I had heard Soma is great about measuring you for your true fit and I was in desperate need of new bras before a business trip. I was greeted professionally and immediately, and said I needed to be sized. Although I mentioned the bra I was wearing was ill-fitting (too large), the associate threw a tape measure across my chest while I was wearing a shirt and bra and guessed I could be between two sizes, both even larger than what I was wearing.
I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt - perhaps sizing runs differently with their products - and tried on the two sizes. The larger was obviously much too large. The other I thought I could make work.
I purchased two bras and packed them for my trip that night. Unfortunately, it was a disaster. Even though I went with the smaller of the associate's two suggestions, the cups were much, much too large. I spent the week feeling like Madonna in the Vogue video and there were obvious gaps between the cups and my actual chest.
Normally, I would have been able to exchange these for the appropriate size, but Soma has a ridiculous return policy. Essentially, you can't return anything, at all, for any type of credit, unless its new with tags. Well how do you know the exact fit unless you actually wear a bra and move around in it? After complaining to corporate I was told that they could take them back even without the tags as long as they were unworn. Again, although it was my fault for shopping last minute, I took these on a business trip and had no choice but to try them unless I wanted to go braless the whole week (which I definitely did not). Their only solution was to offer my 15% off another purchase, after I had wasted $120 on bras I will never wear again at their store. I understand they cannot resell bras that have been worn, but $60 each down the drain is a rip off. Surely, they can compromise somehow to keep a customer.
I went to my old standby, Lane Bryant, and bought 5 bras for about $180 that fit like a glove. I'll never return to Soma. read more
