Emma Lingeri: I'll stick to online shopping...

Sorry for neglecting this blog a bit! I’ve had some crazy weeks, and then I had a horrible cold for some time as well, so no blogging :o

So, on to the post: I am always looking for stores near where I live, that had decent size rangers: I was looking at what stores had Freya bras, and there was listed a big department stores (which was not successful, as you can see I wrote about here on bratabase) but they did recommend another store, which I had also seen had Freya.

(excuse the crappy pics, they are from google maps)

Described as so on their website: (translated, obviously)
“Special advice for girls with big measurements - all sizes of bras”
“We cover a wide range - from AA to K cups.”
Already here, I was a little concerned. Why claim to have all sizes, when it is technically impossible? Unless they will create bras in any given size (almost like Ewa Michalak are willing to – though I am sure even they have a limit) And as seen in the more modest statement below, they don’t have all sizes. Several brands now offer up to UK L-cups, so up to K is in no way covering all sizes.
A bit weary, I contact them to a) ask if it was UK K-cups, or EU K-cups (which is about a UK H-cup), and b) if it really is true, or just a glitch on their website, that they charge 1000dkr for every Freya bra (£108/$174) (The most expensive Freya bra I could find at ‘expensive’ Bravissimo for example, was £34! What could possible justify the extra £74? I know we have high taxes, and that a physical store will always be more expensive, but surely not 218% more?!)
I realize that a question about if it really is true, would be rather annoying to have to answer with “Yes”, but I did actually expect an answer, but weeks passed, and none.

Yesterday, I was coincidentally in the area, and popped in to see the store for myself. It’s a small little boutique, crammed with lots and lots of bras, and there were two people at work. One who I think may be Emma herself, and another young lady, who quickly came to the counter when I entered. I told her I had heard they had Freya bras, and she asked what size I would like to try. I asked for a British size 34J and she went to look for some. They didn’t have anything in that size, she told me, but she did have an Arabella in 34HH “which is just a teeny bit smaller than the J”

I tried it on, and besides being an adorable bra, it was, not surprisingly, too small in the cup, but what was surprising, was that the band was so, so loose! I've figured I’m probably a small 34, but in this one, even in the inner most hook, I could very easily fit both my hands under the band. I told this to my fitter, who quickly said that I was not to close it in the tightest hook – went on to hook it in the middle, and proclaimed this to be a good band size for me. Good thing she knows it shouldn't be on the tightest  but it really shouldn't be on the middle either. And it shouldn't be loose on either of those. She then said that I had to adjust it a bit, because it was way too high on my back, so I had to make sure to pull it down so it was level ever so often. Gee, if only there was a way to avoid the band riding up, eh?  Even when she was pulling it around, I was baffled that she could not tell just how loose it was on me – she could easily fit both her hands under it, and pull it out a few inches when adjusting. Everything also moved around just as freely as if I had been braless – there was just nothing done by that band.
But the cup was too small, especially on my larger breast – some definite quadro-boob. I also pointed out, had the center gore been flat, then the smaller breast would also have some quadro going on. But she said that some bras just don’t lay flat. Well, technically true, but then that most likely is the wrong bra for you.
She let me try on a 34J, which they had waiting for another customer (so I could not buy it), and it was obviously better, despite the large band which meant the center was still not flat (and it is quite difficult to scoop on a too loose bra, I’ve found!)

She then moved on to offer me a Marie Jo, though I said I was certain they didn’t have big enough cups. She gave me a 80I (  ̴36G), “as these are probably tighter than the Freya you just tried” (well, I’ll hope, that Freya Arabella was uncharacteristically loose, as confirmed when I looked it up on bratabase: All reviews said so.)
The band did feel like the right snugness, but I’m pretty sure that also had a lot to do with the fact that the cups were approximately 3 sizes too small! So part of the band was used around my boobs, rather than just around my torso. When I said the cups were obviously too small (my soft breasts were literally folding a bit along the edge! Which they do if the cup is much too small both in width and depth), she told me that the edge was a bit elastic, and would stretch out to accommodate my breast. This rather annoyed me. Why would the bra be made to be very ill-fitting from new? Unless, of course, it’s not. Give Marie Jo some credit, I am sure they didn’t make the bra to purposefully give quadro-boob. And someone with smaller breast would not have it as so.
The worst thing, however, was the center-gore. One thing is a center gore that’s not flat, like the Freya was, that’s just not getting the full potential of the bra. But a bra where the wires are literally squeezing breast-tissue? No thanks! As it was just a coincidence that I got to go to this store, I did not have a camera, but here are some pictures to give you an idea:

