Over-the-shoulder boulder holders: why you really ARE in the wrong bra
You've heard it (or something like it) before, I'm sure: "80% of women are in the wrong bra size!" As much as I like to debunk such mythy-sounding quotes, I think this one might actually be true. I'm not a betting gal, but I'm willing to bet money that you, yes YOU, are in the wrong bra size (or at least the wrong bra shape).
I've been on a weeks-long journey to find A Bra That Fits, and I am now appalled at my old bras and HOW MUCH I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BOOBS. And bras, for that matter. Like, I've had boobs for 25 years, and I'm just now learning all this stuff?!
It's kind of obvious, but boobs are as diverse as people, and it makes sense that there's been very little progress in customizable (not to mention affordable) solutions for our comfort and uplifting...
I'm going to attempt to summarize what I've learned, but if you want to do your own investigating, these are the resources that have helped me:
The essentials:
1) Cup sizes are variable (in other words, D cups don't always equal "big boobs")
Cup size varies with band length. A larger band in the same letter cup = larger cup. A 30F bra has the same cup volume as a 38C (this is the concept of sister sizing).
Okay, so that I knew. I had also heard that your bra should fit on the loosest hook when you first buy it. But what I didn't know:
2) Shape matters. Boobs are either shallow or projected. Those ubiquitous smooth, molded-foam t-shirt bras don't work well for projected boobs, because they are all SUPER shallow. This was sad news for me, as I'd gotten used to these bras and felt self-conscious with any sort of seams.
Another important shape issue is your fullness: you can be fuller on top, fuller on bottom, or even. And if you're more advanced in years, have had big weight fluctuations, and/or gone through pregnancy or nursing, you might have lost fullness but *measure* bigger than you really are. (They call this "soft/compressible tissue" in the bra world.) This was my first problem when I started trying bras in the size that the above bra calculator gave me, and I ended up having to size down one or two cups depending on the bra brand.
There are some other shape issues such as breast root height/width that I just don't have the time or understanding to go into, but you can read more at the resources listed above.
3) Most of the support should come from *the band*. That means your straps aren't supposed to be doing the heavy lifting. I had no clue about this. I thought it was normal to constantly be adjusting my straps tighter and tighter as my bra stretched out over time. And since most American bra companies don't make bras with band sizes below 34, that means a LOT of women aren't getting the support they need. This is why a small sector of women (particularly those on the Reddit ABTF forum) have started buying British bras, which use standard sizing and have far more options for small bands/big cups etc.
And as I said before, and you may already know, your bra should fit on the loosest hook when you buy it, so that when it stretches out over time, you can still use the tighter hooks to get the support you need.
4) You don't have to accept fit issues as a part of bra life. While there may not be a *perfect* bra out there, your bra should at the very least meet the following requirements:
I'd love to share more about my own quest (without getting too detailed, of course) and how I tried on upwards of 100 bras and started to worry that Amazon would close my account. But this post is already too long, sooo ask me in person, and we'll chat! I've finally settled on a few decent bras, but I'm still looking for that perfect unicorn bra.
Now I'm sooo curious to know:
What are your usual "fit" issues? What do you hate about your bras? What was the best bra you ever owned?
I've been on a weeks-long journey to find A Bra That Fits, and I am now appalled at my old bras and HOW MUCH I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT BOOBS. And bras, for that matter. Like, I've had boobs for 25 years, and I'm just now learning all this stuff?!
It's kind of obvious, but boobs are as diverse as people, and it makes sense that there's been very little progress in customizable (not to mention affordable) solutions for our comfort and uplifting...
I'm going to attempt to summarize what I've learned, but if you want to do your own investigating, these are the resources that have helped me:
- A Bra That Fits (ABTF) Reddit forum
- Bra Size Calculator
- What different sizes look like in properly fitting bras
The essentials:
1) Cup sizes are variable (in other words, D cups don't always equal "big boobs")
Cup size varies with band length. A larger band in the same letter cup = larger cup. A 30F bra has the same cup volume as a 38C (this is the concept of sister sizing).
Okay, so that I knew. I had also heard that your bra should fit on the loosest hook when you first buy it. But what I didn't know:
2) Shape matters. Boobs are either shallow or projected. Those ubiquitous smooth, molded-foam t-shirt bras don't work well for projected boobs, because they are all SUPER shallow. This was sad news for me, as I'd gotten used to these bras and felt self-conscious with any sort of seams.
Another important shape issue is your fullness: you can be fuller on top, fuller on bottom, or even. And if you're more advanced in years, have had big weight fluctuations, and/or gone through pregnancy or nursing, you might have lost fullness but *measure* bigger than you really are. (They call this "soft/compressible tissue" in the bra world.) This was my first problem when I started trying bras in the size that the above bra calculator gave me, and I ended up having to size down one or two cups depending on the bra brand.
 |
| Boob fullness |
There are some other shape issues such as breast root height/width that I just don't have the time or understanding to go into, but you can read more at the resources listed above.
3) Most of the support should come from *the band*. That means your straps aren't supposed to be doing the heavy lifting. I had no clue about this. I thought it was normal to constantly be adjusting my straps tighter and tighter as my bra stretched out over time. And since most American bra companies don't make bras with band sizes below 34, that means a LOT of women aren't getting the support they need. This is why a small sector of women (particularly those on the Reddit ABTF forum) have started buying British bras, which use standard sizing and have far more options for small bands/big cups etc.
And as I said before, and you may already know, your bra should fit on the loosest hook when you buy it, so that when it stretches out over time, you can still use the tighter hooks to get the support you need.
4) You don't have to accept fit issues as a part of bra life. While there may not be a *perfect* bra out there, your bra should at the very least meet the following requirements:
- the wire is all up in yo business and follows the root of your breast. There should not be a gap between your boob and the wire, and your boob shouldn't be resting on your ribs.
- the gore (center) lies flat against your chest.
- there's no quad-boob effect.
- the band doesn't ride up in back.
- the straps don't dig in or fall to the sides.
I'd love to share more about my own quest (without getting too detailed, of course) and how I tried on upwards of 100 bras and started to worry that Amazon would close my account. But this post is already too long, sooo ask me in person, and we'll chat! I've finally settled on a few decent bras, but I'm still looking for that perfect unicorn bra.
Now I'm sooo curious to know:
What are your usual "fit" issues? What do you hate about your bras? What was the best bra you ever owned?
This blog is the tits, thanks for sharing!
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