ByAlex Kasriel, Alex Kasriel
It has just been announced that Marks & Spencer has scrapped its surcharge on bigger bras after a revolt from large busted women.
A group calling itself 'Busts 4 Justice' won enormous support for its fight against the extra £2 levy on bras larger than a DD-cup.
I myself am in the higher-than-DD-cup bracket, but you know what, I didn't resent paying more for a £16 bra. At least M&S stocked bras in my size. (It has always been a struggle to find anything above a DD in most stores.) And at least at M&S underwear is cheaper than the rest of the posh brands who charge upwards of £25 for a bra, whatever the size.
June Kenton, who owns lingerie brand to the Queen Rigby & Peller, has loved the negative attention being directed at her rival, commenting: "It can change a woman's life to wear the right size bra. Eighty-five per cent of women wear the wrong size, many of whom have been fitted incorrectly."
I agree that women should not be tempted to squeeze into lower bra sizes in order to save money. And it's true that all Rigby & Peller bras cost the same, whatever the size. But at an average of £65 they don't need to worry about the relatively smaller added expense of making larger bras. M&S on the other hand charge around £15 for a bra. Which is probably the cheapest of the brands who actually do larger sizes.
Let's look at the evidence:
Wonderbra, £23.50
Rigby & Peller, £69.95
Fantasie, £30
Figleaves, £24
Debenhams, £15
Elomi, £32
Lepel, £20
Aubade, Fenwick, £55
La Senza, £16
The only brands that charge similar prices are Debenhams and La Senza.
The argument that other items of clothes in larger sizes don't cost more, doesn't wash either since the engineering that goes into the larger size bras is immense. It's not just a case of adding more material. I should know, I enjoy their uplifting effects!