Bras
In the last year, I've learned a lot about bras. I've delved into the world of bra blogs and bra forums like thirty_twodBefore a few years ago, I wouldn't wear an underwire bra* But as I got larger and larger in cup size (I eventually peaked at 40F), it became harder to find wire-free bras that fit me. (In fact I know now that my breasts were damaged by ill-
( Read more... )
WRT to band size: have you measured your underbust with your arms down and your breath exhaled? That number is *probably* your band size, the exception being bras that have really stretchy bands. If you find a band painful, that might be the result of fibro, or it might be a fit issue.
In my experience when a band feels too small, it might be... but it also might be a good band size with too-small cups. I have found that too-small cups make the band very painful.
When I was wearing contour bras I also found them more painful than a seamed bra. Even in a well-fitted contour bra, by the end of the day it was hurting me. And on days when I was having my period or a little bloated, those bras were just agony. They tend to be stiffer in construction and to have more bulk in the band. I don't know about your body, but I am short-waisted and I found that the bulky band would really dig into my rib cage and could shift around a lot because it was right at the edge of my ribs.
WRT seamed cups: they center the breasts in front of you more than a contour cup usually does, so they make you look slimmer. Some people say they look pointy, but the pointy-ness is only from the top, really, and they aren't pointy like a 50s bullet bra.
I don't like most full-cup bras either, because I am short-waisted and a full-cup bra comes up to my collarbone. You should look for styles marked demi-bra, half-cup, or low-neck, as well as the plunges you like. Don't let them put you in a minimizer bra, those are made to push your breasts flat and move tissue into the armpit area, which will give you that binding feeling and also damage the breasts.
There's more to bra than style, though, there is also cut. Brands like Chantelle and Panache have wide, shallow cups, which doesn't work for me. Those bras squish my breasts and make me look fatter, even though the size might be my right size. I find cups that are narrow and deep have the best fit for me, as they contain my entire breast in front of me.
If your breasts are far apart at the root, you want a wide center gore, if they are naturally close together at the root you want a narrow gore.
I would love to go bra shopping with you sometime :) I no longer shop at Intimacy, as I've had some negative customer service experiences there recently, but there is a locally-owned place called "Top Drawer" that we could visit, they are nice. I went there once in Halloween and my fitter was dressed like a cat... with a little contour bra on her head, as the ears. Once you find a bra that you like, you can usually pick up more of them inexpensively online.
Reply
I'd need the narrow/deep kind, I think -- I'm most uncomfortable in bras that push my breasts apart and towards my underarms. And I hate bras that come up too high on my chest -- not only do they not look flattering, they're also uncomfortable (and it's not just minimizers -- a lot of the seamed-cup bras I've tried are like that.)
Bra fitters kind of laugh in my face when I ask for demi, balconette, or plunge bras in my size -- I've had better luck in England, where they seem to understand that busty ladies still want sexy bras. (And I've found cotton contour bras that fit REALLY well -- I just keep picking them up on every trip, and I'm overdue for one . . . hope my finances improve and I can make it to England this year, because not only do I want to spend time with my much-missed Dearly Beloveds, but I need to buy new bras when my current ones die!)
When I visit Houston, let's visit Top Drawer -- I'm down! :D
Have fun with Pam today!!
<3!
Reply
WRT English bras, I do wear European bras almost exclusively now. Nordstrom carries them and so do most-high-end bra shops. The sad thing is that Nordstrom doesn't carry bras above a GG, so basically they are a place for me to try bras on and get an IDEA of how one will fit me, then go buy one online in a proper size.
My favorite bras are from a French brand called Empreinte, but they are very expensive, and almost impossible to find discounted. So far my second favorite brand is an English brand, Fantasie, and they are much less expensive and easier to find online. They make a LOT of balconettes/plunges/etc. If you have English bras that you know you like, hit up eBay, I find them there for MUCH less expensive. English bras are pretty easy to find for cheap online.
There is also a UK company called Figleaves, they sell online and they have their own lingerie line that many people like, it's pretty inexpensive.
Bra shopping ahoy! I had a pretty depressing experience at Nordstrom yesterday :/
Reply
-- A <3
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment