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Bra Fitting

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#1
Objet_Trouve

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I apologize if this has been posted about before, but I was gone from the site for a really long time, and just got back and need to start posting again.

A friend of mine sent me these links today, and I figured I'd share them with you guys. Last night, she examined my new bra, and told me I'm not wearing the right size, and that I could be more comfortable, and healthy, and more attractive, with the right size. She's right, I've always opted for sports bras because regular bras pinch me and poke me, and that's not really supposed to happen. Her bra looked ridiculously comfortable. Turns out my band size is too big (from 42 to 40), and my cup size was too small by a whole cup size (from D, to DD or E). I never would have realized this without her help, it's just not something I ever really think about.

So I don't know about you guys, but this helped me, and I figure it might just help some of you. Don't be embarrassed now, this is information most women miss out on. There's a lot of information about our bodies that we could really benefit from, that never gets to us. For a variety of reasons, a lot of this stuff just gets deemed not that important, when it really is. Men get it too, information that could really help that they never get, sometimes even about very, very important things like cancer screening.

We’re always looking out for our readers at Knickers, and in the same spirit as our professional fitting poll, we’re here to make sure you’re getting the most out of your bra. We’ve talked to our readers, quizzed lingerie store owners, and offered ourselves up as fitting guinea pigs to find out just why women aren’t wearing the right bra size. After hours of bra-talk, here are Knickers top five bra-sizing myths:

Bra-Sizing Myth Number 1: I’m wearing the right bra size, and it is x.

Chances are, you aren’t wearing the right bra size — roughly 85% of women are in the wrong bra, and even for the lucky 15%, it’s almost impossible to just have one bra size. Every woman has weight fluctuations throughout the year, and unless women are being re-fitted roughly every six months, they’re probably wearing the wrong size. If you’re not sure that you’re wearing the wrong size, here are a couple of tell-tale signs to look for:

Do your breasts look weird underneath your shirt, like they’re sticking out over the top? That’s a key indicator that you’re wearing too small of a cup size, and that your breasts are spilling over the bra, and are not fully supported.
If you lift your arm above your head and look at the wire of your bra, how far back is it going? If your cup isn’t actually covering all of your breast along the side of your body, this is another sign that you’re wearing too small of a cup. Another key indicator here is if you have skin spilling over the sides of your bra
Do your straps dig in to your shoulders? If so, you’re probably wearing too large of a back size, and your breasts are not getting enough support.
Does the cup of your bra stick out from your breast and bunch up in certain areas? This is a sign that you’re wearing too large of a cup size, and should size down a size.


Oprah’s site has a great before and after photo section of ill-fitting bras, and how bras should fit on different types of women. Typically, women are wearing too-small of a cup size, and are constantly battling with digging underwires and uncomfortable shoulder straps. If you suspect that you are wearing the wrong bra size, the remaining myths will help you narrow down your actual size:

Bra-Sizing Myth Number 2: All bras are the same

Once you’ve sussed out your size range, you’ll quickly find that some bras work better for you than others. There are a variety of bra types out there, the main four being:

Full Cup: These are bras that go all the way up your breast at an angle (example here), covering a great deal of your breast.
Balconette Cup: These bras (example here), also sometimes called “shelf” bras, are cut almost horizontally across the breast, rather than along the top. These bras cover much less tissue than full-cup, and are also called demi-cup or half-cup bras.
Plunge: These bras cut away dramatically at the inside of the breast and cut farther down into the cleavage, allowing you to wear V-cut tops without your bra showing (example here)

Depending on your size, certain types might work better for you: for example, a woman with a smaller cup size may struggle with full-cup bras, as the fabric might often “pooch out” over the breast if the cup does not match your breast shape exactly. A balconette or a triangle bra might work better, depending upon your shape. Larger sizes may find difficulties with balconette bras, as their breast tissue might spill over the top, creating the unfortunate quadraboob effect. You should experiment with different bra types to find out which ones work best for you.

