Bra fitting help » the bra strap is rubbing me wrong

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Chantelle » Parisian 4-part Plunge Underwire Bra (1471) » 85G 38:7

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Suggestions (2)

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  helpful

  This actually looks like a fairly good size for you. To me it appears to just be less than ideal in terms of cup shape--it has less depth near the center (cleavage) than what you need. Also, I'm sorry to say I find the past year's Chantelle collections have included a number of bras in much cheaper and less comfortable materials so thatcould also be causing some discomfort. I would suggest trying a similar size in an older Chantelle design with a full cup, such as the Rive Gauche, and see how that works for you.

  Bear in mind also, women who have worn a poorly-fitting size for many years usually have a deeply ingrained habit of overtightening the straps, because this is really the only way to create any uplift with a too-loose band. Now you have resized to a snug band, you don't need to rely on the straps; try loosening them by a good 2-3 inches.

  I agree banded bras will be much more comfy for you. They are not hard to find, many bras are made this way. You look to have a leaner torso than most people with your measurements (perhaps you are tall, tall-waisted, athletic or simply have a naturally broad back meaning that most of this ribcage circumference is bone rather than fluffiness). Unfortunately this means you have a lot bit less protection on your poor ribs than a typical 38" underbust bra-wearer and you are therefore more likely to feel the aggression of the stiff, inflexible underwires typically used for larger cup sizes!

  Updated on June 27, 2016 Flag this

  
  

  • okay ill check out the rive gauche and thank you how would you know if the bra has less or more depth near the center

  • It's a bit difficult to tell, you can't rely on the measurements (which don't capture this dimension) and stock photos on models aren't very enlightening. But if you read reviews from users on Bratabase you can usually find some opinions on how it fits in this regard, and generally speaking you can rely on certain types of bras, notably plunges, being rather stingy in how much depth they allow near the center (because this would allow most people's breasts to fall out into the center) whereas full cups and balconnets tend to have a little more room overall.

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  helpful

  Idk, I'm not sure this one is actually big enough either. I just dont know this brand well enough to comment really. hopefully someone else will

  Updated on June 26, 2016 Flag this

  
  

  • so do you think i need a bigger cup size this one is a 38G my measurements under bust is 38 and my measurement around the bust is a 46 ive tried a h and the h looked fine too the sales associate said the H fit a bit too big bu only near the straps
    

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    too big only near the straps can actually mean the cup is just too tall for you. there is at least one elomi aimed at ppl who are short, which works well for short roots. but it doesnt look like your breasts are really well contained. I really am not an expert, I hope someone else shows up!!

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    The Elomi for petite folks is the Etta. If you want to try a molded cut that is also fairly good for those of us with short roots you can try the Amelia as well.

  • do i need a petite bra? i never thought i needed a petite bra before? are there any other bras you recommend?

  • First, I have a question. Do you need cups that wide? Does your breast tissue end at the edge of the wire? When you take off your bra do the wire marks follow the side of your breast? Because if not, that's one reason your wires could be moving down. And wide cups could be contributing to your underarm chafing.

  • i dont believe so im not sure actually this bra the wire doesnt poke under my arm which is a problem i had with bras before but i was wearing the wrong size before 40DDD and i get the chafing mostly along the the strap so its the strap thats chafing my arms but trying narrower bra cups could help can you recommend a narrow cup bra?? or how i can find the information about cup width online
    

  • So most bras I've looked at in Elomi have narrower cups than your Chantelle but the wires will stretch back with the band if you need more cup width. To search for bras by measurements you go to search and click "by measurements". You can put in measurements similar to your bras and see what you come up with. I wear the same band as you but I'm some cup sizes up so you have a lot more options than I do. You can also compare your bra to other bras to envision what a different one might fit like.

    I agree that the band on this bra looks really good. The cup looks too small. On your other bra the cups look ok but the gore is too wide or tall or both. The band on that one is probably too long. So you might be a 38:8 (85H in Chantelle, 38FF in UK brands). Cacique runs very large in the cup.

    I get the same problem as you where my wires move south and bruise my ribs and my straps and the sides of the bra chafe my armpits. I think for me this is caused by cups that are too wide and not deep enough and wires that are too tall in my pits. The width of the cup pulls the strap over by my armpit and my armpit fat pushes the wires down. But if the wires are shorter and cupping my breast they aren't in my pits. I had to figure this out by trying lots and lots of bras and there's only one I have that actually stays because the wire matches my breast shape. It's my Curvy Kate Cabaret. But it might not work for you because you have a different shape.

    Again, I'm not an expert. Just like you trying to find an elusive Bra That Fits.

