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Jan 09, 2013 -- Conical ribcage and how it affects bra fit?
I my last bra adventure -- here: http://www.bratabase.com/profile/3rx/adventures/453/ -- I explored the relationship between band tension, wire strength, cup shape, and smaller/shallower breasts. I concluded that in order for wires to not overstretch and distort the cup shape in the process, band tension has to be balanced, either by the weight/momentum of the breasts, or by the rigidity of the wires themselves. If there isn't enough weight/momentum as in the case of smaller/shallower and the wires aren't rigid enough to withstand the band tension then they will overstretch and the cups will be distorted, even if the band size is essentially correct.
This overstretching of the wires is something that seems to happen to me all the time. It has affected almost every bra I've tried and the few bras that weren't obviously affected by it began to feel seriously tight and uncomfortable after some wear. The wire issue, I think, is a major factor in why I simply can't seem to find anything the really fits AND flatters my shape. As for the few bras that do seem to work the discomfort eventually is simply too great. For reference: I measure 27" around my underbust. MOST 28 bands or size equivalents thereof should fit me comfortably or even be roomy, if anything. Except that they don't and aren't.
Above explanation appears to highlight part of the problem. Another part, I realised today, is that my ribcage is unusually conical. I started wondering how a conical ribcage affects bra fit and came to the conclusion that it may actually explain why I feel I'm better off with 30 bands: try wrap a flat tape measure around a conical shape, holding it in place at the 'centre front'. It will NOT stay horizontal -- instead it will curve up towards the back. If the band is elastic and forcefully kept horizontal it's easy to see that more tension will develop in the upper part of the band, as the circumference of the conical shape there is greater than at the bottom edge. To counteract this, most bras are designed to an extent to take this into account (that's why the wings appear to angle downward), but what if a ribcage is more conical than that?
(1) The band may try to settle under an angle which might result in either
(a) cups slipping down in front -- is this what was happening with Ewa Michalak CHP and the Curvy Kate Tease Me I tried?! -- or, if one manages to hike up the wires and keep them there,
(b) a band that feels tighter than it really is as this angled circumference is necessarily greater than the original horizontal 'underbust' circumference.
(2) If the band somehow manages to settle more or less horizontally on the ribcage, the tension along the upper part of the band will be greater than along the lower edge, which means that the wires will still be stressed more than they normally would. The band may not feel too tight --and the bottom edge of the band really isn't -- but the wires would still be overstretched and the cups distorted, especially when combined with a lack of counter balance in due to smaller/shallower breasts.
Of course, any combination of the above is also possible.
I have a feeling that I'm getting close to solving at least part of the mystery of my bra fitting problems and that the solution for this part is actually rather simple: go up a band size and if necessary alter the band down by taking out wedges that are wider at the bottom than at the top to make the band more curved to suit my unusually conical ribcage.
The part that remains is finding a bra with cups that fit ... can it be that a conical ribcage also affects cup size?
And while I'm at it, unpadded half cups, suggestions anyone?
Filed under Boob and body issues
7 comments
I had never thought about this before, but this definitely happens to me! I've always wondered why I measure 27" yet prefer a 30 band unless the band runs large (i.e. deco). I have the same conical ribcage as you, I always speculated that if my boobs weren't in the way and I'd be able to measure my underbust vs where the top of the band hits, the top measurement would be bigger.
The biggest problem I've had with this is with my Freya longlines. I have 3 of them, but I'm thinking I'm going to have to either alter them or sell at least one because as 30 bands they are too big at the bottom and therefore roll up and just act weird in general.
This is very interesting, and I'm excited to see if more recommendations for this shape pop up.
My Masquerade Rheas in 28 have their wires stretch and cups distort. My Masquerade Rheas in 30 on the other hand have the 'band settling under an angle' problem which makes them feel painful and tight after a couple of hours wear. My 65 HM Gold also has the latter problem -- I simply HAVE to take it off after a couple of hours, because it just becomes so darn uncomfortable. The wires start really pressing against my ribs right under my breasts and the back starts to slowly kill me.
To some this 'settling under an angle' problem may sound like the band 'riding up' due to being too loose, but believe me, these bands are NOT too loose. Going DOWN a band size is no option as I wouldn't even be able to close them. It would also only make the wires and cups distort even more.
I still have to try this, but I'm really hoping that altering the bands so they are slightly shorter along the bottom edge -- i.e. more curved to suit a more conical than average ribcage; the equivalent of a 30 band along the top and a 28 along the bottom, for example -- will solve these issues.
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