Bra-Sizing Myth Number 3: I can buy the same size across all kinds of brands

Just like with different bra types, your size can change dramatically across bra brands as well. There is no one standard bra-sizing convention for companies to go by, so just as your Gap jeans don’t fit the same as Rock & Republic, Rigby and Peller isn’t going to size the same as La Perla. As an example, I am at once a 36FF, a 34G, a 34FF, and a 36F, depending upon the brand. As the Bra-Makers blog explains, even the band sizes, which you’d think would be pretty simple, are wildly inconsistent between different brands.

The cup sizes are even worse — some brands use double-letters like DD, EE, and FF cups, some brands simply “round up” to a larger size like E, F, G, and some brands call what should be a G a FF. Sites like 85B.org bravely try to make sense of all the sizes by offering international converters and calculators, but even with this guidance, the reality is that you’ll need to experiment with each brand to make sure what size you are. This sounds pretty daunting, but once you find a few brands that you’re happy with, you can pretty comfortably stay within their ranges and be confident that they will fit.

Bra-Sizing Myth Number 4: To make my bra fit better, I just tighten the straps

This is a very common myth for bra sizing, one I believed myself for many years — if a bra wasn’t comfortable for me, I just kept tightening the straps until I thought I had a good fit. In reality, the straps are the least important part of your bra, and they should not be supporting your breasts. A properly fitting bra supports the breasts at the band, meaning you should be able to pull the straps completely down and still feel supported by the bra. If you’re trying this at home and thinking I’m nuts, read on to our last (and most important) bra sizing myth:

Bra-Sizing Myth Number 5: I have a big back size and a small cup size

This is the single biggest bra-sizing myth out there — women who wear the wrong bra size almost always have their back size too large, and their cup size too small. It’s no surprise — there is a huge stigma attached to any cup size above a D, partially because there’s much less choice after a D cup, and partially because it seems “unnatural” to go above the “normal” sizes. When I thought I was a 38D and was re-sized to a 36F, I couldn’t beleve it — was I fat? Was I going to have to wear ugly old-lady bras for the rest of my life?

In reality nearly half of women are over a size D, and while there may be less choices for D+ cups, there is a huge payoff in confidence and comfort when you do wear the proper size. Your entire body shape will change when you’re wearing a properly-supporting bra, and many say it is an instant way to look like you’ve lost ten pounds! Feeling great in your new bra will far outweigh any worry about wearing a “weird” size.

So How Do I Find the Right Bra Size?

At this point, you’re probably thinking that you’ll never wear a bra again, just to save yourself from the nightmare of weeding through different bra types, brands, and sizes. In reality, it’s pretty simple to find your perfect bra: you just need to find an experienced bra-fitter, and take an hour or so to experiment with a variety of types and brands. Your fitter will quickly have a rough idea of what size you are, and by trying a couple of sizes, they can start narrowing down the best styles and brands for you. From there, you can build up a basic bra collection for your lingerie drawer, and will have a solid base to experiment with new brands and styles in the future.

Lingerie works in seasons just like outerwear, so your favourite brands will have beautiful new collections twice a year for you to choose from, meaning you can always update your look without worrying too much about the size. And once you’ve found the right bra size, you will never go back — you’ll start hassling your mom, your girlfriends, even strangers on the street about their bra sizes too, because it’s frankly a revelation to feel comfortable and confident with your own breasts. Trust me, it’s the most valuable hour you’ll ever spend!


http://www.knickersb...izing-myths/699

Do-it-yourself Bra Fitting
Pick your bra type


Before you start sizing, you need a good idea of what kind of bra you’re looking for – do you want a new everyday bra to wear to work? Do you need a bra for party dresses? We’ve broken down some common bra types by the occasion you might want them for:

Parties, dressing up and going out: You need a good multifunction bra, which will let you swap between halterneck, strapless, and a regular style. If you don’t typically wear halterneck/strapless styles, a plunge bra is a great way to wear low-cut tops without showing any bra.
Everyday / Work: A traditional full-cup bra, maybe with a moulded cup will disappear under your work clothes and will provide maximum support.
Date night: Depending on your taste and cup size, a balconette or plunge bra will be perfect. Balconette is great to wear with a square or round neck to lift the breasts overall (think Jane Austen boobs), and plunge is great for low or v-necks.

