A virtual bra fitting...

...so much easier than you might think.

Years ago, I used to write the Dear Annie column in the Independent on Sunday, illustrated by the fabulous Clare Mackie.

Some of you may remember it. I even wrote a book about it, it was published in 1998 by Faber. A good moment for me.

Anyway, Dear Annie was about answering readers’ fashion problems. This was, largely, pre-internet days (the column ran from 1995 to about 2001) so the research took a lot of time. Many problems were about bras as, back then, bras for anything above a DD cup were really hard to find and involved trips to specialist lingerie shops and women - I remember the fabulous Margaret Ann, a lady in I think Somerset? I often wonder what happened to her. She lived in a thatched cottage.

I didn’t get on with Rigby and Peller, I found them to be brusque and patronising and they always showed me the most awful, matronly designs. But a fair few friends had better experiences.

A lot of women wear the wrong size bra - too big on the back and too small on the cup. This is why when you are measured it seems like you’ve had a breast enlargement. I was first properly fitted after baby no.1, by Dianne (I remember the two ‘ns’) in Selfridges but not long after I went to Bravissimo where you are sized by sight and I’ve bought my bras from them ever since.

The selection you can now get, if you are a bigger than average (and what is that now anyway) bra size is enormous compared to what it was and you can also get big cup sizes as standard in places like M&S (which I believe currently goes up to a K cup).

I’ve lost a lot of weight since last autumn - fifteen kilos - so my bras don’t fit me anymore. I also don’t live in London and haven’t been going as much lately, so having a fitting hasn’t been easy (Bravissimo has branches nationwide but nowhere near me in the Suffolk countryside). But they offer a virtual fitting which I tried and it was fantastic. You don’t have to strip off (although I did show my fitter, Andrea, how much my old bra didn’t fit me anymore “you can easily fit a spare fist and a bit more in there now can’t you?” she pondered) - just a tight fitting vest top over your bra should do.

We deduced that I’d gone down one back size and three cup sizes* so I chose a bra (returns and exchanges are free postage) and Andrea handled the whole thing for me, including the purchase which she posted out that day. It was safe, secure, easy and comfortable and from beginning to end the whole thing took less than fifteen minutes. I couldn’t believe how easy it was. Do try it if this feels right for you or maybe if you a relative/loved one who can’t get out of the house so easily and needs new bras.

I have no affiliation with Bravissimo. I did approach them a couple of years ago to sponsor my podcasts but they said no.

You can find out more here.

*Later I went into a Bravissimo store and the assistant said I was two back sizes down but actually, I don’t agree with this as it would be too tight. Bravissimo tend to fit you so that the bra is on the loosest setting so you can tighten it as it then gets older and slackens. But this doesn’t work for me. I feel easily trapped in a bra. In the end I found my perfect size by my own trial and error and I was one back size and four cup sizes down.