6
You'd think I'd be a "pro" by now...
I'm sure that many long-time Bratabase users feel the same way, but I feel like I've learned a lot and yet feel like I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing. Every time I think I find a bra I like or that fits, I change weight or my breast change shape or the bra wears out and the newer versions of it don't fit the same. So I still have no clue what my best fitting brand or style is!! Anyone else feel this way?? Or has every other long-time Bratabase user found their holy grail bra brand and style? Haha
Anyway, I have a more specific question... Has anyone found a magical equation or ratio or algorithm that figures out the difference between horizontal breast measurement and cup depth? Because I've almost always found myself in bras that have a cup depth close to, if not slightly larger than, my breast measurement... And I feel like it's completely opposite of everyone else!! It seems like everyone else has cup depths significantly smaller than their breast perimeter. I'm pretty sure I've always measured myself and my bras correctly (bra measurements always fall close to the average), and I make sure to squish my boob on both sides to find the exact crease between the root and the ribcage. But now that the measuring charts have included the "fits breast perimeter: (number)" I've been even more confused! In bras that fit me, the average perimeter is always much larger than my perimeter!
Is it all related to breast tissue density? Or reshaping of the breast tissue? Or cup shape? Like it makes sense if you have pendulous breasts that the more-round shape of the cup would reshape your breast and probably have a smaller depth than the fully leaned-forward perimeter of the pendulous breast... Is there always supposed to be some level of compression of the breast tissue, for re-shaping and holding it in place? Or is it normal to also have some bras that just happen to fit the shape of your boob close enough to just slightly move the breast rather than squish the tissue to reshape it to the cup shape? And what about some bras that don't fit the shape perfectly and just more sit around the breast, but still seem to work and are comfortable? Is that normal??
Am I making any sense?!?!?
I find my bra cup depths to vary widely (ok, not super crazy) between 8 inches and 9 inches. My breast perimeter is currently about 8.25 inches. Does it make sense to have bras deeper than my breasts are around? Are maybe my wires too wide and part of depth is being taken up by my ribs? Or am I so afraid to have cups too small that I get them to just barely touch my skin and not compress them in any way? For example, my 28F Marcie measures that it should be too deep... But it fits save for a small empty spot above my apex (a never ending problem due to my apex naturally sitting lower than bra apexes.) It's slightly too round a shape for my conical breast shape. Should I technically be in a smaller cup size so that the cups lift, compress, and reshape my breast tissue so that it fills that empty round space above my apex? (btw I have it in an older 28E, and it's too small everywhere. So i guess the answer is either "no" or the grading has changed over time and a newer 28E would be fine. So many unknowns!!) Another bra I fit into again is my Impimi unlined bra, which is more of a conical shape, and it is perfect in the cup and just barely bulges at the top (could be tall roots). It's depth is just barely larger than my perimeter. And now my 28F Charlotte fits again, but it's depth is smaller than my perimeter, and definitely feels more compressing. It reshapes my breasts into tight little round things, which is a great silhouette, but I loose projection in that reshaping.
Which of the three sounds correct or should I be aiming for? Or does none of this matter??? Is it always just "if it mostly fits and you like it, numbers don't matter"? If so, great, but also, it makes it WAY too hard to bra shop online. How do I even utilize the measurements given in this wonderful database is the bra cup depth "rules" don't seem to apply to me??
Ugh ok this has been bothering me for days, hopefully it made sense and wasn't just a massive rant... I guess to make it more productive, I'll summarize my need in a few questions:
What are your breast shapes?
On a scale of 1 (super soft) to 10 (super firm) what would your rate the density of your breast tissue as?
And, do you find your cup depths generally smaller than, the same as, or larger than your breast perimeter?
Please help me in any answer you see fit and thank you!!! T-T
Filed under Bra sizing and fit
12 comments
i haven't been able to tell how soft or firm i am... but, my larger breast in general is 7.8" (smaller or larger on different days of the month) in depth, and i almost always have to choose from a cup that is 8" deep or 7.5" deep.
add it depends on if it's padded or not, padded bras i go for the 8" cup, unpadded i go for 7.5"
so cups are always too deep or too shallow for me.... immediate depth at the bottom of the cups/wire is a different story, i need the deepest depth no matter what.
i usually go by reviews, like "this ran big" or " it runs small", when ppl say it runs small, that usually means to be that it will fit me better.
i'm conical as well so I fit best in vintage wireless style bras, but my above talk was directed at wire bras only.
gore shape has a big impact on how the cups fit one me, i can not have a gore that is 2" or more tall.
gores are always too narrow at the bottom, and too wide at the top (close set breast, that are east and west when not in a bra).
It seems to me that some people just either prefer a bra that is slightly smaller or slightly larger. Women whom like their bras slightly smaller desire a bra with zero gaping or wrinkles, or love the feeling of being compressed. It could lift more, that's highly debatable. Women whom prefer their bras slightly larger tend to be more like you and want to stay as far away from compressing their breasts and are happier with some thing slightly larger that just holds the breast. They don't mind some gaps or wrinkles and desire comfort over anything else. Typically, from what I've seen, most women has cup depths similar to their horizontal perimeter.
Those are just some things I've noticed.
But for me, I've found my cup depth almost directly coordinates to the coverage of the bra. If I'm in a full coverage bra, my cup depth will be equivalent to my horizontal perimeter or more because it holds the entirety of my breast and not just a portion of my breast. If I'm wearing a very low coverage bra (Mimi Holliday for example) the cup depth is an entire inch plus smaller than my horizontal perimeter because it is only covering/holding the bottom portion of my breast. I think the cup height ends right below where the fullest part of my breast is. But if i try to wear a full coverage bra that is significantly below my horizontal perimeter, then I will quading, uncomfortable, and the bra just won't fit right. I tend to be one of the women who prefer a slightly smaller cup over a looser one.
So for myself, you and I think most women end up with a range of cup depths that works (just like a range of sizes) and it all depends on cup shape and design. When I search for bras I put in a cup depth range of 6"-7.5", my h.perimeter is about 7". I have fairly firm breasts (perhaps a 7) that are a bit compressible, a bit projected & conical, and only center full with no inner/outer fullness and not particularly FOT or FOB either. Average root width and tall-ish roots.
This thread has 12 comments. Log in to read them