65C - Ampere » Lily Bra (B1003)

My go-to nice occasion bra. Went up a cup size in this brand probably at the beginning of this year. I love it!

Updated on Oct 06, 2024 Flag this

30D - Aerie » Sunnie Bloom Lace Trim Full Coverage Lightly Line

Love it just is a little small as is when it's brand new, I love aerie. The band is lace under the boobs but the normal fabric on the wings. Has a hook in the back if you want to wear it under a racerback.

Royal Palm colorway

Updated on Oct 06, 2024 Flag this

Straps too far apart, cup gape?

Issues:
- Straps seem a bit far apart
- Cup is gaping about an inch off tissue

This is probably the first bra I've found that stays in my ... IMF! Which is huge, it's the issue I have with 99% of bras.

So I am trying to figure out what is going on with my cup. Do I just do down a cup size, or do I need a size up? The wires are perfectly on the edge of my tissue.
Is my band too loose, should I sister size to a 34DD? It doesn't feel like it is too big? It seems to firmly stay in place without hurting me!

It looks like after maybe a year of searching I might finally have a bra! Also if anyone knows how to make lace really soft and not itch, let me know! I'm sure a washing will help, but I probably will need more. I'm considering using baking soda when washing it. I've heard that's a great fabric softener.

UPDATE: I bought this bra in a 36C & 34DD to see how it fit.

36C: band fit, straps where the right distance however my breasts where trying to pop out of the cup. Bra starts to hinge and dig into my rig cage, and fell out of IMF.

34DD: Band was so tight I could barely get it on, I had it on upside down. Rotating it around my rib cage was almost impossible, it scratched me while doing so. Flipping it up hurt, and I could barely breath in it. The cups where much too big.
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/troubleshoot/dnvkp/

Updated on Oct 02, 2024 Flag this

Provide help

28HH - Panache » Jasmine Balconnet Bra (6951)

FOT/SHORT ROOTED/FULL/CLOSE SET CHRONICLES PT 4,632: I'VE BEEN FRAMED (facepalm)

My feelings about panache jasmine ultimately are the same as cleo's hettie: Mixed, as they're technically wearable without pain after altering the strap position, but decidedly specific... "Why does this halfcup have such a bizarrely wideset strap and utterly flimsiest stretch lace ever, on top?" and "Oh wow cool thanks, I've ... always wanted bulging corset boobs/busted muffin can chest shape" :/
Their underwires don't crawl away from my boobs for dear life, something many similarly upper full, projected, narrow wonderful polish bras end up doing over the course of a day when hormonal fluctuation arrives out of nowhere, busting up in the scene like the Kool-Aid Man. I love them but also, I'd like maybe super narrow cup + ultrashort + full AF love sometimes. Ever.

Both jasmine and hettie act as compressive, all-containing minimizers attached to unwarranted armpit saws on me (beacuas... highset root funtimes), but only jasmine loves to gouge and squeeze the everloving life out of my hefty sideboob as all panache bands/underwire position are wont to do on my conical ribcage. Looking down inside the cup from the wire, it's not built to do that, there's no 'side support' shaping in there... so I feel strongly this comes down to how the cup is already shallow on bottom, and then my shape (boob *everywhere all at once* along scant 3" vertical height- not especially 'long' but requiring so, so much elongation in a cup), and the shitty classic panache bra frame angle that predicts that cups must always be aimed directly up toward one's chin like a rocket launcher... grossly, vertically, inhumanly erect. Not supported, not aloft, but weirdly diagonally aimed toward the heavens and inward at a strict 45 degree angle like a beast about to attack passersby or even the wearer's, throats.

No I don't actually think jasmine has a cup shape resembling an iguana head, why are you asking?

You see... jasmine's band length and height are perfect, they feel so good on my midget torso. The armscye works for both my idiot small ribs, and the idiot huge shoulders- typically I only find this combo in Comexim. Despite sensing that this cup fits 2 sizes too small for me depthwise, Jasmine's wires on their own seem pretty much on par for the shape/depth I need in bratabase suggested sizing... but and it's a huge but... the way jasmine's band attaches only along the top end of the outer wire instead of extending all along to the bottom of underwire for stability, encourages its wires to spring in a nasty corkscrew of doom with the hell-tall gore tipping forward away from me and the rear end directly into my ribs. An excruciating and wildly polarized effect to the otherwise marvelous cup depth and cozy band/strap fit.
Meanwhile? Jasmines straps are yanked backward deep into my pits as there's literally no stable upper cup for it to attach to (remember than weaksauce flimsy trash lace? ahah, that.) And finally for the pièce de résistance, upper boob bisection/cups crumpling downward into awaiting nips due to all of this fkry.

