October 15, 2024

Photo-Illustration: the Cut; Photos: Retailers

Like many others born in the late ’80s and early ’90s, I bought my first big-girl bra at Victoria’s Secret at the mall when I was a young teenager. I barely had boobs, but that wasn’t a problem at Pink, the chain’s younger-sister brand, where neon-pink and green cotton underwear was stacked across the counters like piles of colorful candy. My mom indulged my request for an AA-cup T-shirt bra with enough padding to keep it from completely collapsing under my school-uniform polo shirt. It would be many years before I realized that not every bra I wore needed to be a push-up. And even more years to realize I didn’t need to be wearing a lined underwire bra to even consider leaving my home. Where did I get that idea? At Victoria’s Secret, of course. 

Tonight, trying to win back shoppers and rebuild that huge market, Victoria’s Secret is staging its famous lingerie fashion show for the first time in six years. But if fewer people are buying the brand these days, what are they buying instead? I asked 300 readers to share their honest, intimate thoughts on their bras — which styles they wear and when, where they like to shop, and how confident they are that they’re wearing the right size.

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Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photo: Getty Images

By Madame Clairevoyant

Every product is independently selected by editors. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission.

First, some sobering stats: Migrant deaths in New Mexico have increased tenfold in the last two years, and the average size of global wildlife populations has fallen 73 percent in 50 years, according to a new study, and people in states with abortion bans are more than twice as likely to die while pregnant, birthing, or newly postpartum. Boston’s new professional women’s soccer team has a name, and it includes a shout-out to Logan airport. Add Rufus Wainwright to the long list of musicians who don't want Trump using their music at his events. Not only is chicken wine a thing, apparently it's been a thing since the '70s. And Delta's planes are getting a big redesign.

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A biweekly newsletter interrogating modern family life, written by Kathryn Jezer-Morton.