She had talked to my father about it the evening before, and then she and I went down to Penny's after I got home from school. The bras were on a table at the front of the store, and I was nervous that my mother wouldn't complete the purchase before someone we knew came in and noticed what we were doing. During that time, grown women shopped for their undergarments in Foundations where they were mysteriously measured and fitted. Over the years the department has changed to Lingerie, which is presumably softer and sexier. In contrast with foundations that were meant to shape and contain the figure without being seen, lingerie has become a garment in its own right.
Lingerie connotes black satin, lace, and the unfastening of hooks.
Don't get me wrong. I would like to look sexy in my underwear, but I would be even happier if I could find a bra that didn't poke into my ribcage or slip off my shoulders. During my annual trip to the lingerie department, I am hopeful that I will finally find a bra that is right for me. I identify several styles that seem comfortable without looking institutional and for several weeks I am optimistic, until I find myself reaching inside the neck of my shirt to pull up my bra straps and realize that I still have a problem. The impetus for my new interest in underwear was an article about a woman who in the process of being fitting for a wedding gown discovered that she was wearing the wrong size bra.