The Plain Beige Bra Chronicles: Bravissimo Alana

Update: Thanks so much to Jill and Amanda and Elizabeth and Gillian and Julianne and Somisawhel for finding this lost post in her reader and saving me from having throw my computer out the window.

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I haven't even started to write this post but I can feel it's going to be involved.

The Brief Back Story: Y'all know I'm desperate to find a replacement plain, beige bra that will fit smoothly under clothing and that isn't lined or padded. Easier said than done.

The Latest Attempt: Bravissimo Alana

The Findings (to be followed by an in depth analysis of bra shape and the universe):

• This bra is terrific, IMO. It's a lovely pink beige. The fabric is very firm and not scratchy (as some others have suggested in reviews). It's not luxe, but it in no way feels cheap.

• The shape is round, but with a slight point at the apex. This is how I like my bras because, to me, it highlights a genuine form. Some people say it's pointy. It's not. It might be pointier than they prefer but, I can assure you, I know from pointy. There is a slight down-slope from the upper cup to the apex. It's not intense. I suspect that this, coupled with the firmness of the upper cup lace is what makes the bra tricky for full on top breasts. 

• It's very supportive AND very lifted. Tough times finding both of these features in the same bra, much less a plain, beige version. I am thrilled to say that these features coexist in this style. Furthermore, it brings the breasts forward on the frame, without any side sling or vertical seaming. To some extent, this is because the fabric is strong.

• It's ridiculously comfortable. Honestly, I wore it all day and it was as pleasant as could be. The band is awesome, frankly. It's thick, firm but also quite malleable. The straps are on the wide side, but not unattractive, especially given that they're nicely set on the bra. I got the 3 hooks-wide version because I sized up - and it's the widest 3 hooks I've ever worn. In smaller sizes, the band is only 2 hooks wide, but I suspect they'd be about as wide as that of your average 3-hook bra. The wings (side band where it meets the cup) are high, as is the upper outer cup. Mind you, the wires aren't overly tall, IMO, nor are they particularly narrow nor wide. It's not one of those bras that cuts under your arm, is what I mean, though some have suggested that it does for them.

Now Let's Dig Into The Fit Details (which includes info about how it fits me, specifically):

There is but one challenge for me with this bra and for me it's cosmetic. Note: This challenge - which I'm about to discuss in detail - is generally a fit deal-breaker in that it denotes bad fit most of the time. In this particular scenario, one of the few I can think of, it does not. But pls. read the deets, to understand why. 

•  Given the cut of this bra, on me, the gore does not tack. This is to say that I can fit a finger between the midline of the gore and my breastbone. This does not extend to the base of the gore. The base of the bra is firm against my body everywhere, as it should be.

You might be thinking, Kristin, a gore that floats means the cups are too small. Trust me, I've tried many a bra wherein the gore doesn't tack and it was because the cups were too small. In this case, it's because the inner upper cup/inner lower cup unit are cut slightly too shallow for my breast shape.

To wit: the wires sit perfectly beyond, even, where the gore begins its vertical rise. The upper cup is not tight - in fact, it's a bit loose on my smaller side - with a notable absence of the "quad boob" so many have experienced with the Alana. The outer cup fits perfectly against my breasts. Neither outer cup nor upper cup fullness conspire to pull the gore away from my breastbone. The gore is not wider than the span between my breasts. The straps could not be better situated for my shoulders. Honestly, this bra is FREAKIN' perfect on me in every other way.

In no small irony, this is the very thing I can't figure out when making my own bras. The minute I've got a tacked gore, the upper cup is a disaster of looseness.

I'm so taxed to understand... Whatever I struggle with in bra fit (and in fitting hand-made bras that much more), has to do with very fast projection at the inner breast, from the breastbone.

What I mean is this: My breasts are an average, over both sides, of 11.75 inches deep (measured from inner breast, where the gore would tack centrally, to the outer breast). Although my nipples are centred on this sphere (aka, my breasts do not splay to the sides), the projection from my breastbone is immediate. This isn't because my breastbone protrudes. I sense, it's because my breast root is proportionately wider than it is long. My breasts don't start high up on my chest, nor do they extend (at the root base) particularly low. This means that they don't cover much body length and yet they still manage to achieve a significant amount of depth. They go straight out, fast. In fact, were gravity not playing a role (at this point) they'd be rather in your face, so to speak.

The cut of the Alana, at the inner cup, is not conducive to this. In terms of my breast volume, the cups are more than adequate and the wire width is great. But this bra is putting that extra volume I need into some other spot. Upper cup or outer cup, I can't quite tell. Which is probably why I can't make a bra that fits. Needless to say, I've got to consider this shape carefully against my Cleos and Empreintes (which work amazingly for narrow frames and large breasts having short roots).

The Alana does not widen my shape because it's not fighting my shape. It's simply not perfectly conforming to it in one specific spot.

In my considered estimation, I could wear this without any problems - no damage to breast tissue, no potential "migration" (not that I necessarily buy into this concept), no smushing, no pulling.

But here's the thing...

I am an order-driven individual who associates non-tacking gores with problematic fit. Though you probably wouldn't even notice the gore, if I didn't point it out to you, I am all too aware of it. To me it spells imperfection. For me, a tacking gore - which, btw, mitigates cleavage substantively - is the bellwether of fit. I'm one of those people who, wearing a bra one-size too small (note: the Alana does NOT fall into this category), sports cleavage resembling a teenager's derriere. I don't like that. I think it looks cheap.

So...

I'm probably not going to buy another of these - though I sure as hell am going to wear it till I find a better alternative. A propos of this, I've ordered 3 more styles of plain, beige bra (more info to come) and I'm going to order the Bravissimo Melrose - another plain bra, this one with vertical seaming. I wonder if it will provide more inner cup depth. Of course, I have no idea whether to size up or not. Depending on (relatively few) reviews, it's anyone's guess.

Today's questions: What do you think? Will you try this bra on the basis of my review? Do you share my breast shape (size notwithstanding)? Do you think I'm an insane control freak who has stupid views on butt-crack cleavage? Let's talk!