This is the first post in a series by Lelaina [Since changed her name to Shana to avoid confusion with fellow columnist Leila], the niece I introduced to you in my previous post.

This isn’t my niece. This photo is to show a bra style very similar to her frilly bra purchase.

About halfway through my year stint as an English teacher in South Korea, I finally stumbled upon a lingerie store that carried bras in my size! Prior to that I had browsed some department stores and discount shops in the underground (literally underground, not black market ;)) markets and I found nothing above a C cup. There were generally great sales on bras from AA-B, which fit the vast majority of Korean women, but absolutely nothing for a curvy American like me.

So, I was delighted to find Aimerfeel, a Japanese lingerie store located in the Gangnam (yes, like “Gangnam Style”) underground. The saleswomen at Aimerfeel spoke only a few words of English, but were extremely helpful. One of them measured me and declared me to be a 65 E (European sizing). That was a surprise, because 65 cm is less than 26 inches and I’d been measured at 28 inches and fitted into 30 or 32 inch band bras earlier in the year. Healthy Korean food and my daily Tai Chi classes had caused me to lose some weight unexpectedly. In an American store I think I would have a really difficult time finding a bra with a 26 inch band, but the lovely sales woman helping me quickly found the bras I wanted in my exact size! She even helped me in the fitting room, making sure I had the correct size and was wearing the bras properly.

The main negative about Aimerfeel is that all the lingerie was extremely showy. The simplest bras I found were one with pink and black stripes and another that had the British flag across one boob. Most of the others were bright, lacy, and frilly. I ended up buying two frilly bras and the two simple one. None of them had thick straps like I would prefer to give extra support, but they all felt great due to the band fitting me perfectly. Thankfully, I knew from lingerie shopping with my wonderful aunt that the majority of support comes from the band of the bra, not the straps.

I haven’t worn the frilly bras very much since I bought them because they don’t lay flat underneath form-fitting clothes. The simple ones have gotten tons of use though and are my favorite bras because the bands still fit well despite a year’s worth of washing and wearing. Each bra was 35,000 won. It sounds like a lot, but it converts to about 30 dollars apiece! Aimerfeel was a great find for an hourglassy woman abroad!