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How many fitting, in-rotation bras do you think a grown woman should have? Do you?


Ginevra
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I think I have currently 4. Since summer here is brutal, I may get more before the heat hits. I don't know how many one should have. This works for me since I regularly launder clothes.

I did not count old stuff that I would wear when painting or some other "hazardous" occupation. :)

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I find three works well for me.  Four would be nice.

At the moment I am making do with about four that are only ok. Two now crappy nursing bras, one good regular bra, one less good regular that slips of the shoulder easily.  I'm going have to get some new ones by summer but I am putting it off in hopes that I can largely switch back to conventional bras.

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7 minutes ago, SparklyUnicorn said:

I don't have any, but I guess 5 seems like a good number so I'm not needing to do laundry as often.  If I were needing to do laundry every other day or every day anyway, maybe fewer would work. 

 

Interesting.

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I ask because I have two that are really in rotation, though I have three others. But I rarely wear those because I like the two main ones. But those two are wearing out and must be replaced soon. I feel a little guilty about it though, because I really could wear the three that are acceptable. I just don’t because they are blah and I don’t prefer them. So they are really just taking up space in my drawer. 

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Hah! I was just debating that this morning as one of my bras needs to be replaced.

I have four sports bras (enough to get through the week as I wash exercise clothes separately with double rinses).

I currently have five everyday bras, but one failed this morning.

When we lived in an apartment for three months this winter (out of suitcases), I had two. Two is barely adequate for my lifestyle. I feel more comfortable with 4-5 based on my current laundry set-up. It allows for a couple to be in the laundry while having a spare for unexpected changes.

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I think 4 or 5 is a good number, particularly for a working person who might not be able to do laundry frequently.  I have 3 bras that are in rotation but zero that fit well.  I keep up this fantasy that I'm going to lose some weight and keep it off, so I put off buying new ones.  

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5 minutes ago, EKS said:

I have two but would rather have four.

I have five sports bras, all of which were purchased in the 1990s.  The oldest one is 25 years old.  And I use each one 30+ times per year.  Is everyone impressed?

Very impressed! 

I have an aversion to buying sports bras. Of course, it is sometimes needed, but it feels like money spent on nothing. 

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2 minutes ago, SparklyUnicorn said:

Which part?  LMAO 

“I don’t have any...” Numerous scenarios were coming to mind but I don’t know which apply. 

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8 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

Five. At the moment, I have three and am waiting on my amazon delivery of two more. Sniff.

 

I have not had good luck in ordering online. Last time I did this, they were the correct size / fit but didn't know that the material was subpar.

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17 minutes ago, Liz CA said:

 

I have not had good luck in ordering online. Last time I did this, they were the correct size / fit but didn't know that the material was subpar.

I fit them in person at shops and reorder my faves online. The worst is when they discontinued my favorite Ibiza style. Broke my heart.

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7 - one for every day.   But I had two fail so down to 5. And I haven't replaced them yet as I wanted to drop another 10lbs before I resized and ordered more.  I also match underwear as well.  Good fitting bras and nice fitting panties.  Then I have sports bra x3 and a special strapless thing.

 

I used to make do with one or two but discovered that there really is something to wear it once and wash it.  Bras last longer and stay in shape better than rewearing a few times between washes.

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I only have two, but I would like more.  We are on a spending freeze right now though due to medical bills.  I actually have a few others I could wear, but they are too big, from before I lost weight, and are not very supportive, so I don't see the point.  I think ideally I would like to have 4 nice, supportive ones.

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I have 3. I think a grown woman should probably have more but I hate bra shopping and am not very happy with the bras I do have, so I don't bother to buy more. They are cheap walmart bras and the underwire breaks through in only a few wears, so I often wear them without the underwire.

Related rant: I find it absolutely infuriating that size means nothing. I picked up two bras of the same size FROM THE SAME BRAND and they fit wildly differently. Like, so very different, you can't say it was just the cut or style. No, it was them having no standard for what the size means. Because who cares right?

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I've been thinking about this thread.  I can't think of any men of my life who recognize that they need new under things and then fail to go out and by them for fear of the expense.  Like, none.  Why do women deny themselves a necessary part of their wardrobe? I just polled the teen males in my household. All thought 6-7 was the bare minimum, even after I explained the washing protocol (and how women often re-wear them).

For those of you with teen daughters, how many bras do they own?  Do they have more or less than you?

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for those that hate your bra, find the reddit A Bra that fits.   I follow their sizing recommendations and use HER ROOM Know your breasts for bra style. That's how I discovered I have to have 3 part cups and can't wear a solid t-shirt  type bra.   Only time I start having trouble with a bra is when I lose weight and need to resize.   Those two sites have made a huge difference in how nice my bras fit.  And how little issues I have with them now that I have the right proper fit and the right styled cup.

