Archive for the 'Bra Fitting' Category
Breast Separation – It Matters
August 24, 2011
Not all breasts are separated the same. And, I don’t think most women know this. Did you know that some women have touching or "kissing" breasts where there is no space between the breasts? There are other women with rather wide separation – more than 3 finger widths in fact. So, why does this even matter? Because breast separation can have a huge impact on how a bra fits.
I think one of the most overlooked feature of any bra is the center panel or center gore. There are wide design variations. And, how this piece is shaped, sized and attached to the cups effects how a bra will fit.
Let’s say you have touching breasts. You are one of those lucky ladies who always gets a center cleavage line. However, a traditional center panel will probably not touch or "tack" on your sternum. It can’t because there is no room between your breasts for its resting spot. Consequently, your bra will look like it doesn’t fit – the center panel and wires could bend out forward, or your center panel could be resting away from your sternum.
The solution here is to find a bras where the center panel is low, or where the bra does not even have a center panel. Also look for bras where the underwires are short in the center and do not come up very high. Plunge bras and some demi bras have these shorter underwires. A halter bra is also a good style because such a bra tends to be designed to push breasts together anyway.
At the other extreme are wide-set breasts. These are breast where there is more than 3 fingers width of breast separation between breasts. Because of this, touching cleavage is pretty much impossible. And, underwires can be uncomfortable because they are spaced too close to the center and will pinch the breast tissue under the arms.
In the case of wide-set breasts, the center panel again needs to be scrutinized. If your breasts are wide-set, chances are you have never been able to create cleavage, and you have sometimes put on a bra that doesn’t catch your whole breast under the arms. The wider your center panel, the better fit you will achieve. Wire-free bras will be comfortable. Push-up bras where the pads are both at the bottom and side of the cups will give wide-set breasts the best breast fullness. And triangle style bras and bathing suit tops will probably look the best.
My point in this post is to let you know that there is more to fitting a bra than just knowing your size. Based on your breast separation, you will have more success with some styles if you know how far apart your breasts are.
Find bra styles to fit your shape at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
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Posted by Tomima at 12:37pm
7 Comments »
What’s in Your Underwear Drawer?
February 17, 2011
Winning Entry: Help a Mother Out! Life and 3 Phases of a Lingerie Drawer.
Before: lots of cute sets (34B). The first year: those not so cute nursing bras (34D). Now: a darling boy and two boring bras(34A). I could use some help!
Find the bras that fit at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
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Posted by Tomima at 11:24am
1 Comment »
Finding Your Personal Bra Band Size
January 07, 2011
Personally, I think finding the right band size is really tough. A bra’s cup size either fits or it doesn’t, but finding the right fit in a band size can be a little subjective. And it’s because of this that mistakes can be made.
Simply put, women – and bra fitters for that matter – have their own opinions on how tight a band should fit. I know that I prefer a bra band on the slightly loose side. I’ve seen bra fitters put women in band sizes that I thought were way too tight. The final decision should ultimately rest with the wearer of the bra. So, how do you decide your personal band size?
First, women with cup sizes C or smaller can decide what is the most comfortable for them. Their breast size does not dictate the necessity for a firm band size. But, D cups and larger really need to consider a few more variables. Ninety percent of breast support comes from the bra band. Therefore, the band should be firm enough around the chest to support the breasts. A quick trick to see if this is the case is to put on a bra, then take the straps off your shoulder. If the bra falls down to your waist, or slips down your torso, your band needs to be tighter. Another test is to put on a bra and then twist your shoulders side-to-side. If your bra band is moving on you while you do this, your band is too loose.
The difference between band sizes is 2". Almost every bra comes with 3 hook closure options along the back. The difference between the loosest and tightest position is between 1" to 1 1/2". So, when you put a bra on for the first time, try it on its tightest position first. If it feels comfortable, I would go down a band size. The reason is that you have nowhere to go once the bra begins to stretch with wear, and the next band size down will accomodate that stretch. Say you are trying on a 38 band size on its tightest fastening and it feels comfortable. I think you should go down a band size to a 36. Note: when you go down a band size, you need to go up a cup size if you want to maintain the same cup volume.
Alternatively, when you put on a bra for the first time, you should fit to the loosest adjustment. Put on a bra and attach the hooks to the closest eyes on the bra’s other end. Does it feel snug? If it does, that’s your band size. Now, as you wear that bra, you have the ability to adjust it tighter as the bra stretches out over time. And, all bras stretch over time.
So, where do you start to find the right band size for you? Begin with a tape measure. Making sure it’s parallel to the floor, wrap the tape measure around yourself along your bust crease – the place where your breast skin turns into tummy skin. Do this while not wearing any bra, and exhale to make this measurement as small as possible. Now, to that measurement, add 3" or 4" to get you to an even number. This should be your starting band size. But, it doesn’t have to mean it’s your final band size. You decide whether that band size feels comfortable to you and you like the support it provides. Go up or down a band size till you feel comfortable. But remember two things. 1. Each band increase/decrease means a 2" difference in the circumference. So, if one size is a little tight, and the other is a little loose, fine tune your decision by moving the bra closure in the back to the second position. 2. Cup sizes change in fit when you go up or down a band size. So, say you like the fit of a 38C bra in the cups, but the band is too tight, you should move to a 40B. If the 38C band is too loose, you should move to a 36D.
Again, let me emphasize that you should be the final arbiter on what band size you wear. Don’t let someone else tell you what it should be. There are a lot of women who own bra mistakes because they didn’t speak up or challenge the band size choice when they were fitted.
Find bras in all sizes at HerRoom in these departments:
Bras
Follow HerRoom on Twitter for daily tips.
Posted by Tomima at 9:26am
9 Comments »
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