Bra fitting help » Breast tissue being cut by side wires
Flirtelle » Orla Plunge Bra (FL9151) » 40J 40:13
Issue resolved
I've realized that this model does not work for me. It's not the size. I need a wider wire.
Original problem
Breast tissue being cut by side wires. Front wires making marks, band too tight. Bras too small yet Bratabase says I take a smaller size!
Please see more about this list of problems in the other bra review under the comment section: https://www.bratabase.com/troubleshoot/dnlrz/
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Suggestions (4)
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So first of all, I'm pretty sure bratabase suggests bra sizes based on your previous bras, not your measurements.
For the cutting in on the sides - have you 'scooped and swooped'? This is where you pull your boob away from the outside of the cup and put it more towards the inside. Or is that the reverse one? Anyways, i usuallly have to do that to get my boobs to fit right
I'm assuming you didnt stretch the band much for the stretched measurement - if the stretched band was 6 inches smaller than your ribcage, you wouldnt be able to close it without 2 extenders.
The mark under your boobs where the band cuts in - i get this with most bras. Its really hard to hold up heavy boobs. But one thing that sometimes helps is to keep repositioning the bra by pulling the cups higher, pulling the band lower in the back, and feeding the straps over your shoulders so they arent pulling the bra up in the back. You also might need to loosen the strap, esp on the bigger side - it works best if the straps are just tight enough not to fall off.
but overall, things will work better when the cup fits your boobs.
Updated on January 27, 2022 Flag this
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2 things about too-tight bands
1 - there are some brands that really do that measurement+4 inches thing, but most brands dont any more. idk this brand - looking at other peoples measurements it looks like it might be uneven.
2 - to make sure the cup fit isnt influencing how the band fits, put the bra on upside down, wiht the cups hanging down over your belly. then see how the band fits - to double check JUST the band.
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I have to get my hubby to cut the wire as it also sticks into me at the sides.
Updated on February 2, 2022 Flag this
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Interesting idea. Never crossed my mind to cut the wires out. I guess I thought they need to be there to support.
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This actually looks like it might fit if you can position yourself into it. I have a very similar shape, and I have to swoop in both directions as well as do a bit of creative other things. I scoop my breasts into the cup, fasten the band, swoop tissue from under my arms to the middle of the cup, lift the cup away to shake the breast fully into place while scooting the wire up into my IMF, and then swoop my upper and inner breast away from the gore into the cup. If needed, I then smooth the top tissue nicely under the top of the cup.
FWIW, Flirtelle never supports me very well. I feel like their wires are kind of flimsy or something. I've had much better luck with Elomi. Based on how the Matilda 40GG fits you, I think you should give the Elomi Lydia a try in 40G or 42F and 42FF. It has very nice wide wires that are comfortable, and they never poke me. They are designed for shorter torsos or high- or short-rooted breasts, which I think is what may be going on with you. I also think it might fit you better in the gore.
Also, not necessarily for this bra, but I just want to say don't be afraid to try sizes down even if it seems like a bra you're wearing is already too small. When you get as voluptuous in the cup as we are, sizing can get really weird. My calculator size is UK 36J or 34JJ, but I actually wear a UK 36GG! I tried on almost 250 bras before finding my unicorn, and the reason it took that many bras for me was because 36HH bras would act way too small, 36J "fit" but didn't support me or feel comfortable, and 36JJ bras were MASSIVE. I thought I had some kind of insane shape problem and would never find a bra! It turns out that when you have large breasts, a bra that is one to two sizes TOO BIG will pretend like it's TOO SMALL. I know it feels counterintuitive, but it makes sense if you think about how bras are designed to fit. When the wires are too big or designed for longer or lower roots, they will sit lower than they should, which puts the top of the bra lower, which makes it cut into your tissue and cause quadding. I was very doubtful sizing down two sizes would work when I was already badly quadding in a 36HH, but it did! Now that the wires are in exactly the right place, my bras are positioned correctly and my breast tissue fills out the correct places of the cup.
Basically, your #1 priority has to be finding the right wire size, and only then can you focus on the rest of the bra. Many people will tell you that wires sliding down your chest means the bra "doesn't have enough immediate projection" or is too small, but that will lead you into the insanity I faced. Learn from my mistakes and go smaller when your wires slide down!
Updated on February 11, 2022 Flag this
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Thanks for your suggestions. It is counter-intuitive to go down but it dows make sense. I had tried on a 40 J FLirtelle but it was too big in the cups and still too tight around so perhaps a Lydia 42H or lower is my size. I had heard from someone else the Charley is good too with wide wires. Does this ring true for you? I did like the Matilda when it fit better, so yes we probably do have a similar shape. Merci for taking the time to reply!
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The Charley cuts in a bit for me just due to a slight shape mismatch, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't work on you! I think Lydia is the best starting point, though.
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This bra is way too too small. Your rib cage measures 41 inches. Round up to a 42 band. Your bust measures 15 inches. Your correct bra size is 42jj/k uk. Every inch is a letter in cup sizes. I hope this helps. Good luck! You can try the elomi Mia or Matilda bras in 42jj/k.
Updated on March 1, 2022 Flag this
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Hi, Thanks for taking the time to make some suggestions. I ordered an Elomi Charley in 42 H and it's fine although a little high in the arm wire. When I tried a 40 J and 42 J in another English bra brand Curvy Kate and Flirtelle, they were way too big in the cup . So it seems 40H and 42H are ok as long as the wire is wide enough so the model matters. I may try a Matilda (which I liked before) or a Mia ( not familiar with the Mia).
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That’s awesome! You found a good bra! The Matilda bra sounds great. Good luck!
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Hi, I thought to make an update to this bradatabase. I just went to a large-cup bra store and asked to be measured and was told that size 40 and 42 were too big for me. My size is 38HH. I tried a Matilda on in 38HH and it fits! It turns out the red skin I experienced from rubbing that I had assumed meant that I needed a larger back size actually was caused by a too large bra around me riding up in the back and rubbing me in the front. What's odd is that when I measured around me, I got a 40.3 underchest measurement but the bra fitter knew by looking at me that I was 38 size. It goes to show that using a tape measure doesn't always work.
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Yes, I scooped the breasts toward the middle - I have to with that wire side cutting problem. I just ordered a load of new bras and they measured in band length from 31.5 to 34" - way too small for a 40" bra!
I probably could have stretched it a tiny bit more for measuring but didn't want to wreck it since I"m sending it back. I did put extenders on to try them on after seeing how tight they were around the ribcage but none fit because of the side cutting the root problem.
I always hear how the band is supposed to do 80% of the job keeping breasts up not the straps, but maybe with heavy breasts that should be ignored? I don't want to have painful strap marks on my shoulders though. I've started getting permanent indents there. Where is the balance, I wonder. I think another model is simply the only alternative I have. As you say, with wider bigger cups.
Thanks for replying.