August 9, 2013

On Sale Now at Zulily.com

It's lunchtime and there are some great deals on Zulily right now.

Curvy Kate: Now through Sunday 8/11, 6:00am.


Plenty of sexy and practical Curvy Kate styles in 28 and 30 backs, many available up to K-cup but act quick because they will go fast! Love the Lottie navy/black combo. As of 12:15pm EDT they have every 28 in D-K cup and the majority of 30-backs as well.



Cake Lingerie: Now through Saturday 8/10, 6:00am.



Save room for some dessert! There are some of Cake Lingerie's most stylish and adorable nursing bras available. The "Shortbread" pictured above is one of my all-time favorites: YUM!!! With the generous set of 6-hooks I find the 32-bands definitely fitting for my 29" ribcage. Just remember to appropriate the cups. For instance, I would normally take a 30g but a 32ff would work after upping the band. I've even found the cups slightly generous and own 32f bras from Cake.

August 6, 2013

Happy National Underwear Day, nay Week!


Yesterday was "National Underwear Day" 2013 and Freshpair.com threw a celebration in Times Square. Although I missed the events in-person I can tell you that I view it kind of like having a weekday birthday: You get to celebrate underwear all week!!! At least that's how it is here in the Bra-cave headquarters.

The midtown display of exhibitionism was an attempt on breaking the current Guinness World Record of a public group appearing in their underwear. Reports say 779 people were noted while the record holders from 2011 in Salt Lake City, Utah number at 2,270, according to this The Huffington Post article. I think it's a pretty great first attempt and who knows what may happen next year!

This actually had me wondering what other types of lingerie records have been set out there when I stumbled upon "Most bras worn and removed in one minute". A lady named Mia Magma from Germany set this record just last July 17, 2012.

It's a shame the website cannot tell me what the record "Most sizes of bras commercially available" entails as the link is broken. Onward, Google...

As for Mia, I wonder what size and styles she wore!

National Underwear Day 2013, Times Square, New York City
Hey, we see the fabulous ladies of Curvy Kate!
 
xBustsX

I Heart Juna

In all her glory: I really love this bra!

People have been bicycling in this city forever but its biking culture hasn't been as fully mainstreamed as it is in many European countries ...like hello, Amsterdam! As of this Spring, bike lanes and the albeit mostly Manhattan-centric Citibike phenomenon (and, well, those who can bike over connecting bridges in the 45-minute ride limit) have been relatively embraced by many seeking another suitable transportation alternative to the MTA.

So something that's been around for a while is now being appreciated and it's only getting better.

So why am I talking about bikes? Because Juna's story is similar.

Juna herself as a shape has been around for quite some time in different beautiful palettes and pattern combinations over the seasons. When she debuted as a line of continuity colors in most recent years (was it really only 2011?) I was already a fan of her previous sister styles yet it took a little time to get acquainted with her simple shapely self.

In fact the earliest versions seem to have debuted by Panache brand, Masquerade. English Rose (SS09) and Inca (SS10) are both lighter color half cup bras and there may be versions dating farther back that I've yet to set my gaze upon. Inca most closely resembles Juna as we know her today. She is a pretty pinkish-coral combination of oval swirls almost reminiscent of small pieces of maki sushi or decadent tea biscuits all trimmed with tiny dotted, floral embroidered cups.

Masquerade "Inca" SS10

My lingerie drawer has been blessed with an explosion of color in many of her offerings. I am lucky to own each version of Sadie including her longline, Darcy, and arguably my favorite: Rihanna! Still there are lots more I keep an eye out for every day: Poppy, Ellie, Rita, Martha, and Cara from the most current SS13 season shall be mine soon!

