Bra fitting help » great shape but straps and wires too wide - is this as good as it gets?
Cleo » Marcie Balconnet Bra (6831) » 30HH 30:12
Issue resolved
After trying with the extender as suggested and seeing that the fit was not improved, I agree with the advice that the marcie's shape just isn't for me, see <a href="/@wendybra" class="mentioned-item">wendybien</a>'s comment at the bottom for explanation of this shape mismatch and suggestions.
Original problem
The marcie is definitely a step up from what I've tried thus far, the more open-on-top cups actually fit, and the shape is gorgeous, the gaping doesn't even seem to show up in the clothed picture (though the seams certainly stand out in this particular sweater!)
The straps are very wide and hurt though, and the marcie pulls up across my breast at the strap in a way that seems to force tissue into the sides of the cup and under my arms. Freshly scooped and swooped the front of the cups fills nicely (although the gore is a tad too wide and breasts try to overflow at the top of the center wires.
The weird thing is that the straps are not much wider than the comexim burgundy half cup I tried on right before, and the marcie's cup width is actually .3 inches narrower (6 inches vs. 6.3 for the burgundy), but if you look at the picture of my skin where I've added lines to highlight the wire marks, you'll see that the marcie, despite being narrower, has wire marks that are considerably wider and go almost beyond my armpit. This is uncomfortable but also seems to push tissue away from filling the cups in the center, like I'd like.
Am I being too picky? I don't think I could alter the strap width because of the construction, but I could probably narrow the gore slightly. I'd really like an unlined bra and the shape here is so round and nice, but the gaping in the cups as my somewhat soft breasts fall towards the center and squish out to the sides makes this bra feel a lot less supportive than I'd like and than others report.
I think going to a smaller cup size would not really make a difference in a good way... I do fill the cups when I pull my elbows together behind my back and turn my torso into the shape the bra expects (if you hook it and lay it on the table, it doesn't lie flat - it's bowed like a torso with elbows pulled back might be). So I think the unstable center issues would be worsened if I tried to go down a cup size, because I'd add quadboob to the problems there, and probably more tissue would get squished under my arms as well...
Am I right in my analysis of the fit problem? I'm still very new to this, should I just keep this bra and accept that it's an okay fit? Does anyone have suggestions for another unlined bra with narrow wires, sufficient projection, and openness at the top for a full on top shape? Or is the marcie about as good as it gets in this unlined style?
Thanks so much for your insights! Hopefully having a substantially better fitting bra this time around when I ask for help will make it easier on you wonderful, brilliant ladies.
(Seriously, there's so much to know and I can't say enough how much I appreciate the help I've gotten here! Plus my very un-busty family is sick to death of hearing about the life changing power of fitting bras and the incredible complexity of finding one, so this community is a godsend!)
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Suggestions (7)
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5
helpful
Agree with other posters you probably (hopefully...) don't need the tightness of a 30 band--you aren't particularly squishy or fluffy around the ribcage, which is the main reason people normally need to do a +0 (or in this case minus 1/2 inch) band sizing equation. I think the cup issues are mostly due to the fact that the cup volume is technically a bit too large, as is the width, but the super snug band creates the illusion of a sort-of fit. If you add an extender I think you'll see the cups gape. I would try another Marcie in a 32GG (so slightly looser band, slightly smaller cup) and see what happens.
Updated on October 1, 2016 Flag this
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helpfulI don't think you should settle if it is uncomfortable. I'm not near your size so I can't help too much, but have you tried it on with an extender? I'm wondering if the band is a bit too tight and pulling the cups wider than they really are.
Updated on October 1, 2016 Flag this
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helpfulI'd like to second (actually, third!) that you should try this bra with an extender before judging the fit.
The tightness of the band on you could well be distorting the wires and pulling the straps wider than they need to be. It's really not necessary to wear bands as tight as you can stand them, only that they're stable on the loosest hook. FWIW, my underband is 25/26/27, and I almost exclusively wear 28s on the loosest hook in Cleo.
Updated on October 1, 2016 Flag this
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helpful
I also think you should check it with an extender to see if the cup shape is better that way. I wouldnt worry about the wrong size, tho - Marcies stretch quickly.
This also looks like its too tall for you, maybe.
For some reason, looking at you in this made me want to suggest Ewa's newest bra model. Its incredibly round but works better than Marcie for me - 75J - Ewa Michalak » Sf Gładzioch Beż (849) this is me in that bra. My marcie is old, so the pic of me in marcie, i'm smaller 32HH - Cleo » Marcie Balconnet Bra (6831)
Updated on October 1, 2016 Flag this
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helpful
I'm also thinking you might want to look into Ewa Michalak - BM style might also suit as it has good room for projection, stretch lace on top, narrower wires, and a narrower and shorter gore.
Updated on October 1, 2016 Flag this
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helpfulHave you tried a smaller size like 30h? Sometimes going down a size helps.
Updated on October 1, 2016 Flag this
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helpfulHi Everyone!
