A good fit

WOMEN have been binding or supporting their breasts since ancient times, using wide swaths of fabric to wrap around the chest. It took a French company (but of course!) to think up the term “brassiere” (literally, “upper arm”), which were really camisoles with whale-bone support.

But according to a piece in The Atlantic in 2014, the official brassiere came into being when a woman named Mary Phelps Jacobs was granted a patent for the product in November 3, 1914. She had fretted about her dress to a ball she was attending, it is told, because dancing in it, with its slim cut and plunging neckline, kept revealing some parts of her well-endowed bosom. So she used two handkerchiefs and a ribbon and had them sewn together, creating a new undergarment that gave her breasts enough coverage and comfort while fox-trotting.

Despite the bra-burning protests of feminists in the 1960s-1970s, many women have come to love their bras. Various reports indicate that women all over the world spent a total of $16 billion in 2014. These days, we are fortunate to have a number of bra styles to choose from, which are well-constructed and designed to give us ample support and ease of movement while going about our daily activities.

Elmira Candungog, marketing and merchandising manager  of the Philippine Wacoal Corp., tells me that majority of  Filipinas actually prefer these plain vanilla T-shirt bras in nude, white, or black. Filipinas are not too fond of intricately designed bras or those heavy with embellishments and embroideries. I spoke with Elmi during the press launch of the company’s first boutique in the country, in Robinsons Place Manila.

Wacoal believes women should be comfortable in our own skin, to celebrate our body shape, whatever size we may be, and to simply love our body more.

The company’s motto, “Every Body Loves Wacoal”, underscores the company’s market leadership in the undergarment business, being the go-to brand for intimate apparel offering utmost versatility and flexibility for all body types.

Elmi points out that the boutique carries undergarments not usually found in their department-store stalls. These are mostly premium items with bra sizes going up to the more voluptuous 90 to 100 underbust, dubbed “queen size”. Aside from regular and maternity bras, the boutique offers sports bras, panties in several luxe styles (girdles, regular waist-high, bikinis and thongs), figure-enhancers, as well as men’s briefs.  The boutique offers personalized service, from the bra-fitting to the choosing of the appropriate garment, until the actual purchase.

Elmi underscores the importance of getting a proper fitting, especially for the bra. She points out that 90 percent of women all over the world wear ill-fitting bras that sometimes leads to back aches and migraines. “Our girls are really well-trained to do the updating, and we have a card for every customer, and they can come and try the merchandise. You don’t even have to purchase the item. We really encourage them to fit. A sudden change in our weight begins at 35 years old, so we really have to update our bra size,” Elmi stresses.

Clarisse, Wacoal’s fit assistant, first measured my underbust to determine the exact size of the bra I should be wearing. And then used the tape measure across my chest, nipple to nipple, to measure the cup size. I found out that I had been wearing bras one size smaller. She later noted down my bra size in an index card, which bore my name.

Next came the choosing of the style. I usually prefer plain, ordinary underwired bras, devoid of any frou-frou. I initially rejected some items on display that Clarisse offered. It was not until Elmi explained a certain style to me—said to be a best seller—and encouraged me to try it that I finally relented.

True enough, despite being nonwired, the bra gave my breasts enough support and was practically seamless under my shirt. So another lesson I learned was: listen to your fit assistant. She knows her products and what would best suit you.

“Usually the common size is 80 to 85,” Elmi notes. “But now there are many Filipinas who have a 90 to 95 underbust. And we offer a bra extender for additional [size], because some of the girls, even with a size 95, kulang pa.”   Wacoal goes one step further for being a source of comfort to women who have been touched with cancer. Recognizing what an emotional experience it can be to shop for intimate wear after undergoing breast surgery, Wacoal has also introduced its Remamma brand in the boutique.

In line with the company’s advocacy of promoting breast-cancer awareness, Remamma is Wacoal’s lingerie collection lovingly designed for women who have undergone breast surgery.

“It’s part of our CSR [corporate social responsibility] project to help those who’ve undergone mastectomies. We have an assortment of bras that could have the prosthesis inside,” says Elmi, showing me the special soft gel fillers that could be used to mimic a breast. She adds that the company sells these kinds of bras and prosthesis practically at cost; “we don’t make any profit from selling these products.” The bras retail for an average of P1,245, but with one prosthesis, the set would probably cost about P2,500.

“Customers can expect privacy and exclusivity, as well as personalized and professional service every time they visit the store,” Elmi stresses.

Before I left the boutique, Clarisse (who by then was probably getting tired of the Hannibal Lechter way I said her name) instructed me how to properly launder my bra. I had told her I usually use a detergent for delicate fabrics, used my hands to make kuskos, rinse, then hang it upside down from a hanger, so it could dry faster. Of course, me being pasaway, I had been doing it all wrong.

This is important, ladies, so read on:

• Handwash undies separately from clothes, using cool or lukewarm water and a “neutral detergent”. (Just get the Perwoll or Woolite, girls!)
• With a small soft brush, gently scrub the top and inside of the bra.
• After rinsing, do not wring it dry! Just gently press the water out of the garment with your palms, then straighten the fabric of the cup area to its original shape.
• Using a hanger, hang the bra to dry with center resting on the horizontal pole.

I would also add, hang it away from the sun, so the garter doesn’t become brittle.

Taking care of one’s bras will make them last long, keeping you comfortable and lovingly hugged every day.

 

 

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How 5 Different Countries Celebrate Prom

German students celebrate the end of secondary school and the passing of their final exams, known as Abitur, with a dance called the Abiball. The Abiball takes place after graduation and, though like in America, students don formalwear and dance the night away, the similarities mostly end there. Don’t expect to see YouTube videos of German promposals: Many students attend Abiball with parents or siblings, and celebrate the night with families, friends, and teachers alike — for part of the evening at least. The dance usually starts with a ceremonial procession of the proud graduates, and sometimes includes speeches, awards, and sketches along with the typical eating, drinking, and dancing. But near the end of the night, family members head home and the students keep the party going, often after relocating to a dance club, where they stay until the wee hours of the morning.

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