The playful patterns really drew me in even before I discovered the great fit. I'd thought I could only get an adorable, well fitting half cup from Freya but now I had choice! I was a proud wearer of a Monet while still believing my size range was a proper 30ff and consequently wore the 30g half cups for the extra room! But since the style is very specific they weren't my everyday go-to bras. So all the other 30ff bras I wore really helped shift the renegade breast tissue back to its rightful place and a year later I ended up in a true 30g, which meant I really needed a 30gg in most half cups, sizing me out of those beauties! Enter Cleo half cups reaching a bit higher in both sizes and the height of the cups for a best fit. The earliest variation I own is the purple tartan Sadie in a 32g. It's the same cup volume as a 30gg but the particular season only ran 30-38 D-G. Yes, I settled on a bra I started on the final set of hooks. And oh was she worth it (still is).

Thing is that now starting with AW13 Freya is taking back my love by expanding the half cup ranges up to H cups. Now that they have the structural elements to construct even larger sizes I can see my drawer coming close to overflowing in the near future. Oh yes, I will choose to see the half cups as full-filling. No rivalries here: I'm a brand loyalist in that I love everyone equally who makes clothes that love my body. It's a celebration of women everywhere. Obviously some consumers might see the multitude of brands as competition for your devotion but I choose to see it has healthy competition. If we can have choice from an array of incredibly talented designers it can only be a wonderful thing. We're all better off for having each and every one of them.

I'm still hunting down some more of my precious Juna sisters and extremely excited by Spring 2014's lime green, yes even with the pink trim, Darcy.

Stay tuned for more half cup love.

SS14 Cleo "Darcy" in Flamingo Print
xBustsX

August 1, 2013

A personal note


So there's this perfect www.someecards.com card I stumbled across earlier this week (unfortunately it's not this one above). It was going to be perfectly appropriate for this post alas, it has disappeared from my memory (and cache it looks like, too). It simply makes a point about having the intent to do something but instead of making it a reality you think about it for so long that you actually forget it's still just living in your head.

That's been this blog and my life for the past umpteenth months. When I originally started this blog I was incredibly excited to have garnered so much knowledge about the intimate world of proper fitted lingerie and thought I was finally ready enough to make some proclamations of my own in the blogosphere. Life had some interesting events for me as it turns out. I have spent the former part of 2013 moving households (no small feat in New York City I assure you!!!), losing a great job I liked being a part of, working here and there to make ends meet which means all my time has been spent on keeping afloat. This has meant no time for participation in the Wonderful Webby World of Boobs which also has translated to not enough funds to buy new bras in order to write reviews. I've also got to catch up on months upon months of fellow busty bloggers around the net. All pending, of course. This post is kind of a whip to snap myself back into it and a confessional of sorts as well.

From the beginning I had promised myself to keep as professional (and omit my everyday identity) as much as possible so that I not only take a stand for bigger busts but to keep everything really relevant to the issues at hand. I would never want to talk about my cats, worklife, boyfriend, etc. at needless length if those topics had zero to do with actual bus(t)iness. So here I am laying it out on the table, doing something I hoped never to really do. Truth is that I couldn't imagine my life without having travelled down this path...

Of course aside from a few comments I'm not even sure anyone reads this, although I shouldn't really mind anyway.

And I'm not one to want to make excuses so I'm kinda forcing myself back to my passion here, putting much less pressure on myself to draft perfect posts (I'm not formally trained in the writing arts but hold myself to an incredibly high standard in all the work I do.) After all, I have fit many friends and some family in this time which means I'm not stopping there, so why should I here!

Oh, and rest assured when I find it the image above will be rightfully replaced.

April 16, 2013

Delay after booby delay...

Those who know me personally wouldn't be surprised when I say that I like to keep my blog and my boobs (my actual self) separate. However, I feel there comes a time when I need to be honest and now is one of those times. I had my first delay just after starting the blog last summer, it was kind of a writer's block and kind of a shyness about what to write about. It was an embarrassing numerous months-long delay. In the months that led up to starting the blog I witnessed tons of bra blogs debut and I wasn't sure mine would be any different or even necessary. This time I went through a few months of the immeasurable stress related to apartment hunting in New. York. Frikkin. City. Everyone knows this city is unlike any other and the real estate process is more than all time consuming. Add in a dash of career fluctuations and it made for a silent blog. But I am pleased to say that I am writing somewhat comfortably from my new abode and with a few more positive transitions I'll be back and better than ever in just a short while. Because what I've realized is that it is necessary for me, regardless of who else is or isn't reading.

