

Hi girls, I'm a transgender whose been on hormones for 15 months, now it,s time for a bra, where do I shop, thank ladies.

[EveMangle]

Victoria Secret has a great choice in my opinion. For the first time i would find an actual shop. cause ordering online is a little risky

[jozkid]

@myperm There used to be a specialty lingerie chain near where I live that I used to frequent. I am, shall we say, more endowed than most and buying bras can be truly torturous. Especially if you want something that doesn’t have 10 hooks and eyes and steel rivets (ok, kidding about the rivets, but only slightly). This place turned me on to bras that were pretty as well as functional. Trust me when I tell you that VS is NOT the place to go for foundation garments. Unfortunately the specialty store got REALLY specialized and now only handles mastectomy patients. But a lot of their old fitters now work at the local Nordstrom’s. DO try them. They are known to do expert fitting (not just my locals) and carry a ton of sizes and styles in store. If you need to get something they don’t have, they ship directly to you for free (if you do it in store at least) and their return policy is very liberal. I wish you much luck. 😉

[faeriegirl]

Kohl’s usually has a great selection.

[joie07]

There are so many options!  I'd recommend you hit a basic department store like Macy's or maybe a Kohl's.  They have a lot of selection.  Grab a range of styles (no underwire, underwire, unlined cups, lightly lined cups, push-up, full coverage, demi) and sizes (if you think you wear a 38B, take 36C, 38B, 40A - then go back for more when you figure out the right ratio of strap to cup), and spend some time seeing what you like.  

[pocketvenus]

@myperm, VS has all the market share and I know it has many fans but know they are a very heteronormative company. Recently, one VS executive publicly stated he does not support transwomen or plus-size women and would never cast trans women in their VS show. Even after public outcry, the company's response was something to the effect of "yeah, we're backpeddling to say we totally considered casting transwomen for our show but they just never make the cut. No discrimination AT ALL." You may wish to take your business elsewhere. You can Google this issue and will easily find extensive reporting on the matter. VS isn't even that cheap and I personally have found the quality has really gone downhill.

Aerie is also gaining market share, but I find the quality has also declined. I get that people have limited budgets but just understand that you will get what you pay for. Plastic hardware, flimsy construction, cheap labour, every corner that can be cut has been cut. Also, and this is a total aside, but I find the "body acceptance" angle they're peddling a little irritating when the brand's initial claim to fame in the aughts was pushing push-ups to women with the promise to add 2 extra cups.

Some queer friendly brands I know of are Chromat and Savage x Fenty but I'm sure there are many others. There was an online boutique that specialized in serving the queer community called Bluestockings Boutique but this closed last year. But maybe if you Google search for alternatives, other online stores will come up? The former Bluestockings owner wrote a post on Autostraddle with suggestions, but I can't link to it here. Just Google autostraddle holigay gift guide.

I would also check out a blog called The Lingerie Addict. The woman who runs the site identifies as queer and she is extremely knowledgable, THE top lingerie blogger hands down. There should be some brand suggestions on her site as well as lingerie reviews written by trans/nb folks. There's also a book the author wrote, In Intimate Detail, that is great for educating yourself about lingerie, I would highly recommend it. Try checking out your public library system if you're on a budget.

One of the most important things to understand about buying lingerie is that bras are not the same as other clothes. Especially in terms of sizing. It's way more complicated. Most clothes require patterns from XS to XL+. But it's a lot harder to offer a standard size range in bras, everything from 38A-F to 32AA-F. Also, after a certain size, you simply cannot scale a pattern down or up and expect it to work as you could do with say, a tshirt pattern. So if you get sticker shock at bra prices which is really common if you are getting into larger sizes, you need to bear this in mind. Another thing that realllllly helped me get my head around sizing is that a cup size letter is not standard. So the C of a 34C is different from the C of a 38C! This is why 34C and 32D are "sister sizes", the cup is actually more comparable even though they are different letters! Also, band size is not the exact measurement but this is really too complicated to get into here. Just know you can't measure your chest with a measuring tape and have that correlate to a bra-size band. As I said, it's complicated! But if you find a good fitter, they should be able to help you. Just don't let anyone bully you into getting something that doesn't work for you, or that you are one correct size. I take different sizes in different brands, and even within the same brand!

