• Show all comments (15)

• 2

  That gore! Whoa, it is tall. It us remarkable how well Vegas fits vs Victory. I would have never guessed this fit was Curvy Kate by just looking at your photos. Strange scaling!

• 1

  Oh my gosh. I never would have guessed CK either. Did they just... never try some sizes on real people?

• 1

  What I mean is, why wouldn't you make trying on part of the design process when you put out a new model? Get a couple of ladies from the various size ranges and see what it looks like. To not do it just seems like taking shortcuts. Shame on them.

• I'm still shocked by the 6" gore. Holy smokers! That is amazing in all the wrong ways for us short rooted bra wearers ; -)

• 1

  calenlass it certainly does seem that they did not fit larger women, just scaled up a smaller pattern. Love4Pollinators you are right, I don't think I've ever experienced a gore this high.

• Wow that gore height! I am not sure it would even suit someone with a long torso. I do not think CK is that great at scaling up...there are a lot of full busted women on Insta trying to wear CK and it never seems to fit.

• 2

  But my best fitting bra is a CK 38K too! They actually do scale well, it's just this one isn't.

• I think a lot of those gals on Insta are trying to wear Scantilly which only goes up to an HH cup when they are a much larger cup size. I know Fullerfigurefullerbust and CurvyWordy wear bras too small for them to get into that brand for instance.

• 2

  fabulouslyfullfigure btw I'm not on Insta but I follow all your pics. Love your tummy love! Also really excited to hear your thoughts on that unlined Comexim.

• 1

  Yes you are right cupandahalf ! Maybe it is the Scantilly mostly! Oh thanks on the tummy love...it has taken awhile to be comfy with it. The Comexim I ordered a little too large in the band but I can say I was impressed with the material quality! It is a beautiful bra and true to Comexim it is center full friendly and slightly taller cups. I think if I got the right size it would be awesome!

• wendybien

• There has to be something off about the scaling on large cups in this bra. It looks like it is 2 cup sizes bigger than your 38K vegas bra. The gore is taller than the wing measurement? Makes no sense either.

• It’s a crazy bra. I had hoped you would be tall and full enough to fit it, but no.

• 1

  Late reply but I managed to get my hands on this for $7. The scaling on this is definitely insane even in 30JJ. My issue was that there's an excessive amount of fabric in the top half...like insanely so, but when I took it in, it seems to fit fine. The wires on it dont really bother me and I'm able to fill out the bottom half. Looking at the initial cup construction before alteration basically looks like it was based off of a beach ball - there was no variation between the top of the cup vs lower half/sides while also having close to zero room at the gore. I also got the folding in my armpits/gore not tacking and I think the problem would just get worse if I size down. It's kind of disappointing because it's a beautiful bra.

• 1

  Late reply but I managed to get my hands on this for $7. The scaling on this is definitely insane even in 30JJ. My issue was that there's an excessive amount of fabric in the top half...like insanely so, but when I took it in, it seems to fit fine. The wires on it dont really bother me and I'm able to fill out the bottom half. Looking at the initial cup construction before alteration basically looks like it was based off of a beach ball - there was no variation between the top of the cup vs lower half/sides while also having close to zero room at the gore. I also got the folding in my armpits/gore not tacking and I think the problem would just get worse if I size down. It's kind of disappointing because it's a beautiful bra.

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• 2

  I love how it looks on you, smashing colour!

• Thank you! The colour was literally the deciding factor for me!

• Looks nice on you!

• Thank you!

• 1

  This looks fabulous on you, and the color is totally awesome. :)

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• Show all comments (58)

• I've been meaning to order Victory but I was really discouraged by Dottie's short straps. Their 30 band was fine for me on Dottie, but the straps pull on the band so much it has seriously stretched out and rides up like crazy.

  I do wonder if you would do better with Dottie though! The cups are considerably shorter than Victory (even in stock photos) and not so much full cup.

• The straps are very wide set on Dottie, though, almost as bad as this. So it might just be a Curvy Kate thing!

• 1

  Dottie is a pretty bra especially that purple color, but looks like it stops at HH cup in all band sizes :(
  It looks great on you btw:)

• 1

  CK was known for wide wires, and wide set cups yes, I thought they changed their shape a bit, like Victory is a new to CK 4 part construction but it has only changed that Victory is very roomy in the top cup and gives a better more round shape compared to old CK which gave me pointy upside 7 shape.

• I actually stopped wearing it due to the short straps. They were giving me so many headaches and neck pains that I just couldn't bear to wear it anymore. The bra is very beautiful, though!

