I admit it. I’m a cheapskate. What I can buy from the nearest tiangge, I will not buy from boutiques. If a 500 peso blouse with a Korean tag fits, I won’t give the gorgeous blouse from Vida Doria another look.
But when I buy my bra, I splurge. Without guilt whatsoever. For those of you ladies who never wore a training bra (you know, if you woke up one morning and you suddenly had big boobs), you’ll understand what I mean. My first bra was a 34B and, by the time I was in high school, I was wearing a 36C. It’s something I inherited from my father’s side of the family where women had boobs that turned heads. My mother, who never quite understood that there are bras and there are bras, didn’t even know the concept of bra cups. She grew up in an age where padded bras were the standard and cups were determined by the thickness of the padding. I had to learn on my own about bras. And when I did, I got hooked to Marks and Spencer.
Back then, Mark and Spencers was known as St. Michael’s by Marks and Spencer. St. Michael’s was sold exclusively in Rustan’s and it was the only brand that had size 36C. On a schoolgirl’s allowance, the prices could mean starvation. But I’d die anyway if I couldn’t breathe properly so, what choice did I really have?
When I became a mommy and my bra size became 40C, I had huge problems. My solution was to have my bras bought from the U.S. Every time my brother-in-law and his family came to visit from Chicago (which was about every two years), I would ask his wife to buy my bras. Of course, in the U.S., 40C is not unusual (I especially loved Fruit of the Loom bras). But when my brother-in-law moved to another company and couldn’t get the every-other-year vacation leaves, my bra supply was cut short.
I felt that Marks and Spencer was too much of an indulgence especially since budget constraints and spending priorities had changed. They always do when kids enter the picture. At any rate, at the around the same time, brands like Triumph started selling bigger sizes. I opted for the less expensive brands. However, although I dared not articulate why, I started wearing bra less and less. Of course, I was spending more time at home by then and bras became something exclusively associated with going out. Perhaps, I didn’t have the time to feel the discomfort of ill-fitting bras when most of my time and attention were devoted to making sure that the kids were never out of sight in public places.
I did not start missing St. Michael’s until I started to work again. By then, there were Marks and Spencer outlets in most shopping malls. But the prices had gone up from 250 pesos or so when I was a student to about 1,400 pesos — and that’s the cheapest kind. Duh, I had to stick with my Triumphs and Avons although I really hated it that both companies seemed to associate larger cups with underwires (I hate wired bras). What I didn’t realize was that they really turned out to be more expensive because they did not last as long as my old St. Michael’s bras.
Well, I’m back with Marks and Spencer. Started buying up again since a couple of months ago. Of course, it’s a little too much to buy a dozen at a time so I just buy one or two each time. No underwires but with all the support necessary for cup C women.
P.S. Marks and Spencer t-shirts are great too. The cut is wonderful, the material is soft and machine-washing doesn’t deform them. Lovely, lovely colors too. 
{ 35 comments… read them below or add one }
karen 07.10.07 at 10:51 am
i can relate with you in this one miss sassy, i am also one of those girls who just woke up one day, and ta-da! there they were… . it also runs in my family, i even have a cousin who’s only 19 but she’s already considering breast reduction (when she’s a little bit older) because it’s hurting her back.
a lot of people don’t realize the downside of having big breasts…haaay.
and yeah…there are only two things that i splurge: electronic gadgets and bras.
KK 07.10.07 at 11:11 am
Pareho tayong “well endowed” Ate Connie. Like you I hate underwires, they hurt! I like wearing Champion sports bra and a Zen style from(I can’t even remember the brand because they stopped manufacturing it.) My hubby bought me Victoria’s Secret years ago but I rarely use them because they lack support and the material was too slippery they kept falling off my shoulders. I’ll check out M&S when we go to the mall.
btw, thank you for posting the pictures in PMN
with the article.
Mila 07.10.07 at 11:56 am
I remember my first bra was a St. Michael’s bra, bought in HK. I still splurge on M&S bras twice a year, usually during sale periods. Have you tried Debenhams? More or less the same size availability, prices hover in the P1200 to P1500 range too.
But when I’m in the US, I buy tons of bras at Nordstrom Rack to make up for all the bras I can’t get here. The style factor alone, we need nice, pretty, and comfortable bras for bigger women!
