My Life Behind Bras

The Fairy Bra Mother of Broadway

MY LIFE BEHIND BRAS

I spent years backstage with women at their most vulnerable.
What I discovered was never just about clothing
it was about the armor women wear… and the stories they carry beneath it.

Lori’s World

Lori Kaplan is a New York–based speaker, storyteller, and author whose work explores identity, vulnerability, and the unseen emotional lives of women in high-performance worlds.
For over two decades, she worked behind the scenes in Broadway, film, and television environments witnessing private, unfiltered moments where confidence was built, broken, and rebuilt again. Those experiences shaped her voice today: honest, grounded, and deeply human.
She now shares these insights through her writing, speaking, and conversations focused on personal growth, resilience, and authenticity.

The Memoir

A behind-the-scenes look at the women, stories, and quiet moments that happen when the spotlight fades.
OR

About Lori Kaplan

Lori Kaplan is a speaker, storyteller, and author. Her earlier work includes founding BraTenders NYC, a pioneering intimate apparel consultation studio serving Broadway, film, and television productions. That chapter of her career is now a foundational legacy experience that shaped her understanding of women, confidence, and identity in high-pressure creative spaces. Today, her work has evolved into writing, speaking, and storytelling.

Current Work

Speaking & Appearances

Lori Kaplan shares powerful, real-world stories from over 25 years in Broadway, film, television, dance, drag, opera, and music video environments. Her talks explore what happens when women show up at their most vulnerablecand what it takes to rebuild confidence, identity, and strength.
Her speaking style blends:
• honesty
• humor
• emotional intelligence
• and lived experience
Not theory — real life.

Tommy Tune with Phineas P. Cat An Archive Moment from BraTenders NYC

This is an archived moment from the years of BraTenders NYC, a studio dedicated to intimate apparel consulting for Broadway, film, and television performers.

During its operation, BraTenders NYC had the honor of welcoming Broadway legend Tommy Tune, alongside the studio’s signature presence of Phineas P. Cat, into the space—creating a uniquely whimsical and memorable Broadway moment.

BraTenders NYC was built around private, transformative fittings where performers prepared for stage and screen with confidence and care. Encounters like this reflect the intersection of theater culture, artistry, and the personality-driven world behind the curtain.

This entry is preserved as part of the BraTenders NYC archive to honor its history within the Broadway community.

This is a historical archive entry. BraTenders NYC is no longer an active business.

As Seen In Listed Articles: Singapore Bra Shopper

Featured in The Sunday Times

A feature exploring the importance of proper bra fitting, expert guidance, and how the right fit improves comfort, posture, and confidence.

Blog And Article

  • All Posts
  • Blog
Bra Shop Blues

April 13, 2026/

For twenty-five years, we’ve Uplifted the town,From A cups to K cups, we don’t let you down.UpLifting the ladies, their...

My Life Behind Bras

April 1, 2026/

Share Share Lori’s Substack I’ve spent the last 45 years of my life in small rooms with naked people. As...

sunday wondering

April 1, 2026/

Share Thanks for reading Lori’s Substack! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Living in the...

The Fire

April 1, 2026/

The tip of the candle’s flame barely kissed the mattress, but it was enough to ignite a furious inferno that...

Life Without Bras

April 1, 2026/

I’ve been working since I was 15 years old. First jobs were the usual mothers’ helper/babysitter jobs, progressing to selling...

Spring 2019

April 1, 2026/

The months of April, May and June are Bra Tender’s busiest, with proms, weddings, graduations, numerous theatrical awards shows and...

Election Eve

April 1, 2026/

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published it’s as if the whole world is holding its...

And, cut!

April 1, 2026/

In August 1999 I decided that I was going to start a business, BraTenders, to supply Broadway, film, and television...

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End of Content.

Because what women wear is never just clothing.
And what they carry is never just visible.
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