• 1

  Oh no :( Would longer straps solve the problem? like take longer straps from an old bra and replace them?

• Yes they would (I usually have strap length issues on pretty much any bra that is not custom made--I pay extra to have straps longer on my EM bras), but the colour is so particular I cannot find a good match anywhere for strap elastic :(

• 1

  Would it help you if I measure the strap lenght on Victory when they are longest?

• 1

  Yes true if you don't want to have the bra look like patchwork bra. Would be easier if it was the black Color...

  I never had the issue that straps were too long… must be so annoying.

• 1

  I don’t know how tall and shallow you have to be to fit these. I don’t get it because on most instagrammers the fit is good! Maybe they are editing their pics or rearranging everything.

  Like, how is this possible? https://www.instagram.com/p/BnJHTyzB5Uz/?hl=en

• 1

  Her arms are up in the air, though. Could also be Photoshop.

• Guys do you think 34J could work? I don't wanna give up yet. Band is too small so I size up but size down in cups.
  No one writes the size they wear on instagram so they could just pick the one that looks best on pics and in real life wear other bras. For a pic fit and comfort are irrelevant. I also could make this bra look better with adjusting the straps very short I wonder if I could make it look like it fits with posing.

• 1

  Yes, or her hair is hiding that it’s too small. Looks like the gore tacks though. I don’t know it’s so short on her!!! How????

  https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl0PofJBhwF/?hl=en

• 1

  The buying for science is a temptation several of us are plagued with. We must have all the pieces to our bra puzzle!

  Sorry it was such an ill fit. :-(

• 2

  But if it’s too shallow with not enough center room, sizing down won’t help.

• I think it is too shallow at the centre. Why else would my boobs push the gore away?

• Oh I love to try more bras for science. I feel like I'm starting bra fitting all new. Everything that used to work does not work anymore. I wanna order some more bras. I have Panache Tango that somewhat works but I don't wanna wear only that one...

• did you consider EM? lace.de might deliver to you if you don't wanna order direct

• Ehm yes I had tried a few years ago when I was around 32K like now. I found the bra construction too weak in my size. Also ordering a hassle and expendive with all the paypal snd cudtom fees. At least they sell quickly ln here. I prefer to find british brand bras that work. I don't know could never get into EM hype.

• Arghh I cannot mention and edit when I type from my phone.

• That is understandable, especially if you feel it can't carry your weight.

• 1

  I have very soft and heavy boobs. I need a bra that keeps them in and does as much support as possible with wires and band. If the bra just is a bit weak I can get terrible neck pain. Even Panache Floris is too weak now it is too big in the cups. Adjusting the straps very short to get rid of gaping does not make a bra less weak.

• 1

  alisa I am just speculating about a cluster of fit problems that might be working together to create this epic support failure, tell me if this seems possible:

  - cup is so tall and wide that the wires on your side have no ability to brace (or "push back") against the ribcage, thus defeating the purpose of underwire bras -- and enabling the gore end of the wires to just go wherever your boobs push it with very little resistance
  - because CK designers tried to give it a cute bandless look with just a little stick joining the cups down at the base of the gore (instead of having at least a triangle of strong powermesh like a normal bandless bra), if the bracing effect of the underwire is lost due to wire width, the front of the bra loses even more stability
  - therefore the whole front of the bra, including the gore, tips forward very easily under the weight of the bust and the torque effect, even if the cups themselves theoretically have the depth needed to easily fit over the wearer's breast (as you can see when you force it to tack).

  If this is a possibility, perhaps a smaller cup size would allow the bra to at least have some functional stability because the crazy wire width problem might be solved.

  The question is HOW MUCH you would need to go down in cup size to get an acceptable wire width, and would that still allow enough cup depth to actually, you know, fit your boobs!

  I think there may be some hope for making it work in a smaller cup size and 34 band, because here while it looks like an acceptable depth for your breast tissue, in fact there is quite a bit of cup volume that is just not being used -- there is such a big portion of the bra that is being stretched round your sides instead of sitting where the boob is.

  The Instagrammer that was linked above, Fairyboobmother, is also in a FB lingerie group I'm in--she is super nice. If you wanted to ask her what size she wears in this bra and what she has observed about the fit I am sure she would answer, or if you have never talked to her I can go and find her name (which has slipped my mind but I know she has posted about her IG so it's not a secret/privacy thing) and ask her myself in the FB group.

• I took a picture holding up my arms. I just had to :D I forgot about the hair though which would hide how the straps cut off my arms. http://bra.pe/Imfa/
  My theory is you can make any bra look decent in photos, if the size is not too far off, like only 2-3 sizes too small or big.