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43 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

I've been thinking about this thread.  I can't think of any men of my life who recognize that they need new under things and then fail to go out and by them for fear of the expense.  Like, none.  Why do women deny themselves a necessary part of their wardrobe? I just polled the teen males in my household. All thought 6-7 was the bare minimum, even after I explained the washing protocol (and how women often re-wear them).

For those of you with teen daughters, how many bras do they own?  Do they have more or less than you?

 

My guess is most men are not paying $50 or $60 for new underpants, and they do not have to go to the shop, get undressed, and all that.

 

I know if I could spend $30 for a package or three or four new bras that I just pick up when I happen to be in the shop, I would not procrastinate so much.

 

My dd13 has a gazillion bras for just that reason actually - I can get a package of them when I get groceries.

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For some reason DH loves getting me high-end bras. (He's not a chest man so. . .)

I have three beautiful bras in daily rotation -- they really fit well (about $100 each).

A sleep bra -- I love sleeping in a bra. I know, I'm weird.

A bra that I wear under my swim rash guard (easier than a bathing suit top). Cheapy.

From these you're likely assuming that I'm "blessed," but I'm a B.

Alley

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I probably have 15.  This includes sports bras and some of those cheap cami bras.  I try to coordinate bras and underwear with my outfits.

When finances were tighter I had 2 nude underwire pushup bras (one with convertible straps), 1 black underwire pushup bra, 1 really good sports bra for running, and 2 cheap Target sports bras for times when I wanted less sag than going braless but didn't want the backache from things being pushed up.

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3 is a good number but maybe I would want more in a warmer climate with more sweat! I wear each for 3 days and do laundry once a week, so I'm always washing 2 and wearing the third (so 2 bras is not enough). I am now working a little and have a little money to spend as I want, so I invested in new bras in February. I went to a lingerie store and got fitted and because it was my birthday month my purchase was 20% off (still $50 each), so I got all 3 at once. If it wasn't for the discount, I probably would have bought one per month for a few months. I'm very happy with my purchase.

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Oh, and for my teen daughters, each has 4. One has 3 everyday bras and a plunging one that went with a prom dress, but she can wear it with regular clothes if the others are in the wash. The other has 4 fashion ones, more like bralettes from American Eagle, all different colors/styles.

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1 hour ago, Alicia64 said:

For some reason DH loves getting me high-end bras. (He's not a chest man so. . .)

I have three beautiful bras in daily rotation -- they really fit well (about $100 each).

A sleep bra -- I love sleeping in a bra. I know, I'm weird.

A bra that I wear under my swim rash guard (easier than a bathing suit top). Cheapy.

From these you're likely assuming that I'm "blessed," but I'm a B.

Alley

I have sleeping bras. They are those “Ahhh Bra”things you can get three in a package at Walmart. I’m not even big up top but I like things to stay in one spot. Plus, I tend to be cold and I wear warm stuff to sleep in! 

Sigh - I wish I had pretty bras. The two I am wearing out were the prettier of the bras I have, but not anymore due to wearing out and discoloration from sweat/body oils. 

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2 hours ago, Bluegoat said:

 

My guess is most men are not paying $50 or $60 for new underpants, and they do not have to go to the shop, get undressed, and all that.

 

I know if I could spend $30 for a package or three or four new bras that I just pick up when I happen to be in the shop, I would not procrastinate so much.

 

My dd13 has a gazillion bras for just that reason actually - I can get a package of them when I get groceries.

Yes, exactly. And honestly, my DH does currently need new underwear, but I am the one who buys them. But yeah - if I could just pop into Kohls or Sears and get two packages of three bras or so, I wouldn’t procrastinate on it so long, but I dread shopping dor new bras...really just hate the whole process.

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I think I need a primer on bras. Y'all can re-wear them without washing them in between? Because that wouldn't work here. At all.

I have six in rotation. They are almost all sports bras. I have several "spares" that are non-underwire, but more traditional, bras that are for when I need to wear something that would very clearly show my sports bra. I dislike them all, but some more than others. I wear them all day, then wash them. On very hot days, I will sometimes have to wear one part of the day then switch to a new one for the rest of the day or it gets very ugly under the ladies due to excess moisture build up.

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I think 3 regular bras, at least 2 sports bras if you work out regularly, and 1 good fancy dress bra (strapless or convertible to strapless, whatever).  I might even throw in  a couple sleep bras.  My bras last quite a long time so this may seem excessive but I use different garments for different things!

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I would love to have 4 decent everyday bras. I have 3 that are just ok for now. I've been losing weight and haven't found my perfect fit yet. In the meantime I purchased some really cheap bras at Target to get me through the transitional sizes. In another 15 pounds I'm going bra shopping!! 

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I'll just cement my liberal hippie reputation here and say that if you have small enough boobs that flopping doesn't interfere with activities, you need no bras.

I have one bra. It goes with my job interview suit. If I didn't work outside the home I'd have zero bras.