  • Just looked at your Cacique again. Do the wires sit on your breast tissue at the side of your breast in that bra? The cups are an inch narrower on that bra than your Chantelle.

    I see a few more things. Both of your bras are bandless which means the wires are right against your ribs instead of having a band to cushion them. Maybe a bra with a band will help. The Etta and Amelia are also bandless so they might not work either.

    Your cacique might poke your armpits because it is an inch taller on the sides than your Chantelle. So you might need 4 inch "wing height" to prevent your wires from getting all up in the pits.

  • okay so i should try a bra with a band and try an H actually measuring myself at home i realized my measurements fall under an H but the nordstrom sales lady said the H looked a bit too big how can you tell in this bra the cup is too small should i upload a better photo?? and in the cacique bra i always thought i fit fine in it until i realized the wire pain wasnt normal and i started reading that i could be wearing a band too big and cups too small. im going to do that comparing thing that your talking about and try things out

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    So the only reason I see the Chantelle might be too small in the cup is because it has less depth than your Cacique and because of your measurements. But if you don't have quadboob after you scoop everything into the cup then it may be fine. It also might just be pushing your breast tissue around, like to the side where the wires are. In your first front on pic it looks like the edge is cutting into the tops of your breasts but if it's not then the cup depth might be good.

  • oh okay thank you i added a few more photos idk if you can tell more from these and i also have a question is it more common for bras to be bandless or not? and also just to ask do you prefer bras with padding or without lining??

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    This is not about fit but about those red marks from the strap and bra edge. That looks like it might -might- be irritation that will resolve with washing. Any residual chemicals/dyes from the manufacturing process, and just a (hopefully) softening of the material may help with that. It looks more like irritation from those issues, than from being too tight (or too loose). But I'm just guessing!

  • elenaargent23 I think you can find bras bandless or with full bands. Bandless is probably less common? I'm not totally sure. I haven't found a padded bra I like but there aren't a lot made in my size besides Ewa Michalak brand. My only "padded" bra is made with spacer fabric. From your new pics you might be quadding out the top slightly?? But if you feel you have a smooth line wearing clothes and don't feel like you're bulging anywhere then the cup fit is ok for you. Really it's what feels good and looks good to you. My fave bra is too small for one side and too big for the other buts it's so comfy I don't care!

    Sc2401 I never thought of that! I'm going to wash all my scratchy bras that are fairly new and see if it helps!

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    thank you guys im going to try these suggestions.
    

  • Hi.

    Just to clarify about Etta, it has shorter wires and shorter cups, which does mean it often works well for petite people, but plenty of people who are not petite also need shorter cups. You appear to have short roots, which is when your breasts look like a lowercase b in profile when supported (the stem of the b is the chest wall). This typically means you need shorter cups and/or cups that are closed on top.

    I think you're close to the right size, but this bra is probably too shallow and maybe also a bit too small.

  • shorter cups?? so you mean like a demi bra or balconette bra?? what bras are not shallow?? how do i know what is a shallow bra?
    and small in cup or in something else?

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    It's more about the individual bra than about the cut. Etta has short cups. Curvy Kate Bardot is another bra with short cups. Unfortunately you can't tell just by looking at the bra on the shelf.

    Whether a bra is shallow or projected (deep) is also something you can't tell just by looking at a bra. The cup depth measurement can give you that info though. The new browse by measurements feature is really helpful for this.

    http://www.bratabase.com/browse/by-size/38:7/measurements/?filter_by=cup_depth&order_by=cup_depth&style=1&hide_discontinued=True&exclude_no_data=on

    So we see there that the average depth of 38:7 bras entered on Bratabase is 11.39", whereas you've measured this bra as having a depth of 11".

    I meant too small in cup size, sorry for the confusion. Your measurements that you mentioned at the top of this thread put you at 38:8 minimum. For most people, the standard standing bust measurement underestimates cup size. I find the method here https://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/wiki/beginners_guide to be the best for determining bra size.

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    Yeah, its a shame, but manufacturers dont say if cups are wide or shallow or deep or projected. I come here and read reviews of the bras i'm looking for, to see if ppl say the cups are wide or projected or whatever. but you have to look at ones near your size - some bras are shallow/wide in one end of the size range but deep/narrow in the other end.

    its a learning curve, painfually slow. You think bras are pretty simple, but they really are not! and the worst part is, gain or lose a little weight, the shape of your breast changess, and you cant buy the same bra in a different size . . . you need something totally different

  • Oh, that pic where you can see under your arms more - that looks like the wire is coming back too far past the end of your boob.

    also, kept forgetting to say - love the star wars pants!!

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    thank you lol i love those leggings and yes i realized the bra wires are a little too wide for me im going to try narrow wires see if i like them better.

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