• wendybien thank you for your comment! I love how you explained everything, and I think that is what is going on with this bra… the band even stretches the wire more to the sides since it's so tight. The cup depth of this bra is 39cm which is the same cup depth as in my Panache Tango that fits well. The difference between these two is that Victory is very tall and very roomy on top while Tango is moderately tall and more closed on top. Also the Tango has sturdy Panache wires that can are not stretched to my back.

  So is Victory not really a shallow bra? I also think it does not look shallow but behaved like a shallow bra at the wire and gore. If the wire weren't so distorted I would have even more extra space in this bra.

  I'm also worried about the whole bandless style, I never got along with bandless bras. The bra is a really cute design but they probably only tested in on smaller cup sizes.

  Like I said I find it fits kinda like I imagine a 30L. So if I sistersized that to a 34 band, I would wear 34K, but then I have to go down in cups like 2 sizes which would make me have to order 34J? Oh if only that 36HH that was added here was measured… so I could compare cup width of a sister size.

  Should I order another or should I not? I'm really really curious so no other way to find out. Ha I love to try bras for science. My wallet does not love the shipping costs ;(

• alisa brastop has a sale going on today..I think ... So maybe that'll help?

• 2

  alisa can you pay via PayPal and use their returns reimbursement option? That’s what I do if there are no free returns.

• 1

  Your arms up pics...wow. I need to remember that when looking at insta. You don’t even need to photoshop, it’s all in the posing.

• 1

  Frazzleberry thanks I got this Victory bra in their sale, now they got even 1-2£ cheaper than last week :)

• 1

  cupandahalf I can use free Returns in PayPal, 12 times a year and no more than 3 times in 1 month. I almost forgot about that. Yaay!

  I'm just not used to buy so many bras, haven't done that in a while so I feel a bit "bad" for buying so much :D

  Yes instagram is not good for bra fitting just promoting sales of the bras by having them look good no matter what. Good that we have bratabase for fit issues. I also think a few popular instragram bloggers are in too small bras, just to fit into a size range of a brand,but would need a bigger cup for proper fit. The bras never look like they are too small though.

• 3

  The only bra fit photos I trust are the ones on btb! lol

• 1

  alisa the way a bra looks to fit in photos is often very dependent on lighting, I think it was MamaPagan who showed her photos in different lighting that were a stark difference in fit despite being taken one after the other.
  In my photos some of my issues are often very hard to see... I quad in near every bra I try due to my freakishly tall roots, despite being pretty FOB, yet it is extremely hard to see that in photos!

• brasaremean I even try to make my photos so that the issues I describe are visible. Sometimes I take photos where I make a bra look better but then I write it down, like that arm holding up pic or when I strangle my arms with super tight straps to get rid of cup wrinkling.

  I wonder if my roots are really tall for my size? I mean I don't have any data to compare. How tall has a tall root in size 32K to be? :S Back in the day everyone told me I need tall deep cups and they worked. Last week I got 4 bras I couldn't fill the top, I'm confused :S

• 2

  The example brasaremean mentioned:
  https://www.bratabase.com/picture/dpbi7/
  :-)

• 1

  alisa looking at these pictures and the Bravissimo ones I wonder if your shape has changed and you’re now more short rooted. Medium roots?

• 1

  alisa Our breasts are ever changing, and I swear when I think I've figured mine out, they up and change again. I am currently between sizes for the main brand I wear. One cup is painfully small but I get the dreaded wrinkle in the next cup up. Yet it's still better than any other brand for me, as the options are quite limited. :-/
  I feel your frustrations amd pain.

• 1

  That is what I gathered from her fitting help request cupandahalf. Unfortunately with weight loss come breast shape changes and what would have worked before might no longer work.

  MamaPagan those are the ones! Thank you :)

  alisa I genuinely try to make the fit issues obvious in photos but they just won't show :/

• 1

  alisa I just went to look at some of your old bras (I hope you don't mind). So for this photo ( http://bra.pe/IQYl/ ) I would definitely say you lost some upper fullness. This happened to me too after some weight loss over the past year (I went from 83kg to about 74 right now). The more weight I lost, the more FOB I got, which was really annoying to me because I genuinely felt like my breasts were full all over and what worked before (even in the wrong size, as much as that can work) stopped working after that weight loss, and prompted me to actually start looking into this whole a bra that actually fits thing.

• 1

  Wow, comparing those two bras, especially the angled views, really shows your weight loss and shape change! You are still full on top but your breasts start lower on your chest.

  Let me think about what might work well for you keeping this in mind.

