Boobs, I mean, Bras, and the eternal frustration

I know you're not looking for compliments but you look extremely fly.

Once I got used to be out and about in this dress, I began to feel fly as well! It is also v comfortable to ride a bike in, lol.
Thx for unsolicited complements btw ;)

I want to get a new strapless bra. I feel like the ones I have flatten me down too much. They had some on sale at Target this week but I didn't have time to try any on when I went today.

One of these days I am going to say fuck it and go walking in town in a sundress braless but until then it's strapless bras.

I wear capri leggings a lot under short dresses and skirt. Partly modesty, partly to avoid sweaty chafing thighs.

I have a couple pairs of slip shorts I like for the same reason. They're so old lady-ish and I'm just crazy about them.

Slip shorts! I have four! NO. Six! No five bc I threw one out bc I wore holes in it. I love them. They complete me in the summer.

I am going to investigate these.

Fly indeed. The halter was a v v good choice imo.

oh hay slip shorts! you know I never glanced at them. ladies, yall are some geniuses

Lovely! Some kind of halter neck is the only way I'll do 'strapless', pretty much.

Hello. I am here to talk to you about slip shorts aka split slips aka pettipants.

I don't care for nylon versions of this garment (hot weather + lady business + nylon = bad news), so my favorite is the Filament Silk Split Skirt Slip from Wintersilks. This is a little long, which suits me fine because I prefer longer skirts, but if that doesn't work with your wardrobe and you wear straight sizes, there is a shorter version. If you wear plus sizes, I also like the Above the Knee Shorties, which look like they would fit like bike shorts, but fit more like just above the knee, loose shorts. Miraculously, these do not ride up on me, although YMMV. The biggest drawback to these slips is that they require very delicate handling in the laundry, and they aren't a particularly durable garment. Two seasons, tops, with weekly wearing/washing.

I also have a couple paris of these very affordable pettipants from Amazon. They are actually a cotton-poly knit blend, but there's enough cotton to avoid any Lady Business Bad News. These are thicker than the silk kind, and work best under fuller skirts. They also lack the "slip" of the silk slips, so they are better under wovens since knits tend to cling. But they wear like iron and give you a lot of bang for your buck.

I don't have any of the offerings from Vermont Country Store, but they also have an all cotton woven slip and a 100% cotton trimmable knit slip. That second one seems like a good choice if you want cotton knit without any poly content. The main drawback for me is that they only come in white, and I'm a black-and-beige undergarment girl.

Skirts are nice and breezy in the summer, and I love the split slips because they prevent the dreaded chub rub while still letting air circulate. (Pro tip: skip the underpants for extra ventilation!)

Just to round things out, I also have a couple pairs of cotton/lycra bike shorts, which is the only way to go under pencil skirts or suit skirts (or Spanx but just looking at Spanx makes me want to pass out from the heat). I don't have a lot of luck with anti-chafing stuff like Body Glide or Monistat anti-chafing cream (it makes a good makeup primer, though), but out of all of those the toughest I've used is called Sportslick (presumably Sport Slick and not Sports Lick). That shit is meant to be sweated all over and if it's good enough for triathletes, it's good enough for my party thighs.

Fin.

I demand you have an infomercial!

You are my fairy thigh guardian.

rrrobyn you look like a million bucks in that dress

I would do an informercial if I could find a way to profit from my knowledge! Maybe I can get Sports Lick to private label a version of their product called "Party Thighs." Or dye a bunch of Vt. Country Store slips black and resell them for zillions on Etsy.

Speaking of Etsy, there's always bloomers.

Also speaking of Etsy, this guy looks a little like gr8080 - http://www.etsy.com/listing/100646307/vintage-sweater-navy-and-white-wool?ref=fp_treasury_9

lol he does

I can't see me and bloomers getting together

Bloomers! I was looking through the costume section of the Simplicity pattern catalog and wishing I could sew, so I could make some of the 18th and 19th century dresses.

And they had bloomers and other vintage undergarment patterns.

When did it become acceptable to wear regular bras under tube tops, strapless dresses, and backless dresses? I have been seeing it a lot this summer. I feel like such an old lady about this.

no, you are right, esp when there are many workable strapless bra options!

It's really tacky IMO.

AGREED

On the more casual side of things though I quite like the look of tops with large armholes where the bra/bralet/bandeau/bikini top/whatever underneath is visible (something like this).