I've made boobs my passion in everyday life but sometimes other women don't initially realize that it is coming from a truly good intentioned place deep within my heart. So this note is kind of a letter of admittance, guilt, grief, acceptance and still all based on love.

That being said, I have many pending posts from a CurveNY roundup, breasts in the media, boobs & stress, and many more reviews.

Interested in reading anything in particular? Please let me know and I'll do my best!

xBustsX

February 21, 2013

Review: Freya Ada



Admittedly I have an ongoing happy-sad love triangle with Freya bras. Growing up without proper support wasn't easy. Throughout adolescence I'd been told I was a 34C and deducted maybe I was a 34D and so spent all those years trying to find pretty non-padded bras that wouldn't break the bank. I fondly remember my excitement over solid cotton brightly colored 34D's from Gap Body but I was never drawn to floral pastels or anything overly girly. The multitude of options drastically slimmed back with my preferences. I would have to settle at least for comfortable basics even if I couldn't have more unique patterns or color choices that weren't available without a half-inch of padding.

So nowadays I've got a firm grasp on how to handle my lady assets and I'm more than overjoyed, nay, absolutely thrilled there is choice. Imagine that, fifteen year old self! It is with sheer delight that I can own a bra that fits in a nary heard of size outside the UK (where Freya is designed) but also have it available in an unpadded and proudly branded pattern. See, usually I'm a huge fan of imagery but would rather buy a shirt or other item without branding or logos because I think it speaks volumes about a company about the strength of their designs. Plus, I would rather not be a walking advertisement at my own expense. I feel the Ada bra is different. Freya were my first proper sized bra and even though it was a plain nude which actually hurt me so much I had to gift it away I'm grateful for their brand's existence because that first one was the only instance I've ever had like that. Not only do they offer a wide range of cup sizes and bands for smaller frames like my own but as a brand they really embody what it means to be feminine. Sure there are the everyday and lacy necessities of Jolie, Arabella or the Deco but some days we all require something especially fun to really amp up our need to get dressed.




The Ada is a classic balcony bra which Freya are pretty expert on. They state the center gore falls a bit shorter than many other similar bras so it makes it kind of a plunging style though not a true plunge per say, at least not as high up as a G cup when compared to my Deco collection. It fits as comfortably as any of her other recent balcony plunge sisters like the Ellie or Ivy. The band is pretty stretchy as Freya's are notorious for but still feels good on. This style is generally quite a popular fit and works well on so many women from reviews I've read. I would say the quality is great and the material gives just the right amount of stretch for movement throughout a day's wear.

The cup shape is quite natural and one I would label as 'pointy' in comparison to the well rounded shape Cleo bras give me which I generally prefer. It actually kind of disappears under certain types of clothing or specific fabrics like a heavier weighted cotton that provides some kind of shape in the darting. I would really prefer to own a ton of the padded half cup styles but the cups are really short and I would need something larger than the G-cup they top out at in the size range. (30g just doesn't cut it but a 30gg would be awesome if it were made one day!) Until then my only real choices are the true G-cups in balcony/plunges but I'm really picky about which ones I like even remotely enough to order it to try out. Because if I don't feel like it's worth at least a 75% or higher chance it'll work out for me, I know it's just time wasted ordering, waiting, trying on, returning, waiting for refund. Which can sometimes take more than a month.


 


Remembering back to my earlier years when I disliked anything tiresomely pink, lacy, floral or butterfly patterned I am so thankful for this complete antithesis! This rockabilly inspiration sports flying hearts, black inkspots, and the rockstars of the winged-insect world ‒ dragonflies! (*swoon*) Instead of the rose-adorned scroll-print toting "I Love Mom" it wears the love for Freya and is like it's been taken directly off a tattoo parlor wall. This version of "What's black and white and pink allover?" is anything but boring or outrageously girly. It's a full-busted rocker chic dream come true. Toss on some fully adjustable straps outlined in black trim, black-and-white polka dotted bow-ties, and you've made a fan outta me.