Thank you so much for your suggestions. As suggested by wendybien , Dvrgrl812 and acee , I did try this bra with an extender before I sent it back, and took photos which I'll add to the fit request. Unfortunately it wasn't a good fix for my fit issues with the marcie; it made all the original issues worse (straps felt wider, and slippier, and dug into my neck/shoulders more, underwires were just as wide and high under my arms, and the cup fit worse than before too, since the looser band allowed more tissue to be smushed into the side of the cups where it really didn't belong. I also started to have the same issue as dbmamaz had with the marcie - a weird "in cup quadding" where the difference in firmness of the main material and the lace meant weird things happened at the seam between the two.
I personally thought the fit and support (and of course the appearance) were better with the normal band size, which is okay with me because the tighter band is much more comfortable to me.
Indeed, the first several bras I tried had 32 bands and I found them really loose and slippy, I am not sure why I feel so unsupported with a looser band, but it could be that the only comfortable bras I've had before now were extremely tight compression sports bras - I'm learning now that that kind of intense daily compression isn't healthy or necessary since fitting bras actually do exist, but I still feel really wobbly as well as a lot of strain on my shoulders with the looser bands I've tried. I have cervical radiculopathy, when bra straps cut into my neck and shoulders the increased pressure near the nerve roots of my c-spine sends pain back up into my head and down through my arms. If modern clothes worked with corsets I'd be all set - I wear the overbust type when doing computer work at home and it's heavenly to give my neck a break! So I really need all the support a band can possibly give me and in the 32 bands I can fit entire hands under the bands and feel like all the weight of my breasts is hanging on the straps.I wonder if my breast tissue is just too soft or movable or whatever the term used here is, for this kind of bra? I certainly hope not! I did finally get a basically "fitting" bra (i think!! yay!!), my recently purchased
65M - Comexim » Ingrid Plunge Bra (289) , which I haven't had time to submit pictures for and review yet, but hopefully will today so anyone interested can see how that fit turned out (it's not perfect - I feel so trussed up wearing it, which is great for going places but not for everyday wear. It also has a very 'barbie boobs' or "green shape" look, which isn't my preferred shape, especially for day to day wear!) So though I'm ecstatic to have a wearable bra, I am still heavily invested in finding a more comfortable, casual unlined style.unicorntoots I'll definitely look into the EW Bm styles, they are highly recommended by my bratabase recommendations, the main problem I've had with that is that ordering them is so expensive and 'risky' if you don't know the fit. That's why I started with my polish experimenting with comexim - I was able to find one site with three styles in my size in stock at breakout bras and they have free returns. I also have been looking at Zathiya but she doesn't offer free shipping or returns anymore and doesn't seem to have a lot of inventory right now in the sizes I think will work for me. I always keep an eye on the listings here and on ebay, but haven't seen anything workable yet, especially since I can't afford to buy a lot more bras that don't fit and be stuck with them for who knows how long before someone else is looking for the same thing if I list them to resell here. And then I've read so many horror stories about ordering from Ewa directly and am too new in the bra universe to risk it!
So questions: Did the new pictures with the extender shed any new light on potential fixes in other models or brands? I think it's the strangest thing that the marcie's wires genuinely aren't being stretched into my armpits, they just have a slopier shape than I need and I think the long wire length (and corresponding high gore and high wing) are part of the problem, so shorter wires may also be necessary for me. Are there any unpadded bra styles that come to mind that have shorter wires that are also narrow? Also, does anyone have thoughts about comexim unlined styles, and what the sizing is like for them? Also any other Ewa sources, particularly for unlined styles?
Thanks so much for reading all this! and for your amazing patience and help!
Updated on October 4, 2016 Flag this
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If you have shoulder pain or feel weight on the straps when you size up in band , then you most definitely NEED the tighter band. It might just be the weight of your boobs to be honest--it's a complex equation and for some people the weight and projection of the bosom requires serious anchoring.
Regarding cup size, remember there is more to size than pure volume. This Marcie, IMO, in this size, has more volume than you need on paper--but as you are pretty projected and center-full, a smaller size might not offer enough room where you need it (center) while still offering an excess of empty room where you don't need it (sides and above). Generally I feel like people in your size range who will get a totally flawless fit in the Comexim Ingrid will find that the Marcie is just not a perfect shape for them--it's wider and shallower than you meaning that any Marcie will require fit compromises. If I were you I'd persist with very narrow and deep designs instead of Marcie. Search by measurements and make sure the wire length you enter for your search is shorter too. In addition to Polish you might like some of the Empreintes that often pop up on ebay and foreign discounters at lower prices and there are a few on Bratabase too. Their wires are tall at center but the crazy center depth usually means that's not a problem. -
wendybien thank you! You're like the bra whisperer (or at least very well informed!) So no basketball boobs (basketboobs? hehe) from marcie for me, but I'll definitely try to find unlined styles by searching for narrower width with shorter wires! Thanks again to everyone!!
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Haha I try! I'm sure you can get basketboobs with another bra eventually, don't worry ;-)
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Zathiya's website still says they give free shipping on orders over $100, but return shipping isn't covered anymore :/ Boo. Still, I might keep an eye out for something Ewa Michalak in your size at Zathiya - I really empathize with struggling with the cost, but I saved up for a bit and ordered from Zathiya because none of the UK bras I tried were working and I was wasting money on them, even though they were cheaper than Polish.
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oh, and the SF band runs super tight