Swedish Lingerie Chain Requires Saleswomen To Display Bra Size (POLL)

Woud you mind revealing your bra size?

Several female employees at a lingerie company told their employer, "No way!" The employees are filing a lawsuit against the chain, called Change, for requiring them to display their bra sizes on their store name tags.

Putting their cup sizes on display, the women say, feels demeaning -- not to mention awkward when they see customers outside of the store who now know their chest size.

The policy, currently in place at the Swedish branch of the Scandinavian company, was introduced three years ago in order to help customers figure out what bra size might be best for them. Susann Haglund, CEO of Change, told Swedish newspaper The Local:

"I don't get why this would be seen as demeaning in any way. I am sure there are those that feel that way, but it is completely voluntary to wear a name tag with your cup size."

But a Change employee begged to differ, telling Sweden's Sveriges Radio AB, "When you start [working at Change], you receive a document which states that 'name tag with size is always worn,' so to me that doesn't reflect that it was voluntary."

After taking a closer look at the employee handbook, the women contacted the Commercial Employees' Union who agreed that the revealing name tags constitute discrimination under Swedish law. But negotiations between the union and Change have fallen apart, leading to a lawsuit, reports UPI.

While the outcome of the lawsuit is not yet decided, we're left to ponder: would we be OK displaying our cup sizes? Is this demeaning to women -- or a clever way to improve the bra-buying experience?

Quick Poll

Would you be OK displaying your bra size as a lingerie store employee?

SURE. With everyone buying bras all around you, it's no big deal.

NO WAY! I don't want any random person to know my chest size.

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Comments

[Maruska Morena]

07:14 PM on 11/17/2011

It's not about what I'd prefer or not prefer, because honestly I wouldn't really care. But it's the whole why I'm doing it that would bug me. How does my bra size really help another woman? Most women can't really tell by looking at another woman whether or not they're her size or not. We all tend to think we're fatter than we are, or bigger/smaller than we are. I don't see it helping anyone except for the guys walking in who don't know their girlfriend's size, and even then chances are no one working is going to be exactly the girl's size.

[Ceci0294]

02:58 AM on 11/12/2011

I've worked at a store with the same standard in place and honestly, it was never an issue. The point was to be candid about your body and have confidence in it no matter your size - we preached this point over and over and over - and it allowed our clients to feel safe with us as sales people. And though our handbook said the same thing, that the name tag must be worn, it does not specify that your size has to be on it - if someone had a problem with this they probably could have easily requested that it be left off, I believe someone actually did request this at our store. Usually these places have you sign the waiver BEFORE you agree to work there so it's understood that you're comfortable with all the trappings of working in a retail store that involves being able to confidently assist others in a setting that may be a little more "personal". The girls who had so much animosity toward this idea seem to be bored...or insecure, which is not something a company should pander to or change its practices over. It would be a different story if the girls had said "I won't wear this name tag" and were fired for it.

[Amock]

08:21 PM on 11/10/2011

What purpose does this serve? How does displaying your bra size increase sales? What does it matter to a female customer seeking a bra what the salesperson cup size is?

[richardcheese02]

01:22 PM on 11/10/2011

Instead of posting the size, just walk around topless! It would bring in more guys to spend alot of $$$

[MKrause]

10:52 AM on 11/08/2011

This isn't a bad idea. It certainly wouldn't fly in the states, but it would be much more embarrasing for men to walk around with their penis size on a name tag as opposed to a women's bra size

[DXE]

09:03 AM on 11/08/2011

One would HOPE that the letters on the name tags are large enough to read without a person ( male , for example ) having to put their faces too close to my chest to read the tag to begin with..... sounds like an excuse to oggle to me.

[Dee Amschler]

02:04 AM on 11/08/2011

I wouldn't do it and I suspect it's one of those "voluntary" things that comes with a lot of pressure. Besides, what MY bra/cup size is or what anyone else's is doesn't really tell someone what size their partner/wife/girlfriend/etc. may wear. That's what fittings are for. All you can really do by looking at a name tag with a bra or cup size on it is the same thing you can do with out it - look around the shop and say something like "I think she's built like the salesperson over there". And trust me, I've had enough people try to guess mine over the years that I know most people haven't the slightest clue what they're looking at when it comes to size other than if you're flat or not.

[MLukhman]

08:47 PM on 11/07/2011

> introduced three years ago in order to help customers figure out what bra size might be best for them

Isn't this what a bra fitting behind the scenes for?

