January 18, 2005

Underneath it all

Today's accomplishment? I cleaned and organized my underwear drawer. (See, I think I'm getting the hang of blogging. Blogs are for announcements that you have absolutely no other venue for.) The exciting part about this is that I now own a whole bunch of new BitchBrand bras - pretty bras that actually fit me perfectly, in black, white, and nude. I owe this thrill to Bitch, Ph. D. because of her post last fall about how to buy a bra. For years I have tried buying bras at department stores and Queen's Mystery, but they never carry my size. So I always end up feeling like some kind of freak, all because I have breasts. Shouldn't bras be made for women who have breasts? You'd think so .... but no, mall stores are filled with bras padded with foam or rubber or all kinds of crap to make someone flat-chested look like she has breasts, which works fine for twelve-year-olds but not so great for anyone past puberty. Even my friends with small breasts prefer bras that don't look like they've been stuffed with handfuls of crumpled tissues. And I hate wearing a bra that doesn't fit exactly right, especially if I'm wearing a tight shirt.

So now that I've figured out that BitchBrand makes a bra that fits me exactly, I can just order a new bra from an internet site, without even leaving my desk. It's unbelievable how happy this makes me. What I'm waiting for now is for Bitch to write a post on where she buys bathing suits designed for women who actually have such things as hips and breasts.

When last semester began, I was scheduling medical tests to see whether or not I had breast cancer. I was worried about the tests -- my sister-in-law died of breast cancer three years ago so I know that it happens. But the tests were hopeful and five months later, I'm less worried; I have to go every couple of months to have CuteDoctor feel me up, but for now the lump in my breast seems to be harmless. The scare made me appreciate how much I value my ordinary, crowded, busy life - filled with raising kids and teaching students, reading and writing. Even grading papers is preferable to getting chemo. And so this semester begins on a hopeful note: I'm in good health, I haven't had any reason to cut off a breast, and I am never going to wear an ill-fitting bra again.

9 comments:

Sergei C. said...

Yikes! A lump! I blogged a while back about a testicle lump & pain - it turned out to just be an infection, but yikes. On the one hand, I think I'm way too young for that kind of thing, but on the other, cancer is seemingly everywhere. I'm glad you're good to go and your boobs are comfortable. :)

Anonymous said...

So what is bitch brand? ZYou going to make us guess????

jo(e) said...

Thanks Sergei. Somehow, I knew that if I wrote about breasts, I'd get a comment from you. I was just reading your comments over at Bitch's blog, and it's made me think of Peanuts' characters in a whole new light.

Anon: the brand is Wacoal. I just feel weird using brand names in my blog. I hate ad placement in movies -- wouldn't want my readers thinking I was doing that.

bitchphd said...

I am seriously consdering setting up an Amazon Associate begging bucket so you (and everyone else) can give me a cut when you buy your bras.

The bathing suit issue is a pain in the butt. I recommend buying a 2-piece, and finding a manufacturer who does actual bra-sizing of the top, and maybe boy cut bottoms b/c, let's be honest, bikini bottoms look like crap on everyone including porn stars and Brazilian models. But I'll confess, I have yet to really solve the suit problem. If/when I do, I'll be sure and let everyone know.

~profgrrrrl~ said...

Ugh. I am of a size that is ample but easy to buy, and I hate that everything has extra oomph and pad in it these days. When the Miracle Bra came out the first thing I thought was "but I don't *need* a miracle."

Buying good bras is so important. I hope you enjoy your new purchases. :) And although the scare must have been awful, how wonderful to get the good results.

Rudbeckia Hirta said...

I wonder who the bra manufacturers are making bras for, as they also appear to not make them for the flat-chested. (My size is so weird that it doesn't even have a name! *beams with pride*) So much for the invisible hand shaping the markets.

Anonymous said...

A person sure can learn a lot reading blogs by other people. I can learn stuff about girls I never even thought of before. How about your panties? Any problems there? Do they tend to ride up? Their awful thin, aren't they?

jo(e) said...

Well, anon, when it comes to panties, I tend to be pretty traditional. My preference is for white cotton. Because there is just nothing sexy about a yeast infection.

Anonymous said...

"Because there is just nothing sexy about a yeast infection."

I'm amazed that the cotton industry hasn't picked that up to use as tag line.