Bra fitting help » My bra doesn't fit. In between cup sizes? Wrong shape?
Bravissimo » Dixie Bra (LN152) » 30HH 30:12
Issue resolved
Trying on some more bras. Again!
Original problem
I'm trying out this shape from Bravissimo now. I'm just trying to find a bra which:
Doesn't hurt insanely
Gives nice shape and lift under clothesAt this point I don't care how the bra looks or if they flop around - as long as it looks fine while I'm dressed and it doesn't hurt me. I would prefer if my boobs felt somewhat firm in the bra, but generally, I find that they feel the same with or without a bra, as if the bra is not tight enough. But at the same time, a cup might be too small, so I don't know.
The band feel tight, but I can pull it a fair bit away. It doesn't feel like it slides up, but I'm not sure. I can't imagine wearing a smaller band, as I can hardly close this one - but then why can I pull it so far away from my body??
The cups seem too small, but not a full cup. I've tried a cup up in the same shape (different bra, but same shape. I know it can differ, but it feels the same, just a cup bigger) and I'm sure it's too big. Lots of gaping, and sagging cups and just looks like I'm not wearing a bra.
This bra seems to accentuate the difference between my smaller and bigger breast. I haven't had an issue with it before. But on the smaller breast, the cup just seems too small. On my smaller breast, the cup gaps all over, and a lot near the strap, but seems to cut in sliiightly at the edge closest to the center gore.
I also feel like I'm wearing it too low, but I can't get it to sit higher. If I try, the band is at my shoulder blades, and the centre gore slides downwards.
There's also some wrinkling (orange in a glass effect) near the bottom, and some slight wrinkling in the cups near the center gore.I'm not sure about the wire. It seems wide enough, but too short?
The straps are, as usual, cutting off my arms. I've included a picture of me pushing my arm forward to illustrate how much it restricts my arm movement. Both the cup and strap cuts in then. This is not a bad as several other bras, but still unbearable.
I don't know where to go from now on. It's not comfortable to wear. The wires are very sturdy, which I generally find very uncomfortable and painful. I've tried bending them a bit, but it doesn't change much.
I don't even know anymore what my breast shape is.
I also don't understand why wearing a bra makes my stomach bulge out. I get a big roll under the band at the sides (yes I swoop eeeeverything in) and my stomach bulges out. I don't have that roll or bulge when not wearing a bra. I think the bra sits too low, so it pushes on my stomach??Any suggestions as what is wrong with this bra? Or what else I could try? I don't care of its plunges, balconnets or whatever
I've tried Bravissimos other plunge shape (lucine) in a 30H. I thought it was amazing, but too small, so I ordered a bigger cup. But the cup seemed constructed differently in the bigger size, so it had the same amount of cutting in, just with lots of gaping at other parts of the cup.
I also have a deco (32GG) with a too big band and too small cup. The shape would most likely fit if the size what different.The only bra which fits is my panache sports bra in a 32GG which I'm exchanging for a 30H now.
I really appreciate the help I can get!
Edit: for some reason my photos are there twice. I also notice some in-cup quadboob in one photo. It's really only noticeable in the photo, not in real life, and only when I pulled my arm as far back as possible, so I wouldn't assume it would be a problem...
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Suggestions (3)
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helpfulWell, I will not help about the cup size, because it's not my size range an I don't know much about it.
But I read your review and about the band – it's perfectly okay to be able to pull it away from the body! If you can hardly close the bra, try a bigger band size and don't think too much about all the weird rules about fitting 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 or any other number of fingers under the band.You should feel _comfortable_ in the bra. You should be able to freely take a deep breath while wearing it. You should be able to easily fasten it on every setting it has, but feel most comfortable on the loosest or middle. It should not ride up. Personally, I think these are the rules about choosing the band size, not some number-of-fingers based ideas – following these will end up in squeezing yourself way too tight and in the long run causing pain, permanent marks on the body etc.
I think the straps digging in at the armpit are caused by the tight band. It's pulling the cups apart and that's exactly why the straps end up in the wrong place. Also the fact that you feel the bra sits too low (although I don't see it in the pictures) confirms that – you can't pull it up higher, because it will slide back into position. The straps are also digging into your shoulders very deep, you should try lenghtening them a bit and then check the fit of the cup again.