Generally, balconette bras are better suited to smaller-cup sizes (DD and below), while full-cup and plunge are perfect for larger-cup sizes. (Editor’s note — There are exceptions to this rule — the balconette shape has been beautifully adapted for larger cup sizes by Miss Mandalay, Freya and Mimi Holliday to name a few). Once you’ve picked your bra style, you’re ready to size!

Bra Style Guide

How do you tell the difference between bras in the store? Each bra will be labeled with its style (multi-way/multifunction, plunge/push-up, full-cup and shelf/balconette) or you can compare the shape to the examples given below:

(see link below for pictures)

Now that you know what bra you want, you can start your DIY Bra Sizing. But don’t go looking for your measuring tape! Measuring might feel accurate, but thanks to the sheer variety of body shapes/manufacturer sizes/bra styles, measuring is often wildly innacurate for bra sizing (i’ve been told i was a 42D when i’m a 36G!). We prefer to take a much more common sense, DIY approach to bra sizing: all you need is your current bra size and a little bit of trial and error.
No measuring-tape bra sizing

Test your band size – Reach around and pull your bra band away from your back – is it loose (more than an inch or so from your back)? If so, your band size might be too big. If it’s really loose, subtract two band sizes (always subtract by two, e.g., 38 to 34), if it’s just a little loose, subtract one band size (38 to 36). If you’re not really sure, get someone to try a playground bra-snapping on you. If it hurts, your band size is probably too big.
Test your cup size – Feel under your arm for your bra’s underwire. Is the underwire directly below your armpit, or is there breast tissue poking out beyond the underwire?
Now check your underwires at the front of the bra – do they lie flat against your skin, or do they stick out? If there is breast tissue beyond the underwire and your underwire isn’t flat, try adding two cup sizes (e.g. D to F). If the underwire is only wrong in one place, add one cup size (e.g. D to E)
Do the math – Take your current bra size, do your additions/subtractions from Steps 1 and 2, and that’s your new bra size to test. Don’t panic if your test size sounds too big/weird/no-way-am-i-that-size/am-i-a-mutant. Just trust us for now – you’ll be testing this size in the changing room!

Time to go shopping!

Once you’ve got a new bra size to test out, pick your bra style using the guide above and grab your new size in the store. Also grab some sizes around the test size, so if you were a 36C and you’re testing out a 32E, also grab a 30F and a 34DD for a little experimentation.

Where to shop

If you can’t find the sizes you need, don’t just make do and fudge the sizes, make an effort to find a good bra store (it will pay off in the long run!). U.S. readers should try higher-end department stores like Nordstroms, Macy’s, or Dillards, and UK readers should try Bravissimo, M&S, Frasers, or local boutiques. Try to avoid the “usual suspects” lingerie stores like Victoria’s Secret and La Senza, as they won’t have the variety in sizes and styles that you’ll need – take this opportunity to find a new lingerie retailer!

The changing room checklist

Once you have your test bra and a few variants, you’re ready to try them all out. Here is a simple changing room checklist for making sure your new bra fits:

Hook the bra on your middle hook (or the second one) – you need your band to be snug and tight, but also need an idea of how the bra will feel once the bra loses some elasticity. With the middle hook, you’ll get an idea of the looser fit, but can always swap to the first hook if you need it when the bra starts to age.

Keep your straps loose – too many women rely on the straps for support in their bra, but the band should be giving support, not the straps. Pull out the straps so they sit comfortably but aren’t bearing any real weight, and you’ll get a true idea of how the bra supports you.

Make sure your bridge is lying flat on your sternum — poke the piece of fabric between your cups (that’s the bridge), does it lie flat or does your whole bra move when you poke it? If it’s not lying flat, try going up a cup size.

Lean over and pull the girls in – this is the part where people start thinking we’re crazy. Seriously, it works – lean over so your breasts are pointing to the floor, reach into the cup and pull your breasts into the cup. Now stand back up, and marvel at your rack! If you see a bit of flesh hanging over the top of the cup, that’s a sign that you’re either wearing the wrong style (balconette or half-cup instead of full), or your cup size is too small.

