Jene Luciani - The Bra Book: The Fashion Formula to Finding the Perfect Bra

Special thanks to my husband, Bill, who gave up months of seeing me (and dealt with piles of dishes in the sink) so I could constantly work on this book (and who listened to years, months, and days of endless bra talk).

Also special thanks to Ann Deal and the team at Fashion Forms for their unparalleled support, and bra designer extraordinaire Tara Cavosie for believing in this and helping to make it all happen.

Extra special thanks to Kristina Holmes and Michael Ebeling, my illustrious agents, for believing in me and this book and contributing their brilliant ideas (bras and all!) that helped to make it such a success, as well as the team at BenBella Books, especially Glenn Yeffeth, who was enthusiastic about this project from the start, and Leah Wilson, who deserves as much credit for this book as I do, and is now a bra guru in her own right.

To Janet C. Blake, the eagle-eyed copy editor who kept me on track (and prevented embarrassing comma splices and run-on sentences). To Judy Lederman, a fellow author and good friend who, when I said, I could write a whole book on bras alone, responded with two words: Do it.

To illustrator Ralph Voltz and designer Kit Sweeney, many thanks for beautifully bringing my words to life.

To supermodel Beverly Johnson, for sharing her story, and to all the women and men (especially pro-wrestler Brimstone!) I have interviewed in this book for being courageous enough to take part. To those of you who may have giggled about the subject matter, I hope you find the information contained within useful and informative (and while slightly humorous at times, not laugh-out-loud funny).

To my fellow journalists and members of the media, for your continued support, as well as Ann-Marie Nieves of Get Red PR; Jennifer Canzoneri, Adrienne Lang, and the marketing team at BenBella; and The Bromley Group, who consistently make sure the press knows about this book. To Robert Redmond of Nelson Made, for keeping the cyber community informed about this book with www.thebrabook.com and keeping it keyword-savvy and search engineoptimized.

To Joe, Michele, and the team at The Salon in Scarsdale (a.k.a., my own personal glam squad), thanks for always keeping me looking presentable, and to Dan Doyle for the fabulous photos.

To Gigi, who was in my belly while I was writing this book but who I cannot thank enough for the extra huge increase in my bra size. I wonder if youll come out talking about cup sizes and band measurements. To Gizmo and Troubles, for keeping me company all those days and nights I spent locked in the study. To my stepdad Lyle, for making me go to English class, even though it was first period (and for being so much more than a father figure).

Last but not least, to all my parentsRose and Lyle, Tony and Michele, and Steve and Ninaand the rest of my family, friends, and co-workers, who have been there through thick and thin and utterly supportive the entire time. I could not have achieved this dream without you.

Now that youve read The Bra Book, youre ready to go shopping! Here is a compilation of some of the books top tips that you can take along with you.

Choose a store that has a wide selection of bras and trained bra fitters on hand.

Try to avoid bra shopping during that time of the month. You can be up to a full cup size bigger when youre on your period!

Go to the store armed with a list of what you need and plan to buy: i.e., two nude bras, two black bras, one strapless, one sports bra, one bra without underwire for comfort (this will vary from person to person). Remember: nude goes under nearly everything.

Be aware of your body type so you know what bras to look for. For example, if you are more of a top-heavy apple, you likely will be looking for fuller coverage bras, not demi-cups.

Wear or bring a thin t-shirt to the store so you can see what each bra looks like under the sheerest of circumstances.

At the store, find a bra fitter that you feel comfortable with, and get measured to find your proper size.

Be open-minded about your size. If youre surprised (or disappointed), remember that size is just a number (and a letter!). The proper fit of the bra is the most important part.

Use your size only as a guideline. You will still need to try the bras on!

If youre in a bind and theres a bra that you really love but they dont have your size, its usually OK to go up a band size and down a cup size. For example, if you are a 34DD, try the bra in a 36D and see if it works.

Dont be afraid to put the bra on and face yourself in the mirror with a critical eye. If you see any gaps, spillage, digging in, or other signs of poor fit, its not the right bra. Turn around and look at the back as well. The back band can be very telling too when it comes to proper fit.

Dont forget to pick up some bra accessories too, so you avoid any faux pas! Breast petals and double-sided tape are always good to have on hand.

Dont get stuck in a size rut. Write down the date of your visit and be sure to plan another one six months to a year later!

Your bras are one ofif not themost important articles of clothing you own. Yet when it comes to care, they often get neglected. In fact, bras are probably also the most abused, mistreated garments we own. We throw them in the washing machine unprotected, bend their underwires, misshape their cups, wear them month after month without replacement, and then curse them when theyre not as comfortable or supportive as they once were.

Caring properly for your bras is important, but I know were all busy. Its not realistic to expect every woman to take the time to hand-wash her bras. So here are some tips on caring for your bras in a way that will extend their life and keep you looking forever stylish, without cramping your style.

WASHING AND DRYING

We know its best to hand-wash and soak your bras with either a gentle detergent like Woolite or a soda-based cleansing wash like Forever New. In fact, it can make your bra last up to 30 percent longer. But that doesnt mean the washing machine is the enemy. Some things to keep in mind if youre machine-washing your bras:

Dont forget to check the tag. If your bra has special washing instructions, follow them.

A front-loading washer is ideal; it doesnt have a drum and is therefore gentler on your clothes. However, if you dont have one of these, be sure to use a netted garment bag (some are made especially for bras) or a protective casing like the plastic ball-shaped BraBABY. Using something like the BraBABY also helps retain the shape of the bras cups, which often end up getting crushed. When a bra is tossed in alone, without protection, a top-loading washing machine can be especially dangerous to straps and bands, as they can catch on the drum and get damaged. In the case of an underwire bra, the machine can damage the underwire by bending it or weakening the fabric, causing poke-through, so youll want to take extra care.

Be sure to first fasten the hooks, so they dont catch on other garments.

Never use bleach, and always use a gentle detergent.

Put the machine on the gentlest cycle possible (most have a delicate cycle) and always use cold water. Bras are made from very sensitive fabrics and excessive heat can ruin them.

While machine-washing your bras can work if youre careful, machine-drying is NEVER OK; the heat from the dryer is especially bad for your bras! You should always hang your bras or lay them flat to dry. A good option for helping your bra retain its shape while air-drying is the Bra Smart. You just place your bra into the bra-shaped plastic mold and let it dry with the help of ventilated slits in the plastic. It even comes with a hanger for hanging.