 

Normally I wouldn't go near a bra with so much of a sheer mesh upper layer and emphasis on that layer like an Arabella or Beau style because it feels just somehow uneven in appearance. Obviously I was won over by this print for other reasons but I believe it's the print which helps balance out the sheer upper cup. The black embroidery trims both the bottom and upper parts of the band, both edges of the straps, and the black parts of the mesh upper cup play off the drawing outlines of the entire bra itself. Of course, the little black bows are helpful too in creating a sweeping feel to the v-shaped neckline which finishes off a perfect composition. Wearable rock and roll tapestry! Rejoice!


ox
Gotham out!

January 31, 2013

Freya's 365 Days of Deco

This month Freya kicked off their 365 Days of Deco campaign.


Each month will see ten winners drawn which means you have a new chance roughly every 30-days! Simply visit the website and upload a photo of your niftiest outfit supported underneath by any of the Deco range. Prizes include new items in the Deco range and £1,000 stylist shopping spree! And it's open Worldwide so that means hooray, New Yorkers can enter! Personally I think it's quite exciting enough to put together your own stylin' 2013 Deco Calendar! It's like a scrapbook of excellent outfits you get to proudly show off and without ever having to give a sneak peek, unless it works for you and what you're wearing!

I'm actually excited to discover the new AW13 fashion styles featured in the video...




A stunning ruby red and black number, shimmery lavender & black lace, the muted turquoise reminiscent of a deep sea dive. Perhaps a late summer availability?

Is this a new Deco-named line like the "Deco Honey"?


More contrasted piping/trim along the cups to match the darker straps, ala the "Taylor" and "Ashlee" versions of Deco.


Looks like a wee twinset of buttons similar to the Freya Plunge in Charcoal.


I spy with my little eye what looks like a Freya Honey in Turquoise! YESSS!!!


Freya Shape is launching this year available in Ivory for SS13 and the Black is likely part of AW13 collection. Included are a new Multiway, Strapless Longline and Moulded Strapless Slip. There is a wide size range in most save the Slip which debuts in 32-36 D-GG cups. Frankly, I'm hoping they expand those sizes just a bit more with the Black colorway.

I'm highly anticipating the new blueish Freya Honey and still wish Taylor in Charcoal were available in 28GG. It does appear that SS13's Deco Flamingo and Honey in Iris purple are however much of the range still tops out at a GG cup. It's exciting to see so many options in style but I wonder how much longer GG+ fans will have to wait until they can join in on the fun?

January 24, 2013

What's Your Size Range?


Many women find a bra they like that fits well and believe that's their size in every bra. There's a myriad of reasons this isn't the entire truth because behind each label there are different factors that comprise the make up of each bra.

It stands to reason most brands would have one or more designers responsible for each season's styles and the ongoing core or "continuity" lines, you know the ones available usually in Black, White and a "Skin-tone" year after year. The total fabric content also likely differs depending on whether it's made from lace, nylon, sheer mesh, lightly-padded for shape and security, the list goes on, really. Each material will grant a different level of flexibility and some remain rather firm.

I think it's quite important to be properly measured for the likeliest size that will fit and work with it. After that it's basically up to finding the nuances of your appropriate size in each brand. Sometimes a band will be far too snug for comfort and so you can size-up the band. Other times a cup may be too big with very clear signs of wrinkling. Or, the underwire may poke at your sides so you can try a cup larger to see if that helps alleviate the issue (so long as it fits right everywhere else!).

Online Bra Size Calculators!

