Before I begin a series of political posts, here's a personal-consumer post. I highly recommend the Toronto store Secrets From Your Sister to anyone in the GTA in need of bras or lingerie.
When you move to a new city, you have to find new everything. A new doctor, dentist, vet, hair stylist. A place to buy dog food, a place to buy sneakers, a favourite spot to meet a friend for lunch. I know people who will only get their hair cut when they visit the city they used to live in! Not me. I want everything to be convenient, and I don't imagine there's only one person in the world who can satisfactorily cut my hair. But there's going to be trial and error involved. Finding everything you want in the new location takes some time.
A few years ago I thought I had finally successfully transferred everything in my life from New York to Mississauga or Toronto. Until I needed new bras.
I used to buy bras at Town Shop, a New York City institution - and a true bra-fitting store. Once you've been properly fitted for bras, the idea of trying to find a suitable bra on your own is just slightly better than pulling your own teeth. You can't measure yourself. You don't know which bras to try. You have to continually get dressed and undressed as you search for bras in the store, then return to the fitting room. And you'll never be happy with your purchase. It's a [first-world problems] nightmare.
A few years after moving to Canada, I went back to Town Shop, but I knew that wasn't a long-term solution. In an old workplace, I heard some co-workers talking about a bra-fitting store in Toronto, but I never got the name or address. The situation was getting kind of desperate, and I was avoiding what I thought would be a painful search... when Impudent Strumpet wrote about buying attractive exercise clothes at Secrets From Your Sister. That's it! That's the store! We chatted a little in comments, and I put it on my spring to-do list.
Now that I've gone, I cannot recommend the store highly enough. The lovely women at SFYS must have thought I was a bit mad. I was so happy to find them! And the store is so great!
In comments, Imp Strump said:
They're super-competent and professional, listen to what you want and make it happen (even if you're like me and can only explain it in terms like "rounder but further forward"), and are able to protect quite a lot of your modesty and privacy considering they're fitting you with a bra. The fitter never sees you without a bra on and never touches your breasts (she touches your straps and band, and if your breasts need to be moved she tells you what to do and you do it yourself). It's a bit pricier than a mall store or a department store, but if you've already been getting individualized fitting at a famous place in New York City, it's probably the price point you're used to.
I agree with all this and will add a few of my own.
They do not rush you. If you want try on 10 bras, then try on 10 bras you shall.
They keep your information on file, so if you want to re-order, or buy something you liked but didn't buy at the time of your fitting, it's easily done - including if you remember only the colour or a vague description.
The fitting rooms are spacious and closed by a curtain, rather than a door, so they're cooler.
They have baby powder in the fitting rooms!
Your fitter brings you a soft white t-shirt to slip on to see how things look that way.
With your purchase, you receive a free sample of their favourite washing product in the scent of your choice (or scentless). The sample is 120 mls (about 4 ounces) and you only use a drop per wash. That is a huge sample!
As Imp Strump said, the fitters are super-competent and professional, but they are also friendly and sweet.
And did I mention they don't rush you?
SFYS is the younger, hipper version of Town Shop. Town Shop is like SFYS's Jewish grandmother. She's a cool grandmother who's a modern woman, but still.
There was only one negative. My bras turned out to be the most expensive I've ever bought. I was kind of shocked at how much I spent. But I don't think it was particular to SYFS; I think it's just an expensive brand. Now that I have a good fit, I might be able to find a few more of the same kind on a discount website like this. If not, I'll continue to buy them at SFYS. Like glasses, bras are worn every day and they have to be perfect.
Thank you, Secrets From Your Sister!
(And I hope anyone who enjoys looking at models in bras enjoyed the links in this post!)
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