I haven't always worked in retail or indeed lingerie, so here's my little back story to 2011 or about 1803 if you ask my kids because they think I am almost pre-historic:
In Lincoln we had the usual department stores that stocked some lingerie items but not a great deal and not really a proper size range. For a growing city it had pretty poor offerings for bras.
At the time I was quite happy with my work as a remedial therapist, working with ladies mainly. After a good few years of hearing about ladies suffering discomfort caused by ill fitting bras I decided to take a course on bra fitting to investigate the problems women were facing. The original thought was that it would help develop my problem solving ability when faced with bra discomfort or limited mobility due to large breasts.
What I wasn't prepared for was the complexity of bra fitting and the engineering that goes into bras (and knickers.....who knew gusset depth, width and length was a thing!). From that first morning I knew I was on a slippery slope into the lingerie world.
I was entirely consumed by this new and exciting world and knew I would be hurtling into a new career. I found myself at trade shows, with a thirst to know more and meet those already immersed into the very insular world of lingerie.
My therapy clinic morphed into a bra fitting studio a day per week and stock started to occupy every available space in my house. My kids started signing for deliveries and knew more about bra sizes at age 10 than most women of retirement age!
I knew it was time to take the next leap of faith into an arena I knew nothing about, back to the books and concentration of learning how to set up a retail business. It wasn't easy, I was completely out of my depth, but slowly I got the hang of it. Above everything else I was passionate about women getting a brilliant bra and an expert to fit them.
My skill, experience and training continued to develop. Training course after training course with different brands around the globe, learning how they develop the products, so many component parts and how they grade the sizing. I now train everyone that works for me with an amalgamation of the knowledge gained from each course and brands I have trained with.
The website, what can I say...... this has been a labour of love. The shop was holding its own and my customers were not only local but from far and wide, they wanted to be able to buy their bra in other colours or re-order the same perfect bra we had fitted them with. I began a new quest to get a website online but little did I know this was to be my biggest challenge to date.
Website developers speak a different language! This was nearly the undoing of me, trying to find a company that really understood the variation of bra sizes and shapes was impossible. I encountered a few rogue traders along the way, but eventually found two amazing companies to that understood and were very patient of what I wanted to achieve. Nick and Liam, thanks, you have been amazing!
Now, the idea behind the website was to bring every bit of fitting knowledge I have (the inside of my head is a bit chaotic at the best of times, but to get it on paper is quite impossible) and put it on online for you fine and lovely ladies to be able to help when choosing lingerie. This is ongoing, capturing the right words and putting them into sensical order for website presentation is not easy.
I can honestly say that everything on Claire Woodall Lingerie is tried and tested! I have worn some of the most uncomfortable bras known to woman in order to help you avoid them, they have scratched, made welts, cheese grated my nipples or made me look like a mad women pulling at it all day long! Even my staff have the displeasure of wearing new bras to test them so that you don't have to.
If you know the bra you love, for me its Marie Jo or Prima Donna Twist heart shaped bras, they help to disguise my wonky boobs and always fit a treat. I will always post in my "Fit Tips" if there is something you should know, an extra special addition like a 'J clip' or that the bra is coming up a little snug or even a little loose. If there is something you want to know about a bra, if your size has 2 or 3 hooks at the back we will be able to let you know. If you need to speak to someone about the bra, just pick up the phone or email and we will be able to help. We all work on in the shop bra fitting, we all love lingerie, so we can help.
So there you have it, the bras on my website are the best on the market. Trade shows, regular meetings with company reps and managers ensure I present you with excellent lingerie. I am always on the lookout for the next best bra, the next new design or innovative product and I'm a sucker for French Couture Lace.
Claire.xx
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