Bra fitting help » Does it fit?
Betsey Johnson Intimates » Zipper Stripe Lightly Lined Demi Underwire (723100) » 30D 30:4
Issue resolved
Thanks everyone! Looks like the band is too big on this one, and that the cups are too far apart (center gore too wide). I'm going to keep this bra as it's seriously cute and pretty comfortable (for now). Will look into some of the bras suggested in the comments.
Original problem
This bra is my first foray into getting a proper-fitting bra. I've been wearing a 32B (and a sometimes a 32C) for years and years, suffering with giant bands, smooshed-up boobs,and misplaced underwires. NO MORE! That being said, after wearing an incorrect size for so many years, I really have no idea how a bra should fit me. This one feels pretty good except for the shoulder straps feeling a bit too far apart. Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks in advance, everyone!
You must be logged in to leave suggestions
-
New user?
-
Have an account?
Suggestions (4)
-
1
helpful
Are you sure that band isn't too loose? Is the back on the same level as the front of the band?
Generally, it looks pretty good but it also like it could be much better... Isn't the gore a bit too wide for you?Updated on August 7, 2012 Flag this
-
0
helpful
I think it is a fairly well-fitting bra for somebody who starts on a brapiphany journey.
However, like many women in your size range you have shallow wide-set breasts. Like many plunges the rim of the cup of this bra cuts in. I thus think you might want to try halfcups. Parfait by Affinitas might be a good brand for you to check out. I can also see you in Curvy Kate Tease Me and Curvy Kate Thrill Me.
Updated on August 7, 2012 Flag this
-
Thank you so so much for your recommendations. I will definitely check out the two Curvy Kate bras you mentioned and some Parfait styles too. I also have a question based on your comment...what does it mean to have shallow, wide set breasts? It's probably a stupid question, but I'm new to all this! Thanks again for your help' :)
-
A breast is a three-dimensional object. Like a cupboard it has three dimensions - width, height and depth. Width is across your ribcage from left to right. Height is along your ribcage up in the direction of your chin. And depth is the projection, how far your breasts jut out.
Shallow wideset breasts means that the projection is lower than average and that the width is wider than average. Essentially your breasts are spread out all over your ribcage, they don't stick out as much. They look larger from the front than from the side. Women with breasts like this typically wear cups that are way too small. They fall prey to the orange-in-a-glass-effect and desperately search for A,AA and AAA cups when they truly need Ds and DDs.
-
BTW, if you shop for the much recommended Freya bras, avoid the unpadded balconnetes like the plague. Go for the padded halfcups instead. Padded halfcups from Masquerade (Harlequin in the US) and Cleo might also work well for you.
-
Umm, I cannot agree with your advice, t_maia... First of all, belief in "it doesn't fit because my breasts are set too wide" is a common mistake. In fact most women with small to medium bust have a noticeable distance between breasts. Wearing wrong bra size often makes it even more so, as we can see on the pictures above. Also, I wouldn't say brahemian has wideset breasts, the distance between them doesn't look big. Wide root doesn't mean wideset. I have average size bust, with an average distance and wide root. And I wear mostly plunges and Freya balconettes (but I have to take smaller band and bigger cup in the latter). Most well fitting bras gathers breasts from sides to the centre and up. Even half cups, by their uplifting effect make the bust fuller near the centre. And that's why the distance between breasts in a bra looks different than without a bra. In fact, women with bigger breasts have more problem finding a good quality bra which separates breasts instead of pushing them together.
Make an experiment, place your hand under your breast and lift the breast - you can see how it changes its shape, despite various shapes and softness of breasts for most women a properly lifting bra changes the shape so there is more volume near the sternum and at tops of the breasts.
I think this bra looks like it's not completely wrong, but instead of pushing breasts up and in the centre it rather pushes them apart. That's why I guess it's either wrong size or wrong construction.
