Bra fitting help » Cups fall down, plus gapping in one cup,
Cleo » Lily Balconnet Bra (7351) » 32G 32:9
Issue #1 = Straps to dig in, on the one side it doesn't hurt on the left side (my left) it does dig in a little more I have to use one of those bra strap things to be able to wear it without pain.
Issue #2 = The cups fall down after a minute or so after wearing it?
(in the last 2 pics you should be able to see the line.)Issue #3 = The one cup has gaping, but the other has a very slight quad boob effect.
(when I pull the bra up the gaping gets bigger.)So I was wondering if there were any size recommendations, and alternative bras?
(If it makes a difference, when I look in the mirror while standing I'd say I'm slightly top heavy but if I do the bend over test it doesn't look bottom or top heavy, it's pretty even.)Thanks for any help!
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Different issues with 3 different bras (mainly going to talk about the one that has Issue #2 too):
Before I got this bra I got a Fantasi Rebecca Spacer in a 32G, and at the time I figured it fit because in the bras I tried before it had issues I noticed right away. (34F Cleo Erin noticeable quadboob on both breast and 32FF Cleo Neve, I would spill if I bent over. Both of these had the straps digging in issue, the Neve was of a lesser offense than the Erin and Lily ones. The Rebecca I had no strap digging issue, in fact I had them adjusted to where they're kind of 'floating', but not to the point they'd fall off.)The band on the Rebecca (Lily felt pretty snug, but not tight) was extremely tight at first! I couldn't tell whether it was too tight or not because it did hurt a little, but after 3 days it settled itself comfortably.
About 2 weeks later is when I actually noticed that there was quite a bit of space under the boobs in the bra. (also unlike Lily, Rebecca had no top gaping.) And after I realized that ever since it's started bugging me, and it'd feel uncomfortable to realize the front was sliding down, cuz' it feels more comfortable when I pulled the wire up directly under the tissue.In all of them, the gore was flat against my skin.
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Regarding the Neve one, would that one be an impossible fit for me even in a different size? If it weren't for the spilling when bending or the straps digging, I'd say I liked that one the best? The material was the nicest and also liked the lift it gives the best. -I don't know if there was the undergaping issue with that one though, I didn't wear it long enough to find that out as the spillage negated keeping it.- The Rebecca one had the least desirable lift, but the only do-able straps.
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Suggestions (3)
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helpfulI'm going to guess -- I could be wrong -- that the reason it's slipping down is because it's tight and looking for a smaller spot on your ribcage. Try it with an extender and see if it helps with the sliding down.
For the strap digging in (assuming you have it all the way loosened of course) -- you could lengthen the strap with a bit of ribbon if you are handy.
Because you are markedly uneven, you'll always have one side with extra room and the other full to bursting. If it bugs you you can buy an insert to wear on the smaller side or stick with molded cups as they mask it better.
Updated on November 12, 2015 Flag this
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Most of this has already been gone over by other people, but as I understand it, the three main reasons for a bra sliding downward are 1. a too tight band (it is seeking a smaller point of your rib cage)
2. a gore too wide for the breast separation, or
3. the cups are too shallow on the bottom for the breasts to sit properly, so their own shape and weight pushes it down.If it is the band, an extender is a good way to check, if it is the gore, you can try pinching it tighter or pinning it and see if it still slides down (I have very close set breasts, so this is a constant issue for me), and if it is the cup, short of completely butchering the bra and adding material, you just need a bra style with greater projection.
I can tell you that the gaping on the larger breast when the strap was too tight was because the strap was pulling inward and didn't have the length to allow for that, so it was distorting the cup by gathering it at the top. The straps do look like they may be sitting a tad too wide on you, but it could just be how you have to hold your arm to take a picture.
