Bra fitting help » Quadding unavoidable? and better style suggestions?

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Dkny » Signature Lace Perfect Lift Demi Bra (458000) » 32DDD 32:6

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Suggestions (3)

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  I'm in your size range and I know from my own experience that quadboob is not always visible in the pictures and fit issues may be difficult to spot.

  That having said, it doesn't look like the bra is a good fit for you. Size may be about right, but the shape is way off. The cups are too far apart, squishing your boobs to the side. Can you see the crease in yout armpit in picture #6? Lots of squishing going on.

  Apart from that, the cups seem to be too closed on top for your shape. That's creating the slight quadboob.
  Sizing up in the cup would help with that issue, but probably give you a bra that is too deep in the cups and probably too 'tall' overall.

  This is a common problem in 'molded plunge' bras like this one - they are tricky to fit and barely look flattering on anyone, because their cut is meant for a different shape - more projected, with shorter roots. This shape is pretty uncommon in that size range.
  Seamed bra cuts (like balconettes or halfcups) commonly fit way better - because their cut can adopt to your shape and does not just try to push your boobs in a rigid shape like molded bras do.
  Also, I'd suggest to look for lower-coverage shapes, that are slightly open on top, so they do not cut into your upper tissue.

  This list might be a starting point. It's a little outdated, so also check out sister cuts of the bras mentioned. Bratabase will help you with that.
  http://www.bratabase.com/adventures/entry/2346/

  Updated on October 21, 2015 Flag this

  
  

  • Yeah, the pictures don't do the quadding justice (and I think it does manifest a bit different than on those with larger, less dense breasts), although it's pretty minimal in this bra, so something must be right about this one. It *is* similar in measurements (depth/wire-width) as an old bra that I wore to death, a molded (or just lightly padded?) balconette or similar that, while probably a half or full cup too small, still looked and felt pretty good on. I just had to make sure not to tighten the straps too much! I do actually still have this bra (have considered redoing the band/straps), although it is currently unwearble due to the band being too large. I don't know if trying again with that bra would be better.

    Does shallow/wide-rooted just mean tissue likes to/will spread out if it can? I'd agree to that, but I'm not sure I'd agree with them being shallow...but with some searching, looks like I'm in higher cup sizes than typical shallow breasts, so maybe a shallow 30F/FF looks 'average' in shape overall? Most calculators do give me a larger cup size, but I just figured they're wrong for me due to my breasts being separate and that they kinda go out at an angle. They're more rounded than what seems normal for shallow breasts. I suppose I won't really know until I do some testing (either on size or shape). I notice there are a lot of Cleos on that link, and I was kind of wondering (even before posting this, as they're similar in shape to that old bra I killed, and maybe better in the areas the old one is slightly off) if that might be a good place to start? Some on that list are listed on the recommendations page here for me as well, I noticed. Although it looks like the various models vary a fair bit on band/cup-depth measurements, so it could be interesting.

    And gore too wide? I actually almost added a #3 asking if it could be too narrow, so...hmm. Would longer wires/a higher gore maybe be better?

    And another hmm on that one section of folded skin. I saw it in the pictures, and was thinking 'well, maybe it's just more under arm fat' as I know it used to not be there. I don't think it's from this bra (unless it's from the cup being too small or something), as the cups are actually pushing my breasts more inward/toward the center than they'd probably prefer to go (which would be just upward). Could that fold be from wearing too small cup bras/getting too much compression for a while? I've been wearing soft-cup, lightly padded bras that, at least on me, fit more like a lighter-weight sports bra, I guess (These, I believe: @http://bra.pe/MCLH/ ), and I get more side bulging with those than toward the top/front--I think they are causing other issues, too (redness/blotchiness underneath, almost like short/wide stretch marks), hence why figuring it's time to finally get some bras that actually fit!

  • > Does shallow/wide-rooted just mean tissue likes to/will spread out if it can?

    It just means that you need wider wires and shallower cups than certain shapes provide. This is because shallow boobs have a wide root while not having much projection to the front (they kind of 'spread out' on your ribcage instead of sticking out much).
    As a result, too narrow wires end up sitting on your breast tissue and poke (if the band is tight enough; otherwise you wouldn't notice).
    Pendulous boobs would be complete opposite of shallow ones.
    Being rounded and wide-rooted at the same time is not uncommon.

    The thing is, as a Newbie one has no idea about boob shapes, and if terms like shallowness, wide roots etc. apply to one's boobs. The only way to find out is to actually try on bras of different shapes and study the fit thoroughly.

    What you said about calculators totally makes sense. The wider apart your boobs are set, the more 'air' you measure. That's why calculated sizes can only be a starting point.

    > I notice there are a lot of Cleos on that link...

    Yes, they are definitely a good place to start! Even if you're not shallow, you are very likely to find a Cleo bra that fits. Most of their bras are well-constructed and true to size. (Some are not... that's why we make beginner-friendly lists of the good ones :P)

    And on that 'armpit fold'... I think it's there because the cups are coming up to high at the sides and compress your tissue there. I'm not sure whether it's a size or a shape issue, but telling from experience well-fitting bras don't do that.
    Just try on some different bra shapes and keep an eye on whether this fold occurs in them or not.

  • I wouldn't say they're spread out on my ribcage (or if so, it's a much thinner layer in some places--to the outside and above), so they're probably not shallow or overly shallow. They look like pretty stereotypical/'ideal' boobs without a bra, IMO (well, okay, maybe a bit less perky than 'ideal'! and they do splay a bit), but 'normal' isn't helpful, as they don't really have anything that stands out, I guess! Once lifted, they *do* get wider, though. Haven't had any issues of wires poking, but this is probably the only bra I've ever had that's been snug enough in the band that might cause that (and its wires are wide enough).

