Bra fitting help » Is the band too tight? Wires on the side put pressure on ribs and hurts
Soma » Embraceable No Show Minimizer (570054363) » 34DD 34:5
Issue resolved
Based on the feedback saying the band was too big, I returned this bra (and the same one in black).
As I was leaving the mall, I saw Aerie and went in to check it out (knowing nothing about them- now I know that's not for me). They also told me Soma had measured me wrong and measured me themselves (32DD- getting closer!). They told me they don't sell my size (nothing above a D), but offered me the closest they have (34D) and showed me why that doesn't fit. Points for Aerie! For those who fit.
Original problem
I was fitted for the first time (ever) at Soma as a 34DD. Although a different design allows the gore to be flat against my skin, this model does not. The Soma website acknowledges that minimizer bras (which this is) may not lay flat at the gore.
When standing, the bra is comfortable and I appear minimized under clothes (although not really something I consider necessary for myself). When sitting/leaning, the wire puts pressure on my ribs and is painful. This is when the band is hooked on the center. Should I be trying the loosest hook? Is the band just too tight? The bra is listed as having a "plush underwire". Is this contributing?
The gapping was not apparent until I took the photographs.
Thanks for your thoughts!
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Suggestions (3)
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2
helpful
Could I trouble you to double check your measurement of the stretched band? You're supposed to stretch as far as the band will go (not using hulk-rage level force, but do stretch fully until you start to meet some significant resistance).
If it is indeed just 30" fully stretched then yes, this is very probably too tight for you. Women with more squish around the ribcage often feel fine in a band that measures the same as their comfortable ribcage perimeter, but your torso doesn't look to have enough padding to make that bearable.
However, I suspect the shape of the bra cups is an even bigger problem. You state under "breast shapes" that you have narrow, full on bottom breasts, but these cups look very wide and shallow to me (as is indeed often the case with minimizers--they flatten and widen). Obviously photos cannot show what is going on inside a padded cup but I am pretty certain that these underwires are much too wide for you and are resting completely on your (not very padded) ribcage, which is painful in any event and even more painful when the band is too tight.
My impression of Soma is that they're extremely hit and miss and this looks like a miss to me.
Updated on June 11, 2014 Flag this
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Ideally, the wires should encircle the breast tissue but sit very very close to its edge--both in between the breasts, allowing the gore to tack, and at the outer side of the cup, on your sides. There should not be a lot of distance between your outer breast crease and the wires, and if the wires are sitting quite far from the breast area, on what is usually the boniest part of your side ribcage, you will be pretty uncomfortable. Women who like you have narrower breasts usually have all or most of the breast tissue on the front of the torso, with none, or very little, on their sides; but these wires actually seem to encompass quite a bit of space on your sides.
The non-tacking gore means it is unequivocally too shallow for you. I realize this is the whole concept of the minimizer bra (make it shallower than the real breast so it can flatten your profile) but unfortunately it makes the whole bra sit less stably on your body.
As the band is so large (4 inches more than your comfy underbust is too BIG, instead of too small like I thought!) this is likely also causing the whole bra to move around too much on you, causing pain when you move. A comfortably snug band with a tacking gore keeps the whole structure of the bra in one place on your body with the wires securely stationary and you are less likely to have unpleasant surprise-pokes as you move about during daily activities.
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I think it's probably the just the wrong size. If the Soma fitter used the +4 method, 34DD would mean you have 30" underbust and 39" bust, most women with those measurements fit better in 30G or 32FF. 11.5" horizontal perimeter sounds about right for those sizes.
Edit: Looks like you do have a 30" ribcage.
If you have a Nordstrom near you, they will have those sizes, if you can't get there in person they have free shipping and free returns, and Amazon is also a good resource with often free shipping, and free returns with Prime.
Updated on June 13, 2014 Flag this
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helpful
The person at Soma measured you wrong. If your underbust is 30 inches, you should be wearing a size 30 band. If you include your bust measurement we could figure out your actual size. The problem with this bra is the band is too loose, not giving any support, and the cup is too small, which causes the band to feel to tight even though it's actually too loose. The bra itself might work for you if you had it in your proper size.
Updated on June 14, 2014 Flag this
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My breasts have cysts and the measurements change throughout the month. I measured my over bust and breast perimeter tonight- 36inches and 11in.
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As you may suspect, I have not done this before. A second go at the stretched band measurement gave me about 34.5 (should now be reflected in the official measurements as well).
I wish we could see what's going on inside the cup! That would make this a lot easier.
You say you think the underwires are likely resting completely on my ribcage. Should they not be?