Measure in Inches
Linda's Online (aka Linda The Bra Lady)
http://www.lindasonline.com/bra-fitting-calculator.html

Measure in Centimeters
Elektroniczny Bra-Fitter
http://www.atlastravel.nazwa.pl/mini

Measure either Cm or In
Butterfly Collection
http://www.butterflycollection.ca/bra-size-calculator

A Sophisticated Pair
http://www.sophisticatedpair.com/bracalculator.htm

It's really just a starting point. The only real way to find out if a bra will fit you is to try it on. Here are some examples of variation through the same brand.

I'm a huge Cleo fan. The colors, the patterns, the fit! I believe (after blooming early) taking about fifteen years to find the right size has me longing to make up for lost -and very necessary- wardrobe time. Give me the bright purples and neon greens any day! I found much of the 2010 through 2012 seasons to run either TTS or they may appear so and tend to stretch out rather quick. Most notably I purchased the Eleanor in Red one band smaller and a cup size larger, 28gg, because I anticipated it would stretch somewhat given a bit of time. So I added an extender and wore this cherry tomato red pieced-cup bra with a lovely almost picnic-basket like embroidery a few times over the course of a summer week. Usually after a wash and dry a bra's elastic snaps back into place somewhat making it more snug. After only a few wears I had to leave the extender in my drawer because it was already perfect on the first set of hooks. I was shocked and definitely in awe. So I figured from thereon if the shape fits it was best to buy smaller bands so my new bras would have more life. As it turns out I would go on to purchase several more Cleo's in this size such as the Bonnie and the ever popular Lucy in many colors.

left to right: SS11 Cleo "Bonnie", SS10 Cleo "Eleanor", SS12 Cleo "Lucy" (all 28GG)



Migrating Tissue?
 
When one size seems to work a majority of the time there can still be size variations. As mentioned in an earlier post on my first proper fitting I'd originally been fitted into 30FF's. After wearing proper sizes for about 8-12 months I noticed the need for a slightly larger cup. I wondered why because my weight rarely fluctuates outside a few back-and-forth pounds and never enough to significantly alter the fit of my clothing. So after all the years spent wearing ill-fitting and unsupportive boob hammocks the extra tissue had over time kind of floated away from the front bust into the underarm and toward the back but now had been brought forward where it should be. Claire at Butterfly Collection has a great blog post with examples.

Even in my new found 30G I still found variation depending on different brands and styles. As of current time writing this I fit and constantly wear a 30FF in Fantasie moulded cup styles as the 30G is still a bit too roomy leaving little air pockets inside the cup. Fantasie's Ava from their core line is one of my favorite bras and the first one I ever wore all day without feeling like I was wearing a bra. It's that comfy! Otherwise I tend to fit well into the 30G cut-and-sew Fantasies as well as Freyas which makes sense as they are sister brands and often design shapes are identical across both lines. That said, I own just a couple of these in Freya since I'm less a fan of the overall pointed shape they give me personally. Not to be confused the similarly named AW12 Freya Ada is perfect in 30G and I loved the pattern so much I made an exception for it. Going back two seasons the Cleo Sasha (AW11) technically fit in both a 30G and 30GG but the 30GG felt more secure. In comparison the cups are ever so slightly higher and more supportive and I feel better about bending over/moving about. However just as with the previous 28-band Cleo's this band stretched out quickly and it now wears on the final hook, sometimes second-hook when a bit of room is required (luckily I was able to snag it in the smaller 28H via Bratabase and the shape is consistent).