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I think Lily straps are somewhat comfortable. I think they are too narrow, and not narrowly set by any means. Usually when the bra slips down for me it's because of a lack of immediate projection so I'd consider this here, but also take into consideration that this is a bra known for its relative projected-ness. In picture 6 the wire looks like it's pulled wide to me which would indicate a too tight band. That said, I might just be thinking it looks that way when it's not. I
The wires getting pulled out would also make the cups more shallow and therefor more likely to get pushed down. If you like the Neve I say try it again in a larger size. It's a shallower bra though if I remember correctly. I'm guessing the shallow could be an issue too for the Rebecca though I'm not familiar with that bra. Was the Erin comfortable in the band? -
Somewhat uncomfortable .... Not comfortable
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helpfulI have a question or two: are your boobs uneven? On which side does the strap dig in, on the gaping or quad boob side? Have you tried tightening the strap on the gaping side and loosening the strap on the quad side, or doesn't the strap adjust long enough for that? It could be that your shoulders are a bit uneven...
Updated on November 12, 2015 Flag this
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They are but it's so slight you really have to pay attention? (or wear a corset, it makes the uneveness really obvious for some reason.)
When checking which one it is, it's actually the bigger breast that was having the gaping issue, as well as the strap digging in and bugging me issue. Ahaha
I tried your idea of adjusting the straps, and tightening didn't fix the gaping issue.
But thanks a lot for bringing that up! It made me realize the straps could be lengthened more. (there was a knot in the bottom of the straps at different places, I didn't think it was possible to get out and thought it meant it couldn't be lengthened further, but I put more effort in getting it out now and it came out)So after testing out your suggestion, I ended up lengthening the straps on both sides (not evenly, 1/4 inch difference on each side.), when I first had it on like that, it actually ended up putting gaping on both sides, but I wore it for an hour like that, since it got rid of the issue with the painful strap, and the next time I went to the mirror it evened out, so no quading or gaping. Unless I have my arms at or close to a 90 degree angle, both will do gaping, but over head or in neutral it doesn't though. (I'm guessing that's just how the bra style works?)
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Last question, have you scooped and swooped properly? That may very well be the solution for the gaping.
I have the same bra, and I find that these styles (with a non stretch lace top panel) always gape a little when I stand with my shoulders or arms all the way forward (the same thing happens with moulded or padded bras). If it doesn't show under clothes and the bra provides nice shape and lift (which it seems to do on you) you should be fine!
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helpfulWish you'd put in the stretched band size. With your measurements, a 32 could be too tight. tho certainly with the bra slipping down, too tight seems unlikely .
For some reason I wonder if the cleos are slightly too narrow for you?
Oh, you have another bra that falls down too. thats really odd.
also, where are the straps cutting in?
My boobs are very different sizes, so i often have one cup too big and the other maybe almost too small. Often the bra softens a bit after washing and wearing, and the extra fabric will lay flatter against my breast and not show under a shirt, so i just dont worry about it.
I am wondering if you want to try a wider bra, like a curvy kate or an elomi, just to see how that compares?
Updated on November 12, 2015 Flag this
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I ended up measuring it stretched out since you asked. (I didn't know how to do it with just two arms, and it said it was more important for sportsbras.) and it ended up being 33"
I went and remeasured my rib cage (since I was also confused about how my band couldn't be tight enough), and more often then not the tightest I could get I kept getting 32" but I got it at a little under 31" in two measurements. I wouldn't call the 32" uncomfortably tight feeling now though. (I couldn't hold the tape measure at 31" long enough to make a decision since it hurts some of my fingers to hold it that tight.)
For the straps I figured out I hadn't extended the straps to their full extension. (it got stuck at one point and I didn't realize the knot was abnormal.) So now the straps aren't an issue anymore luckily, and this somehow also fixed the gaping issue. (the gaping issue was actually on the larger breast, idk how that happen, I figured it had to be the smaller one too, since it's actually not that obvious to myself in most cases. )
Still have the sliding down issue though.
Do you think your suggestion for a wider bra applicable to the sliding? -
Well, only if its sliding because its slightly too narrow and your boobs are pushing the wires down. But idk, i double checked last night and my bra left a mark a full inch below my IMF. So maybe i'm no expert lol
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Thanks for the suggestion, I'll try that out when I can and update if it works. (Seems to be an issue more associated with too big of a band, but maybe it's possible in some people it's the opposite issue.)
I thought I had them loosened all the way but I didn't, so that was my fault for thinking I had. The straps now work out, and somehow that fixed the gaping and quad-boob issues.