Meet Mette Iacovou, one of the certified Bra Fit Experts here to help fit you and find the perfect bras for your body. They field hundreds of calls and chats every day from real women with the same real-world concern: not nearly enough time to find just the right underthings. So do yourself a solid and say hello at 877-728-9272, x4, or tweet @barenecessities with the hashtag #getalift. There’s no problem these bra-fit ninjas can’t solve, pinkie-promise.
Mette Iacovou, customer service supervisor (and employee of the month!)
Bra size: 36H
Life’s work: I always wanted a job where I could help people, inside and out. I was born with a rare tumor—I wasn’t supposed to be here. From infancy until age 17, I had so many surgeries. My attitude wasn’t always positive, but with age comes wisdom. It’s made me more empathetic. So I love nothing more than bringing out someone’s best characteristics and letting her shine.
Role model: After everything I went through, I was very “woe is me, I’m not worthy.” My strong mother taught me otherwise. She showed me what I should and should not be accepting of in life.
Motivation source: My son, daughter—she’s 6 going on 35—and husband. They are fun, loving, caring, genuinely good people.
Passionate about: Educating women to find the right fit in intimate apparel. It’s neat to enlighten friends and strangers, to make them feel more supported. They might take this information and teach it to their own children. It helps raise a woman’s self-esteem.
Bra-fit secret: It takes a lot of tries to get it right, and it’s not just a one-time measurement that stays with you for life, either. It helps if you know what each part of a bra does and how it’s supposed to look on your body. For example, straps are not supposed to be doing all the work!
Fun fact: I was born in Denmark and moved to the States at 7, not knowing one word of English.
Personal mantra: Go for it 100,000%.
The most frequently asked questions Mette has been fielding lately are….
Q: What other brands fit similarly to my favorite brand?
A: Fit is about more than band and cup size, it’s about the shape of your breasts, your body—so this can be tough to pinpoint. American sizing tends to be bigger than UK and European. I find Panache runs smaller in the band whereas Fantasie runs a little larger in the band and, to some extent, in the cups. Some of our best-priced bras are more generously cut; some of the premium brands are more tailored. Just like when you try on different jeans, your bra size can vary even within a brand. It really comes down to this: Start with the brand that fits you best, then try on multiple styles in a few different sizes. Here are some of our best-selling bras based on body type for every budget:
Best Petite Bras
1. Wacoal Embrace Lace Push-Up Bra
2. Wacoal Basic Beauty Wire-Free T-Shirt Bra
3. OnGossamer Gossamer Mesh Bump It Up Bra
4. Natori Feathers Plunge Bra
5. Natori Bliss Perfection T-Shirt Bra
6. Natori Ruse Plunge Convertible T-Shirt Bra
7. Calvin Klein Perfectly Fit Modern T-Shirt Bra
8. B.Tempt’d by Wacoal B.Wow’d Convertible Push-Up Bra
9. Lily of France Ego Boost Push-Up Bra
10. Mary Jo Tom Plunge T-Shirt Bra
Best Average Size Bras
1. Warner’s No Side Effects T-Shirt Bra
2. Warner’s This is Not a Bra T-Shirt Bra
3. Warner’s Elements of Bliss Lift Wire-Free Bra
4. Maidenform One Fabulous Fit Demi T-Shirt Bra
5. Wacoal Basic Beauty T-Shirt Bra
6. Wacoal Halo Lace Convertible Bra
7. Chantelle C Magnifique Minimizer Bra
8. Fantasie Smoothing Balcony Bra
9. Panache Ultimate Maximum Control Sports Bra
Best Plus Size Bras
1. Elomi Caitlyn Side Support Bra
2. Goddess Keira Banded Satin Bra
3. Curvy Couture Matte and Shine T-Shirt Bra
4. Prima Donna Madison Full Cup Bra
5. Panache Andorra Bra
6. Bali Flower Bra
7. Bali Satin Tracings Minimizer Bra
8. Playtex 18-Hour Original Comfort Strap Wire-Free Bra
9. Glamorise Motion Maximum Control Wire-Free Bra
10. Glamorise Wonderwire Front-Close Bra
Q: I’m busty and want more fun bra options. What do you recommend that’s new and exciting for fall?
A: Chantelle goes up to an H-cup, and we just got a preview of all the really gorgeous jewel tones coming out this fall.
In my opinion, Panache bras are beautiful for bustier women. They’re lacy, but they lift and separate and push everything where it’s supposed to go. You feel like you’re wearing the fashionable bras everybody else gets to wear.
Our #1 best-selling strapless bra is the Wacoal Red Carpet Strapless, which is perfect for all your big, fun social events this time of year. For someone as busty as I am, I can wear it all night without pulling it up. It even comes with straps if you want to wear it all day, too, which I’m told many women do!