• 1

  MamaPagan thanks for the pics :)

• You're welcome :-)

• brasaremean No no I don't mind. I had this floris since 2014 when it fitted and it fitted again for few weeks during my weight loss journey. 2015-2018 when I was at my heaviest weight, was my easiest time in bra fitting. I just wore Bravissimo 34L bras. When I wore one to death I just could order another in that size and it worked. I felt a bit sad about it today but I'm also excited to try new bras :) Interesting about how weight loss can change boob shape and how we need to fit ourselves.

• cupandahalf could one change full on top boobs to full on Bottom? I kinda think it could not be possible? Maybe change from full all over to more full on top / bottom? I have shorter roots now probably medium for my size, I lost a lot of upper and side fullness.

  Today I almost cried when I put on my 30K Tango with extender. I had zero quadboob. I even thought I forgot to scoop in side tissue and did it again 2 times but everything fitted so well I was shocked. I was so thankful for the support of this bra. I made the mistake of wearing 32K floris last week when I also had a migraine and it made everything worse by being unsupportive and gave me neck pain. Tango keeps my boobs in place and holds them up. I thought if everything fails, I can get another 32JJ Tango. But on the Bravissimo website they complain about quality issues and new Tango colors apparently have weaker wires and wires popping out after a few wears. What did Panache do to this bra!? :(

• You can always order the old colourways on ebay and such

• MamaPagan you are the expert here on polish bras and Ewa Michalak, would you recommend any of those for me? I had tried 2 comexim, and 3 EM bras years ago, they did not work. (fit was off) but what kept me from exploring some more was that I found them to weak to support my boobs. I also prefer british brands as they are easier to buy and return for me.

• brasaremean yes I know, I love eBay. There isn't as much there nowadays but one can still get bargains occasionally.

  On Bravissimo new in I found this lilac colorway: https://www.bravissimo.com/products/tango-bra-bluebell-pn53bll/ sooo pretty I always wanted a bra in this color, they call it bluebell, I love bluebells :)

• I love! the new lilac/periwinkle/bluebell colourways!
  Bravissimo also has Stella plunge and CK has the lilac one. Beautiful colours

• 2

  I wouldn't call myself an expert since we are all learning every day, but I have tried quite a few. I wouldn't recommend Comexim unless you want to switch the wires as they will not serve you well.

  With Ewa, I would think her FB line might give you the support you need while still providing you comfort, but would recommend going with one that has the stretch lace to adjust the fit better. dbmamaz has tried a few of the FB models, and her input would be very valuable here.

  From what I've read about the line, the bands and cups run small, so double check the sizing before leaping forward though.

  Aside from the FB, I'd suggest the SF line as it is more supportive than the BM but more flexible with fit than the SM.

• 3

  alisa I remember your EM adventures (which were indeed failures in terms of support) and I would say that it could be worth at least examining cup measurements here or contacting them to ask questions about wire length, wing height etc. in an appropriate size, since they now make more high-coverage cups, which are more supportive on a full AND tall breast shape like your own (perhaps not as tall as before, but you still have some pretty solid, projected boob height that needs support). I think you would definitely want to make sure you were trying the designs with the most robust materials and appropriate height at the gore and on the sides, because those features are very important to get a nice, stable, secure fit.

  Re: changing degrees of "full on top"/"full on bottom"-ness, you can absolutely experience a big change in breast shape and proportions at the same weight if your body composition and breast composition has changed. Let's take an example of a young lady who goes from 65kg at age 18, to 85 at age 22 and then back to 65 at age 25. Same breast volume overall at 18 and 25. Well, if she was like me at 18, a good proportion of her breast was composed of nice soft fluffy fat, which often sits on the upper pole of the breast. Now let's say that her massive weight loss from ages 22 to 25 was related to the fact she took up a strenuous sport (thus increasing muscle mass and reducing her body fat % to at least a little bit less than what it was at age 18, and meanwhile also experiencing further growth of the actual glandular tissue because she is one of those people who gets breast growth in her 20s). Now she is 65kg once again but her boobs at 25 will have a much higher proportion of glandular tissue and less fat. So she could have lost a great deal of the fluffy fullness she had on the upper pole of the breast when she was a teenager, while still having roughly the same breast volume, and she will now also likely find that her breasts now are heavier and denser requiring even more serious support than before--because glandular tissue is heavier than fat.

