Underwear shop owner responds to accusations of 'shaming' women for their bra size
An underwear shop owner has responded after her business was accused of “shaming” women for the size of their breasts.
Fit To Bust Too, a lingerie retailer based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, was called out for a sign outside its high street store which characterises different bra sizes.
It ranges from “A = Almost Boobs” to “L + You’re having a laugh”.
One Twitter user, who had since made her account private, shared the sign yesterday. While her tweet is no longer available, it was shared by another Twitter user almost three years ago, which can be seen below:
‘Fit to bust’ in Harrogate pic.twitter.com/uME9bbc6JI
— Louise Naylor (@musical_lou) October 24, 2016
Many Twitter users were left outraged after seeing the post, which has since been slated as “misogynistic” and “insulting”.
READ MORE: Big boobs are ‘in fashion’
A) About turn, you’re not wanted here. B) Be gone, we hate everyone with breasts. C) Can’t you SEE? We make fun of all breast sizes! D) Do ya really want to come in here? etc.
— Ruth Crilly (@modelrecommends) February 27, 2019
The store behind this hilarious messaging is Fit To Bust Too in Harrogate. It was bad enough when I was a kid growing up self-consciously w/ a pair of (to me) overly large ta-tas. But at least I didn’t have a whole lingerie store telling me how weird+comic I looked. #fittobusttoo
— isabella #FBPE Backchannels a Speciality #TIG (@CushieBetter) February 28, 2019
I can’t believe Harrogate for all its poshness has a misogynistic shop like this. How dare you shame women! And if you don’t have the sensibility and sensitivity it requires to run a lingerie store, you have no business doing it.
— hell yeah (@CherryColaZing) March 1, 2019
Insulting people you’re trying to sell something to is an interesting tactic. I wouldn’t darken their doorstep. https://t.co/lR7XwlMXTJ
— Mx. Amadi (@amaditalks) February 27, 2019
However, Margaret, the owner of the shop, told Yahoo UK she is shocked by the reaction.
““The sign has been here for ten years,” she said.
“Lots of people come in and tell me it caught their eye. They say: ‘I wouldn’t come into an independent shop, but I came in here because you’ve got a sense of humour.”
She stresses that she does not want to shame women – in fact, much the opposite.
“Women’s self-esteem is my top priority,” she said. “And young women are my most important customers.”
However, she does intend to take the controversial sign down because she does not want it to determine the “conversation” around her shop. Margaret adds that many people contacted her yesterday to let her know the backlash is “ridiculous”.
Others – including those who have previously shopped at the store – have rushed to its defence on Twitter.
READ MORE: What you never knew about breasts
One person suggested the sign is all “a bit of fun”.
#snowflakes The ladies who work in this shop are amazing! I went in there feeling horrible because not one shop in town had a bra too fit me and I was made to feel abnormal, the ladies in fit2bust uplifted me in more ways than 2!
— Julie Ross Lunn (@Julieannlunn) March 1, 2019
Doesn’t bother me at all .be comfortable with who you are .life is for living !!!ive seen this elsewhere.wheni was younger I might have been offended by now I’m older wiser just laugh at it .sad world if we can take a bit of fun tbh
— jacqui stephenson (@jacquistephens5) February 28, 2019
Too Fit To Bust has not at present responded to Yahoo UK’s request for comment.