I'm not in love with tank top + spaghetti tank top + what looks like at least 2 types of bra strap

looks like they're strapped up with horses bridles. I mean, I guess it has a sort of 80's Madonna charm HAY LOOK AT ALL MY STRAPS idk. Maybe i'm just too prone to IA to take it seriously

this doesn't bother me at all but i am kind of a slob

went to my fave french lingerie shop today for annual visit of necessity and prettiness!
bought three bras! (all non-padded, as is my wont)
one straight-up black seamless one from janine robin, which is v comfortable and looks good if plain
but the really pretty, yet still comfortable, ones are:
grey-green-blue lacy princesse tam tam (can't find a picture but it is really pretty)
black lacy + pinstripes chantelle - http://i.pgcdn.com/pi/90/24/65/902465751_260.jpg

i feel good about these fancy purchases.

ha that's the same chantelle i bought!

the official bra of ILS!

I need some pretty bras. Mine are all very plain and no nonsense. Sorta utilitarian, I guess.

For example I have this in two colors and another that is nearly its twin: http://www.vanityfairlingerie.com/portal/site/vflingerie/template.PAGE/product?javax.portlet.tpst=a24cb10408b5f81ad4214b1086008a0c&javax.portlet.prp_438eda30e045f81ad4214b1086008a0c_subCategoryId=898087&javax.portlet.prp_a24cb10408b5f81ad4214b1086008a0c_ajax=true&javax.portlet.prp_438eda30e045f81ad4214b1086008a0c_categoryId=898083&javax.portlet.prp_a24cb10408b5f81ad4214b1086008a0c_productId=149411058204700468511321863261389796470&t=Product+-+Body+Sleeks%3Csup%3E%26%23174%3B%3C%2Fsup%3E+Support+Full+Coverage+Contour+Underwire

Woah long ink. I love them but they aren't really pretty or fancy.

that looks like a good, comfortable everyday bra though. the pricier "everyday" bras tend to just have a more refined look to them or something, but even that is not always the case! i mean, the french one i got today looks sort of like it could be a regular calvin klein design but it's actually comfortable and the wires are well wrapped without being bulky, etc.

so funny about the chantelle bra, just1ne. i go into that shop and point out a few things i like and then the lady just brings me stuff - that was one of the random ones she brought to me and i loved it!

that style is like my favourite ever, in terms of pretty bras, and i like the chantelle one bc it's cotton lace, which i like 1000x more than nylon lace

oh man my eternal frustration with this thread is totally not what this thread is about is it

I think I accidentally just learned a lot of stuff that is not really pertinent to me at all

well...
yeah you are probably right about that

I'm not sure how successfully one can buy a bra for someone else, for instance, even with all the pertinent info

It's impossible to buy a bra for yourself, let alone another

Yep.

boobs are like photons!!! bras should be measured relative to the planck constant

Nordstrom is having their half yearly sale so I cut out of work early yesterday to plunder their bras (I am now a bra snob and only like Chantelle bras). SO, the sales lady encouraged me to try ELOMI bras and holy shit - WOW, BEST BRA EVER?!?!!?!! And it's like far cheaper than Chantelle so I am PLEASED. If you have huge boobs give these a try (I wear 40G... yikes).

I really like my chantelle bras but... They never stretched out! Which is good I guess, but I got a REALLY tight band size and a year later they haven't stretch even a little bit.

I'm going to be near a nordstrom this weekend so I'll def check out these elomi bras

I LOVE Elomi bras (also wear a 40G). All my bras are Elomi and probably will continue to be unless they change their sizing. Also mad jealous of your Nordstroms with 40G bras right there in stock.

i checked out the elomi bras at nordstrom but their smallest size is like an f or something. but the sales lady pointed me to fantasie bras, which i ended up buying - super comfy, the one i got has a really full/high-cut cup, which i like for an everyday bra. their sizes go pretty high, too

carl I am sad we do not live in the same city because it sounds like we could share clothes. not like I want to borrow your bras or anything. But OTHER things.

I would share clothes with you in one heartbeat. You have great style!

I just bought this sports bra in red and it looks kind of awesome and I'm excited about it - http://www.herroom.com/freya-aa4391-active-soft-cup-sports-bra.shtml

Also how cool is it that Herroom have "bounce test" videos? I actually decided against a couple other bras I was considering because of them.

I'm down to two bras that fit and aren't in embarrassing disrepair (I have two more that can pinch-hit but they're ugly/ratty) and I was feeling like I was failing as a modern woman at caring about the right things until my friend made a joke that since she never pulls the shades on her windows, her neighbors are probably gossiping about her right now, "I can't believe that girl across the street only has two bras!" and I knew that all was well. Ilu, Amy.