In my continuing quest to put all breasts in the right sized bras, please read this.
Pay careful attention to the part where it's explained that the volume of 34A-sized breasts is exactly the same as that of 28D-sized breasts. You can't judge the size of a breast by its cup size. You MUST consider the relationship between cup and band size.
That is all.
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All I can think of now is boobs. Wait, that's all I ever think about, unless I'm hungry that is.
ReplyDeleteBut think of how kinky it would be if you also thought of them when you got hungry! :-)
DeleteFunny! I already learned about this from you several months ago, you described it in an email. Valuable information.
ReplyDeleteMy mission is working!
DeleteI learned this when I was properly fitted about two years ago. I'd been wearing the wrong size for decades.
ReplyDeleteAnd now do you proselytize everywhere you go??
DeleteYep! But I continue to be surprised how few people seem to understand this.
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of misinformation. Or maybe there's just not enough good information.
DeleteQuestion---does the underwire size change, or are all those equivalent sizes (28D, 34A) using the same underwire? My biggest bra-fitting issue is that the underwires in my size (or as close as I can find it, not having stumbled on anything below a 34 band size since I started looking) is too narrow. And I got tired of having permanent bruises on my breasts a long, long time ago.
ReplyDeleteT: You will be able to find 30 back sizes easily at lingerie stores or at Figleaves online. These bras may be more expensive than dept. store ones, unless you get them on sale, but I am almost positive you are too narrow to be wearing a 34 band. The wires do change size depending on the size of the bra. I have about a zillion different sizes of wires - because I keep trying to get it right when bra sewing. That's one of, if not the most, key element of a bra fitting. Despite those zillions of sizes, I can't find one that's the right shape and size for my boobs (so far). And the larger they get, the more strong they have to be.
DeleteMost people have to try on lots of brands in lots of sizes to discover the back size, wire shape and size, and cup size that will work for her. That's to say nothing of the width of straps and their positioning on the cups (narrow or wide). Bras, they're fucking complex.
Yeah, I have not gone farther afield than the mall lingerie stores in my quest for bras that fit... mostly because it's at least somewhat optional for me, so hasn't been worth the hassle of hunting down a really well-fitting one. I really think they could've made bra sizing much less confusing...
DeleteAMEN! K-Line, you speak my language! I am a bravangelist, too. I also like barenecessities.com, which carries non-mainstream sizes (I usually wear a 32 band size).
ReplyDeleteClio: OMG - I LOVE the term bravangelist. That is totally what I am. Whether my unfortunate audience likes it or not :-)
ReplyDeleteYes! Although, the only part I disagree with is when they say that your band size should be close to exactly your ribcage/underbust measurement. In my experience that's very, very untrue. My ribcage measures 30.5", and a perfect fit for me is generally at 34 band. A while ago I was convinced by a rather unehlpful salesperson into buying some bras with a 32 band, and they were all so tight they caused deep red lines, pain, and difficulty inhaling (seriously!) and in the end never got worn.
ReplyDelete(I think you know this about me, but I also frequent proper lingerie shops and am passionate about the subject, so I'm not just someone who enjoys their bra fitting too loose around the band!)
I recently stumbled across this site, based in Toronto, and their method rings more true, with regard to band size. In fact, it's the first "find your size" instructional that has actually resulted in my finding the size that I generally fit/wear (34 FF/G).
http://fortnightlingerie.com/find-your-size/
I also disagree with the idea that the band size should be close to the rib cage (underbust) measurement. My underbust is 33 (if I remember correctly) and I wear a 32 band. A 34 is just too big. Sometimes I even wear a 30 (if it's large fitting). I think there are so many factors that influence what size works best. We all have very different rib cages and we must be able to breathe and move in our bras! I do have a preference for very tight bands but there is def a healthy middle ground between mega tight and loose. Thanks for bringing this up!
ReplyDeleteTotally - and then it's also a generalization because every manufacturer and style is different! The two bras I wear most right now are both the same brand and both 34 bands, but one was so tight when I bought it that I still wear it at the largest setting, and one was nearly too large from the beginning and I've always worn it at its smallest. (But regardless both were still the absolute best fit in the wire/cup.) Oh, and I think one's an F and one's a G. This is why I'm too scared to buy bras online, lol.
ReplyDeleteK: I've been doing some more reading on this concept tonight and I've got some more thoughts: the idea about not adding the old style "plus 4 or 5" inches to the band size (i.e. in addition to your under bust size) is that new technology makes the band stretch far more accurate than it was 50 years ago. I totally get with that and agree. Plus 4 is very dated and in no way works for me, or most others. Having said this, different brands work very differently, as you've mentioned. You have to work with the bra band as it interacts with your measurement, right? The great thing is, you've done the work to discover what's right for you. It's a bad scene when women haven't had the opportunity to do as much research. They're the ones who tend to wear the wrong size.
ReplyDeleteI just rechecked and my under bust is 32 (sometimes I find those numbers hard to remember). It's been 32 for at least 4 years - according to my notes. I wear a 32 band in most brands and sometimes a 30. For me, that works. Maybe the brands you wear (or the bras in those lines) use less spandex in their bands than those I wear. Just out of curiosity, what are your go-to brands?
That makes a lot of sense (re: stretch). I remember reading that you add even more inches the smaller your ribcage is... which seemed kind of counter-intuitive to me. Why would smaller people need to swim in their bra bands any more than larger people?
ReplyDeleteThe two bras that I currently wear are both Chantelle.
1. http://www.chantelle.com/en_US/united-states/collection/line/basic-invisible#color=90
2. http://www.figleaves.com/uk/product.asp?product=Chantelle-Icone-T-Shirt-Bra&product_id=CN-3852&size=&colour=Black
Turns out I remembered things wrong - #1 I have in 34E and #2 I have in 34F - which is funny because #1 actually fits more loose. (I think the 32F didn't fit for some reason, even though the band would probably be better in that style). It's in the brand Change that I'm a 34G lately (http://change.com/en-ca/).
(That's the Euro cup size... the Chantelle bra tags also list USA sizing, which seems to take me down a cup size, but here in Vancouver stores they sell them by the UK cup size. To add another layer of confusion.)
I'm so intrigued that both of those bras are molded cup! I can't wear those. I need the 3 piece cup with no padding. Just works best with my shape. (Balconette, specifically.) I just read that Change bras use cm increases rather than inch increases when it comes to cups - which is why their sizes are so shallow. I can't find a bra there that fits me in the cups. And every band is insanely huge. It's bizarre. I've always recommended that brand to people who are sturdier of frame, and slightly busty. I find that's who it fits most often. And here you are messing up that theory!
DeleteI wonder if Chantelle bras have very tight bands. When you stretch the band and measure, is the length 34 inches?
They're molded but they're not stiff like the molded cups you'd find at a place like Change. They're quite thin and pliable. They took some getting used to because you can definitely see nipple through them on a cold day! At a store like Change, I definitely go for the 3-piece balconette (which is my favourite style, hands-down.)
ReplyDeleteI've also noticed that Change tends to be shallow, and to be honest they don't always fit me well there. I tend to go in once every few months to see the new stock; about once a year I'll find a style that works for me. Way back I had one or two that I really loved, but in the past few years I've only found novelty bras there that aren't very functional under clothes... or terribly comfortable, for that matter. Still, I go and check it out because I like that they're the only really affordable lingerie store that carries all styles in all sizes. We're not in a great financial position and so paying $120+ for a bra is kind of difficult, no matter how much I think it's worth it!
You know, I'd never thought to measure them before! Unstretched, they're 29" and 30". I'm not sure how much to stretch them for an accurate measure... they stretch to about 33" and 34" and seem quite taut... they can probably stretch another inch or so, but at that stage it's warping the wire.
I just double-checked and I do have a Change bra that fits reasonably well right now that's a 32F... it's a too tight for all-day comfort but not painfully so. It's 27" unstretched and about 32" stretched.
According to some reading I've been doing - that Busts 4 Justice site is plugged into every lingerie for large breasts site that ever was! - at a 30.5 underbust and a 32 stretched band, you'd be within the range that is accepted by the "new school". I wonder if the 32 really will work in the long run (esp. as the bands stretch from wear), even if it seems a bit tight by the end of the day. Not trying to suggest you're not in the right size for you, just throwing around some ideas. Admittedly, I like the band to fit like a corset. I really like a tight fit, so we could just be on opposite ends of the "new school right fit" continuum :-)
DeleteI wish I could find something nice at Change for just the reason you suggest. So sick of spending - either in shipping or at CDN boutiques. Mind you, I can get a great set through Figleaves, on sale, for as little as 70 bucks all in sometimes. Given that includes undies and shipping, I don't feel ripped off. Of course, when times are lean, one must be very circumspect about all kinds of spending. So if Change gives you a good bra every once in a while, that's great.