Updated on April 13, 2013 Flag this
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helpfulI would hazard a guess that you'll generally get along better with true half cups (not balconettes masquerading as half cups!) than plunge bras. I would suggest trying the ewa michalek CHP or HP style, I think it would sit higher, but also help under the arms (not restrict as much). This makes sense given your past success with the tease me, which I would say is kind of the middle ground between this fit request bra that just looks like it's scaled for a body larger than yours to me, and the CHP/a true half-cup. I don;t personally have any experience with Freya's half-cups, but they might also be an option, if you're not sized out?
Updated on April 10, 2013 Flag this
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I've only tried one Ewa bra, and the wires were so narrow, about 1/4 of my breast couldn't get in there :( and the cup too deep.
And as I hear that the Ewa bras generally have narrow wires, I can't really risk it.
The Tease me also has the straps placed too far out, so they hurt a lot. It's has also become too shallow/small for me now, since my breast tissue has migrated some.
I would also think you are right about half cups, but most of the times, the center gores are too wide.
I've tried several styles, the rhea, mademoiselle, Parisian plume, moulin rose, rococo charm, juna, to name some half cups or half cup-ish bras. I've also tried boudoir beau, satine, Marcie, (fit in a 32GG, but the band became crazy loose and was mislabelled. I had lost some underbust weight, so I bought a 30H Marcie. Didn't fit at all) well, and lots more.
It generally seems that's its really a big problem for me with small bands and large cups. The bras do seem scaled for a larger body than mine - so the straps end up in the armpits. All bras I've tried do this. I had a cleo Lucy in a 32GG which didn't do it. Until I took in the center gore. Then the straps started digging at the arms. (It's also too big in the band)What are actual true half cups? Because I always get that suggestion, and I understand why. But I can't seem to have any that fit. My only well fitting bras in the past have been plunges. They've generally felt more secure oddly enough. But in the bigger cups, they seem to "curve in" to much and cut in while being big at the apex. My breasts seem equally big all over, when I lift them with my hands, they project forward equally much all over. I don't know if I make sense with this.
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Ah, that's tough :(
I've got some similar issues, particularly with bras being scaled too large, but I got lucky in that Ewa's narrow wires work for me, and I found I needed narrow wires more and more after tissue migration. I've also found that taking in the centre gore screws me over in that it sends the outer edges of the cups and straps further into my armpits!I consider true half cups ones that leave a good part of the upper breast exposed/open on top. Easier said than done.
I wish you luck in finding wide wire half cups with narrow centre gores, or compatible plunges. Wish I could help more :(
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helpfulI often have the same trouble with the straps cutting into my arms. I'm not sure about how to solve the fit issues with this bra, but here is a helpful chart to see where different bras stand as far as wire-widths go. http://i.imgur.com/2UVzC.png It might help you find new brands with comparable widths to bras that already work for you. I find that wide wires usually correspond with straps that are also set too wide for my shoulders. That said, if the wires seem wide enough but the straps are still too far apart, it's possible to just alter that part of the bra. In this case, it looks like the transition from cup to strap looks a little too seamless to make an alteration like that, but it's definitely doable with other styles where the strap is the last part to be attached to the cup.
As for other suggestions, have you tried Curvy Kate's Tempt Me? I find it doesn't have as bad an issue with the wide straps as the rest of the Showgirl line, and it's a great plunge.
Updated on April 10, 2013 Flag this
Thank you! I measure 30.5-31" on my underbust, but I feel like every band is too loose, because it slides up no matter what I do. I think it's just the way my body is shaped though, so I've already exchanged this bra and actually ordered several bras with a 32" band. I curve in naturally at my spine, so the band barely touches my back there, but is too tight at my sides. So I've concluded that I'll try going back to bigger bands, and see how that is. I think if I find a fitting cup size, the band might be okay, even if a bit big. I honestly don't mind adjusting it during the day - if it's comfortable. My main issue is that the bras are causing me pain by digging in everywhere cause they are so tight. But the looser bands cause me a lot of back/neck/shoulder pain. So I think I have to figure out what works the best. Like today I wore the panache sports bra (32GG) which is loose in the band. It slides up a bit and down in the front (though there's plenty of room in the cups). My shoulder/neck muscles are now super tight and painful. But the bra doesn't dig in or anything. I've now bought the 30H which also fits, so I'll test it out soon, if I don't get the same shoulder pain
And about the straps, I actually have this natural curve on my shoulders and I hate that the straps look like they are too tight. It's really annoying but it's the way my shoulders are shaped :( it's not a strap groove, it's just always been there. Next time I'll take some photos without the straps on :)