Bra fitting help » Gaping on smaller breast, wide-set straps
Cleo » Juna Balconnet Bra (6461) » 32G 32:9
Issue resolved
Going to get a pad to wear on the smaller side.
Original problem
This bra gapes on my smaller breast (my right breast), even when swooped&scooped. The straps are also wide-set. I'm wide shouldered and the front pic shows where they "naturally" sit on me. One of the angle pics shows the strap on a comfier position, and you can see tissue returning the armpit area.
When on the loosest hook, it gapes on both breasts because the s&s'd tissue isn't held tightly by the band and goes back to where it was. These pics were taken with the bra on the second hook, which looks and feels a lot better. I think it looks pretty good on my bigger breast, makes it look round and perky even, but it still gapes on the other. Maybe a pad would fix it?
I could fasten it easily enough on the second hook, and the fit on the first hook was horrid - but I don't think I could wear a 30 band at all. The band looks like it's riding up, but all bands do that on me because of the shape of my torso, I think (and ugh, isn't that pic unflattering). I have a very "v-shaped" torso because I used to be a swimmer. I also have a bit of fluff all over my back. I don't think the armpit "fat" is as much breast tissue, but the fact that my torso broadens there + there's a bit of fat.
I'm not sure if this is a super bad fit, if I should return/exchange this at all?
Also! I'm sorry about the pictures' quality. I don't have a camera, so webcam had to do.
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Suggestions (2)
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Not all breasts are going to be even, mine aren't. So, in almost every bra one of the breasts does not fit AS good as it does on the other breast. But, you always fit to the larger breast.
Can you try to take a picture totally from the side? And one from behind? This would help to determine how the band is fitting, if tissue is escaping, and how the wires are hitting your breast tissue.
Have you ever determined if you have wide root or narrow root breasts?
Updated on April 16, 2013 Flag this
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You're very welcome :)
The band honestly doesn't look "too big". The question is do you feel supported with the band hooked on the loosest hook or not? Mine appear to ride slightly up even if the band actually does fit.
It is super easy to determine your roots! I used to think mine surely must be "wide" because I loved Panache bras which were well known for wide wires. However, once I realized I have narrow roots and tried Ewa a well known narrow wire bra I fell in love and realized that my narrow roots love narrow wires. It makes them feel perkier and prettier!
To determine root width there's a few ways to do it. Basically you need to figure out where the breast tissue ends when it is attached to your chest. The way I did it was I bent over at a 90 degree angle and supported the side of my breast lightly with my thumb and pointer finger where the tissue met my chest on both the outside and inside (where it is attached, not the projecting breast tissue). Then I stood up and looked to figure out whether it was wide or narrow. Mine were pretty narrow hence Ewa feeling more supported and perkier than Panache.
Here's one post that explains it: http://www.venusianglow.com/2010/02/should-you-wear-narrow-or-broad.html. There are a few other posts so let me know if you need more information.
Let me tell you - figuring this out helped a ton! :)
Another way to tell if the wire is right or not is if you look from the side - is the wire following the breast tissue (wire fits good)? laying on breast tissue (wire is too narrow)? or waaaay past breast tissue (wire is way too wide)? -
I feel supported on the loosest hook but it gapes more, I guess because the tissue isn't held in place as tightly.
And thank you once more for such a thorough answer! I just checked and the tissue goes to somewhere near my armpit, like between my "side" and my armpit. I guess that makes my root wide(ish)? I mostly wear Panache and Cleo and I'd never thought of this, besides the Marcie being a little (like 1cm, nothing bothersome imo) too wide...
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Not a problem! that's what we are here for! :))
Without seeing a really good picture, it's hard for me to tell. But, you are probably right that you are wider roots and so the Panache line works well for you. Just check sometime and make sure the wire is not going out past your breast tissue any and is following your breast tissue (kind of hugging it).
Let me know if you have any more questions :)
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That armpit fat is partly muscle! Used to be a swimmer. A pad would fix the cup-issue (or, if you're like me you'll decide it doesn't bother under most of your clothes... lol)...
I'm just not sure if the straps will be fine: they may be annoyingly dropping off your shoulder by the end of the day.Updated on April 17, 2013 Flag this
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Yay, fellow former swimmer! :) Yeah, mostly muscle giving the shape of my back. I do have a bit of fat though, which helps the band resting in there making it look "bulgier" haha.
I can comfortably put the straps closer to my neck, but it makes the gaping a little more visible, I think. I have yet to decide if it bothers me with tight clothing... haven't tried it yet.
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Omg. I get a bit of armpit bulge just like that and it never occurred to me that it might be muscle, but when I poke at it as I move my arm around, it definitely isn't entirely fat. I have just Learned Something!
(I'm not a swimmer, but I am pretty muscular and used to have super 'built' arms because I used to have a job where I lifted heavy stuff a lot.)
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it most definitely can be muscle :) an "extreme" example (and on a man): http://www.justjared.com/images/2006/04/cristiano-ronaldo-shirtless-speedo.jpg
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First of all thank you! I added those pics now, they should be up anytime.
I know breasts aren't symmetrical, and I'm used to a bit of gaping in my bras - I've just been wearing softcups all this time and the gaping was never as noticeable, probably because the fabric didn't stick up like this. I'm trying to assess whether this is return-worthy or doable, I guess.
The band looks like it's riding up, but all bands do that on me because of the shape of my torso, I think (and ugh, isn't that pic unflattering). I have a very "v-shaped" torso because I used to be a swimmer. I also have a bit of fluff all over my back. I don't think the armpit "fat" is as much breast tissue, but the fact that my torso broadens there + there's a bit of fat (I'll add this into the main post too).
I don't know if my breasts have a wide or a narrow root. I'd guess they're prety average? They're not narrower than my torso, and don't really extend much to the sides. I feel like a total noob.