    Yeah, that's what I was kind of thinking on some of them (seem to be good for a lot of people and maybe a little forgiving of shape), and I'm wondering/kind of considering trying the Cleo Lucy and/or Marcie, which if nothing else one should point me in the right direction. A Just need to, I guess, try to figure out what size to try (kinda thinking 30FF--basically up a cup from this one, unless that's out of stock, then maybe a 30F).

    Sadly, there's nowhere nearby I could try a bunch of styles (or these styles, brands, or even that size), so I guess it's time to look for some sales! And hopefully post a better one of these posts/fit requests in the near future.

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  Its hard to see much with molded bras, but it looks rather like the wire is too low below your breasts and comes out too far past the outside of your breasts. You are supposed to fit to the larger side. I really dont know bras in your size range, but the band looks like its fastened on the tightest hook, so it MUST stretch larger than 31, i think?

  Updated on October 20, 2015 Flag this

  
  

  • I *think* the wire is about right (right up to the bottom of my breasts, that I can tell--except right by the center gore, and right or just barely beyond where breast tissue ends/starts on the side?), but as someone else mentioned, the style probably isn't right, which isn't helping. This bra pushes everything more inward/forward/toward the center than where everything more naturally wants to go, making it impossible to see where my breasts end on the sides, but it is right at/just inside where the wire is.

    And no, this bra doesn't really stretch longer than 31"--31" is really pushing it, too. I think I really lucked out with the band on this one, as all the other 32 bands people have entered stretch to almost 33". Either the black lace/elastic doesn't stretch as much, or I got a dud as far as band-length goes.

    I also think my underbust/ribcage measurements may not be accurate, and I almost put this up in my post--I seem to have less body fat right at bra level than I do below, and my ribs flair out a little in front, which could be messing with those measurements. All the 30 bands I've tried seem to fit fine (some quite snug (that probalby aren't 30"), some looser), so I don't know if I should alter those measurements or not? Ie, change them to what *fits* rather than what a tape measure 'says'? That would drop those numbers a bit, mainly the comfortable band one.

  • I think 'rib cage' measurement is supposed to be underbust, not random spots on your rib cage.

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  I don't see any quadding, so at first glance it looks like an OK fit. But your posture looks uncomfortable/tense and the straps appear to be digging in, which is unusual for someone in your size range (you're not super squishy on your shoulders, the band should be tight enough to bear most of the weight of the boobs and you don't have a very heavy chest anyway). Are you perhaps habitually overtightening the straps due to a history of ill-fitting bras? Can you loosen the straps a good 2-3 inches and then see how this fits?

  Updated on October 20, 2015 Flag this

  
  

  • Adjusting the straps doesn't do anything, although I couldn't adjust them too much longer (and I have a short torso). Cups/etc. fit the same. Between the band and size/volume/proportions? of the cup, I don't think the straps are doing anything for me in this particular bra, actually, which is strange. I usually go as loose as I can with straps, because if I do them too tight, at best the band will start migrating/lift away/etc. (all my other bras are too loose in the band and too small in the cup, so I've mostly just settled for rough containment rather than actual support, if that makes sense?).

    And my shoulders just have dips there. :( I think that's mainly from the shape of the muscles in that area (top of back and shoulders is where I gain muscle the easiest). The top of my spine/bottom of my neck is also curved forward, and has been since I was about 12/13, which probably makes my posture look a little off, especially if I'm trying to stand straight/not slouch! Hopefully my posture will improve a little or at least it'll feel more natural standing straight when/if I get some really good fitting bras, as I know I sit/stand differently between no bra (most of the time, which...probably not helping!), an ill fitting bra, and a good fitting bra.

  • OK, so if the straps aren't excessively tight, then the tension you mention is probably a reflection of the cups being too shallow for you as other posters have speculated.

    You're in a well-served size range so you will have a lot of choices. Thanks to your broad shoulders you will likely also be able to try most of the easily-accessible UK bra brands, which have veered towards increasingly wide-set straps in their most popular styles. What kinds of bras are you interested in trying?

  • And it could very well just be that despite that it looks like a close fit, maybe the cup just plain isn't big enough (and it isn't for the larger side--not sure on the other, as I can't remember the last time I had a bra with too large cups!). Is it sometimes hard to tell between too small cup and not enough projection? I kinda have both issues going on I think in another bra. And I think the other poster is actually suggesting the opposite--that they're shallow and wide (although I'm thinking they're not, or, *sigh*, somewhere in the middle, which doesn't help).

    For styles, I've kind of wondered if a balconette or half-cup might be good, as it seems like the less the bra covers on top, the better it fits. Biggest 'want' I think is a firm/not-super-stretchy band, though, so I'm semi-considering starting with maybe Cleo Lucy and/or Cleo Marcie, which are similar but not, and might be able to narrow some things down by how those fit. Just not sure what size to try! There isn't anywhere around here to try on--no Nordstroms and no specialty shops--so I think I just need to pick something and hope for close enough to get better recommendations, maybe?

  • Honestly it's hard to be confident in our feedback about your shape since this bra covers you up completely, so I don't want to prematurely give you any stupid advice haha... but if we start sort of in the middle of the road (thinking you may have average width and projection) then Marcie is a good bra to try first. It's neither terribly shallow nor too deep.

    Also in response to a question you posed higher up, 30F/FF in itself is a breast volume that is a bit less likely to be SUPER shallow, but on a tall woman or one with broader shoulders, you can still have some decent projection without actually presenting the visual appearance of WHOA! big boobs! If that makes any sense. So you're not necessarily particularly shallow. Your other body proportions may make a 10" perimeter boob look more in harmony with your shoulders, back, torso etc. compared to someone like me (essentially same breast volume and average width, but I look more "ample" due to very small shoulders and short torso).

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