left to right: Fantasie "Ava" 30FF, AW12 Freya "Ada" 30G, AW11 Cleo "Sasha" 30GG


Bump It Up
 
Most of the above mentions are of unlined cut-n-sew types with the exception of Ava. Not everyone will find themselves in the following situation but most of the time I tend to need one cup size larger in lightly padded styles. It feels like there is just a tiny bit less room in there with more than just the outer defining fabric. And so it's usually a 30GG for me in padded bras like Cleo's Juna. A shape from the core line it's one that started long before her as she is well known today. Available in Black, Ivory and "Nude" shades Juna seasonally wears different patterns and shades such as the current AW12 Darcy with patriotic red, white and blue leafy heart print and the purple tartan AW10 Sadie below. The purple Sadie however was not available past a G-cup. Here is another exception made and purchased in the same volume however in a 32G, worn immediately on the final hooks and will eventually need altering to shorten the band. Braless in Brasil has a good post on altering or shortening bra bands. When I purchased Juna and her colorful sisters Sadie in Orange, Darcy, and Rihanna I was still anticipating their bands to stretch out fast in a 30 and so bought the size down all in 28H's. They work well for my shape and I have a matching bra extender for each to get more wear in the long run. The only 30G bra I've found to work appropriately in a padded style so far has been Cleo's SS12 Arianna which ran 28-38 D-G and I tried the 32FF and 32G but they were both too big in the band and the 32G was definitely too big overall!

left to right: SS12 Cleo "Arianna" 30G, Cleo "Juna" 28H, AW10 Cleo "Sadie" 32G


For those curious, The earliest incarnation of Juna I've found was from just before my introduction to Panache and their Masquerade line: SS10's Inca.
 
Being measured on average for a 30G is just the starting point as witnessed above. All of these bras are worn on a regular basis and all have their own slight variation on fit and shape although on the same body.

Do you find yourself varying between brands or even in the same line? Please share below in the comments!

January 16, 2013

TONIGHT: Online Fitting Event with Bare Necessities.com!

Bare Necessities will host an Online Fitting Event LIVE from New York City tonight at 7:00PM EST.

Back in August 2012 we had a few great firsts. One of those epic events was our blog launched! The other grande experience was meeting Frederika Zappe at CurveNY. Freddy is a national fit specialist with Eveden and now you can watch her in action as well as interact with all your questions! That's right, everything you ever wanted to ask about bra fitting. Just make sure to use the hashtag #BAREFIT when writing in!

And in case you weren't already intrigued enough there will be a viewer-only secret deal during so get your alarms set and stay tuned.



Twitter: www.twitter.com/barenecessities hashtag #BAREFIT
Facebook: www.facebook.com/barenecessities hashtag #BAREFIT
Live Chat: http://www.ustream.tv/barefit

January 11, 2013

DD+'s on Television: Double Divas

We're super excited to see the ladies of Georgia's Livi Rae Lingerie bring DD+'s to the world in Lifetime TV's "Double Divas". The first episode premiered last night.

Image courtesy LifetimeTV
 


One reason we love them is because not only are they responsible for helping lift up some southern belles they are helping to dispel myths about big breasted women. Mainly, lingerie and brassieres are generally about function. That is bras play a supporting role in every woman's life as her busom friend. Let no bust be left behind! From episode 1's Norma having a custom made bra made by Cynthia, LiviRae are changing lives one pair at a time!

Were you tuned in? What are your thoughts? If you weren't able to watch the first full episode is available streaming at the link below on mylifetime.com. Go now and watch!

Check out Double Divas via link: http://www.mylifetime.com/shows/double-divas

January 1, 2013

Compendium of New York City Lingerie Stores

**Originally posted 1st January, 2013 you will find a new, always updated version here**


We're not really the ones to make New Year's Resolutions because we believe any time of year is a great time to jumpstart a self-improvement vow. January can be seen as a difficult time of year when we batten down the hatches in wintery Northern climates, yes even in New York City!

So during this reflective and warmth-seeking season we love the idea of reinstalling your own confidence and the self-esteem of a loved one by sharing a fitting day together. Take yourself and a loved one for a dual bra fitting excursion! Your best friend, aunt or sister-in-law could benefit both from a day with you and some newly uplifting underpinnings to point the year in a great direction.

And because many of us are itching to firmly decide on resolutions the first day or month can be an easily memorable one for a few reasons:

* That shiny, new fresh calendar feeling!
* New bras, new you!
* Numerologically speaking, The Number 1 is powerful and all about Potential, DO-ing, and is very Goal Oriented (hint: both January and New Year's Day are both represented by the #1)

That's why we suggest taking a gal pal out for a fitting and a few new bras to kick start a wonderful year of rediscovering you.




