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Seriously, SERIOUSLY considering sewing my own bra
I feel like I've tried every bra that might have a smidge of a chance of working... Ewa Michalak discontinued the PL in my size and the S and SM just don't fit. The wires are too high on the sides and I really can't stomach paying another 20zl on each bra for a custom order. Comexim is taking forever to even respond regarding whether they CAN do a custom order in my size.
I need a wire about 6 to 6.5 inches wide with a 36J/36JJ cup volume. I'm estimating the cup depth I actually need will be 13-14 inches with the more narrow wire because my Ewa Michalak PL 36JJ is about 7.3 inches wide with a cup depth of 14.2, but a good 1.25-1.75 inches of that cup is under my arms, where there is no breast tissue. Reducing the cup width should require reducing the depth by the same amount. Though I am "padded" all over, I have a well defined breast crease when I push my breast toward my arms and it is WELL in front of the wires in my PL 36JJ.
My concerns are:
1. If I actually sew a bra with the wires ending at the breast crease (which is just in front of my arm) that I will have issues with poking wires.
2. A narrower wire will not support like the wider ones that go under the arm. Does the wire going back under the arm serve a function? Things I read say it should point to the center of the armpit. But I have no breast there. So what's the purpose of that? Isn't the point of an underwire to keep your breasts where they should be rather than encourage them to go back into the armpit?
3. I like the shape of the PL, but would prefer a less "shelf" appearance on the top. Should I go with the same general shape of the PL and just make it a bit taller on the top? Should I focus on making a cup with ONLY vertical seams like a half cup bra, but make it curve over the top of the breast? Basically extend the 3 bottom panes of the PL higher, curving back in, and have no top panel.
4. AND I would like to try a longline. How's that for complicating the issue? Would not do that on the first try. But once I figure out how to make a normal band, I'd like to try a longline.
Filed under Bras ups and downs
7 comments
My only reservation here would be that startup costs are quite high. You should try the Polish guideline from /r/abrathatfits since that is one of the only ways people consistently get responses back from Comexim.
Have you tried Bravissimo Alana (AU01) or the Bravissimo Dotty Spot Bra (AU08) ? Those are good if you're full on bottom. They have narrow short wires (especially the Dotty Spot) and plenty of depth. The Dotty Spot gives a very very pointy shape (it's very retro, not ugly in my opinion though).
EDIT: Didn't see the rest of your post.
1) I doubt it unless it's too tall, the materials don't properly encase the wires, or too short.
2) Believe it or not, a narrower wire provides better support than a wide wire on a narrow breast will.
3) Shelf look is when there's no top shaping, so either a more closed on top cup or a taller cup would take care of this. As for the half cup vs. plunge, whichever works better for you. I find that taller center gores provide more separation, so that might be good or bad for you depending on your shape. A lot of bra companies stop their vertical seam bras at smaller sizes, so I'm not sure if there's a disadvantage to no curved seam and just vertical seams.
4) It depends on what you want in your longline. If you want it to behave like shapewear, that's probably going to be harder. Likewise if you decide to put boning in it, that would complicate things. However, if you're just intent on creating a thicker band, I don't see why not.
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