Look Out, Victoria's Secret!

I’ve loved Victoria’s Secret bras for about 15 years. I never bought the frilly, fancy, lacey bras, just the practical “Body by Victoria” and t-shirt bras. When I got my diagnosis, I was worried about what kind of bras I would have to wear after surgery. I quickly learned I had every reason to worry. The ladies at the prosthesis office here in Bristol are wonderful, so this is not an insult to them. The actual bras are the problem. I was an average B cup, and I NEVER saw a regular B cup bra with more than two hooks. One of my mastectomy bras has FIVE hooks, no lie. Some of the bras also have huge seams in the middle of the cups that can be seen through shirts. These bras are very uncomfortable and not attractive.

Last October and the October before that, I wrote to Victoria’s Secret. I thought that by writing to them during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it might get more attention. The first email I sent was to suggest that they make bras with “pockets” or panels in the cups. I think this is a very reasonable request because lots of women with A cup breasts like a little lift and extra volume. Bras that have pockets/panels in the cups would enable small women to insert extra padding. It could also accommodate women like me. Well, I got no response. I received an automated “we will get back to you within 24 hours with a response…” and nothing. This year, I tried again. Instead of making a suggestion, I just asked if they made bras with pockets/panels such as the “Miracle Bra,” which has a product description of “extra padding to provide lift…” In my email inquiry, I explained my situation, and I even suggested sewing cotton panels into my existing VS bras. I received a stiff, “sorry we don’t make surgical bras, but why not give our gel adhesives a try?” Um, gel adhesives? Really?

I’m not a master seamstress, but I’m going to pull out handheld Singer sewing tool and make my own mastectomy bras from my old VS bras. Then, I’m going to contact VS again, not to make a suggestion or ask them to help me, but to tell them to kiss my butt. Perhaps I’ll be able to give myself back the bras that I love and maybe even help another BC survivor that’s been through bra hell.