I have kinda given up when buying pretty bras (mostly from Evans) of buying the matching undies though. The last time I tried that it was these weird floaty things, that feel like they don’t actually cover me up and keep trying to fall down, even though they’re in my usual size which is normally a bit snug if anything.

Size 14 gets to choose from: full brief (aka granny knickers), bikini brief, high-cut bikini brief, thong, g-string, boy-leg brief, french knickers.

Size 22 or 24 gets the exciting choice of granny knickers, or granny knickers, or hey, look! more granny knickers.

Let’s not forget that if I’m buying my granny knickers, I’m generally buying them individually (rather than in multi-packs) and they’re about $8 a pair at least. The commonest pattern is also the least flattering, and comes in the standard colours of white, or the one-shade-matches-nobody beige. If I’m lucky, I’ll find something in a floral pattern.

Knickers that are sexy? Knickers that are flattering? What the heck would I want those for? I’m a fat chick – so I automatically have no taste in clothes and no interest in being attractive. Thanks be to all the gods that when my bloke gets to see my knickers on me, he’s usually more interested in getting them *off* me than how they look.

Couldn’t agree more. Fat = plain.

As for what I wear, I love Victoria’s Secret hi-cut briefs in cotton. I wear size 22-24 pants and the XL’s fit me like a glove.

Because I missed the VS semi-annual sale, I just got a bunch of the Hane’s cotton hi-cuts that aren’t supposed to ride up, but they are a bit baggy for me in a size 10. But, they don’t ride up, at least, even if they’re not as smooth and soft as the VS ones.

My biggest gripe is not being able to get bras in the cool colors just because I wear a size 40 instead of the apparently more acceptable 38. As a 40 DD, my choices are black, white or beige.

I think I’ll try making my own undies out of an old t-shirt…

And let’s also not forget the whole where-did-the-bikinis-go? I’m REALLY short in the rise (despite a prodigious rear end), so boy-cut and ‘hi-cut’ underwear all shows above my pants, and the only other thing that seems to be available is thongs which, yuck. Put me in the hater column.

Sometimes clothing shopping is just plain frustrating.

My major bugbear is that in the bigger styles (not necessarily sizes; in most places I shop, the more scanty styles of regular knicker go up to a British 22-24 – what I mean is the knicks they describe as ‘full briefs’, as worn by one Bridget Jones) almost never come in interesting colors. These are the everyday, default normal briefs for me, and I like them interesting colors, and preferably deeper colors, but most commonly they’re in packs of all white. Failing that, pastels, or even that horrible color that’s nothing like the ‘flesh’ it calls itself. Yuck.

It bugs me hugely how often big bras go with knicks that only reach a 14, so a matching set is out of the question. Ditto, sometimes, larger briefs where one style of bra will fit the ‘matching’ boobs but a different style won’t, or any kind of other boned top garment won’t. (Love boned stuff, but if you’re a 40DD in the UK, unless you get a bespoke corset made, fuhgeddaboudit.)

Bras and back sizes I think I’ve often discussed here before. Bras up to a JJ cup are very cool, but please, someone do more over a 38 back. Currently, in the UK, lots of the former and not a lot of the latter. And, again, underwear buying isn’t something I really want to get into over here. Got too much gig watching and beer drinking to get on with!

Not true. I’ve got ginormous meandering boobs, and I don’t feel a need for a brassiere. Just about the only times I wear one is when I expect to be in public, and that’s not out of need, it’s because I fear I’d otherwise be ridiculed. Or that I’ll embarrass my less enlightened friends.

Not actually true for all women.

I got bigger fish to fry so don’t care too much about underwear sizing.

You might notice that this post is entitled “petty gripe of the day.”