Ah cheers ladies! So interesting to find out how other people source and care for this mysterious garment. I knew there was something wrong with the article and I'm beginning to understand now.
A really good bra has to fulfil three criteria:
- Comfort, fit and support: no explanation necessary
- Foundational value: needs to create a good profile underneath your clothes
- Aesthetic appeal: looks nice if you're not wearing anything else.
My three bras, the ones I reach for, tick all those boxes. All three fit well, have simple foam cups that create a nice profile, and look kind of cool on their own. Nice colours, cute strap details, that sort of thing. None of them were cheap and all three are quite unusual in the bra universe, which is why I only have three of them. (In case you were wondering, they get bagged up for gentle wash on the wool cycle and they're holding up fine.)
I have other less pricy bras which tick two out of three, and they do get worn, just not as much. Some look and feel great but don't cut it as foundation pieces. Others give great support and look fine as long as they're covered up. One particular offender looks amazing inside and out, but is hellish uncomfortable. And sports bras, well, they're gear.
So I suppose my take home is that I need more like these three bras, which were stupid expensive and rarer than rocking horse manure.