(Pictures from Playtex, Bravissimo, Brastop and blogmagazine.org.  Funny enough, Playtex shows this as an ’after picture’ from a bra-makeover, whereas the others show it as a bad fit)
On these pictures, it even looks like the wires are more so ‘resting’ on the tissue, where they were actually squeezing me on the Marie Jo bra.
I pointed the center gore problem out to the fitter, and she repeated what she had said of the Freya bra, that some bras simply don’t lay flat. I explained that this was different than just a slightly hovering center, this was actually pressing on my breast tissue. She then just repeated that not all bras sit flat, and the reason this was on my tissue, was just because it wasn’t separating my breasts. I had to quite firmly tell her, that I would never want a bra where the wires were squeezing my tissue, before she let it go with a “well, this is probably not the right shape for you, then”. I have to say, her ‘advice’ on this bra quite shocked me. Had I not been prepared with some decent bra knowledge myself, she could have talked me into getting a bra which was just so horrible for me. I was very disappointed. 

She then said she had one from Fantasie, in a JJ “so that may be too big for you, since you say you normally use J”, she said. I told her the bra I was wearing when I came in, was actually a 75JJ (Ewa Michalak), so I would give it a shot “This is a 70 (32), though, since you fitted the 75 Freya on the middle hook, you can probably use this on the loosest until it stretches” Ok, so then it was cleared up that she did not understand how cups depend on band! The Fantasie bra was actually an excellent fit, despite it being a seam pattern I would normally not think much of (I think it was the Kara Full Cup), and the shape was not bad either,  but I had already decided that I would not spend my money in this boutique (especially not if they charge more than 200% of the bras value!). 

She asked if I knew of the brand Ulla, “who even have some bras in K or even L-cups!” and gave me a look of ‘can you believe it?’. If we are talking UK cups, L-cups are unusual, so I’ll forgive her for being a bit baffled at that, though I don’t like it when fitters treat any size as unthinkable. So I ask “Are those UK or EU cup sizes?” To which she answers that there are no difference at all between UK or EU. It suddenly made sense why she though an EU I-cup might fit me when I asked for a UK J-cup! (I checked Ulla, btw, and it is EU sizes: Their specialty is up to EU I-cup/UK G-cup and over 38bands, though they had some EU L/UK HH and smaller bands).
I remembered their site said they had up to K-cups, so asked about it: “Well, that just means we can order up to K-cups” Well, heck, so can I!

So, all in all, extremely disappointed with Emma Lingeri, and will not go again. As mentioned, Emma herself was there as well, (I assume it was her, as she is the same who is standing in front on their group picture on their website) doing some account work right next to the fitting room, so she could have done something, if she realizes what bad advice I was given. This to me can only mean that either she doesn't care, or she doesn't know better advice, neither which is good.

So, it seems things are not very promising for bigger bras and fittings in Denmark L There are very few stores left in my area that could possibly have more sizes.

Good news though, is that I am becoming more sure of my size: Those who’ve seen me on bratabase, will see I’ve added two big loads of bras, and in the second load, most the bras I got was a good fit :D Then it was just a question of liking them or not. I reordered the Marcie Bra from Cleo in 34J rather than 32J, as it could do with being a bit bigger in the cup. It could also do with the cups to be closer together, so I will take in the center gore, meaning that it is fine that I had to go up the band to get a bigger cup, as it will probably take an inch off the band when I alter it.