Sizing up her clients

[attach]5041[/attach]Nancy Elms knows many reasons why the majority of women continue to wear the wrong bra size.

“A lot of people don’t take the time to come in and be properly measured or fitted,” she says. “They just kind of keep going with what they bought for many years and keep on buying the same size and not realize that their body is changing even if they don’t lose or gain weight.”

On the verge of celebrating her 20th anniversary running Très Jolie on Yonge Street near Castlefield Avenue, Elms says she’s noticed two big changes over the last couple decades.

“There’s more choices in bras now especially for the fuller figure sizes,” she says. “Also the average bra size has gone from what used to be 34B to now more like a 36C or 36D so the population has gotten larger as well in terms of the bust size.”

Although she says her store specializes in bra fittings, they also carry sleepwear, including silk lingerie and cotton nightgowns, fleece robes, slippers and hosiery.

“We do (bra) sizes from 32A to 48G so we will take time with the customer, figure out what size they need, what type of bra is best for them,” she says. “We also do alterations and repairs on bras which a lot of stores don’t do so it’s something specialized to us.”

Elms first opened the boutique in November 1991 and says her clients help influence what kind of bras and brands she carries because she knows what they like. She hopes the future will bring more of the same.

“Our customers have obviously grown with us over the 20 years but we’ve also got new customers coming in and some of their daughters are even starting to shop so hopefully just a whole other generation,” she says.

One thing she’s always liked about the area is the variety of restaurants and boutiques and a lack of chain stores, which she says made it a good fit for her own store.

“It’s just a great little neighbourhood community,” she says. “When we first opened we were surprised at how much of a neighbourhood it actually was.”

She says she wants her customers to leave Très Jolie feeling happy about their natural assets.

“Most people who come in complain they’re too big, they’re too small, I wish my body was different,” she says. “So just for people to feel good about what they’ve got and be able to make the most with what they’ve got and work with it.”