The product police have several branches; besides the guys who keep track of products you love and take them out of production, there are some who keep track of products you love and introduce design flaws. I'm sorry to say that the second bunch have long been active with the bras that I have worn for a long time. (Male readers with delicate sensibilities might want to take a pass on the rest of this post.)
The bra straps on this model are made by folding some tricot knit around a base and fusing the edges together on the back side. Unfortunately, long before the bra is ready to be discarded, the fusing starts to come undone and the two halves ooze outward, exposing a line of scratchy used glue that does not feel nice against your shoulder.
This week I took another culprit to my studio, resigned to spending a half hour fixing it. But inspiration struck. Why repair the strap when I could just turn it upside down? I cut the stitching that held the bra strap to the back of the bra, unthreaded the other end of the strap from its metal ring, turned the strap upside down, rethreaded it, and stitched it back to the bra the other way up. Total time, maybe five minutes, of which one was figuring out whether it would really work and one was rethreading the machine with the right color.
Take that, product police!!
Sweet victory!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea. I need a way to get rid of that little metal slide that irritates my shoulder.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of the tip I learned from a nurse once: Wear your slip wrong side out and it won't ride up the way slips like to do. That works; why couldn't they manufacture them to not ride up?
I hate scratchy tags at the back of my neck. Even when you cut them out, they often leave little scratchy bits. Why can't they may make soft tag?
ReplyDeleteGenius!
ReplyDeleteI love you. I think you are the sister I was supposed to get instead of one of my brothers! These sad tales all resonate with me so well. I may devote 20 minutes to fixing the four bras I've been nurturing along these past 10 years. I'm afraid to buy a new one! Ditto the tags, what the heck...WHY????????????
ReplyDeleteAnother Princess here with the same troubles. I often buy four bras at a time if they fit and don't rub or scratch. Meaning there are "parts" for replacements. But I like the idea of just remaking the irritating part.
ReplyDeleteThe latest form of torture is the bra with non-adjustable straps. Fine when you first put it on but as your body heat softens the fabric you find your boobs slowly sinking toward your knees.
ReplyDeleteHelp! A woman surely did not design this thing. And the tags sewn in the neck? How do I begin to tell you!!!!