Bra fitting help » Gapping in a recommended bra.

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Parfait By Affinitas » Charlotte Padded Bra (6901) » 34F 34:7

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  Well, Charlotte is a molded/semi-molded bra, and gapping while not in good posture happens often with these types of bras because they are pre-shaped and don't shape to your body like an unlined would. If you look at your other two pictures, this bra is a good fit really. I can't tell you to go down a size, I think it would be too small. This bra did the exact same thing to me.

  From your first pic, I would say you are more evenly full than FOB, but with a shorter root. I personally found the Charlotte cups to be too tall for me, which could also be the case for you.

  Updated on June 2, 2015 Flag this

  

  lcl0706

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  • Thanks for the response. Yeah I'm having issues determining my shape because my breasts are so far apart. Without a bra, I could easily fit 2-3 fingers in between the tissues which is why I've always worn pushups to push them together. I also definitely have a cross between a ski slope shape and straight angle profile though. Would that mean I'm more shalloW and wide then FOB?

  • I'm pretty sure Charlotte is considered to be somewhat shallow and wide, and I don't see issues with you filling out the bottoms of these cups - are the wires definitely in your IMF? How are they on the sides, any empty space?

    The shape thing - I'm determining that based off your first picture, and if someone thinks I'm way off base they're welcome to chime in. You want to determine your shape when your boobs are reasonably well supported. From your first picture where the gap is visible, you look to have fullness both above and below where the apex of your breast would sit, but you don't look to have much tissue going up your chest towards your collarbone that would suggest taller roots. So while you may not be truly FOB in the literal sense, with a short root they may act FOB or have a tendency to gap in molded cups that are open on top and tall for you.

    Do you fill out the apex of the bra? Like at the fullest part of the cup which should be around your nipple, is there empty space there too? That would suggest the cups are possibly too deep or projected for you, but from your horizontal measurement of 11" and the cup depth of 10" I doubt that's the case.

    Hope that makes sense.

  • Upon wearing the bra for about an hour or so, I noticed the Gore starting to rub and become slightly uncomfortable. Perhaps my breasts tissue is closer than one inch apart while in a bra but the still sit pretty far apart. The sides are not empty but am noticing some strap rubbing near my armpits, not nearly as uncomfortable as the Gore right now.

    Yes, my IMF is sitting right within the wires. And you also figured correctly, my apex is fill in the cup with no space. The gapping is occurring above the nipple.

  • Charlotte is padded, not molded. And its cups are not particularly tall.

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    I guess my definition of padded is actually padded lol, I wouldn't consider Charlotte padded. It's molded/formed enough to mostly retain its shape when you take it off, but not molded like a Deco molded. Is that what's considered padded around here? I think of it as semi-molded. Charlotte reminded me of the Patsy "padded" half cups, when I tried it, only stiffer. It killed my armpits though, on me the cups were too tall - the fabric or sides of the cups were. Total armpit murder. Could be because I'm short and short torso-ed, so it was ridiculous on me.

    When you scoop & swoop, do you fill out the cups? If you're filling it out except when you're not in good posture, I still think a size down would be too small - but that's simply my opinion. Your mileage may vary. You're already in a bra with a depth that is a full inch smaller than your horizontal perimeter. Keep in mind if you try a size down, the wires will also be narrower.

  • Me too. When I think padded, I think VS bras. Although this Charlotte has very minimal side padding I noticed. When I swoop and scoop, it fits but I quickly slip back into a gap position with the Gore digging. Seems to be a common issue of slippage, gappage, and strap fallage with all my bras.

  • When you're just starting out on the proper bra adventure, it can be frustrating for sure. But I wouldn't consider problems with old bras that are well out of your proper size range, just start fresh. This isn't awful, but it isn't perfect either. I wouldn't hesitate to try some of the unlined Cleos - Lucy, Lily, Marcie - even if you don't like them or they don't work, they're good diagnostic bras... helps better determine your real shape and needs. Anything with padding or molding has a tendency to mask potential problems.

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  Try a cup down. No promises, but looks like that might solve the problem.

  Updated on June 2, 2015 Flag this

  
  

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  this seems to be the correct size on you, however if you are able to put up a side picture, we could see the fit a little better.

  The issues you are having with this bra rubbing your armpits is not uncommon with the charlotte, the sides are quite high. Also, I would not say you have short roots, although the sides of the cup may be too tall for you.
  For reference, I have short roots and you can see that here in a charlotte http://www.bratabase.com/bra/dli9f/

  I agree with you that you may have closer-set breasts than what you originally thought, hence the reason your gore may be rubbing.

  This may just not be the right style for you, I don't think sizing up/down in cup will help you.

  Also, you may want to do a laying perimeter, that measurement has been invaluable in helping me find my correct size.
  

  Updated on June 3, 2015 Flag this

  
  

  • I'll take a side picture later today or tomorrow. So you are saying that I should go off my laying down measurement and not my hanging?

  • I think for the next bra you should look for a cup size that is slightly smaller than your laying perimeter and see if it is a better fit, you may find that the measurement is more helpful.

    I find that measurement very helpful for myself and when I search by measurements, that is the size I put in for cup and then I put in the band size of the best fitting band I have, the results I get are better than the recommended by bratabase.

  • Usually if your breast are very firm, the horizontal perimeter is fine to go by. For Everyone else I think, it is beneficial for knowing the laying perimeter.

    Of course that is only one "ingredient" knowing your shape and if a narrow/wide wire is needed is invaluable as well

  • Thanks! I will try your suggestion. I also think I am going to try a Cleo Lucy in 34E as a diagnostic tool, since I'm fairly certain I'm FOB. My only worry is the cups may not be wide enough for me as its listed for that measurement but my laying perimeter seems about right for that one.

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