Start with a bro (for yourself).
Just a suggestion.
Paul Krugman demonstrates. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxf3HK21BWI#t=3m10s
Well, that’s the question, isn’t it? Your response is not enlightening.
I’ve seen (second hand) where something that fits the torso does not usually come with cups that fit perfectly or even close, even if special-ordered based on a store expert’s recommendation (which was, to be fair, quite a bit better).
I see where straps fall down if the shoulders are not too square.
I see where if the body pieces are too narrow, they fold and scrunch.
But those seem like more easily addressed problems - is that the challenge in bra shopping, or is it finding a cup size attached to the good base the issue?
My general impression is - “and then there’s fashion”. Unless you are a talented amateur, my second-hand experience suggests that one would have to be very very desperate to accept the equivalent of “homemade prom dress obviously made from the curtains” as a bra - very desperate to accept form over fashion…
Then there’s the issue of padding, as some women don’t want to be visible temperature indicators.
Oh, no, it’s not a matter of fashion; at least not for me, since I’m perfectly happy with “dowdy” (I have a hatred of lace which harks back to before I could talk) yet have serious problems finding bras. Apparently my cup size (a modest C) is unusually large for my band size (34) - and BTW thanks to whomever posted that “many women wear a band one size too big and a cup one size too small”: lately I’d been getting sold 36Bs and… yep, it wasn’t the band that had grown since I was a 34B, it was the boobs (the causes are called “middle age” and “weight gain”: I don’t recommend either for younger women).
Damn, there’s a non-subscriber paywall… I would have like to read that article, but I just can’t afford a magazine subscription (stupid tight budget! Being working poor is so inconvenient). Wish magazines would let you purchase an article or two for a modest charge rather than forcing you to subscribe, but then, it’s not about what I want, right?
Anyhow, to sum up, bras have elastic sides because:
- ease of getting it on and off
- weight loss/gain (a 5 pound up/down during the month is typical for a woman, and often that is concentrated in places like the breasts)
- allowing for any that part of the torso changes depending on position (sitting vs. standing)
- women like to be able to breathe
It doesn’t have to be elastic, just stretchy/giving. I’ve been favoring sport bras lately, and they’re made of a fabric that is a bit stretchy overall rather than having actual elastic panels.
So you could try 32D, although that may be harder to find in stores than a 34C. And as to fashion, there is a difference between lace and “looks like a sports bra” (nothing bad against them).
Yes, 32D could work but also be really hard to find. Usually the number start at 34 for the smaller cups and more like 36 for the larger. 34DD is near impossible, and when I lost a lot of weight 32DD just didn’t exist.
The problem I run into is with the shoulder straps. I’m fairly short, but not unusually so (5’3 - 5’4), but so many bra shoulder straps just don’t shorten enough. Too long straps slip down and also don’t lift as well. I guess I have a very short torso (I also run into this problem where supposedly modest v-neck tops are…not modest on me)? So my advice is to make sure the strap length is right and adjustable - even a small bit off can make a difference.
If I make acceptable bras for the Missus, I’d offer to make some for you but she may have an issue with me doing the measuring :eek:
So I think I’m going to try my hand with two types and see what works. One a non-streth satin for the cups and a stretch satin for the band. The other a sheer (so lighter weight) non-stretch for the cups with the standard powernet for the band.
Another question.
Apparently powernet is a common material for the wings but tricot is also mentioned for custom made bras. Which would be more comfortable?
Whale bone, and staves, was good enough in the old days. Whats with all the complaints, burn ’ em , burn’em all. Sorry Just channeled my grandmother. What about spandex?
Powernet has better stretch and recovery. Better recovery means it will last longer. Tricot is not particularly stretchy unless it has lycra in it. Not sure which is more comfortable.
I don’t know about your partner’s breasts, but mine are not a true sphere. Hence my trouble with finding a bra that fits. I can try on a dozen, which is about all I have the stamina for, and still not find one that fits correctly, despite grabbing every variation of 38-40 C-D that should fit.
Cups too big, cups too small. Boob spilling out the sides, boob spilling over the top. Band too tight, band slides up. Not enough support, not enough coverage. Shape of cup just wrong. Straps sit weird on my shoulders. Straps too thin, straps too bulky. Lines that show under my t-shirt… I always wear a snug t-shirt to try on bras and check how things look with clothing on. Then I do the bounce test. Jump up and down and shake from side to side. Lots of bras fail there.
I admire your ambition to create the perfect bra for your partner and I truly hope you accomplish it, for her sake, as she and her boobies will be endlessly thankful to you, but it is a daunting task. Good luck!
With respect, off the shelf bras don’t fit a lot of people correctly. They do not make bras in my size.
I think I’'ll check out Decent Exposures.
I agree that a less stretchy material is more comfortable; the band can be the right size for the unexpanded rip cage, with enough give for a good breath. Elastic bands seem sized to be too tight.
MY grandma used to remove the whalebone stays (not staves) from her corsets on long car rides. And she’d give them to me to play with. Her daughters, my aunts, could each remove their bras without taking off their shirts. And they would do so if they were among only family.
Me? I haven’t worn a bra in years.
Nava, I’m a 34C too, and over the past couple of years have had a really hard time finding bras in stores (it used to be easy, so I don’t get it). If you know what fits, though, you can often get them from Amazon. I order them four at a time a couple of times a year now.
DeweyDecibel, invest in these. You’ll thank me. No more falling straps, ever.