Bra fitting help » Does a large band mess up how the rest of the bra fits?
Maidenform » Pure Genius Extra Coverage Tailored Bra (07539) » 36D 36:4
Issue resolved
My underbust measurement is 32 and I've been working on finding the right bra size. I just got a 32F that seems to fit perfectly. I do want to alter this bra here since it's pretty comfortable and it seems a shame to get rid of it as it's pretty new and people have suggested the cups will fit if I fix the band and front.
Original problem
When I pull the band tight the cups don't seem to fit right anymore. And I'm not sure how many band sizes down I should go. The most annoying this about this is, when I move, the bra moves and I have to readjust it.
(There's another picture under the bra review.)
Any way to make easy alterations to this?
You must be logged in to leave suggestions
-
New user?
-
Have an account?
Suggestions (3)
-
1
helpful
I've done alterations to a similar shaped bra - VS Full Coverage BBV, from a 34D to about a 28F. That's a pretty big jump too. Because this one you have is not a full band it may not work as well if you need to take off several inches. But to start you can add a dart to the center gore because the cups look too wide for your frame. This also adds room to the top of the cup because it curves the cup in the center, up more. Depending on how wide it is you could end up taking off 1-2" from the band length.
The other adjustments to the band is either to add a folded pleat either before or after the back straps (towards center back), and evenly on both sides. Or you can remove the hook and eye closure and trim away excess fabric evenly from both sides, then reattach closure. The problem with this last method is it can pull the straps too close together in back and this can put pressure on your neck/shoulders, especially if you have the straps tight. It works almost like a halter style too so you may notice it pulls the cups in even more, but it does give more cleavage.
The bra that I altered is one of my best fitting, and more comfortable too. It's as tight in the band as my Deco's in a 28, except it doesn't irritate my skin as much, plus the cups are full coverage so they fit better anyhow.
If you were to only take in the band on the sides/back and do nothing with the center gore it would cause the cups to pull too much to the sides and make them feel smaller. They look like they're a good fit on you as it is (with the exception of being too far apart at the moment which is what's causing that slight bit of quad-boob).
I only really recommend the alterations if you know how to sew, though they are fairly easy. And they'll come out better by machine, they can be done by hand, but doubled thread and small, even stitches will be needed.
Updated on April 19, 2012 Flag this
-
1
helpful
Answering your question, Yes a large band mess up the rest of the bra.
That happens because a large band will wrap farther along your body which will lead to narrower/smaller cups.
Then if you adjust the too big band to fit you snugly you will appreciate how the cups were too small. This is the usual problem most women have when getting bras (blame the +5" formula).
The bra in the picture seems to have this problem. You definitely will need a smaller band and a bigger cup. I'd say probably a 32 band and maybe an F cup? hard to tell without more information. Same recommendation as kopfhoerer, we should start with a ribcage measurement.
Updated on April 19, 2012 Flag this
-
0
helpfulDo you know your underbust measurement? That is usually a good starting point. Use a soft tape measure, exhale, hold the band parallel to the floor and pull the tape very tight. Do not add any inches to it, only round to the nearest even number.
Updated on April 19, 2012 Flag this
I'm glad to hear an altered bra can turn out really well. I hadn't even considered I might need to take in the front. Thanks for the advice, I'm definitely going to try this.