Archive for July, 2009

Lingerie – for the bedroom

Our clients often ask us if we’re planning to introduce lingerie to our line. And they mean lingerie that is meant to be taken off. And as we work with lingerie retailers across the nation I hear them also ask, “will you make lingerie for large cup ladies that’s meant to stay in the bedroom?”.

Boudoir wear for the full bust is very hard to find. The closest thing I see on the market is the Harlequin brand (Masquerade in the UK) by Panache. The brand’s tag line is “Made for Romance”. Aubade, Elle Macpherson and Pour Moi? manufacture underwired babydolls, but I’m not sure if they come in the large cup sizes.

This is walking a fine line because by definition *sexy* pieces don’t have a lot of coverage, being either low cut or sheer, but no woman I know feels desirable when her voluminous breasts are resting on her tummy. We need lift to feel good about our selves.

This Betsey Johnson babydoll actually has potential because it has a tie back, so you can cinch the support under the bust, and the shoulder straps are adjustable. Maybe one of the best things is that usually this type of garment doesn’t stay on long.


Readers, please clue me in if there is a great boudoir wear line out there for the full bust that hasn’t made it on my radar. I know some are in the works: www.bijte.com.

A blast to the past – the Longline Bra

We hear all the time that our clients aren’t comfortable in a strapless bra. More often than not this apprehension isn’t attributable to a specific characteristic of the strapless bra, but rather an overall sensation of, “this isn’t working”.
If you have a hard time wearing a strapless bra, give the longline bra a try. The longline bra is a decades old style that used to be a staple in every woman’s wardrobe. All those sundresses of the fifties had such a pretty shape in large part due to the longline.

Widely available in strapless and/or convertible versions, a longline offers more support than a strapless bra because of the width of the back, and the boning down the torso; it is a substantial garment. A longline bra is not a basque or bustier because it stops above or at the belly button – your natural waist, while a basque comes down to the top of the hip. Also a longline bra doesn’t have garter clips/suspenders.

The Goddess longline bra pictured at the top begins at 34 and goes up to FF, although since Goddess is a full figure brand, the cups can accomodate quite a bit of breast tissue. Wacoal’s (I know some of you are die hard Wacoal fans) longline starts at 32 and goes up to DD.

Do you any of you wear a longline bra? If so, is it in lieu of a strapless bra?
Remember, if you have any questions about the best bras, swim & tops for your full bust, contact Bratique Helene today; being well endowed is a blessing and not a curse.

Your Breasts in their Clothes

I had the pleasure of fitting a 60+ year woman for her first well fitting bra. While it did remind me of fitting my mom several years ago, this lady had it going on: 32G. She considered reduction because the weight of her breasts was hurting her back. This is what happens when a well-endowed woman puts on the correctly fitting, snug back band – AAHH, they breath a sigh of relief. No longer is there pressure on their back, or breasts hanging low on the abdomen. They immediately sit up taller as the hardware – BRA – does its job.

This particular client looked absolutely gorgeous in her new bra, yes the bra was beautiful, but it fit her like a dream, which made her waist look much smaller in comparison.

Then, she put on her shirt. And we lost it. We totally lost her pretty well-endowed figure by putting on the button-down shirt she wore into the store. I couldn’t handle it, I had to grab all the extra fabric between her prominent bust-line and her smaller waistline (she’s a Medium, size 8-10) and cinch it. At the very least she needed a dart. Bust & waist darts are your friends.

Do you look better in your bra than in your clothes? If so, look for clothes that give direction to the neckline (V), have a defined center front, and nip in at your waist. Really, shop Bratique Helene and you’ll look and feel better than you ever have.