Sports bra shopping aka a walk through Hell

Let me get this out of the way first.

I hate clothes shopping.  I always have.

When I was a kid, I hated it because we didn't have much money and I would be teased because my clothes came from Bargain Harold's or BiWay or Kmart.  And usually I had no say in what I wore.  My parents had ideas about what I should wear and that was what I wore until I had money to spend on my own choices.

I got my first retail job when I was 15 years old (turning 16 that year) and it was at Kmart, in the footwear department.  With every paycheque, I would go to Reitman's and buy myself an article of clothing or even a whole outfit.

Back in the late 80s I had this cream coloured outfit with gold coloured buttons that I just LOVED.  I thought I was so sophisticated when I wore it.  But even then, I had a hell of a time shopping.

My shoulders have always been narrow (so the shoulder-pad craze actually worked for me- LOL!), once I had a chest, it was always OUT THERE and I've always had quite the shelf, so to speak, when it came to my behind.

I've always had issues getting things to get over my butt and then gaping at the waist.  and, despite the sage advice of Stacy & Clinton from TLC's "What Not To Wear" - I've never been to a tailor.

But since the only shopping I truly enjoy involves books or DVDs (or buying things for people other than myself) shopping for bras is one of the things I hate the most.

#1 - I don't want to spend more than $30 on a bra if I can help it.
#2 - I currently wear a 40DD (though if I was professionally measured - I'm not sure what size I would actually be).
#3 - I always worry that I am going to rip something when I try things on.

Anyway, I went to Walmart and they didn't have ANY sports bras in DD.  And, in fact, I only found ONE sports bra that was a 40 band size (and it's one of those uniboob ones that don't really have "cups."

I had a salesperson assisting me and I decided to see if I could possibly squeeze into a D.

Cue to me in a change room looking COMPLETELY ridiculous.

I did end up buying 2 of the band-sized bras (one a 40 and one a 38 that fit) and I've read that when you are larger, it's beneficial to wear 2 at the same time for more support.

I think I need at least 5 because even with 2 on, the amount of bounce and movement is nuts.  It makes me think of that scene in "The Long Kiss Goodnight" where the jogger goes by.

(I found it on youtube. Go to 5:39 and it's just a couple of seconds).



Anyway - I find it bizarre that it's so challenging to find sports bras and workout clothes in general when I am a larger size - after all, what are we supposed to be wearing when we work out to lose the weight?