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 I have usually 5-7 daily bras in rotation, 1 specialty, and 2-3 sports bras.  I think 3-4 daily would be sufficient for a smaller chested woman. When you are larger chested, it really wears them out faster, so I like to keep more on hand and buy them less often. I like to let them rest a little bit, lol.. I am also laundry averse.

I feel no guilt about the money I spend and I spend a pretty penny for my size every few years.  I spent my youth in ill fitting bras with wires popping out at school and a giant uni-book shelf since my mom was clueless how to get me sized and find bras that fit. She probably couldn't have afforded them anyways but it definitely affected my childhood.  Hard enough being the only kid in 6th grade with gigantic books without also having to have them look so terrible.

So I say-Ladies, take thyself to the nearest department store for a good bra fitting and find a style and brand you love!  Too many women won't spend the money and yet spend years in ill fitting bras they hate that are all worn out.  A good bra properly taken care of does last a long time.  Mine last at least 3-4 years and cost $50-70 each.  Some last longer.  I know women holding onto bras for 20 years yet wince at the price of a new one. That is crazy. Some of those bras are outlasting cars!  It's worth it!

I took my mom to replace her horrible bras last year. She was wearing a size about three sizes too small.  She looked so uncomfortable.  I had to drag her in to a nice department store, but afterwards it was an amazing transformation.  She had lost weight but you couldn't really tell how much until she had the correct bra size.  She looked so tiny afterwards,  even though she was shocked to find herself a triple D.   Her clothes fit so much better.  In her words as a 60 year old woman tossing worn out, years old Wal-Mart bras-

"New Bra = New Woman". 

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3, with a sports bra (or two).  It is so difficult for me to find bras that fit, support, and don’t show (I don’t like them to show because the kind I need to wear have thick straps that are anti-sexy) that when I find one I generally buy 4-5.

ETA: I’m willing to spend for a solid foundation!

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18 minutes ago, Tsuga said:

I'll just cement my liberal hippie reputation here and say that if you have small enough boobs that flopping doesn't interfere with activities, you need no bras.

I have one bra. It goes with my job interview suit. If I didn't work outside the home I'd have zero bras.

Ya, not happening here. Big (dense, heavy) chested from the beginning, nursed four kids, and over 40.  I cannot go bra-less for long for my OWN comfort, let alone the comfort of other people’s sensibilities 

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Wait, bras cost $50 to $100?  You can tell I haven't bought one in decades.  :P  The ones I did buy were from Walmart.

True, my kids have piles of bras.  They are still in "training bras" which can be bought in reasonably-priced packages of 4-6.  They have so many because I was not sure initially which ones would fit (I shop online).  Also, one of my kids has talked the aunties into buying her various sports bras at Target.  The aunties are suckers.

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7 minutes ago, Targhee said:

Ya, not happening here. Big (dense, heavy) chested from the beginning, nursed four kids, and over 40.  I cannot go bra-less for long for my OWN comfort, let alone the comfort of other people’s sensibilities 

I specifically called out size here for a reason. I am 40 and I nursed kids for 4 years total. Boobs are fine. I think size is really the deciding factor in the need for support.

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I have 7 or more, but used to have more.   I have whittled them down to only ones that fit and are comfy.  Different colors, styles and shapes for various shirts.  I am an easy to fit 36c, but prefer to have decent brands, so they cost me about $30-60 each (after sale/coupons).  I only mention that because I know many ladies have to buy specialty fits for various reasons, so 1 or 2 at $100 plus may be all that is in the budget since they are in continuous rotation have to be replaced more often.

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9 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

I've been thinking about this thread.  I can't think of any men of my life who recognize that they need new under things and then fail to go out and by them for fear of the expense.  Like, none.  Why do women deny themselves a necessary part of their wardrobe? I just polled the teen males in my household. All thought 6-7 was the bare minimum, even after I explained the washing protocol (and how women often re-wear them).

For those of you with teen daughters, how many bras do they own?  Do they have more or less than you?

I have bought my teen a whole new suite of bras (usually 7 at a time) for the last three years running. She's grown much faster than I anticipated and is actually due for new ones this summer. I'm holding off until we get back to the states to have her fitted again. For myself, I definitely fall in the high-end bra category. I wish more stores stocked F-J sizes. More women should be wearing them. Really. 

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I have 6 - 1 black and 1 beige that fit perfectly and are relatively new, 3 older ones that don't fit as well, and 1 sports bra.  I finally broke down and bought the 2 newer ones this year, even though I felt a little silly spending $65 on nursing bras when my last baby was almost two years old.  I really do like having ones that fit well and are supportive though.

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I don't really know how many bras I have in the current rotation. I'd guess five or six. All are decent quality sports bras. I have zero interest in frilly, lacy bras that always scratch and itch me in delicate places no matter how spendy they are. Pre-menopause I had fibrocystic breasts and learned what a huge difference in comfort and pain reduction a good, supportive, soft sports bra made. And I've stayed with them. I have at least three sleep bras (again, comfort and support) but those are cheapie Fruit of the Looms from Walmart.

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