retail profiles // classy // tomorrow’s woman the perfect fit lingerie and swimwear

Square footage: 3000
Location: Bowling Green, KY
Year Opened: 2000


Q&A with Bonnie Oldham Strode, President and Owner


Ted Vayos, BODY: Describe your store.

Bonnie Oldham Strode: After opening Tomorrow’s Woman in 2000, it was discovered that women needed professional bra fittings by certified bra fitters. We have the certificates proudly displayed.
“The Perfect Fit” is a division of Tomorrow’s Woman that opened to meet the needs of women that need to be in the right bra size. We also offer bra-sized swimwear year-round and body shapers that will rock your world.

After my mother had breast cancer in 1990, I traveled with her to her fittings. After I visited a nice little shop in Champaigne IL, I knew then that I wanted to open my own shop and help women become whole again and regain a sense of completeness. I opened Tomorrows Woman in 2000 to serve women that had breast surgery and chemo. In 2008, I expanded into a new division of lingerie and swim for women that just needed a good fitting bra. Bra fittings are free.
Ted: What makes your store special?

Bonnie: The employees of Tomorrow’s Woman and The Perfect Fit Lingerie and Swim are certified fitters who care about making a difference in women’s lives. Every woman wants to look good and feel better about herself. We carry such a wide selection of styles and sizes, that everyone has choices in the correct bra size. There is no excuse for being in the wrong size unless you self-fit or if you get measured by a store employee with no certification. Know who is fitting you. Our business philosophy is “There are no perfect bodies, but there is “the perfect fit”.

Ted: What do you look for in a brand?

Bonnie: There are several important elements that I demand in a brand: The bra must have function, fashion, and size range. It must fit! It must be fashionable, (even t-shirt bras), and it must have a large size range (as long as they fit from one end to the other). Our boutique can fit anyone from a 30AA – 54K. On the Tomorrow’s Woman medical side , Amoena is the innovative leader in mastectomy products. Amoena looks for “solutions” when making their products. They use materials that keep you cool such as Outlast, and Silver that reduces bacteria, yeast, and fungi on and under the breast to improve personal hygiene, and padded hook and eye closures for comfort. On The Perfect Fit side, Eveden and Panache have provided every size needed for bra fittings. They manufacture a wide selection of bras: strapless, fashion, t-shirt, sport, and built in bras in camisoles, and best of all – bra-sized swimwear.
Our newest product line is TC Intimates. They are the innovator in breathable body shaping garments with silicone borders to stay in place. When they say “smoothing”, they mean dropping 2-3 inches. These products are mostly foundation garments, but can peek-a-boo as a layering garment. You must try it to believe it.

Ted: What are the most popular styles?

Bonnie: Popular styles include the Panache sport bra. It has a cushioned underwire with a J-hook option for razor-back workout tops. The Panache bra reduces bounce by 82% so you can focus on your workout and not your bounce. Panache also makes the bra sized camisoles that allows busty gals to where this cami without an additional bra. A must for girls in a D-H cup. For the full-figured woman, Elomi by Eveden has incredible fitting t-shirt bras, strapless bras, and fashion bras. No more sagging, muffin-topping, or sweating under the breast.

Ted: Describe your price points and size ranges.

Bonnie: Our price point ranges from $38.00 to $85.00. The lower price range still has the superb fit without all of the bells or whistles. The higher price range also has the superb fit but has features to die for: stretch lace, embroidery, wicking fabric, and fun fabrics.

We have a wide range of body types. I have to say that over the years, it has changed . Our most popular size range is a 30F-36G. We are seeing many more full-figured ladies that are requiring bands 44-46 and cups in the H-J cups.

Ted: What does the average customer spend per visit to your store?

Bonnie: Our average customer will spend $100-$150 for retail purchases. We offer a rewards program for shopping local. It helps them stay properly fitted and they support local business. We also offer a referral program that earns them $10 for every new referral to our store. It’s a win-win situation.

Ted: Describe your customer.

Bonnie: My customer base is primarily women in the ages of 25-75 years of age. Every woman should be taking good care of their breast with proper sized bras. It’s all about the correct cup and band combination to get the ultimate fit.

Ted: What else can you tell us about your business?

Bonnie: Breast health and education is so important. If we could inform the younger generation about how to stop the sag, many breast issues would not exists. Yes, those cheap tank top bras may cost you a measly $15, but spending $69 on a quality sports bra or support bra that won’t give you saggy breasts is a much more valuable trade-off to consider. Every woman should know all about her Cooper Ligaments to “keep the girls up”.