Drakefish

I THINK I MAY HAVE FOUND MY HOLY GRAIL BRA! Or I'm a lot closer, anyway. I have never experienced a fit so perfect.
I fill the cups completely with the top edge making a smooth line, and the center gore lies flat against my sternum. The band never rides up even though I can fit a whole fist under it.
Whether what I have spilling out the sides -- as you can see in the back shot -- is escaped breast tissue or just fat, is debatable. But the underwire's placement is comfortable. My only concern so far is they way ... my belly causes the lace on the bottom edges of the cups to curl up at the bottom (you can see this in the front shot). I am open to suggestions on what to do about that.
I must also note that is comfortable lying down, which is important to me because I like to recline in order to relax. In my current living situation, that usually means just lying in bed.
Thank you, Bratabase! The last time I tried to get measured at a store, the woman doing so pronounced me a "big B." I had to take off my shirt to prove to her that I was wearing (and pushing out the center gore on) a DD-cup and she practically fell over in shock. Who knows how long getting to this size/cut combination would have taken without this website.
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Scarlet colorway

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Jan 28, 2018 Flag this

This model in this size was (at least it was two weeks ago -- that bit of information seems to have disappeared now) indicated to have either a similar cut or similar measurements to one my strict recommendations (I'm guessing either the Cleo Marcie Balconnet in 34G or the Minnie, or possibly the Panache Jasmine Balconnet in 34GG). While the band does not ride up at all, leaves fairly deep indentations in my skin and occasionally squeezes my ribcage too tight, I still can easily fit a whole hand under the band. And it mostly feels okay. Then, I don't know if this part is ... important or not, but I also occasionally notice the band actually rolling up underneath the underwire in front. No idea what that means.
The cups, however, are definitely a little too big. There is always at least a little wrinkling and puckering in the top half of the cups. Sometimes it seems like adjusting the straps to fix this only exacerbates it and increases the chance of the band riding up. And then I'm not sure what kind of fit issue this indicates, but I've been noticing a lot of chafing from the top corners of the cup the past few days. I also definitely see less cup wrinkling when that's happening.
Overall, this feels like the closest thing to a bra actually fits since I started using Bratabase, and possibly the closest ever.
Update: The past week or so I've been experiencing a growing pain in my ribs just about where the band sits on my right side. It started as a stinging sensation but has progressed to a definite ache. The weird thing is there's no physical evidence of injury when I look -- no scrapes, bruises, etc. I'm working on getting new recommendations now.
If you can't find a bra in your strict recommendations at a decent price point or whatever, is it better to turn to not-strict recommendations or to the models that are said to have the same measurements or same cut as a strict recommendation?

December update: The pain subsided and has returned once or twice, but only briefly. I've gained 10-15 lbs since August, so I now entirely fill the cups and have no complaints about fit, yay! And this wasn't even a recommendation. But shortly after I realized it fits better, it went missing.
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Mink colorway

This bra is not owned any more

Updated on Dec 17, 2017 Flag this

The band seems to fit all right -- doesn't ride up much or hurt at all. The cups appear to be deep enough because the center gore lies flat against my sternum and I usually fill the cups without overspill in front. Lots of overspill on the side though, because they are not nearly wide enough and the underwires dig in on the sides so painfully that I can't wear this bra for a full day. However, bratabase recommended a UK 34G, which is what I thought I was buying. So hopefully fixing the overspill problem is as simple as going a up one more cup size in this model.

Cafe Au Lait colorway

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Updated on Jul 08, 2017 Flag this

This bra was listed as a "these will also fit" bra for the Freya Deco Moulded Plunge Bra (4234) in 36G, which was the one "strict recommendation" in my latest recommendations. I chose a "these will also fit" bra over the "strict recommendation" because I hate moulded, padded and lined bras -- and yes, I am starting see that that may not have been the right decision.
The straps don't adjust quite long enough. I feel them digging into my shoulders at least a little, and I think this is also what causes the top corners of the cups to chafe the fatty area between my breasts ... and shoulders. All of the other fit parameters are fine, which is why this is listed as a bra that did fit me when I added it. Not sure why the website first asks whether or not the straps adjust long enough/short enough but then doesn't cover that on the following screen where it says "based on your responses this bra does/does not fit" and then asks you to respond yes or no to again to every single parameter except the one about straps -- but it would be nice to get that added.
I also noticed -- and I'm not sure this is an actual fit issue -- that sometimes the band seems to ride . . . down? Sometimes I can pull the band up by an inch or so and it will stay in the new position at least for a while -- and after moving it, any problems I had noticed with the cups not not being entirely filled are resolved. I wasn't sure how to indicate that I'm the fit questions, if this is indeed a fit issue.
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Dogtooth colorway

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Updated on May 12, 2019 Flag this

Bought this in August; reviewing in December, after having gained 10-15 lbs
The band is sometimes so tight that my back becomes so stiff as to impede movement in the region under and surrounding said band. And there is still wrinkling in the cups because I still am not quite filling them. The wires sometimes dig in on the outer sides, and sometimes there is space between my boobs and the inner edges of the cups. And lying down in this bra , but can hurt because then my boobs always want to flop outwards, but the outer edges of the cups just don't go far out enough for that.
This was listed on eBay as a Susanna Side Support, which was either an indirect recommendation or listed on here as similar to a direct recommendation at the time. IIRC, the band was not as tight when I bought as it is now, but I was filling the cups even less now than I was then.

Twilight colorway

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Updated on Dec 17, 2017 Flag this

Hook and zipper INSTEAD of center gore, boobs pushing it about two inches out from sternum. Furthermore, since there is no underwire, "cup width" unfortunately doesn't mean a lot here. The inner edges of the cups are about two inches out, where the zipper is, which gives my boobs more freedom to shift laterally than I'd like them to have.
Cups appear to be filled out correctly directions -- because these are molded cups, so it takes a LOT of empty space to make them wrinkle. Meanwhile, I can poke the cups and feel empty space, and I can create wrinkles by shifting my boobs in ... the cups and then pinching the empty fabric like I'm going to use skinfold calipers on it.
My bustline while wearing this is 39.875", as opposed to 39" in the Andorra Full Cup, which has zero padding. This is why I hate padding and molded cups.
But it's functional as a sports bra for free weights and bodyweight exercises, and it was on clearance for $12.68, so I will be keeping it at least until I can afford a better-fitting sports bra.
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Teal/Black colorway

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Updated on Jan 28, 2018 Flag this