I think the likely answer is that I don't like them quite as tight as you do. I like them to be snug, but not so tight that I can feel them restricting the movement of my ribcage when I inhale. The problem with the 32 is that it's just tight enough that it probably WOULD fit after it stretched out, but it's also just tight enough that I can't make myself wear it for more than 20 minutes at a time. Therefore, it never stretches. (Someone once recommended to me that I should get it wet and stretch it around something, like the back of a chair, and see if that helped. I've never gotten around to it!)
ReplyDeleteAlso, in fairness, the two Chantelle bras have been in heavy rotation for about 8 months now, so they're quite stretched. The larger one is probably a tad large even on the tightest setting, and the smaller one I now wear at the tightest setting usually, even though I had to wear it at the largest when I bought it. They both recently started having the wire poke out of the casing so I guess it's about time I replace them... and the saga begins again. Arg! (I'll probably just order these two again, to save myself the headache. Or maybe take a risk and try another Chantelle style. Is shipping/duty reasonable when ordering from Figleaves?)
I totally recommend stretching the bra out. You could use the a dress form or a chair. After 8 months in high rotation, any comfortable-to-begin-with bra will be way too loose. In truth, I have 2 dozen bras in regular rotation. I've worn some of them for more than 8 years and they are still snug on the loosest hook. Partly, that's cuz I start tight. Also, I don't wear them very often, in the scheme of things (some of them maybe 3 or 4 times a month). I'd recommend that you get the next round of Chantelles in a 32, do a bit of stretching and play it out. They'll last longer. I guarantee it. The duty on Figleaves is 5 pounds 50 p for whatever amount you buy. If you need to return, you pay for the ship back, but they'll ship back the next order to you for free. It's a really good deal, IMO. Esp. if you buy a few things.
ReplyDeleteOh, I think I maybe was unclear. I absolutely can't buy a 32 in Chantelle - at least, not in these styles. Admittedly the one started a bit large, which I think was an anomaly. But it fit well until recently, and the other one still fits perfectly on the tightest setting. Which I think is pretty much ideal... after all, part of why they have three settings is to accommodate stretch over the life cycle of the bra. I tried 32s on in the store when I was purchasing these and they were most definitely too tight - as in, could barely get them done up. Salesladies in 3 different lingerie stores agree, 34 was my size in these styles.
ReplyDeleteI don't like my bras to fit loose - not at all. Too many years buying bands too large on purpose, in order to be able to fit into a smaller cup size at stores like La Senza, confirmed this. I like them to fit as snug as possible without pain or serious discomfort. Which I think is the goal - I don't believe anything causing pain or discomfort can be described as correct fit. Part of my whole thing about women wearing the wrong bra size is in order to prevent all the pain and discomfort that brings... whether it be because the bra fits too large, or too small, or both at the same time! (In my experience with friends/family, that's the most common... women wearing cup sizes that are too small but band sizes that are too loose.)
I might try ordering from Figleaves next time in that case... I love that exchange shipping is free when they ship back, that makes me feel better. Even accounting for exchange rate, their prices are nearly half what the bras cost in my local lingerie stores! 49GBP = $78... I think that same bra cost me $130 plus tax locally? I like to shop local but that's a pretty serious difference!
Did you see my comment on your blog about Brastop? You can get great sets in many sizes, on mega sale for 40 CDN bucks all in. That's about as affordable as I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteAnd I did misunderstand. I thought that the band on the Chantelle was on the cusp of too big because of the anomalous one. I totally agree that bras have to fit painlessly. There's a diff between the kind of snug you can just get with after a few minutes of wearing (or a few wears in total) and the kind that interferes and hurts.
Yeah I did, thank you! And yes, sorry for the confusion. Part of the reason they stretch so quickly for me is because usually due to cost and difficulty in finding one that fits I only ever have 2-3 in regular rotation, so they wear out much faster than they really should. Next time I have the cash floating around I think I'm going to order about five or six of this one that fits perfectly.
ReplyDelete