  (My considered opinion about the Full on Top/on Bottom descriptors anyway is that they are not complete shape descriptors. For a meaningful description, other proportions need to be considered together with those FoT/FoB qualifiers. People use them loosely and interchangeably with various terms suggesting more or less breast height, but if you use them strictly, a person with a very very full upper boob shape may fit into the most closed-on-top, small-cup-height bra if the projected part of her breast is simply not very tall and she has more of a "b" boob shape (round full shape that ends abruptly on top and no tapering tissue going up towards collarbone). Meanwhile another super-full-on-top shape person could be utterly unable to fit any but the tallest and most open-on-top cups (a bit like the blogger BrasIHate who coined these terms) due to the unusual height of the full, projected part of her breasts. So, yes these are helpful terms but they only tell part of the story.)

• 2

  alisa dbmamaz has a few Tangos and she thinks they are good quality in a similar size to yours, so I think it's ok to try maybe?

• 3

  I was waiting for this comment wendybien , you explain it best. I kinda remember having this weight/shape changes discussion before...

• 1

  brasaremean oh yes by now I have a lot of practice singing that tune
  :-D I was a bit afraid to mention it the first time years ago because people REALLY loved having these terms that they thought would be the key to all kinds of fit dilemmas. Fortunately nobody got mad so I have mentioned it again many times since!

• I'm sorry everyone I answer so late. I appreciate everyones comments. :)

  MamaPagan thank you for your recommendations. I have added a SF and FB on my wishlist. I don't know if I would be sized out of SF depending of how it runs compared to UK sizes. THe biggest size they make is 75K.
  I will avoid comexim, the bras were too weak, my boobs would fall out of them. I don't think it's worth it as long as I have other options.

• alisa They often make sizes larger than what's listed. My size is never listed (60KK-60L) as available, not even under custom, but they still make it. It just requires an email order instead of a web order, and of course custom sizes are never returnable.
  @dbmamaz still wears Panache so she could assist with knowing how they compare in this size range. I would definitely speak with her before ordering.

• 1

  wendybien thank you for your comment. It was very helpful. I re-read BrasIHate''s master post again http://brasihate.blogspot.com/2013/02/clarifying-breast-shape-full-on-top-vs.html and with your comment it helped me clear the confusion.
  I still do have a full on top shape by definition of this post. Also combined with tall root but not extremly tall like you described. I can wear a Panache Tango in the right size without overspill and that is not a bra that is recommend for FOT shape. But I lost some fullness with my weightloss going from 34L /36K to 32K which was fluffy fat I had on the sides and the upper boob. (When at 34L I decribed my boobs are full on in all directions :D Also I would fill the cup to the wire and top in 34L selina, no empty spaces ever. ) I think the bras I tried recently were too big in the cups, I don't have so much upper fullness to have to size up 2 sized in Bravissimo compared to Panache and CK Victory is just weirdly sized. I have a 34J on it's way just to satisfy my curiosity and for bra science.

  What you think, should I open a new adventure about weight loss / bra size changed so everyone can share their stories? I think it would be easier to find, than your talk here on a bra review. Valuable information can be found easily by search and we could link the adventure if the topic comes up again?

• I think that's a great idea alisa . Almost everyone deals with that at some point and it's one of the rare fit issues that seems to affect every single size range in terms of the way it will shake our confidence in fitting ourselves. Plus, changes in weight, size, body composition or reproductive situation are FAR from emotionally neutral so we often need all the help we can get in those situations.

• 1

  wendybien I will let you know when I opened the new adventure, so you could add your very imformative comments from here there too. I don't know when I get to it in the next days. I will also do a new adventure of my bra trials and fails so there is not too much off topic stuff on this review here.

• Thank you, yes, reminders are a good idea--the brain cells I wore out thinking about bras seem not to be renewing as fast as they used to hahaha! If I don't post on it promptly, feel free to send me a PM--sometimes I miss a notification if there are lots on the same day.

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• Show all comments (10)

• 1

  I like the cutout for added airflow! Oof that looks like a tall gore though, I can almost feel it poking me. It does look like a nice shape from the pics though!

• The cut out is a good idea. But the gore is also quite wide because of that (and tall) so... it's not so good for close-set boobs. The shape is really good. The best I ever got in a Curvy Kate. Usually I get some the dreaded upside 7 shape in them.

• Yeah I can tell by looking I couldn't wear it with that gore but I bet some people with the right shape will love it!

• I'm not sure if the bra is really supportive all day :( In the last few weeks I had constant neck and back pain, that only got a little bit better with this bra but has not gone away. So I'm not sure if I can blame it on the bra or something else. :(

• 1

  I was having crazy back pain, which is sometimes due to bras, but in this case was a combo of stress and my body being done with any heels higher than 1 inch.