Connie 07.10.07 at 1:06 pm
Karen, ako rin: electronic gadgets and bras. And sneakers. LOL I don’t care about make-up. Jewelry, yeah, because they have resale value but never costume jewelry, sayang lang ang pera.
KK, I think Victoria’s Secret is just for “looks”. I mean, unless you wear your bra and panties outside your clothes (like Superman and Batman whose briefs are worn outside hahahaha), who cares about pretty laces? In fact, lace bras make my skin itch.
Mila, where do I find Debenhams in the Philippines? And, actually, we need nice, pretty and comfortable CLOTHES for real-sized women. My goodness, the blouses in stores look like they’re made for children.
honey 07.10.07 at 1:13 pm
I like buying blouses at the Landmark. They have a wide selection and the price is very affordable. And they have plus sizes too
Last month, I got this nice collared shirt for less than P200 and it looks good din. I can’t stand SM’s line for plus sizes. They’re like made for old people and the designs are so blah. I can’t imagine spending for more than 1,000 for a single blouse
Connie 07.10.07 at 1:17 pm
Honey, yesterday, I was at the Mall of Asia and found a store called X-quisite. Nice. Cottons and sheers. Plains and prints. Embroidered stretch pants. And the colors — they have hot pinks and pale greens and stunning purples. Of course, I didn’t give the browns a second glance hehehehe
Jon Limjap 07.10.07 at 1:27 pm
Lace undies weren’t made for women… they were made for the men of the women who wear them.
They made them uncomfortable on purpose… guess why. LOL. :p
Mitchteryosa 07.10.07 at 6:55 pm
Di ko afford ang brand na yan LOL! Hanggang Triumph and SOEN lang ako. :p And in my case, kahit training bra lang eh uubra hahaha!
Connie 07.10.07 at 9:37 pm
SO-EN is great, actually, kung may size hehehehe. Ako, pag panties, SO-EN.
chateau 07.10.07 at 10:59 pm
I can totally relate! Underwired ones are okay for me, as long as they’re not Avon or Triumph kasi after a few months lang the underwires are sticking out na. Wacoal is also a good brand for me, alongside M&S op cors… Oh btw, could you imagine my dilemma while shopping for nursing bras? I felt so discriminated against LOL. “Sorry ma’am, yan na po ang biggest size.” Grr.
julie 07.11.07 at 12:42 am
Connie, I have a very thin 8yo student wearing baby bra by M&S. Her mom showed the brand name to me. Not to brag but hmmm…yes, to brag how she got them at Php25! In a M&S “ukay” somewhere in a building in Makati. This mom is very well-endowed too and she got hers for several hundreds lang daw. These were all old stocks but she said, “Who cares? As long as these fit comfortably.”
Sorry I just can’t remember what the name of the building is…Hope I remember to ask when I see her soon.
Carol 07.11.07 at 1:49 am
I also splurge with bras. I actually get mine from there. I’m a Wacoal user for 15 years now. Nung umuwi ako diyan noong 2004 talagang I splurged. I bougth 5 pairs. I really like their fit. Very durable din. Imagine, meron akong isa na 5 years (let’s say 52 times a year siya sa labahan) ko nang ginagamit buong-buo pa rin. Di pa rin nagbabago ang mga garter. I go for underwire bras kasi small breasted ako. It boost my confidence kasi I looked like I have full breast. Ako yung tipo na kapag natunaw ang taba sa katawan kasama na rin ang boobs sa natutunaw. Wacoal is in the same price range ng M&S.
lady cess 07.11.07 at 7:59 am
hindi ako maka-relate… hindi ako biniyayaan e, hahaha!!!
yeni 07.11.07 at 8:24 am
^ so-en din ako for everyday panties then jockey for travel. but since i’m just 40B (which i still found difficult kasi nga everything they sell is cup A and smaller bust sizes) i can buy from 50% off triumph and wacoal from a former officemate who’s a sales agent.
debenhams is at edsa shangrila mall.
Kongkong 07.11.07 at 8:45 am
Hay naku..I wish I had the same problem. I’ve been asking my husband for a boob job for the longest time. Yun na lang talaga and…PERFECTION!!
