Today I decided to venture where I have not gone in some time, the lingerie department at Beall’s, in search of a few necessary items of the intimate kind, namely bras. In a previous piece called “Shopping Trip”, I outlined the difficulties women have when purchasing clothing, especially the items of a personal nature. Finding a good choice in bathing suits and other closely-fitted clothing is hard enough. Bras, however, are in a class by themselves.
For the past five or six years I have worn a comfortable yet uplifting Olga creation, #35090. I was able to secure a good selection of colors in this style, suitable for wear under white, light, dark — you name it, I had one that fit the bill. But after five or six years in the daily rotation, the items in my top drawer were looking rather sad and in need of reinforcements. Imagine my distress at finding that my local Beall’s had not even one item in this style, regardless of size or color!
After a quick check with the salesperson, a lovely yet uninformative woman who probably could have worn a couple of band-aids to hold herself in place in the bosom area, I decided to persevere and try on a new style. Olgas were scarce; however, I did find a few. Into the dressing room I went, with an assortment of colors and sizes, an attempt to avoid having to switch in and out of my old underwear and T-shirt five or six times until an adequate replacement was found.
As has happened to me before, the size I know I wear, 40C, was in short supply, and, to add insult to injury, the one I did find, in a hideous color, of course, was too tight in the band area. Having lost some 15 pounds since my last foray into the lingerie department, this was puzzling. Either that 15 pounds had suddenly been deposited back when I wasn’t looking, or dear Olga was cutting her bras a bit small.
Back out I went, this time with a few more sizes and not quite so stomach-turning an assortment of colors. This next batch proved to have a few winners, with me finally settling on three colors of Style # 35519. It is pretty close to my old ones, comfortable, uplifting, and, I hope, a favorite of the manufacturer as well. When I get my next paycheck, I plan to stock up on a few more, before this one is discontinued!