Bra fitting help » 34E Chantelle Rive Gauche band too tight, 32GG bras recommended. Where to next?
Chantelle » Rive Gauche 3 Part Cup (3281) » 75F 34:6
Band uncomfortably tight, wires dig into my underarms. I don’t fill out the apex of the cup. The gore does tack well, which I have not experienced before. I think I have narrow roots, and at 70-something, gravity has taken it’s toll. I need some advice on what brands and sizes will be supportive and comfortable. Thank you!
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In general (since manufacturers, colors, and models will vary in tightness), I wouldn't try 32 bands if your comfortable ribcage measurement is 32 unless you feel like you really need the support. 34 bands should be good most of the time.
But yes, this definitely looks tight. Is it possible either your ribcage measurement or the band measurement is off? A band that stretches to 36 inches should be okay on a 33 inch ribcage.
For the wire issue: they might be getting pulled into your armpits because of how tight the band is. If you have any extenders, you could try wearing the bra with one to see if the wires feel any better.
For the top of the cups not being filled: I can also see that there's some cutting in near the gore (this is most visible on the front picture). With soft tissue it is sometimes necessary to "reverse scoop" back into the cup after you put it on; does it help fill the cups at all if you try this? If not, this might just not be the right shape for you.You could maybe try this bra in 80E (sister size to 75F) or 80F. The cups look like roughly the right volume to me, but again, it's hard to tell with the band as tight as it is.
Updated on April 12, 2019 Flag this
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I agree there could well be a sizing issue since the whole bra feels tight and I see you have the edge of the cup indenting a bit and a wire sitting on tissue at the gore. This is probably why you're not quite filling the apex: right now the breasts are not settling all the way into the cups! Pain from the underwires is also a pretty typical consequence of a tight band so I would first address sizing problems before concluding that the wires themselves are too tall or placed uncomfortably.
However, my visual first impression is that you also have the straps overtightened--this artificially reduces the depth of the top of the cups, can mess up the gore situation, and for someone with a heavier bust, it often also hoists the band up at the back further than it should be (this can make it feel too tight, since our backs are often wider higher up). So I would recommend that you start by loosening the straps until they are JUST tight enough to stay on, scoop and swoop breasts into the cups again making sure no tissue is trapped under the wires at the gore, and then check in profile that the band at the back is fully horizontal (parallel to the ground) and not riding up.
If this helps the cups fit but the band still feels tight, to me that would confirm that you'll be better off in a 36 bands in many brands (though you might still occasionally prefer 34 in some, like Freya, which tend to be loose).You could try this one in a 36/80 band, either 80E if the cups in 75F feel good with straps adjusted looser, or 80F if you feel you could use more room. If, on the other hand, adjusting straps helps the band sit lower such that it feels fine, but the cups feel small, I would instead move to 75G.
I very much agree with Sheena that 32/70 is going to be excessively tight on you. (Though the bra-fit calculators have been honed quite a bit over the years, I'd say there are still some factors they don't really account for, including some of the effects of age including thinner and drier skin and less fat and muscle mass--that can lead to people needing a band with more give.) If your body measurements were entered as directed, I am also inferring from a couple of them that you are quite a tall lady or at least very long-waisted (tall upper body). So it would be logical that you would need a larger band than most people that you may see photographed on here: their body composition (proportions of lean tissue vs. fat) may be similar to yours but if you are a much taller person overall, your ribcage is larger and will need a larger band.
Updated on April 12, 2019 Flag this
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Sorry to sort of hijack the topic towards engineering, After all that's what bras are, structural devices
Wider bands, inclusive at the back provide better anchoring with less pressure. They do not distent the underwires. Instead they provide uniformly distributed backwards momentum, hence, support.
Guess you'll be delighted with "more hooks" models. Those wear higher and sit where there's plenty of perfectly good for anchoring the structure space. Yep... Same here. Time took it's toll too...
Updated on April 12, 2019 Flag this
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helpfulThank you Sheena , wendybien , and femineaaeterna, for your help with my ChiChiMamma. My mom and I are look-alikes, and her boobs are my future boobs!
We had to laugh, wendybien, because she is 5’2” tall. It’s her boobs that are lengthened, while her spine has shortened. But what a sense of humor she has! “They are on a race to see which one reaches my naval first”. I will double-check those measurements. But first we will “reverse scoop”, loosen straps, and play with extenders.
Do you think that the Chantelle Rive Gauche has potential? We like that the 36 or 80 has 3 rows of of hooks. It may do the trick. Would any other models or brands do well? We both are adjusting to needing more structured bras with seams. Something smoother would be nice. We dislike any padding or shaped cups, which rules out a lot.
Thanks again. This site has been a real eye-opener! I never even knew breasts had roots, and I am an RN!
PS: Yes, that band is very, very stretchy!
Updated on April 13, 2019 Flag this