I'm a big fan of the underwire (40 D). My mom was also against them, and she was as large boobed as I am. She mentioned something about a higher likelihood of lightning strikes to women wearing underwire bras, which strikes me as unlikely, to say the least.

I consider underwires a near-absolute necessity, but I used to have some vintage late-50s/early-60s bullet bras that were miracles of wireless engineering--some lovely combination of good straps and stretch lace and nice wide back-support pieces made them as comfy and lift-and-separate supportive as anything I've ever worn. Sadly, I'm now one cup size too large for them, but oh how I miss them.

Latest Matilda conversation (earlier this morning, as I was sitting reading Bitches with her cuddled in my lap):

Matilda: Mommy don't have a 'gina [vagina].

Me: Really? I'm pretty sure Mommy does have one.

Matilda, solemnly: No. Tilda have it.

I'm still unsure whether she meant it in a "Got your nose!" sort of way or whether she thinks there's some sort of one-to-a-household rule and that since she knows for a fact she has hers, clearly I'm going without.

JZ, that is hillarious.

I seem to recall CJ telling me, around that same age, that I had a penis, but was just hiding it.

I seem to recall CJ telling me, around that same age, that I had a penis, but was just hiding it.

This is the kind of stuff that sent Freud off on such a wrong track.

As a teenager, I eventually found that bra shopping was more comfortable with my father than with my mother. She was a B, and was determined never to admit that it could be remotely appropriate that I might possibly need a bigger cup size, in spite of me spending most of 9th grade suffering from 4-tit syndrome. Dad didn't have an opinion on the size of the things, so didn't care about the C cup adventures in underwires I might take. He did need a bit of convincing that colors other than pure (emphasis on pure) white were a good idea. But with the female clerk's help I convinced him of the joys of a skin(ish) toned bra under white blouses, he saw reason. In retrospect, the discomfort of those first underwire bras I got lead me to suspect that I probably needed D cups. When I finally learned how to measure myself, and so get a bra that actually does fit, I found underwires were not near so much a torture as I'd remembered.

I would be all for going without underwires. I love shelf bras and things of that sort. Heck, I'd go without, but that would involve chafing. I am not especially a fan of the underwire. However, I'm also an A cup who needs no lifting nor any separation. BUT, I wear the underwire, because I DO need padding. Much padding. Both because it is aesthetically nice on occasion, but more importantly, because otherwise I am very very pointy. Very. Pointy. Extremely. And they don't tend to make padded not-underwires.

Meanwhile, I am stuck at my parents' house all day, "working" (OK, I have actually been doing work, I only just got on my personal laptop 20 minutes ago, and I'm on east coast time). Somebody SAAAAAAAAVE me.....(sing along now....)

I have Inside Bras as well as Inside Pants.

JZ, I love the way Liv says 'gina. It's too cute. DH was disturbed by it at first. When I asked him what we should call it, he suggested "mysterious woman parts." I said they were only mysterious to HIM.

he suggested "mysterious woman parts."

At least it wasn't The Glittery Hoo-Ha of Happiness

Shit. Shit shit shit shit. There are reports about heavy exchange of fire where my sister is for several hours. But she called 2 and a half hours ago.

And I think I need more explanation about what underwire bra is.

The Glittery Hoo-Ha of Happiness

Aww, I kinda like this. The glitter part is all Bitchy. Sorta.

I have never owned a comfortable structured bra. I have some sports bras that confine and support but don't squish that I rely on for most daily use. I spent far too long in excruciating bras to give another moment to boobular discomfort, unless there's an expensive dinner and a really good show involved.