As for wide wires... Panache/Cleo/Masquerade has rather wide wires at least in small to medium sizes. Freya balconettes have narrow underwires, and I found out I'm ok with a smaller band and bigger cup size. Freya's plunges, as far as I can tell are ok for wide set breasts - I have several Retros. I would recommend starting with plunge models, as they are easier to fit for wide set breasts. Don't buy too many bras for the start, after a while it may turn out you need slightly different size either because of tissue migration or because you'll get used to snug fit.
-
Thank you t_maia and StrikesLikeColdSteel. I always thought my breasts were pretty close together, which is why the "wide-set" comment confused me a little. I do agree that I have "wide roots" though. So do you think the problem is with the bandsize/cup size with this particular bra, or is it a style issue, or is it both?
-
I can't be sure by just looking on the photos, it's either wrong size or wrong style (maybe both). It's a plunge bra but it doesn't give the effect that a plunge bra should.
What I know is that you should be able to achieve much better fit and shape. Your shape isn't untypical or difficult. I don't know this brand, but if you have 66 cm in chest, 30 may be just too big. -
Thank you again for the help!
-
THanks for pointing out the difference between wideset and widerooted breasts. I meant wide-rooted. English is not my native language, I sometimes struggle to find the right expression.
-
I'm going to agree with Strikeslikecoldsteel because I found some similar fit issues in the stocking stripe bra, which has a very similar cut to this. I also usually wear a 30D but the stocking stripe in 30D left me with breasts almost splayed outwards and no lift, even though the cups seemed to fit. When I tried the 30C I was amazed, it fits me like a dream. When I examined both, I noticed that the 30C is proportioned differently: the gore is narrower and the wires positioned less outwardly, so the bra can grab and lift my breasts inwardly more effectively. The cups are still just large enough for me. The difference in shape it gives me is astounding. I think this is an issue that is often overlooked in bra fitting: that bras may often "fit" in more than one size, but aesthetics of where they place breast tissue is also an important factor in assessing them. For reference, I have a 28 inch rib cage, with close set breasts, wide roots and a shallow but predominantly bottom heavy shape.
-
-
0
helpful
I have this bra in its black version. I can't say that I'm that happy with it. The band is super stretchy and the bra stretched out very fast.
For your chest measurement how did you measure? For example: If I just breathe out and do a snug measurement of my ribcage then I get 28". If I breathe out and measure very snug I get 26.5". When I breathe in to fully expand my ribcage I get 30".
The reason why I ask is because I got maybe 20 wears out of this bra before it became useless on the tightest hook. So I had the band altered down a size. Still now it rides up my back a little just relaxing around the house. For work it is completely useless and I have to keep pulling the band back down whenever I have to reach my arms above my head.
Oh and yes I had this bra in a 30 band. It such a crying shame since this bra and panty set is so cute!
Updated on August 8, 2012 Flag this
-
Hi Deedit! I measure at 26" snugly breathing out; 25" at very snug breathing out; and 27.5" when breathing in. I've only worn the bra twice, so it may very well stretch out in the band with more wear. :(
-
Awe! Well I did wear this bra to work at first.I really put a bra to the test at work since I don't have a sit down job and have to basically move in every direction possible.
I really do hope you have better luck with it!
-
I hope so too- I'll let you know how it feels after some more wear! :)
-
-
0
helpful
It looks like the band may bee too large. That would cause the straps to fall down, because they're too far apart. It also looks to me like the back is riding up, which would also be caused by a too-big band. The cups look pretty good though.
I see your ribcage measurement is 26". That's a hard size to find without custom ordering. You may want to try a 28DD instead of 30D.
Updated on August 8, 2012 Flag this
I think you're right on both issues - like I mentioned, I have no idea how a bra should fit! I think the band could definatily be tighter, but this was the smallest band size I could find at Nordstrom's. I also was wondering about the cups being too far apart/center gore being too wide, but I wasn't sure if it was supposed to fit that way! Thank you so much for the feedback - I really appreciate it.