The Best Places In Los Angeles To Find A Bra That Actually Fits

If you're the kind of person who can find a cheap bra at Target that fits like a dream, God bless you. This list is for the rest of us. Maybe you're too big, too small, too busty or too flat to grab something right off the rack that doesn't scream "grandma" on the bigger end or "training bra" on the smaller end. Maybe you have a reconstructed breast or a prosthesis after battling cancer. Or maybe you just can't seem to find the right size and you need a little help (just admit it: you probably do). But getting the right bra can be a sort of magical thing. It can help you stand straighter and make your clothes look better and just feel generally more awesome.

You could measure yourself and try to find something on the internet, but it's kind of fun going in for a bra fitting (if you're not shy about having someone see you topless in the privacy of your own fitting room). At the best shops, you'll find kind ladies who will school you in the principles of bra fitting and adjusting before they pore through their inventory to grab you an armload of contenders. At some shops, there's a hint of feminist consciousness-raising as you shake an angry fist against the sins of Big Brassiere that has had women wearing too-big bands with too-small cups for too long. Victoria's Secret, it turns out, may be her very limited sizing. (Of course, at this intersection of feminism lite and commerce, you'll find the Oprah effect.) But it is a business and you get what you pay for: though the fitting is free, it's the bras that'll cost you. You might be hard-pressed to find many bras under $50. But whatever you buy at these shops will outlast whatever you last bought at the mall, especially if you follow the bra ladies' instructions for washing and especially drying. You can watch for sales on their Facebook pages, too. Share your favorite bra shops or breast consciousness-raising moments in the comments.

Jenette Bras (Facebook)
Jenette Bras

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Jenette Goldstein says she had been working in Hollywood for 20 years without ever learning her real bra size. So Goldstein created a shop just for bustier gals like her—its slogan is "the alphabet starts at D." Sure, you'll definitely be able to find functional bras that look good under a sweater or allow you to jog or nurse. There are even some really cute swimsuits. But part of the fun of coming here is the curation: Jenette's picks out a really great selection of really cute bras with matching underwear. That might not sound like a lot, but most lingerie shops with fun, sexy, frilly, fashion-forward bras don't stock bras above DD or so, and it is such a bummer. At Jenette Bras, you can browse through the drawers of bras, but the friendly staff here will size you up right and bring you armloads of bras not only in the size you need but in the style you want. You get what you pay for—some of the brassieres can creep up around $150, but they stock some pretty cute styles at the lower end, too.

Jenette Bras is located at 4308 Melrose Avenue in East Hollywood, (323) 665-7490 and 18 East Holly Street in Pasadena, (626) 744-9484

Seriously, they have your size or one of their Wizards will make it for you. (Wizard of Bras' Facebook page)
Wizard of Bras

If you haven't found what you're looking for anywhere else, you might need to head to The Wizard of Bras in Monrovia. It's located just off the 210, and they have a wide selection of, well, just about everything you can imagine a hard-to-fit lady might need. They've got a staff of expert bra-fitters on staff who can help you not only find a bra that fits, but minimizers, mastectomy bras, front clasp bras and even no-wire bras for larger ladies. They've got a great selection of swimwear that takes into account cup size. If you don't find what you want there (and they've got a big selection 28-58 and AA-N, so that's a big if), they'll help you order something. If you need a tweak, they've got seamstresses who will work their wizard magic. If you don't want to drive to Monrovia, you can hit them up online, too.

Wizard of Bras is located at 1530 S. Myrtle Avenue in Monrovia, (888) 564-9754

Nordstrom

If you prefer the department store experience or if you happen to find yourself in a new city and aren't sure where to go, Nordstrom is your best bet. It carries far more sizes than your average department store. And the ladies who work in the lingerie department know what they're doing better than any other lingerie peddler you'll find in the mall. And since it's Nordstrom, you can get your alterations done on site and if for whatever reason, things don't work out between you and your new bra, Nordstrom has a legendarily awesome return policy. Because good bras are expensive, Nordstrom prices aren't actually any pricier than the other stores on the list. But if you're on a budget, head over to Nordstrom Rack. The selection might not be quite as comprehensive, but you might just get lucky.

Nordstrom has quite a few locations around town

Honorable mentions:
Sara's Lingerie
Miss Stevens For Lingerie
The Little Bra Company (A Los Angeles-based brand for smaller breasts—not a store!)