Endowment Find

I can rock a low v-neck while maintaining a more than passable level of modesty, because my dip in the gene pool left me rather tiny on top -- and normally, I'm totally fine with that. For ladies on the other end of the spectrum, my position could sometimes seem like a mighty fine place to be. But it can definitely be frustrating -- more than once, I've found a cute top while shopping, only to have to leave it at the store, because the size that's smallest enough to fit my chest is too tight around my (apparently He-Man-esque) arms. And most bras aren't readily available in my size, or they lack the necessary padding that makes me feel like I have, in fact, passed puberty. Well-endowed I am not, so you can see why, as my first fitting approached, I was stressing about finding an ideal undergarment.

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I frantically -- and futilely -- combed two malls searching for an undergarment that would fit and flatter. I'd been advised to bring a longline bra to my first alteration appointment, but seriously struggled to find one I felt comfortable enough with to wear on my wedding day. In desperation, I did several things:

• I read through all the "undergarments"-tagged Weddingbee posts -- yup, all of them -- trying to get ideas of what might help me fill out the top of my gown, but still look like myself.
• I snapped up an A-size NuBra. Honestly, I was wary of this adhesive option, but figured I could bring it to the fitting, and return it if I decided to go another route.

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• I purchased a simple strapless bra that fit me well, and planned to talk to the seamstress about tacking it into my gown.
• I learned that if I value breathing, no longline bra in my size would work; while my chest is smaller than average, my ribs aren't!
  

In the first 10 minutes of my fitting, I discussed my options with the alterations consultant. She immediately dismissed my idea to sew a bra into the gown -- it's not a heavy garment, but apparently, this idea only works on extremely light sheaths and other similar styles. She also passed over the NuBra (and I have to admit, I inwardly sighed with relief). I told her about my frustrations trying to find a bustier that would fit without making it impossible to breathe. And then, she disappeared into a stock room, and came out with (dun dun DUN) a longline bra by Dominique. (It looked quite similar to this -- a bit longer in the torso, though, and a more neutral, nude color, rather than this stark white.)

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I was dubious as I tried it on, but pleasantly surprised when, even with it hooked closed, I was still comfortable. The secret? It's one band size larger than what I normally wear. We added some padding to fill out the cups -- the result was a natural, flattering fit. And while I'm normally wary of purchasing accessories from bridal salons, this undergarment was just a shade above the price I'd seen (in all my research) for similar products.

Did you struggle to find the ideal undergarment for your wedding gown? Any other small-chested girls want to share what worked best for you?