Hope you find this useful & GOOD LUCK! Lingerie is basically my other huge obsession after makeup and perfume 😄

[myperm]

@pocketvenus  Hi, that was so helpful, didn't know bras were so complicated, I plan on wearing a pretty lace dress to work on Wed. so I want to have the perfect bra, I'm stuffed into a 38AA and I think I'm a B cup now.

Alyssa

[pocketvenus]

@myperm, a good fitter can definitely help you out with finding the perfect bra 🙂 But if the fitter doesn't work out for you, that's okay, you can find another! Another option others have mentioned are looking at bralettes as the sizing is way more forgiving/flexible than with bras. The thing to note about bralettes is that they don't offer much support, which may not be such an issue, but they also will not lift and shape your silhouette.

[bakeamuffin]

This was incredibly informative and helpful, @pocketvenus! There's so much that I didn't know! Thank you for sharing your knowledge 💗

[pocketvenus]

@bakeamuffin, thank you, I'm so glad you found that little essay of a post useful <3<3<3

[prettyinpa]

The best bra fitting I ever got was at a specialized lingerie shop. The owner there was super knowledgeable and she was able to order me in a bra that wasn't available instore. If you have that option, go for it. Once you get measured properly you can shop most anywhere, but try on a ton of styles as they all seem to fit differently and some dig in at weird places. I second the recommendation of not getting too many at once as you will get a feel for what's comfortable and what's not and your size will change. Good luck in your shopping, hope you have a fun time.

[flamingolegs]

If you don't need support, pretty much anywhere is fine to buy a bra,  BUT, I've found that the majority of fitters at Victoria Secrets don't have a clue how to properly measure a person for a bra.  Instead, make an appointment with a consultant at a place like Macy's or Neiman Marcus and get a proper fitting.  Don't buy too many bras in one size, as you continue to transition, your body will continue to change and you will probably need a different size or style in six months, and then again in six months.  I expect this will continue for the next 2-3 years.

Not all breasts are the same size and shape, and not all bra styles work for all breasts.

[myperm]

@flamingolegs  thank you, you must be an expert  I'll change my fitting from Victoria's to Macy's. Any advice on how to not be afraid of SRS surgery?

[prettyinpa]

I can't tell you about SRS surgery, but I have had some surgery in my life. Focus on your end goal- to feel finally comfortable in your body. Sure, it's scary, any surgery is, but if you have a good surgeon and a good physical therapist for after, you've got it made.

[myperm]

@prettyinpa  Thank you for the kind words, I'm scared. but in the end I get the body i should have been born with. On Wed. I,m wearing a lace dress to work and need to find the perfect bra tomorrow, I'm stuffed into a 38AA but I'm falling out, I must need a B cup.

[flamingolegs]

Sorry, I'm not an expert.  Just a woman in her late 50's who has had a child and has seen her body size and shape change almost as much as Oprah's over the years, so I've been down the path a few times with fittings.

As far as the surgery, my nephew went through it.  I'm estranged from him for other reasons (I was one of the very few in the family who supported his decision to transition) so I can't offer much, however I know that he joined a support group and that was very helpful to him.

[SpaceLlama]

I second Victoria's Secret/Pink and Aerie! La Senza also has lots of sales and Urban Outfitters has some pretty nice bras/bralettes too 🙂 I really do recommend you check sales and promos since bras can add up quickly 🙈 @myperm 

[myperm]

@SpaceLlama  thank you, I've already learned how expensive it is to be female, spent a fortune on makeup, have a fitting this afternoon at Victoria's, should be EXCITING.

[SpaceLlama]

That's great, @myperm! I wish you good luck and hope you find exactly what you're looking for! 🙂

[bakeamuffin]

Hey @myperm 

I love to get my bras from Aerie, they're just so comfortable and have some nice choices and styles to chose from. 

My best advice is just to start by trying on a variety of styles; padded, no padding, underwire, no underwire, maybe a bralette and a push up, depending on your comfort level! 

I hope you find something that works well for you 😊 

[myperm]

@bakeamuffin  thank you  I have one near me, made appointment for fitting today. so EXCITING to finally be able to become female, any advice about skirts and dresses?