Product Review: Itty Bitty Bra

At long last: my review of the Itty Bitty Bra. It's a Yay.
Overall Score: A

***First and foremost, I must tell you upfront (pardon the pun) that if you truly aren't itty bitty upstairs, these bras are in no way going to work for you.****

If you are a full B in most bras, you are out. In fact, an A in other bras may be able to get away with a B from Itty Bitty. (I shudder to think what the AA bra cup looks like; My First Training Bra, anyone?) [Un?]Luckily, that is me: truly itty bitty. This may be TMI, but in the interest of accurately explaining the product, I will admit that in most bra brands I am an A or B cup, depending on the style and fit, so I was looking forward to checking the Itty Bitty out.

FIT
Score: A-
It fit well. (Why yes, I did take that picture myself in the bathroom mirror reflection, thank you for noticing.) The cups are definitely smaller and cut for smaller-chested users. There was no sagging or bagging in the cups, and the cut of the cups was comfortable. I would be ok with them adding another style with slightly more cup coverage though--without increasing or changing the cup shape--but this style fit me pretty well. Both the shoulder and ribcage straps are thin, and did not cause any weird bumps or ripples. Single clasp on the back, with 4 different hook adjustments--a bonus over the usual 3 found on most bras. This allowed for perfect adjusting to my body. Also, there was plenty of room to adjust the shoulder straps length, which I liked. (I hate when you have to cinch it all the way up or down and it still doesn't fit correctly and the straps are too short or falling off your shoulders.) I wore the bra all day on two separate days, and was comfortable both days.

MATERIALS/CONSTRUCTION
Score: A
It seems well-made and the stitching looks solid. The real test will be after a few washings, though, so I'll update if I notice any extraordinary wear-and-tear. The double-mesh fabric was comfortable and breathable. (Marcy likes to let her, ahem, "girl downstairs" breathe, apparently I like to let mine upstairs do the same? Well yes, I believe I do...) The elastic bits were not scratchy, but kind of a soft micro-fibery feel, which was nice. Even the little decorative bits (rhinestone and some loopy/lacy trim) did not rub, chafe or scratch. The cups were slightly padded--enough to hide the cold-weather radars if you know what I mean, but not so padded that they felt like extra-terrestrials had set up camp on my chest. BIG bonus points there.

SERVICE
Score: A+
The folks over at IttyBittyBra.com were friendly and fast, getting me two bras in just a couple days' time. Course the test of service is always if there are problems with the order or product, but hey when they are fast, friendly, and right the first time, I give that a good score.

I would compare this bra to a couple of Calvin Klein ones I've had in the past, in terms of fabric and style and construction, except that it fits my itty bitties better. If you are by most American standards flat-chested and tired of buying bras that look like they were made for a 12-year old, or fed up with bras with tons of ridiculous padding and inserts (don't even get me started on the rubber filets), you will probably like this bra. I definitely recommend it, but you really do need to be pretty flat-chested to wear it.

Not now, I'm busy

There's that part in the movie Marley & Me where Owen Wilson's character verbally fast-forwards through a couple years of their lives with a very long-winded soliloquy; that is exactly how I feel my life has been the last two weeks. (Well, actually to be honest, it's been that way the last 5 years, but the past two weeks especially so.) It has been one thing after another with seemingly no rest in between. I've been so busy I haven't had time to think straight yet it feels like I've gotten nothing done--both at work at at home. Anyway, one thing I did manage to do OKthis week was run. Because I was short on time, I was forced to run faster in order to get done what I wanted...that is not altogether a bad thing. A little recap:

• Monday - crammed in quick 6 miles at the park after work


• Tuesday - crammed in 2.5 miles at the park after work, then another 2 plus weights and core at the gym after Shortie soccer


• Wednesday - speedwork with the running group: 1-mile warm-up, few strides, 5x400 at 1:50-2:00 pace, 2-mile cool down


• Thursday - 1-mile warm-up, 45 min of weights/core work, 1-mile cool down


• Friday - off

Tomorrow is the Cinco de Mayo 10k and the running group is meeting to run the 5k course beforehand to warm-up. After that is soccer, more soccer, a friend's birthday party for Shortie1 and then hopefully some rest? (yeah, right) Sunday I hope to get my 15 miler in on one of the trails, weather permitting...in other super-exciting news, I will try to get the product review of the Itty Bitty Bras up this weekend. I received them and tested them out this week and can't wait to share my opinion with the world. :-) I know, I know, I'm quite positive the world is waiting on pins and needles.

The most exciting news of the week to me, is that I am now on a short countdown to my very-first-ever 1/2 marathon on May 17th! I cannot wait and am starting to do all the fun planning and analyzing to figure out what the rest of my training should be for the next couple weeks. (Like, do I really need to taper for a half? I'm worried if I do, I will be all lazy when race day comes and will run like a pile of mush. Maybe I will just take an extra day off that week?) Oh Running, how I love to obsess over you...

More Laps and Potential Bra Pics

This is the snow that has accumulated in my backyard as of 3:00 today. It's more than 14 inches and I think it's more like 20 inches so far (insert appropriate "20-inch" double entendre here)--that taller snow on the back of the table is the full amount, as we scooped off a section of it yesterday at 3:00 to see how much more we got today. I had hoped to do a long run today of 12-14 miles, but I have to say that though I may be loco enough to do 70 laps indoors, I refuse to go upwards of 100. So I decided to do a shorter easy run today, with the sincere hope that the big ol' hot mountain sun will come out tomorrow and melt all this wet nastiness to where I can at least traverse the sidewalks. The one chink in that plan is that is was supposed to stop snowing at noon today; it is now 3:30 and still snowing. Hmmm...that better be some sun tomorrow.

A bit of good news though, the kind folks at ittybittybra.com have agreed to send me an itty bitty bra to test out on my itty bitty girls. Look out for a review in the not-so-distant future and, as I am not an indian giver (drumroll please)..... a picture, I suppose. (f&ck, I never actually thought they would really send me one...now I'll have to join the ranks of quasi-famous, pseudo-moralistic, massively-sketchy internet semi-nudies...hey, life is looking up!)

Today's stats:

-Run 4 miles/40 laps in 38:07

-little bit of upper body weights

-sledding and steamrolling down hills, then hiking back up. Also worked in some snow plyometrics as it was the only way to move through this knee-deep, wet, muck

Itty Bitty Bonus

Thank you Kathryn Wexler for introducing me to this...ittybittybra.com

If only they weren't $50. That's $25 per itty bitty booby. I'm not sure my itty bitties are worth that much apiece...but as a sufferer of the maladies outlined in Ms. Wexler's post, I am inclined to give these a try. If so, I will do a fitting review for those of you who are, ahem, also itty bitty (which, BTW, doesn't that almost make being flat sound cute, instead of demeaning?) though I won't promise any pics...unless the folks at itty bitty want to send me a free one. That might be worthy of a pic (yes, I am easily bought out...and anyway, no one wants to look at itty bitty boobies so I'll be safe).

Some other "fun" itty bitty things:
Alan Jackson's "Itty Bitty" song (or maybe it's Little Bitty...I don't care enough to find out)
Itty Bitty Ti++y Committee movie (huh? really?)
The Itty Bitty Kitty Committee (yeah, really. And no, it's not as you are probably hoping for, guys)
A lot of itty bitty crap that someone obviously has the time and inclination to sit around and dream up/make (and no, I did not find my boobies on here, whew!)

And with that I say, "You're welcome Glaven."