• I already exchanged my pillow to a better one. It got a bit better already. I have to work on my posture. I also never wear heels, my feet don't allow it.

• 1

  Cell phone use? Monitor too low? I know I get "tech neck" from looking down at my phone.

• 1

  I stopped exercising regularly for a year and am having back problems now. I need to build up strength in my abdomen again so my back muscles aren’t supporting all this weight.

  I definitely also have more pain from computer use and cell phone use than I used to. Getting older sucks.

• 3

  I was gonna add, not sure if its feasible for you, but my first stop with pain is almost always physical therapy. A good physical therapist can be a miracle worker! Theyve fixed so many issues for me and given me tools to keep things from getting bad again

• Thanks everyone. I think it is a mixture of a few things. It's now winter here, so I'm not as active and sit inside a lot. Also my posture is not the best I'm aware of it but I often forget and slouch again :( Cell phone... I try to work on reduce my time with it, I mean it's just too much.

  Physical therapy here has to be prescribed by a Doctor. I want to try to get it under control myself first before going to a Doctor. I had many times some neck pain on my weight loss / bra size change journey and it got better everytime I got a proper fitting bra. (I have to work on other issues above too, I got a bit lazy)

  I also do notice that the straps on my Victory fall off all the time during the day! I wonder if that adds to bad posture... the straps feel like slipping all the time and I try to prevent it with "bad posture"? Does it make sense? Like when you wear a handbag over your shoulders and you lift that shoulders so it does not slip down? Then at the end of the day the shoulders hurts. (I switched to cross body bags most of the time despite big boobs vs strap issue, it's just better for my shoulders)

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• Show all comments (20)

• 2

  It looks gorgeous on you!

• It looks gorgeous on you!

• I’m a little worried about the chafing of the arm hole. It is now digging onto my arm pit. I don’t know if that means an issue with the size or the construction of the bra. That’s never been a problem with any bra I’ve ever owned, even the I’ll-fitting ones.

• Sorry, replying from my phone and I didn’t catch the autocorrect errors.

• If my bands aren't tight enough, my breasts tilt the cups forward and the wires poke my armpits. So, does the band have enough holding power?

• 1

  I'm not sure. I didn't experience any poking wires on the side or under the armpit. It's just the elastic curve that goes around the armpit and connects to the strap is chafing me. The band mostly stayed in place, though there were a couple times where I felt like the underwire chafed a bit and I wasn't sure if maybe something was off with the band. But the band mostly stayed in place, so I'm not sure. Should I try it on the second hook and see if it makes a difference? I'm not sure if that will make the issue worse on the armhole, though.

• 1

  It's possible that the saleswoman was slightly off with the measurements and maybe I need to be looking at 38H and maybe my band size didn't change. It would be nice if there was a place where I could try on the larger size bras. The boutique is a specialty store where the salesperson picks out bras for you and measures you. You can't really browse at all. They keep all the bras in plastic bins based on size/style. You can only browse a few pieces of lingerie in the front by the register. There's a Nordstrom Rack in my area, but they rarely have the F+ sizes.

• 2

  Can you measure this bra?

  You could submit a fit request. I think this is the wrong size for you.

• 1

  I can measure it tonight or tomorrow. I did wonder about the cup size not going up as both times I used the bratabase calculator this week, it suggested a larger cup (my breast perimeter went up about an inch since the last time I measured 5 months ago).

  This bra was a close fit, but just a little off. I'm a little disappointed as I got a good fit in the past from this saleswoman, so I was really hoping she'd be able to estimate my size and then I'd be able to go from there. I don't think they allow returns, but maybe I can exchange the 2nd bra I bought but haven't worn.

• 3

  Aside from the size issues, It might be that the curvature of the cup side is not angled enough for you. I have that issue a lot actually. The wing feels fine, the straps not bad, but that pesky cup curve connecting the two is simply not curved enough. Sort of like it's cutting/jumping the curb instead of taking the corner properly (to use a car and driving analogy. )

• 2

  I'm really happy to see this bra on another person. It looks like a good design, if a bit tall as you might be experiencing.

• 2

  MamaPagan Good analogy. It might be what you are describing. It’s not a terrible fit, but that armhole curve is wrong. I know in the past, I bought a Curvy Kate bra that almost fit and seemed okay in the store, but once I tried it on at home and moved around in it, I realized it was off and one of the cups seemed too small, so it could be that maybe I’m a half cup bigger than how they grade their sizes and then the band possibly being off.