Jump up and down – we call this the Jiggle Test, and it’s great for larger-cup women especially. Do the girls stay in place when you hop up and down a few times? If so, you’re doing well. If your breasts start bouncing like crazy you’ve probably got a band size too large, and if you get a lot of flesh wiggle on the top of your boob, your cup size could be too small, or you should try a fuller cup.

Put a tight tee-shirt on – we always wear or bring a snug, thin little tee with us for bra shopping, so we can see the shape bras give us – once you’ve pulled the girls in, slip on your tee and check out the general shape/lift. Is there not enough lift? Try a smaller band size (and maybe size up a cup to compensate). Are there bumps around the cups? Try a bigger cup size.

Try on all three of your test bras (the original test size and the two variants) and pay attention to how much lift you get, how flat the bridge lies, and how snug your band is against your back. Then, compare these with the bra size you’ve been wearing. With a little trial and error, you should be able to narrow down your size pretty quickly.

If none of the bras feel or look right, try a different style of bra (full-cup is a great default style) with your test sizes and repeat the checklist. Keep experimenting until you feel well-supported!

Your New Size

Bra-sizing isn’t an exact affair – there are simply too many manufacturers, sizing standards, body shapes, and styles for any woman to be one final size. Your “new” size won’t be the same in every brand, and may not even be the same between different styles in the same brand (that’s why we made you pick at the beginning). The trick is to find a good base size, then adjust that size as required by using the criteria above.

This whole process may take a little time, but will be worth it. You can do this process in a one-day blitz, or can simply pay attention to how different bras fit over time and work your size out gradually. Either way, you’ll soon start to learn your size range for your favourite brands and styles, and after a bit more experimentation, you’ll have a whole range of bras that fit you, not a bra size!



http://www.knickersb...ting-guide/1083
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#2
Azrael.

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Known this for years, good thread though. I have to order bras as a lot of stores don't stock my size; as I have a quite small back and a large chest. ^ The list of problems you listed are mine. -.-

The best way to find out your bra size is to be properly fitted methinks, which they can do a most department and/or lingerie stores, at least in the UK.

This is the site, I use, love them:
Bravissimo.

They've also recently expanded into clothing [under the name Pepperberry], though I've yet to try anything from them.


On the topic of bras, I could do with getting some new ones...
/Looks through the website.
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#3
nimphia_rose

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i have a problem, one is alot bigger than the other i know thats normal but one seems to be a C-D and the other a DD so what do i do? i cant find a bra that fits right because one ends up squished and the other not supported

i did find that putting a smaller wire in the side with the smaller breast did help a bit but i have to pin the fabric a bit and the clips get uncomfortable and i dont want to sew it so when they do even out (i have been waiting a long time for this) i can just change the wire back.
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#4
Objet_Trouve

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i have a problem, one is alot bigger than the other i know thats normal but one seems to be a C-D and the other a DD so what do i do? i cant find a bra that fits right because one ends up squished and the other not supported

i did find that putting a smaller wire in the side with the smaller breast did help a bit but i have to pin the fabric a bit and the clips get uncomfortable and i dont want to sew it so when they do even out (i have been waiting a long time for this) i can just change the wire back.


My first thought is to find a bra with removable padding, and then remove the padding on the side with the larger one. Does that sound like it might work? I also found something called a stretch cup bra, and you use the straps to adjust it to fit each side. http://www.lindasonl...h-cup-bras.html

Wish I could be more help there, but I'm just now learning this stuff :)
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nimphia_rose

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thanks that does seem like a big help :)
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Occasional_Desire

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It makes sense that not every brand of bra is the exact same size, though I didn't know this before.

I love shopping for lingerie and underwear, I always buy the same size no matter where I shop. It would always frustrate me when I would buy a new piece that is too tight - for some reason, never too large. I am perfectly happy with my breasts and have often gotten angry when something doesn't fit me, thinking that perhaps they aren't finished growing. I wouldn't want them any bigger than they are now.

The majority of the time I will stick with full cup, but I am much more comfortable wearing a 'Balconette Cup' bra. I can never seem to find one that I can fit into. Does this mean for that particular range of bra I have to move up a size?

Something that irritates me the most, is I have large breasts, but the majority of chemises don't vary in breast size. I adore them, they just don't fit.
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