[princess unicorn]

08:14 PM on 11/07/2011

I can see why some people might be offended by this but personally I don't think it's a big deal. As some of you have already said, it's easy to tell whether someone has a small, medium, or large cup size. It's generally quite obvious. Another thing too, a lot of people assume that A is small, and anything over a C or a D must be large but that's not always the case. Because they're measured by volume, a 30DD is the same as a 32D/34C/36B/38A. My real size is a 28F and before I actually worked in a lingerie store I would've fallen over laughing if someone had told me I was an F cup because my boobs are a fair size but in my mind an F was amazing watermelon tits I could only dream of. But if you convert that, it's the same as a 32D which is what I wear and which is a hell of a lot more affordable than a 28F would be. Point is, bra sizes are weird, most people don't know how they work, I don't care what people really think about my boobs, so I'd be okay with wearing a name tag saying my size. Especially if it said 28F. That'd be a good conversation started. 'So...where are the watermelons at?'

[Dede Eagleburger]

12:16 AM on 11/08/2011

what a great post, glad to be fan #1...so many don't know what you said!

[SouthpawSass]

06:22 PM on 11/07/2011

As long as they have their male staffers display their cup sizes in an athletic shop...

[ultrabop]

05:04 PM on 11/07/2011

I proudly display my 34b cup size on a forearm tattoo just in case it's not required for some jobs.

[Bianca S]

03:59 PM on 11/07/2011

Okay, I consider myself pretty open minded, but this just rubs me the wrong way for some reason. I don't know why being forced to reveal your bra size to a complete stranger, as innocuous as it seems, would be helpful- everybody's breasts are different and nobody can correctly guess what size you (or your gf/wife/sister etc) would be based on someone else's cup size.
The idea that you can lose your job, or not be hired in the first place, especially given these tough economic times when jobs are scarcer, over your right to privacy, just seems wrong and gives your employers too much power over your body.

[WyldCherry]

02:45 PM on 11/07/2011

If you don't feel comfortable revealing your bra size, then don't work there.

[Clare53]

07:02 PM on 11/07/2011

Uh, you shouldn't have to reveal your bra size to work in a lingerie store.

[WyldCherry]

03:03 PM on 11/08/2011

If it's apart of store policy and they applied for the job knowingly they have to show their size, then I don't see a problem. However in this case, it's not right that the women were forced to wear them even if the store policy said it was voluntary.

Yet,seriously, as a customer, I would rather have a sales attendant be comfortable talking about her bra size or the types of bras in the shop that works for her...rather than her be sheepish about it. I think the bra size on the name tags shows that the sales attendants are willing to talk shop rather than un-caringly shoo you away into a dressing room with a box full of bras to try on.

Let's be honest ladies, some of you (if not most) do want to know what she's wearing but are too shy to ask. The tags removes the awkwardness of asking the sales lady what size she's wearing. If the sales lady is a similar built/size as me, I'd be more inclined to ask her opinion of the types bras to try on than someone who is not my size.

[king soloman]

02:03 PM on 11/07/2011

small medium and supersized. Thats how i determine cup sizes at mcdonalds. Why not it bee the same here?

[FaceTheTruth00]

01:57 PM on 11/07/2011

Hmm, well, I can't really see the big deal here. Anyone equipped with the gift of sight can clearly discern cup size. Unless you are coming to work wearing a poncho or something, the size of your breasts is not going to be a secret.

[gemini68]

03:12 PM on 11/07/2011

As a woman I have to say that you are flat out wrong. Especially considering that most women are wearing the wrong bra size to begin with. There was a study done some years ago that showed that 80% of women thought they wore one size when they actually wore a completely different one. That is why having a proper, professional bra-fitting is important. I was wearing a 34dd for years. Then I went to a real lingerie shop - not a chain store like Victoria's Secret and was fitted into a 32F. And low and behold all of my issues with past bras went away (straps slipping,etc).

[Dede Eagleburger]

03:44 PM on 11/07/2011

so right!! It's worth the time to make sure you get the right fit...!!

[DSevere]

03:44 PM on 11/07/2011

This is very true, especially if you are a curvy or big woman, finding a bra that works for you can be fairly complicated.

[leskataus]

05:19 PM on 11/07/2011

Actually, you can't always determine cup size simply by looking at the woman. I have a daughter who wears a DD cup. You might assume from that cup size that she is overweight but the truth is that she isn't. She's actually rather slender and her breasts don't look particularly large. Anyone looking at her might think she's a C cup. She's fairly tall and has a long torso so she is able to hide her large breasts better than someone who has a different body type.