  I am worried about the second bra I bought from the boutique which was the Parfait Charlotte. I noticed the band wasn’t as snug as I’m used to (especially since Parfait usually runs tight on me), but I didn’t think to say something to the saleswoman as I thought maybe it was okay. So maybe the 40 band size is wrong. I probably should try the 38H or 36HH that the second bratabase calculation gave me. Today I’m wearing my tightest band bra which is a 38gg Pour Moi with a weird band that ran extra large so I to take it in. I think with the shorter band it is probably somewhere between a 36 and a tight 38 band and it works fine apart from the cup size. The band stays snug and doesn’t move around.
  

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  You could also try to re-measure the bands at full stretch on your older bras that aren't as tight as you need, and comparing that to what you bought as well. This would give you a bit of comparison to go by, and also allow you to compare those figures with the figures here on Bratabase. It might help you pin point the band that would be more comfortable for you. If you have those older bras already entered here, that will also allow you to compare the new measurements to your original ones to see if part of the band issue is really just natural wear and tear and not an indicator of you needing to up size the band.
  With the bra shop, I'm sure if you ask to try a cup or two larger in the 36 & 38, she'd be willing to let you. It would be to her benefit to let you try, with potential of additional sales.

  I have had some success in removing the stitching that holds the elastic on the sides of the cup and lowering that curve & restitching the elastic in place. It doesn't alter the cup, wing, or straps but does allow the armpit to be out of that angle of incline & in turn allow for more comfort. It usually takes two small slits approx. 1/2cm long cut about an inch or below the strap connection & one just above where the upper and lower sections meet. Then I fold the cut section over which lowers that curve & then resew the elastic in place. The exact placement of these cuts will vary depending on the current angle and cup size, and may require 3 slits instead of two, but it gives you an idea of what I do. If you have a sewing machine & are comfortable with making alterations, it's something to consider trying.
  :)

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  I've added measurements for this bra. MamaPagan I do believe you are right about the issue with normal wear and tear/stretch. I just measured the band length on what was my best-fitting bra 4 months ago and it is definitely 1-2 inches bigger than what people have measured for the bra. I was lazy when I first added the bra and didn't take the measurements. But other people measured that one at 31-31.5 and currently my bra is about 33 inches. So it's definitely stretched out. Maybe I'll take it in a little and see if that helps.

  I'm not sure if I'm confident enough to re-do the armhole, but I might try it since the I can't return the Victory and it's a cute enough bra to keep if I can make it workable.

  We happened to go out to a restaurant that is at a big shopping center where there was a Nordstrom, so I did get to try on a few Elomi bras while I was there. I posted another review of a 36HH if you want to see. Not a fit, though the bra felt comfortable (at least in the fitting room). But the cups were not right for me.

• vrwriter I looked at the pictures of the Elomi and for sure that's not a good fit for you. The wires are too wide at the sides and I think that's being exacerbated by the stretchy band pulling them back more. This is a pretty typical Elomi problem, most common on the Cate and its clones for me.

  I found the Victory to have a pretty firm band. Have you tried an extender with it? That might help with the armhole placement. I have also cut away at/folded down an armhole before, with good results. The key is to use fold over elastic, sewing it without stretching the elastic, to bind the cup again. Make sure not to make too deep of a cut at first or you will end up with boob muffining over the armpit hole. :/

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  vrwriter
  I added a picture of the "after alteration" with notes on my Ewa Michalak SF Pinup so you could get a visual. I wouldn't recommend slits this deep (this was my first attempt at this type of alteration) but it does make for a good visual aid since I never trimmed the excess fabric off.

  http://www.bratabase.com/bra/dirrm/

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  Thank you for the detailed pictures with instructions! And welcome back! I ended up returning the Victory even though I liked the style. Luckily the store took it back. I found out that they will exchange bras if you have only worn them once or twice. They just inspect them really well and steam clean them for the next customer. I wish I'd known that a year ago when I bought my Curvy Kate Ellace which fit in one cup but not the other. I might put it up for sale as I still have it and only wore it a couple times and realized it wasn't going to work.

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  Glad it worked out for you. :) Were you able to get a better fitting replacement?

