The Blogger-Approved Bra That Ticks All the Boxes

This post originally appeared on calivintage.

True story: I was a bit of a “late bloomer” as they say. Starting around junior high, my mom and grandma would take me to Mervyn's (rest in department store peace) every year around the holidays to ceremoniously pick out a new bra. Mind you, I had no need for such a contraption at that age, but I was far too old for the training bras you would find in the little girl’s department. So I would wander through the racks of plastic hangers with magic brassieres stuffed like pillows, on the hunt for a lady bra that would somehow fit my stick-thin frame. My mom would shoo me into the dressing room unattended, where I would struggle with the straps and hooks, and break into a sweat trying to wrangle one on. Of course, I knew nothing about proper fit, so the band would inevitably be about 3 sizes too big and the cups had no purpose at all. And I would spend the rest of my pre and early teen days playing tug-of-war with my bra while it migrated up towards my neck beneath my shirt.

Fast forward more years than I'd like to count, and things have obviously changed. Somewhere in my twenties, I gained about 5 cup sizes and now I have the opposite problem. Post-baby #2, it’s no secret that my body has changed quite a bit. In fact, it still hasn’t stopped because I've been gradually losing those last few pregnancy pounds and I'm currently breastfeeding, so my bust size is literally changing from hour to hour. And if they were big before, let’s just say that my cups now truly runneth over. Needless to say, it’s been an interesting experience stepping into the department store and having to ask for a size 32G, which at this point is closer to a hat size than an actual cup size. If you have a small band size and a large cup size like I do, then you know the selection at most stores is slim to none. You might walk out with some vaguely skin-colored minimizer bra fit for a granny, or else you’ve got to drive over an hour to an expensive boutique just to find your size. So you can imagine my relief when ThirdLove asked me if I'd be interested in partnering up to experience their one-of-a-kind “Try Before You Buy” program that matches you with your perfect bra, giving you 30 days to try it out before you make a purchase. I was skeptical at first, but after trying the Fit Finder, there it was: the 24/7 Classic in a size 32G.

These days, I'm mostly interested in something that looks natural and feels like a second skin. I really don’t want to fuss with itchy lace, and I have to be careful not to wear anything too restrictive. But at the same time, let’s be frank, my boobs are huge. So I still need some level of support beyond a flimsy bralette. The 24/7 Classic ticks all the boxes. It’s made of a very soft and stretchy microfiber jersey with just the right amount of memory foam in the cups to make sure you’re comfortable and covered. And it comes in a variety of band sizes from 28 to 38 with full and 1/2-cup sizes from a size A to G. They have a 100% fit guarantee, meaning returns and exchanges are free, and they’ll even connect you with a fit expert who can help you trouble shoot to find exactly the right fit. It’s a far cry from those early days of bra shopping with mom and grandma in tow. Bless their hearts, but I'm glad I've found an alternative.