IT'S HELL.

I must mention I've been wearing panache's ariza at least as long as jasmine for the same reasons (something, anything extra deep that can accept fot shape), with equal amounts of fail-success, yet this problem never happens with that style. They both have projection and depth on their side, but ariza's rather andorra-ish with needlessly wedglelike/pointy/tiny/compressed nipple pocket issues that always make me wonder wtf panache was going for by creating such a madhouse oversized, voluminous cup (true to size for me) with such notably tiny, conical, pointy fit at the very tip in front! Like, we're talking a 4 size difference, kind of weirdness in the shape there. AINT NO WAY I'M THE ONLY ONE NOTICING THIS BIZARRE ISH. Blocky on top but you know, tolerable for depth sake.
Anyway. Back to jasmine vs arizas bands and how this affects their cup fit. Jasmine's band extends directly back from the top of the outer wire which causes the whole damnable thing to flex the cup width to a whopping 7.5" with horrifying ease... which increases the upward angling far past that 45 degree angle foolery found in so many panache offerings, while ariza's conical ribcage-friendly band descends downward diagonally from the outer wire and barely flexes out even .3" wider, leaving its cup shape intact. Ultimately this difference in frame accounts for a whole lot of cup fit troubles as jasmine starts off bottom shallow and becomes mid-zone shallow with only ultimate upper projection to offer me (shape in clothing presents as a boob-eraser), while ariza remains evenly projected despite being about as andorra-compressive-shallow as they come.

(yes? I despise andorra with the burning passion of 10,000 suns, what of it.)

All of this, all this time later, all the side stabbing and gore -goring my upper boobs, a world without Jasmine looks like a bleak and wretched place indeed.
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houndstooth colorway

Updated on Sep 28, 2024 Flag this

Prettiest bras

Ok here is a random question, what is the prettiest/best looking bra you've come across?
I haven't owned either of these, plus I think they are discontinued now, but I like:

Ewa Michalak CHP Gazeta:
https://www.bratabase.com/browse/ewa-michalak/chp-gazeta-447/

CHP Opium:
https://www.bratabase.com/browse/ewa-michalak/chp-opium-827/

Chp Gazeta (447) - Ewa Michalak

AW2013 - padded half cup bra in a unique newspaper-patterned fabric

https://www.bratabase.com/browse/ewa-michalak/chp-gazeta-447/

Filed under Bras ups and downs

Shared on Sep 23, 2024 Flag this

Uk to comexim conversion confusion

Trying to figure out uk 30g to comexim conversion - thinking it may be 65k, can anyone confirm?

Filed under Bra sizing and fit

Shared on Sep 18, 2024 Flag this

32GG - Elomi » Sachi Plunge Bra (4350)

It's a dependable immediately full, projected and petite-structured plunge. Trifecta of win, right there.

Sachi is a total workhorse complete with the stylish harnessing to prove it, as well as easy on the armpits. Maybe a little too easy, since I'm sideheavy, high set, and on a premenopausal growth spurt from hell, so the Cleo Alexis I expected to ... replace it with in my wardrobe outshone in that department and put Sachi to shame (they both share similar cup shaping in outer half but Sashi is your push em inward girl, vs Alexis generally BIG ole shallow wall-o-side-support, in case anyone was wondering).
Still prefer the side cut with it's spare layer of flannel and general proportions of Sachi for support, but can't see myself reaching for something that feels this cheap & rough in comparison to Alexis- it's like going from silk to velcro plastic mesh, very strange. Thoroughbred vs Arabian level of contrast in their builds. As far as inner depth is concerned, it must be pretty freakin good because it hasn't flattened me east-west or dumped me out of the cup there yet. Maybe because the gore and projection are both angled so low? It's wires stoically resist flipping out in the weird little area between boobs when I've outgrown it despite being among the widest in my bradrobe nearing an inch separation on top, pretty nifty trick, that.

