Understanding Underwires
April 16, 2008
Have you ever bought an underwire bra in your size and felt like the underwires didn’t fit right? This posting is to help you understand bra underwires and how they are designed, selected and ultimately sewn into your bras.
Let’s begin with some basic geometry. Breasts, for the most part, are shaped like orbs. They have a diameter and a projection. When selecting your cup size (e.g. B, DD, G, etc.) you’re basically choosing a size that addresses your breast projection — how far out from your body your breasts project.
Your breast diameter measurement, on the other hand, is already predetermined by the manufacturer who makes your bra. Your band size (32, 38, 42 etc) has a pre-determined breast diameter built into it in the form of an underwire. That’s right, manufacturers determine your breast diameter whether you like it or not, when they decide on the underwire that will be sewn into your bra. And all lingerie manufacturers pretty much follow the same sizing conventions with regard to diameters. As a side note, augmented breasts tend to have a wider diameter than their natural counterparts. This is why many augmented women tend to wear larger cup sizes than they thought they would wear - it’s to get the correct fit with a wider underwire.
So, now that you know this, you can understand why changing your band size will also change your breast fit. And here’s another industry secret. Manufacturers use the same underwire in different bra sizes. This is done to reduce the number of different underwires they need to work with., but it also makes sense. Remember, your cup size is determining your projection. A woman with a larger band size, but with the same projection should also have the same diameter - in theory. Here’s an example to explain how all of this works. Suppose you are a 36C. The industry has quantified over the years that your projection is the same measurement as a woman who is a 32DD, 34D, 38B and a 40A. So, most of the time, these bra sizes will all have the same underwire sewn into them. This makes sense when you consider what you do with weight fluctuation. If you are in a 36C and the cups fit, but the band is too tight, the correct size change would be to go up a band size to a 38 and down a cup size to a B to maintain the same cup volume. After all, your girth changed; not your breast diameter.
I put this chart together to guide you in all of this. So, the next time you feel you need to change your bra size, stop and think about what needs to change. If it’s just your band, consult with this chart to find the next size you should consider moving to.
|
30A |
30B |
30C |
30D |
30E |
30F |
30G |
30H |
30I |
|
32A |
32B |
32C |
32D |
32E |
32F |
32G |
32H |
32I |
|
34A |
34B |
34C |
34D |
34E |
34F |
34G |
34H |
34I |
|
36A |
36B |
36C |
36D |
36E |
36F |
36G |
36H |
36I |
|
38A |
38B |
38C |
38D |
38E |
38F |
38G |
38H |
38I |
|
40A |
40B |
40C |
40D |
40E |
40F |
40G |
40H |
40I |
|
42A |
42B |
42C |
42D |
42E |
42F |
42G |
42H |
42I |
|
44A |
44B |
44C |
44D |
44E |
44F |
44G |
44H |
44I |
Underwire shapes can and do vary among brands and manufacturers. In fact, many feel their underwire grading and shaping choices are the trade secret to their fit. This is why you’ll find slight underwire variations among manufacturers (however they will not tell you or us what they are). This explains why one manufacturer may fit you better than another.
Underwires also have different lengths - their curve will follow the same size circle, but, like a pie chart, the diameter length can vary. For example, demi cup bras, balconette bras, bras labeled "petite" and low-plunge bra styles generally have shorter wires. If you are short in stature, this is good to know, because a shorter wire will have a less chance of poking you under your arm since these wires do not come up as high. Strapless bras tend to have the longest underwires, and for good reason. Without strap support, a strapless bra requires more wire to circle around the breast in order to give proper support and keep the bra up.
Now that you understand underwire sizing, you can understand why underwire swimsuits with just a cup size like a "C" don’t fit all C cup women. And, for you analytical types who are probably wondering, when underwires are graded to create their different sizes, the diameter increase is approximately 3/8" and the underwire length increase is approximately 5/8". Underwires are also engineered to have some spring. Once a bra is fastened, horizontal pressure is exerted on the underwires so that they splay or spread. Then, when a bra is unhooked, the underwires return to their original shape. This springing or splay gives additional support to your breasts by exerting inward pressure on them - like a gentle squeeze. If you are in the wrong size bra such that your breasts are wider than the splayed diameter of the underwire, over time the pressure and weight of your breasts can cause an underwire to break in half. If this happens to your frequently, you are probably in a bra with too small of a band size, or one where the cups are too small.
I appreciate that learning all of this may be a little overwhelming. But, you should also know that manufacturers work very hard to get you the best fit possible and try and make your size selection easy. However, it’s always nice to know the logic behind what they do.
Posted by Tomima at 7:30am
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Victoria’s Secret - What’s Going On?
April 14, 2008
Has Victoria’s Secret gone too sexy and lost it’s core business? Several blogs and articles are claiming this to be the case. Due to it’s success with "Pink," the stores now have a decidedly young and very sexy feel when you walk in. Many long-standing customers now feel they are "too old" to be shopping at Victoria’s Secret and are going elsewhere.
"We’ve so much gotten off our heritage … too sexy, and we use the word sexy a lot and really have forgotten the ultra feminine," said Sharen Turney, Victoria’s Secret’s chief executive. "I feel so strongly about us getting back to our heritage and really thinking in terms of ultra feminine and not just the word ’sexy’ and becoming much more relevant to our customer," Turney said. The new goals of Victoria’s Secret are to down-play "sexy" and focus on sophistication. "We will also reinvent the sleepwear business and focus on product quality," she said. "Our assortment will return to an ultra feminine lingerie brand to meet her needs and expectation." So what was the wake-up call for Victoria’s Secret? Their 4th quarter in 2007. Sales slipped and profits fell by 12%. Management has informed Wall Street to expect below expectation performance in the first quarter of 2008. 
When a downward trend appears, management tends to go running back to the core concept. Victoria’s Secret was started in 1977 in San Francisco by Roy Raymond in an effort to create a lingerie shop that both men and women would feel comfortable shopping in. The idea was to give the store a British feel and make the customer feel like they were one of the "upper crust" shoppers. The stores were filled with dark woods, elegant fixtures, carpeting, furniture and thoughtful staff. A lot of change is going to need to take place to get Victoria’s Secret back on its original message.
Posted by Tomima at 4:54pm
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2nd Annual Undie Awards Join the Fight Against Cervical Cancer
April 11, 2008
During this year’s Undie Awards, votes will count for more than opinions on underwear. For every person who goes to the Undies and votes, HerRoom, the sponsor of the awards, will donate 25 cents to the National Cervical Cancer Public Education Campaign. As a woman-owned site with a natural concern for women’s health, this seems like a good way for HerRoom to raise both money and public awareness.
The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2008, about 11,070 cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 3,870 women will die of the disease. The National Cervical Cancer Public Education Campaign is committed to eliminating cervical cancer completely and now that a cervical cancer vaccine is available, 70% of cervical cancers can be prevented.
The Undie Awards, which had over 12,000 participants last year, give underwear and lingerie-wearers out there (which is probably most of us) a chance to tout their favorite styles, both overall and in individual categories. And unlike American idol, where the least popular gets voted off, knowing which products are consumer favorites can definitely make it easier to shop.
To cast your vote and and to help make a difference in the fight against cervical cancer, go to The Undies and click on Vote. After you’ve voted, click on the Count Me In button to make your two cents worth of opinion worth 25 cents in the campaign to wipe out cervical cancer.
Posted by Tomima at 6:53am
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