Wacoal is also a good brand. Pero it’s so expensive here. Found a place in Bangkok selling it for a quarter of the price here. I hoarded nga 2 years ago and hanggang ngayon meron pa akong stock. Can you believe it’s like Php180 a piece.
Connie 07.11.07 at 10:54 am
Hmmm… I haven’t tried Wacoal. Masubukan nga.
Julie, pleeeease paki tanong. Marks and Spencer bra at 25 pesos - kasi 2 dozens bibili ako hehehe
Or, yung 180 per na Wacoal, Kongkong. Grabe at that price, 10 bras would be 1800 pesos! That’s the price of ONE bra I bought the other night.
Rowena 07.11.07 at 6:34 pm
hi connie, buti pa kayo gifted in that department. nakaka-conscious pag wala talaga. so i buy yung me underwires and pads (na me gel pa inside)of course. he he
auee 07.11.07 at 10:29 pm
I got all my maternity bra from M&S, siempre accessible sa akin dito. OK pa nga ang customer service nila. I bought the pieces during my 2nd trimester & the lady helped me pick the right size that will accommodate my growing bosoms.
And I always get their multi-pack panties for pasalubong when I visit Pinas.
ays 07.12.07 at 1:12 am
hi miss sassy. i agree with you on marks and spencers bras. calling them st.michaels reminds me of my elementary and high school days. i also loved their knitted socks, which was considered “cool” then.
anyway, about the bras, i love the fact that they give shape to my body. and they’re not bulky! i think mas mura dito sa singapore ang marks and spencers, lalo na pag sale.
Jayred 07.12.07 at 1:49 am
My Mom, sister, and I are Wacoal underwear users. It’s a bit expensive but they really last. If I remember right, one Wacoal panty (well, there are many designs) cost me PHP450 apiece. The bra is like PHP600 apiece (again, depending on the design). Something like that.
There was this true story that involved a Wacoal panty that got flushed in a toilet bowl (don’t ask me how; it just happened). The flush system later became “kaputt” because of it. When a professional plumber came to the rescue, he had a hard time pulling out the Wacoal panty that got stuck somewhere in the sewage pipe. After several attempts, he was able to do it. He later remarked, “Whew. Ang tibay naman ng panty na yan!” LOL.
Bottom line: I recommend Wacoal by all means.
Jayred 07.12.07 at 1:52 am
P.S. BTW, my Mom and sis are the ‘boobsy’ types and they claim that Wacoal has what it takes to meet their underwear needs. Hope this helps.
Sam 07.12.07 at 11:10 am
Con - Ever since I started working, I’ve been a marks and spencer person. Bras, shoes, blouses, pants, tees, suits, etc. I splurge once a year or even less. Long-lasting talaga. I totally agree about the t-shirts. I love them.
At MOA I discovered Dorothy Perkins - their suits are also great and much cheaper, and with realistic sizes.
At Gateway, I like Luscious - but some of their outfits are a bit over the top. A lot of times though I see good finds for casual wear.
Connie 07.12.07 at 12:19 pm
Jayred, does Wacoal have cotton panties? I only wear cotton but that toilet story is intriguing. If they’re that durable, they might be worth the price.
Hi Sam, speaking of suits… One shop I really, really miss is Suits Unlimited in Megamall. It closed down a couple of years ago. The jackets are so great they could go from office to cocktails. I have one in black with beaded sleeves and collar. Hay, naku… kaka-miss mag shopping eh kakabili ko lang the other night. hehehehe
Jayred 07.12.07 at 2:00 pm
Yes, they do. I wear only cotton underwear as well since my skin is so sensitive due to skin asthma.
Trust me, they’re that durable (Mom got convinced, too. She used to be a Triumph user). The ones (panties and bras) I bought way back in 2001 are still with me. They still look good.
Connie 07.12.07 at 4:39 pm
Oh great. Basta cotton. Yung mga lace-lace, they scratch my butt. Will definitely check out Wacoal panties next time.
cocoy lizardo 07.12.07 at 7:35 pm
Please post store or outlet of inexpensive Marks and Spencer. Did you notice that SOEN and some local brands copy the designs of their panties?
I got my girls those cute pink selection from Marks and Spencer -with dots, different shades of pink then found similar designs from SOEN.