Wires are J shaped, somewhat on the narrower side of average and more flexible than the average Panache in this size. Hardware is bombproof but demure and smooth so never feels like it's gouging in or binding against me. A pretty good achievement as there's 3 O rings, 2 right at the front of shoulder/boob/armpit, and at the 'crisis zone' at top of cleavage where all those non-adjustable elastic straps converge. Cup tulle lining is very smooth and wicks beautifully, the external fabric is kind of a hard linear grid that moisture might disperse along instead of bead up on. Upper cup is the same smooth tulle as inside cup and doesn't budge, I couldn't get ANY mechanical ease out of it, but the shape is so stupidly full-friendly I never needed it to stretch. Gore decently short and weighs in with a scant 1.5" separation on the bottom, rather than the average 3" oh what the hell let's make it 4" or more nonsense I've seen around. Crazy sturdy single layer powernet band. I loathe Sachi's double hook closure, it's manageable but seriously? Sachi's no-nonsense band is the ONLY reason I tolerate this foolery. Straps are a respectably dense, felted elastic with very little give but it's there just in case.

I've reached for this quite often for long days in the heat, and now I'm excited to reach for Cleo Alexis until Sachi decides to show up in softer fabric.
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Updated on Sep 21, 2024 Flag this

Sep 12, 2024

Got a chance at last to visit a Bravissimo location and try on a range of different sizes. I had already narrowed things down to the Elomi Matilda, and had tried on quite a few sizes at home. Previously the closest to a good fit had been 38H, but I'd had advice from showing photos that I could go up ... a cup size to 38HH. Still my problem was perhaps not enough projection. I noticed in the database that as you sister size up the cups, although the volume stays the same, the cups tend to get deeper, so I wanted to try on some smaller backs and large cups.


36J and 36HH
The first pair I tried on. The J was definitely the best of the two. The HH felt snug putting on, and when wriggling a bit started to quad boob.

38HH
The cup felt a bit crinkled and spacious along the top immediately.

34 JJ
Perhaps better than the 36J. Cup a bit smoother. Back v v tight to put on, but could still do it up myself, so I think it was just bearable.

34K
Way too much space across the top, so too big I would say.

Didn't have 32K in stock so I couldn't try it.

OVERALL
Either 34JJ or 36J were the best here. Very hard to see between them. A bit inclined towards the JJ as if seems like the cup fit a bit more smoothly. Both gaped a tiny bit at the outer edge of the cup. They also both give a bit of a weird cross section when viewed from above, where the cup bulges at the very outer edge, then a bit of a dip or less taut section at a 1-2 o'clock angle, and the apex of the cup very full again. Both gores tacked nicely.

After starting out on this journey in May 2023, finally bought these two Matildas in different colours. Alongside the Ewa Michalak FB plunge, I now have three okay fitting bras. I think the only way I can learn more is to wear them long term and see how I will feel. Ordered these in the Bravissimo shop to be delivered to my home. Quite good service, as they didn't have the colours I liked in stock.
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Filed under Bras ups and downs

Shared on Sep 12, 2024 Flag this

XS/S - April Cornell » Natural Bra (BRA5588Q)

I'm a 32DD and this size "XS/S" fits me well and provides enough support that I feel quite comfortable wearing it while walking around the house and sleeping in it. I'd say this size could also fit someone a band size up and a cup size or two up as well.

The bralette is soft and well made in entirely 96% ... cotton and 4% spandex fabric minus the internal band elastic. The band is so comfy, wide and not super firm nor super stretchy. The breast area is double layered fabric which is thick and unstretchy enough to provide moderate support but not thick enough for nipple coverage. The "cups" are slightly smocked at the base to create more space, so this is not a compressing bra.

Overall this is a very comfortable lounge bra. It's not the most attractive option but I do not care.
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Black colorway

Updated on Sep 10, 2024 Flag this

30F - Comexim » Topaz

Bra is listed on Breakout as a 30F, fits and is about the same cup size as my bras that are 30DD (and the one other comexim 32E I have that's a bit too big in the band and I wear on the tightest hooks). I got this on r/braswap, the colors weren't for me but I wanted the fit.

As ... a whole, this is probably one of my best fits. One of the only padded cups I own where there is virtually no gapping, especially not at the top which is a common issue for me. Wires are the right width - I have narrower roots, so it is not too narrow and from what I can tell sits right where my tissue ends. It doesn't show through shirts like bras like the deco can which is slightly too open at top. It gives subtle cake-on-a-plate cleavage, but not "smushed-too-shallow" cleavage. Cups sit a bit high on my armpits and can sometimes be an issue, wondering if I need to loosen the straps. Will update if I figure this out.
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Updated on Sep 23, 2024 Flag this