We've started our compendium of shops which carry 30- and 28- bands in large cup sizes. This is a starter post and will be added to as necessary.

So go on, get your new year started out cozy and crisp.

* Highly Recommended with all stores especially boutiques: Call ahead to ensure they have a variety of styles for your size-range. Most stores accept walk-ins except where noted.

Brooklyn Fox Lingerie
132 North 5th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 599-1555

www.brooklynfox.com
Small Williamsburg boutique located just off of Bedford Avenue. Have recently introduced 30-bands in 2012 at least up to an F-cup maybe even a G-cup.

Linda's Bra Salon, two locations 
Upper East Side/Lexington Avenue - The original UES location. Carries 28+ bands, AA-N cups.
  828 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10065
  (212) 751-2727
 

Murray Hill (3rd Ave/36th St)
  552 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10013
  (646) 736-1949

www.lindasonline.com
Larger than the original UES location with the inventory styles to boot. Carries many sizes in 28+ bands, AA-N cups.

Journelle, three locations
17th Street - Flagship (largest store)
  3 East 17th Street, New York, NY 10003
  (212) 255-7800

Soho (Mercer St/Prince St)
  125 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012
  (212) 255-7803 
Upper East Side (3rd Ave/73rd St) 
  1266 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10021
  (212) 255-7804 
www.journelle.com 
The "Flagship" location is the most likely to carry 30+ bands in larger cups in select brands/styles like Elle MacPherson, Evollove, Claudette, Fantasie. Carry 28-40, A-G cups.

La Petite Coquette
51 University Place, New York, NY 10003
(212) 473-2478

www.thelittleflirt.com
Centrally located independent boutique in Union Square area. Carry 30+ bands, usually up to a G-cup.

Bloomingdale's, two locations
Upper East Side/59th Street
  1000 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10022
  (212) 705-2000
Soho
  504 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
  (212) 729-5900

www.bloomingdales.com
Thanks to the larger busted ladies of the lingerie department Bloomie's carry Fantasie, Fauve and Freya. Most Essentials and some Fashion styles available. 30+ bands, usually up to a G or H-cup (and maybe larger).

The Town Shop
2273 Broadway, New York, NY 10024
(212) 787-2762

www.townshop.com
These ladies really know breasts and are usually very personable. Great selections of lingerie and swimwear, many sizes in 28-48 bands, A-J cups.

Bra*Tenders
630 Ninth Avenue #601, New York, NY 10036
(212) 957-7000

www.bratenders.com
By-Appointment-Only shop located within the Film Center Building. Specifically caters to the theater and film industry. Prices follow in accordance with privacy. All sales final, no exchanges. Carry 28+, AA-L-cups.

Intimacy, two locations
Lexington Avenue
  1051 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10065
  (646) 395-3885

Upper East Side/Madison Ave
  1252 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10128
  (212) 860-8366

www.myintimacy.com
Started carrying 30-bands by constant customer request! Appointments recommended, walk-ins may be accepted. 30+ bands, typically up to a G-cup (may carry larger).

Bradelis
211 Elizabeth Street, New York, NY 10012
(212) 431-5639

www.bradelisny.com
Japanese lingerie chain recently opened Spring 2012 in Soho. 30+ bands, up to a G-cup (cups run very small - they are labelled as a UK-size but fit like US-sizes. Ex. 30G "UK" fits like a 30F "US".)

Orchard Corset Center
157 Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002
(212) 674-0786

www.orchardcorset.com
A real New York institution. The extremely talented staff can tell if your bra fits properly just by eye. Over your clothes! Carry 30+ bands, up to a G-cup.

Saks Fifth Avenue
611 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10022
(212) 753-4000

www.saksfifthavenue.com
Carry Fantasie starting at 30-bands. Although not shown online, this locations may also carry select Freya and Cleo, could only be available in 32+bands, D-F cups but still helpful to see styles in-person and possibly helpful to try on "sister" sizes. If they fit, buy them so the demand is there for the next season!