I LOVE the bras without the wires
Connie 07.12.07 at 9:06 pm
Hi, Cocoy. Re copies. Talaga? I never noticed. My kids like their panties plain. So do I for that matter so I don’t really look at the ones with print.
O, Julie, dumadami na yung request for info on the 25-peso Marks and Spencer bra.
cocoy lizardo 07.13.07 at 7:26 am
You must try some prints but still made of cotton. They can be fun
We teach our lids their early preferences. Our moms used those full panties and bought us the same. But the line of underwear has evolved and it is cool to try some. My girls requested for boyleg styles recently and they found id comfy and “safer” than their bikinis.
I get my girls cute undies from tiangges or when I go to 168.
Sharing some thought from a Mom with 2 teens.
Toni 07.13.07 at 1:54 pm
Oo nga ‘no! My favorite underwear is consistently from M & S. Their quality is indeed really good and comfortable.
Sharon 07.13.07 at 5:59 pm
I agree that you can’t beat M&S for value but I think they’ve also improved a lot for value. I think one of the key things I’ve learnt about bras and big breasts is that most women aren’t actually wearing the correct size and therefore suffer pain and problems. It can also have a psychological impact with ill fitting bras not giving you the best look. My suggestion is that every women should go for a proper measure every year or 2 (as they do change size a lot) and this is where retailers like M&S excel.
fanta 07.15.07 at 1:41 am
Hi! Like you, I’ve always had problems finding the big-cupped bras. Marks & Spencer has big sizes but they’re usually out of stock. I used to buy their 36-DD cups but I found out later that I had been using the wrong size. Just a few years back, I chanced upon an episode on Oprah on wearing the right bra size and they said that 80% of american women wore the wrong size. Meaning, the band of the bra should be lower and the cup should be bigger. Unfortunately, at that time, I could not find anything bigger than DD in the 34 band. Just today, though, while checking out the newly-opened Marks & Spencer at the Block, SM North, I found a 34-G size total support, non wred with cotton. I thought it would be too big but lo and behold, it was perfect! The band gave comfortable support and the big cup covered everything: no spills and all! Costs only 1650…which is not bad, considering the minimiser costs 2000 and the more ordinary ones around 1000. The downside is that it was their last piece. I asked if they could find other stocks from other branches (crossing fingers). I think investing in good bras is important….My opinion on Wacoal? Well, they don’t have big sizes and I bought from there before, the designs were good but they didn’t give enough support. My friend told me about Debenhams, I have to check it out…=)
rhodora 07.17.07 at 2:56 pm
Ummm. I haven’t tried Marks and Spencers bra, hanggang Triumph lang ako. But me and hubby had Marks and Spencers shirts before. Ang sarap isuot! Mahal nga lang. I think I’ll check out on M & S bras. Thanks, Connie.
Mila 07.18.07 at 4:27 pm
Connie, sorry for the delay in responding to your query about Debenhams: they have a store in Shangri-la Plaza Edsa, on the 3rd floor of Rustan’s Makati and I think they have one in MOA by now.
I also agree with the Wacoal suggestions. Even Oprah herself has said she loves Wacoal. Mahal, but worth the price.
dhayL 08.01.07 at 5:48 am
i must admit that growing up i can only dream of marks and spencer..during my highschool days, i was somewhat “in denial” of the fact that i had bigger chests compare to my other friends. however, that did not stop me from joining the track and field team and the volleyball team. i wasn’t conscious even on wearing the “proper bra” to sort of protect me from rigid movements. i just buy my bras from the market (and yeah surprisingly they have my size) snd i would just put on extra sando or something for more protection! ehehhe. only then after highschool, when we moved to canada, that i was educated on diff kinds of bras-like their sizes and cups. i haven’t really tried using bras without the under wire, although they said that it’s not really good for you, but the under wires gives me that “lift” especially now that im a mom
i wear 34D, although victoria secrets carries 32D, so whenever i go to the states i pick up a few. i like it when im fully covered!
Connie 08.04.07 at 12:53 am
Thanks, Mila.
dhayL, siguro sanayan din yung underwire, ano? ako kasi nairita ako first try so, ayawan na. The few times after that, pag wala na choice, I’d buy bras with underwire tapos, dinudukot ko yung underwire at tinatapon hehehehe