DarrenBarefoot.com

A designer in the Netherlands has developed a wall of breasts (via Boing Boing) for retail stores. They’ll enable men to more accurate assessments of size before purchasing lingerie. Women of the world rejoice:

“Most men have a selective memory,” she explained. “They know all about their car, but never seem to know their wife’s bra size. “When trying to buy a sexy bra for their wife or girlfriend, usually they point to other women in the shop or, when asked about size, they say a ‘handful’.”

I tried to find a photo, but had little luck at the Piet Zwart Institute or Het Nieuwsblad Online (I even Zoekened at the latter).

UPDATE: Steve sends along these ‘very disappointing’ photos. I’d have to agree–why not have pairs of them at remotely chest level? Really, how hard is it not to screw up a wall of breasts?

But seriously, there’s a usability issue here. As a man who occasionally buys lingerie for his wife (this wall would be no help for cross dressers, would it?), I’d feel pretty sheepish about feeling up a wall to identify the correct bra size. Besides, I already know it.

Here’s a little pragmatic tip to men of the world. Every once in a while, get your significant other to write down all her sizes–from hat to feet. She may feel a little awkward about this, but reassure her that:

1. You have no idea of what you’re doing, so any help will only pay her dividends later on.
2. You have no sense of women’s sizes anyway, so you’re not going to pass judgement on what she writes down.
3. You’re going to keep it in a safe place.

Now, no boob wall required. You just sail in to any women’s clothing store with your list of sizes in hand. Of course, there’s the (one of many) cruel reality that a size 6 dress in Store A doesn’t fit anything like a size 6 dress in Store B, but you can’t be expected to account for that.

As for not choosing the dress with the big purple polka dots, well, that’s on you, my friend.