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  MamaPagan Yes! I ended up with a Prima Donna 38I bra whose price made me cringe a little, but it fit! I tried on so many bras that week that didn't work, so I sucked it up and bought it and I also got the Elomi Matilda in 38H/38K, which works. It's more of a plunge bra and is cute and sheer and fits so much better than that Caitlyn bra which was so ugly on me. I mostly just tried that one on to see sizing. Turns out that I'm now a 38H-38HH UK Size. Not sure how the girls keep getting bigger every year, but I guess I got my childhood wish for bigger boobs. :D

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  That is great! I am glad you found two that work for you :)
  The price tag attached to bras can be a shock, I regularly cringe, but a bigger price is a lot better than a bad bra, right? Better on the back & breasts than the pocketbook.
  A lot of women experience the breast growth at different points in life, so you are in good company with the new growth here on Bratabase. Mine went up 3 cup sizes in less than a year & I'm in my 40s. I've talked with many on here that have experienced similar (& most with the same thought about the irony of getting them later in life!) :)

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So I've been waiting close to 4 years to get this bra. I had heard that there were issues with scaling in the large cup + large band sizes, but large cup + small band sizes should be okay. When I got this in the mail and took the bra out, analyzed the construction of it I just knew that the initial fit was probably going to be a dumpster fire without alterations. Luckily I had only spent $7 on this otherwise I would have sent it back. I got my original recommended size of 30JJ and purchased an extender as Id rather have something thats a bit ... too tight stretch over time and become wearable, rather than something too large. I now realize I probably should've gotten 32JJ anyways due to quadding and a floating gore after alterations because Im pretty sure this style doesn't come in 30K. The cups are insanely open on top with an equal amount of space at the apex but close to zero room at the wires. This left me with my breasts sitting in the lower portions of the cup and filling it out semi decently with a tent on top, there was so much fabric that it was literally up to my collar bones while also leaving me with a boob fold and floating gore, something I also experienced in CK Ellace. After taking in the upper section of the cups I was left with a bra that's actually functional, I do plan on lowering the armpit and moving the straps in a smidge. The cups also might be a size small because Im getting the tiniest amount of quadding. The gore and wing height are something that I appreciate and find comfortable. I dont think I could justify paying full price for this due to how awful the scaling is in the larger cup sizes and having to perform alterations to get it to work. I feel like sizing down would've just made the issues I was already experiencing, much worse.
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232 more words

30:14 30JJ

Floating wires

Curvy Kate

Victory Balcony (9001)

3 suggestions

This bra's measurements have been altered

Altered band, Took in upper cup fabric

Updated on Dec 21, 2020 Flag this

plantswithlingerie

79 reputation

13 bras

• This bra is just super shallow. It's also very wide and tall. I think the shape you need to fit into this bra in large cup sizes is very rare. Usually you'd need more projection at the wire in J+ cups. I tried this bra in several sizes and none worked, I had too much space on top but not enough at the gore / wire. Sizing down didn't help me.

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• You can in the personal assessment to set it didn't fit.

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  smjwzhan oh, I did it all wrong! Thank you, fixed it.

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• Show all comments (8)

• 1

  Oooh! It’s soooo good on you! Best I’ve seen! Sorry it’s not a perfect fit but it’s really close!

• Thanks :) You know what? I almost removed tags and call it a good fit. Then I remembered how often I did that and the bra ended up being to weak for full day wear :/ I wore it für 30 min and if felt ok during that time. Then on the next day I wanted to do this again and it felt weaker already. I'm glad I can still return it.

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  Sorry it didn't quite work, but it does look really nice on you!

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  Ooh this is good, you're getting closer to a perfect fit! Sorry it didn't work out though :(

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  I second (or third?) veggiechic & Frazzleberry. It looks like the best fit so far. Progress is a beautiful thing. 💙

• Maybe keep the tags on and try it some more. Maybe it’s not a perfect fit, but it’s good enough?

• Hi Calluna Dear,

  I think it's close to a good fit for an otherwise delicious bra. However...

  The gore portion is too weak IMHO.

  A flaw in scaling the design to such high cup letters.

  Is the lower part of the gore elastic ?

  The gore is an essential structural reinforcement. It must resist the downward bending momentum and other forces by anchoring underwires to a solid structure.

  Otherwise, the gore will creep down.

  I would try 4 layers of thin nylon mesh with grains oriented 45 degrees relative to each other. Then give it 3 - 4 finely spaced crossed "quilt" stitches, cut to shape and fine stitch on the inner side of the gore, well connected to the underwire pockets.

  The aim being to shorten the lower portion of the gore and prevent it from stretching of flexing.

  Hopefully the underwires have enough beef to take it ;)

  A bit of overkill, lol Hon, I like experimenting ;)

  Have a super day, best regards,

  Mathy

• Tagging alisa as she’s the owner of the bra, not me, and can answer your questions femineaaeterna. :)

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• 1

  I had the same problem with this bra but more so. It's definitely for someone with roots that are much more spread out, I think, especially vertically. Which is fine as CK has many bras great for short roots.

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