What (bra) is going to support me now?
After my surgery I could barely look at myself naked - I had no hair, no breasts and I looked sick. I was not willing to go shopping for anything let alone a bra. Did I even need one? I didn’t have nipples anymore since I went the skin sparing route (nipple sparing would have saved my nipples). With the hard and uncomfortable expanders and my baggy shirts I really didn’t need to wear a bra or even want to wear one.
It wasn’t until I had nipples tattooed on that I had to make the decision to either never wear a white shirt or I had to find a bra. I could get away with a white shirt at first because you could barely see my scars, but the tattoos showed through. I wasn’t 100% about getting the nipple tattoos, but I’ll talk about that another time.
Free Press - Can be found at Nordstrom Rack or Macys
In a care package a friend of mine sent me a bralette from Free Press. This and a sports bra I found at Lucy, a store that was in Chicago’s Water Tower Place became my go to undergarments when wearing a white shirt. I did have to adjust some of what I wore though. I tried wearing a strapless bra and well, “no thank you.” The one time I had a strapless on I didn’t even feel that it fell below my expandered chest. So I had this bunch of fabric below my chest and I didn’t even know it. Luckily it wasn’t a tight top or see through and I was able to go to the bathroom and just take it off and put it in my purse. The strapless bra has been tough for me so I’ve just stopped wearing strapless shirts or dresses where I would need one. If I want to wear something that would call for a strapless bra, I just make sure it’s not white and here is one “perk”- I just go without the bra!
A year after I had my reconstruction I came across a brand called Lively. After browsing through their website, reading their story, and seeing the wireless options I took a chance and ordered a few. I actually really liked them. The fabric was very soft and the fit was comfortable. I was happy with my purchase so I kept the 3 bras that I purchased - The Palm Lace Bralette in light pink, The Mesh Trim No-Wire in nude and The Deep V No-Wire in black. I went with my original 34B and small which now looking back I should have gotten measured before doing this, but that was the last thing I wanted to do was go somewhere to have my fake boobs sized.
As I mentioned, I really only wore bras when I needed them and most of the time it was to the gym. At Athleta I found bras similar to the one I had purchased at Lucy a year before. I purchased a black and grey and still have them today! Based on the recommended rechecking your bra fit every six months to a year, I should probably look into replacing these!
It wasn’t until I started my website that I came across AnaOno Intimates. Wow, I wish I had found them years ago. AnaOno is made for women with breast cancer by women with breast cancer. The products are designed specifically for women who have had breast reconstruction, breast surgery, mastectomy, or are living with other conditions that cause pain or discomfort. I reached out to AnaOno’s owner, Dana, right away to get more information on her company and products. Before I could order a bra to try I had to figure out what size to order.
It was time… I would have to go get fitted. So I called my sister, a previvor, who had put off going to get fitted and chose to wear bralettes after her surgery. It had been a year after she had her surgery and I told her we were going to Nordstrom to get fitted. We scheduled a Thursday after she got out of work to meet for a fitting and have dinner. I was a little uncomfortable when I walked into the room with the fitter, but what did I have to be uncomfortable about? There were lots of people in my life that had seen me naked with my fake boobs - every doctor, nurse, resident had all seen me. I took off my shirt and the fitter wrapped the tap around me. “30DD,” she announced. My sister started laughing - “What size are you!?” I couldn’t believe it either. Well she stopped laughing when her fitter told her what her size was! I couldn’t believe that all along I had been wearing the wrong size. The bra world is very different when it comes to sizes and I’m pretty sure there are a lot of women who have had surgery and are now wearing the wrong size if they weren’t already before.
According to a New York Times article, “ Researchers and retailers acknowledge that the 80 percent number isn’t foolproof, but they often use it to illustrate a widespread problem: ill-fitting bras.”
“ Dr. Pechter first published the statistic in small 1998 study, writing in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery that 70 percent of women or more were wearing the incorrect bra size.”
Check out the full “Are 8 Out of 10 Women Really Wearing the Wrong Bra Size?” New York Times article.
We both purchased a few bras in our new size. I needed a new sports bra so I purchased one by Natori. I also needed a few to get me by for the next week. I liked the way the True & Co fit. This is one I will continue to wear a lot because it’s more like a crop top than a bra - in my opinion. It’s very comfortable. The other two bras that I purchased worked, but they aren’t exactly what I was looking for. They were made for women who had natural breasts, not ones that had been through surgery and/or radiation.
Nordstrom- Natori
Nordstrom- 1. True & Co 2. Wacoal 3. Natori
*At any time you can have a certified prosthesis fitter at Nordstrom assist you with mastectomy bras, breast forms, equalizers and complimentary pocketing. Nordstrom can also assist with Medicare claim filing and is a particiapting provider for select insurance companies. (Give your local Nordstrom a call to confirm a fitter is available when you want to go - no appointment is needed).
I reached out to Dana right away with my new bra size. She gave me the sizing for AnaOno and out came 3 bras in a small - The Monica, The Molly and The Gloria.
The Molly - This wireless t-shirt bra comes in black and ivory. It features comfortable wire-free cups with removable modesty pad. It is made with a super soft slightly stretchy material that is super comfortable. Built-in pockets can fit breast form inserts. When I have it on - I don’t even know I have it on ( my shoulders and back - I can’t feel my chest anyways!) This one is my FAVORITE and I plan to get it in another color!
The Monica - This full- coverage bra comes in black and ivory and is said to be “ a top pick for post-surgery apparel among those who have undergone single or double mastectomy, reconstruction surgery and other breast procedures.” (AnaOno website). It is very soft and includes pockets that accommodate pads for expanders, prostheses or lightweight breast forms. This bra also has adjustable and convertible straps.
The Gloria - This wirefree pocked bra has a lace detail and comes in black, ivory and champagne. Having the built-in pockets, the Gloria bra makes it easy to slip in breast forms or prostheses. It is comfortable and adds some spice to your lingerie drawer. The one issue I had with this bra was the sides underneath the arm pit were too thick so the top irritated my teres major/ pectoralis muscle. I had lymph nodes removed and radiation so I’m not sure if this is the cause of the irritation so check it out yourself because it’s a great bra!
AnaOno - Molly Front (with the pads removed)
AnaOno- Monica Front (with the pads)
AnaOno - Molly Back
AnaOno- Monica Back
I will still continue to wear my sports bras, however I love that I now have other bra options. Four years ago this was not the case. Now that I have my sizing I will probably try out Lively again, but I absolutely LOVE AnaOno’s t-shirt bra so I will definitely purchase another one of these. I also love the Athleta one that can be made into a razor back so I will look into checking out their Renewal bra. I asked about an AnaOno t-shirt bra with a razor back, but they already tried it and said no one purchased it. I am open to trying new bras as well including the Post Mastectomy bra - Empower Daily Bra In Powervita™, I found on the Athleta website and a brand I recently came across, SheFit. If all else fails well then I will just go “commando!” Wait is there another word for going braless like there is going without underwear? If anyone else has any great finds please let me know so I can share. I also have been looped into a project focused on women, breast surgery and bras and using natural materials. I’ll keep you all posted on this as I find out any new information that I can share.