The world of undergarments is a bewildering one. Lingerie is often marketed highly sexually, with uncomfortable, scratchy fabrics and limited functionality.

Eighty percent of American women reportedly wear the wrong bra size. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has over worn one. Like jeans, bra sizes vary considerably from store to store. Keeping them in a state where they’re actually supporting you rather than folding skin together or falling off shoulders can be a daunting task. If you have your cup size right, there is a good chance your band size is completely off. Lace & Day seeks to change that.

Lace & Day at 445 Franklin Street in Buffalo.

The shop is owned and operated by sisters Emily Constantine Doren and Holly Constantine Ortman, who strive to provide customers with the best possible shopping experience. Doren previously worked in marine science in Antarctica and environmental consulting across the country.  From 2006 to 2007, she spent time working at Sol, a Denver, Colorado boutique, as a buyer and bra fitter. Ortman worked for years as an urban planner. The sisters decided to combine their ambitions and opened Lace & Day in October 2015. Their store offers quality alternatives to department store shopping and retail chains like Victoria’s Secret. The shop is located at 445 Franklin Street in a beautiful two story-house, just off the beaten path but still in the heart of downtown Buffalo. The store layout is a minimal open floor plan with plenty of natural lighting.

Doren and Ortman strive to bring Buffalo women the highest quality underwear brands and get them fitted correctly. So many factors determine bra size, from the shape and density of the breast to the position. All of Lace & Day’s products are made of superior materials that are intelligently constructed. 

Their main focus is getting women in the proper fit for their shape. Sizes vary from 32A to 44 H, with some I cups.

“We strive to make women of all shapes and sizes feel better in their clothes,” says Doren. “A good-fitting bra can change the way all of your clothes hang on you. It’s about standing up taller, empowered and confident. Proper fitting undergarments can make or break a strong outfit.” 

Emily Constantine Doren and Holly Constantine Ortman of Lace & Day.

They specialize in fitting women of all breast sizes, as well as those who have gone through breast reconstruction, major size changes, mastectomies, and more. They also offer sexy options in larger sizes that aren’t always available at department stores, a common complaint of large-chested women.

“Seeing the transformation our products can make for women is really what is most inspiring,” says Doren.

Lace &  Day offers a variety of high-quality brands from Belgium and France that are unavailable anywhere else in Western New York. Their labels include Marie Jo, Prima Donna, Empreinte, Lise Charmel, Antenea and Atigel by Lise Charmel, and Simone Perele. Lace &  Day also specializes in high-quality, fitted sleepwear as well as Saxx boxers, a brand that was developed by its inventors on a fishing trip in Alaska. The boxers are regarded as among the most comfortable on the market. 

A seamstress is available two days a week to alter band sizes and convert regular bras into nursing bras, which are notoriously unattractive and uncomfortable. The store has four expert fitters trained to fit women accurately. After you are fitted, your sizes and preferences are kept on file.

Ninety percent of bra support comes from an elastic, synthetic fiber know as Lycra. Higher-quality bras will have a higher Lycra content. At Lace & Day, customers receive proper washing instructions to maintain longevity. It’s a common misconception that washing bras infrequently will preserve them. In reality, natural oils in the skin wear down Lycra over time, degrading the integrity of the material. The sisters recommend owning a well-fitting, comfortable bra for each day of the week so they can be rotated between washings. They offer two different fabric washes, Soak and Forever New. These fabric washes can also be used on delicate material such as bathing suits. High-quality, well-fitting bras last two to four times longer than inferior products.

“Every woman has two sides, a lacey elegant side and an everyday side,” says Doren. “In our products you can go out in the woods to split lumber or you can attend a formal event in a gown and feel equally confident. Confidence that comes from a proper fit is sexier than any item of clothing you can purchase,” says Doren. 

Lace & Day is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 6pm. They will offer special hours this Sunday, February 14 for Valentine’s Day,  noon yo 4pm. Fittings can be done for walk-ins but an appointment is recommended: Call 716-884-1580. You can keep up with Lace & Day on Instagram: @laceandday.

 LACE & DAY 
 445 Franklin St, Buffalo 
 716.884.1580 / LaceandDay.com