As the lift pings to signify my arrival at the lingerie floor of David Jones, I break out into a cold sweat.
For me, underwear shopping is a nightmare. Everything looks sexy in an A-cup, but by the time I wrest an E from the back of the rack (if the style goes past a D at all), I am confronted with an industrial-strength creation that has almost as much fabric as a circus tent and bears more than a passing resemblance to one.
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Then there’s the fitting room, inside which you realise that the aforementioned monstrous bra is either too small (gasp) or arranges your assets in such a way that you would look more at home in a burlesque club than an office.
At this point I usually lose the will to shop and return home immediately, but this time promised to be different.
Luxury French lingerie brand Chantelle — one of the world’s oldest underwear labels — has teamed up with David Jones to offer personalised fittings and this is what I’ve signed up for today.
As soon as I arrive, my fitter Izabella ushers me into a private change room.
“Beautiful lingerie has an amazing power,” she says, in a husky French accent. “It makes you instantly more confident. It’s a secret that only you know, and it can make you feel beautiful and sexy.
“Now, all you need to do is relax and tell me what you like to wear and how you dress and we can see what bra is right for you.”
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After quickly measuring me, Izabella brought several bras, and took time explaining when I would wear them, and how they would fit into my current wardrobe. If something didn’t fit properly, she hastened away to get another size, all the while dispensing lingerie pearls of wisdom.
“Taking time to choose the right bra is a very French way of dressing,” she says.
“Most Australian women don’t realise that what you wear under your clothes can change the whole appearance of your outfit. Where I come from, we always dress from the inside, out.”
After this delightful fitting, I plan to do so too.
Chantelle will offer personal consultations to David Jones customers from May onwards.
Your say: What is your worst bra shopping experience?
Video: Chantelle fitter Veronique Bonard discusses the latest lingerie trends
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