Anyway, I stopped in the Rigby and Peller branch there and got myself measured. I hadn’t been measured in a few years, which really is a big no-no. As a woman it’s something you’re supposed to do every year, so you don’t end up wearing ill-fitting bras.

The good news that not much has changed.  I tried on one G-cup bra which fit me perfectly, but when I tried on a different brand it didn’t exactly fit properly, so the assistant got me another bra in an H-cup…and that fit perfectly. Isn’t that strange? I guess it’s like when you go into two different stores and the one size fits you differently.

So what do I do? Advertise myself as a 40-G/H cup? I guess it’s a little extraordinary but it would be fun trying to explain that to those who ask. “Are you a G or an H cup?” “Well, according to Rigby and Peller, corsetiers to the Queen, I’m inbetween.  And if that’s what they say I am, that’ll do for me.”

They are a tad out my budget, with bras ranging from around £60-£70, but they keep their shape and last for years. I was lucky enough that a kind and lovely customer treated me to a lingerie set (in I think, either 2003 or 2004). Whilst the knickers have long gone by the wayside, would you believe the bra still fits, still holds its shape. Mind you, simply because it is Rigby and Peller, it’s not every day wear. But I try and hold out for their sale where many of their products are half-price. It’s good for a girl to have a couple of Rigby and Peller bras in her lingerie drawer.

Big Boob Bra

Marks and Spencer, one of the biggest and well-loved retailers in the UK if you’re outside of it, has agreed to do away with the surcharge on bigger bras over a DD cup, which would benefit me as I’m a G cup and I buy quite a few of their bras. There’s been a massive hue and cry, with people (mainly women over a certain bra size) protesting how unfair it is to charge us fuller-figured women £2 more for bras, which, apart from the size, is essentially the same. It’s been all over the news this morning and Marks have actually taken out a full-paged ad apologising by saying “we’ve boobed.”

Not that I’m a cynic mind, but methinks this has turned into a very clever piece of marketing strategy on their part. Now as a goodwill gesture, Marks and Spencer is offering 25% off of their bras, in any size, until May 25th, which, I’m sure with countless other women, I’ll be taking advantage before then.

Although I understand their reasoning for charging more for bigger bras, I feel it’s inconsistent with the selling of their other products. The reason is, to make bigger bras take more material. Fair enough, then that same rule should apply to the stockings that I buy from them. I get Ex-Large, to accomodate both my height and the size of my thighs, but they cost the same as a Small. Knickers come in varying sizes, why isn’t there a surchage on the bigger sizes? What about mens socks? And so on…..! Do you see my point?

But the genuis that is (chairman) Stuart Rose has found a way to turn a negative into a positive. And now not only will sales increase in ladies underwear, everybody loves M&S again.

Very clever, indeed.