As the fall season draws nearer to winter and we all start to bundle up in our favorite sweaters and coats, us women are covering up some things that may have been forgotten since the steamy summertime. No, not our legs or arms…think just a little higher up, and don’t be afraid if your mind wanders into the gutter. Why? Because we’re talking about our bosoms, of course! Now that we are no longer soaking up the sun and baring it all in our barely-there bikinis, it’s easy to forget about our good friends residing just below our collarbones. Ladies, we are here to speak for the boobs! An important part of womens’ health and well-being, taking proper care of these guys is just as important as brushing your teeth before you go to bed or taking off your makeup so your pores don’t get clogged. You may think taking a quick trip to Victoria’s Secret for your favorite bra is the one-size-fits-all solution to finding a bra for the year ahead, but that may not always be the case. Seeing as a bra is not a one-size-fits-all product, many larger-busted women get frustrated when looking for something to fit and support their unique shape in the correct size for them, without sacrificing aesthetic value. We have found the solution to incorrect sizing and unattractive intimates in the form of a lingerie boutique right on 50^th &France called La Bratique.

We were first introduced to La Bratique through several interactions with employee Jackie Wallin, who excitedly urged us to check it out after chatting about our own personal “ugly intimates woes”. Every time we spoke with her, she was encouraging us to come in for a fitting, swearing by the talent of her and partner/owner of 5 years Tracy Anderson, as well as their fab European products. When IamMoody and La Bratique teamed up to bring us their first ever runway event “La Femme La Fashion” coming up on November 12^th, we were thrilled to have our excuse to come in for ourselves! Since all of their fittings are done in a pre-scheduled, private one-on-one session, we initially expected everything to be way out of our price range.

Getting sized and fitted by Tracy was an absolute delight. Even though we are not particularly shy people, we don’t think any woman gets excited about getting topless for another while trying on bras. There is just something about her that would make even the most timid woman feel incredibly comfortable and at ease; She laughed with us, telling us that even the shyest of women come in to their fittings feeling a little self conscious, and by the end of their time they are walking around in their undergarments in La Bratiques’ main room, completely disregarding the window view that is visible from the street. Tracy is extremely professional and aims to get the perfect bra and fit for all customers; no matter what they might be looking for! “The average American woman’s breast size is D or DD.” Now that was a statement we were not expecting to hear. Coming from women who share the big-breasted-burden, we had expected the average to be smaller, something like a B or C cup. Well, we were wrong about that! We also walked in to our appointment wearing what we were told were correct sized bras for each of us; but we were wrong again! One thing Tracy emphasizes is education. During a fitting, she is constantly explaining her process for selecting the perfect bra; she thoroughly describes why each item is or is not working on your body. It is truly an impossible feat to leave without taking customized information about your specific body shape and the support it needs. One thing left us flabbergasted was when she mentioned that some women in their 50’s and 60’s come in to get fitted by her, having worn the wrong bra size their whole life! We are so happy we got to her sooner! Just by hearing Tracy speak, her mission is visible: to educate females as early as possible about the importance of wearing the right bra for your body shape. Its more than customer service, she really cares about women and their health.

After we left, we were able to see what it means to actually have “support” in a bra. It easy to look at elements of design, but it is not so easy to look at an intimate and evaluate exactly how it will fit once on the body. Even though we know the importance of support and coverage, there is no need to forgo the sex appeal at La Bratique. In fact, their luxurious selection re-defines what it is to be sexy and to have sex appeal, without melon-like cleavage and constant re-adjustment. Looking back, it was a pleasant surprise when we discovered the prices of these items are considerably lower than we anticipated-their price range runs from about $55-$175 for a bra, not quite the $250 we would have expected due to their professional nature and expertise.

Come watch as our gorgeous Gabby Navarro strut her stuff along with four other beautiful models in the upcoming runway event “La Femme La Fashion” on November 12^th. You can check out La Bratique’s website at http://www.labratique.com. The show will be accessorized with glamorous jewelry from local jewelry designer Realia by Jen, we highly suggest stopping by her page here http://www.realiabyjen.com.

Event info for La Femme La Fashion on November 12^th: http://labratique.eventbrite.com

Location: Bella Salon and Spa at 50th andFrance(3811 W. 50th Street,Edina)

Time: 5:30-10:00pm

The evening will have a limited guest list, RSVP required!

Authors and Editors

Jordan Nentl & Gabby Navarro