Bra fitting help » How can this be too small?
Curvy Kate » Gia Balcony Bra (CK2101) » 32K 32:15
Issue resolved
I think this actually must be more of a shape issue, and even the newer CK unpadded cut isn't deep enough in the middle for my breasts.
Original problem
This bra is a real enigma to me. I wouldn't think that a 32K bra could be too small for me in the cups, yet when I properly scoop, there's definitely not enough room in the top middle. I've included pictures both lightly scooped & fully scooped.
I actually don't mind the shape this gives me. CK seems to work well with my slightly fuller on top breasts, but I think it's more of a nipple cover/boob hammock than actually providing any proper shaping.
What exactly is going on here? I get really confused with my own fit issues sometimes. Could I get a better size in this bra? Is this as good as it gets?
Edit: I forgot to add that I didn't expect the band of this bra to fit. Owing to the distinct lack of K+ options, I've been trying out various things with a view to altering the band if the bra fits well otherwise.
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Suggestions (4)
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helpful
In my relatively amateur opinion, I agree with you that this isn't a total volume/size issue as much as a shape issue, in that you need more depth near the centre gore, and the bra being shallow there throws everything off.
I personally feel like a bra is never large enough/fitting me properly unless there's a lot of depth in the cups near the centre gore. I find that in styles where this isn't the case (Freyas), if I do size up, the rest of bra the gets larger and larger so that it's clearly too big, but the lack of depth at the centre gore remains.
Updated on July 29, 2013 Flag this
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helpfulTo my eyes it looks like you're swimming in that band! When bands are too big on me I get those irritating creases in my cups. It's not the "too big or too small" creases, it's the "something's wrong here" creases. I think it's because the cups are forced to shape in a different way than they're intended when the band can't support breast tissue properly. Rather than being sustained by the cups your breasts are free to fall wherever they please. The gore is unquestionably too wide for you as well.
I don't think the cups look too small, at all. If anything I think they look too big. They are VERY high at your sides, and their tops are above mid-shoulder. A smaller band would pull everything together and keep your breast tissue in front., but smaller cups would probably help a lot. The tops of the cups come up quite high on your breasts as well.
Of course, the other issue is that the style may be just too "wide" for your slender frame, narrow root, and close-set breasts. From the front this bra almost looks as though it's going completely against your natural shape, instead of enhancing it, yet from the side it looks great.
Have you ever tried Fantasie balcony bras (i.e. Annabelle or Vivienne)? During the stage where I had no idea anything such as "roots" existed I tried a couple. For me they worked completely against my wide root and shallow-ness. I got orange-in-a-glass even when I tried cups that were too large. Fantasie does have 30 bands, and they are more snug than what I've experienced with Curvy Kate.
Updated on July 29, 2013 Flag this
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Have you tried any of the Freya "plunge" bras? (i.e. Matryoshka Dolly, Babes in the Wood,Faye, Beau, Ada)
On me their straps are much closer to "center pull" any of my Panache, CK, or Cleo.
Hmmmmm
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Oh- I forgot to put in the fit request that I didn't expect the band to fit me! I buy all my bras these days with the expectation of taking in the bands, owing to the lack of options in a 28 band in large cup sizes. In an ideal world, I'd buy bras in a 26 band most likely, as I prefer a very firm band. There's that much trouble getting something to fit that I've taken band size out of the equation. Taking a band in is pretty easy if a bra fits me well otherwise.
The trouble with Freya bras in large cup sizes is that the wires are terrible! They're not strong enough, so they end up all kinds of bendy which doesn't work at all. I used to be a big fan of Freya when I was around a 28GG/H, and they had great shape compatibility, but I tried one on recently, and it was just awful. The cups are too tall and too wide in the size which accommodates my depth. So I get the straps cutting in at my armpits, and not much shaping at all.
This bra is kind of cute from the side, like you said. I think this is why I keep going back to Curvy Kate even though I should know by now that their wide, shallow bras aren't the best match with my narrow, projected boobs.
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Yup. That's what I love about my Daily Boost. What's funny is I think it "elongates" my boobs, lol!
I don't know if you've tried Fantasie bras, as mentioned above. The one I did buy was a 30D, which is a great fit for me in some bras, (and the smallest band size in Fantasie). I altered the band myself and I couldn't wear the bra anymore. The center gore stabbed me at the top and the cups gave me even more "orange". I also did a "temporary" alteration on my Freya Secret Garden and the same thing happened. The gore stabbed me and the cups cut into my tissue at the top. Luckily I was able to restore the band, saving the cups. (I just have to scoop all day when I wear the thing.) Anyways...what I'm trying to say is don't bother with Fantasie if you need a 26 band, lol.
Is there a secret to altering the band so that cups stay the right size? Maybe it's just Freya brands. I am certain that in some brands (Curvy Kate I'm talking to your stretchiness) I would be happiest with a 26 band. Right now in my life 26 bands are a mystery of legend and lore. Sometimes when I look at my 28 and 30 bands I have to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming.
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The thing with altering a band is that you can't stretch it past a certain amount of elastic tension otherwise the cups just flatten out from the strain. It is even theoretically possible to make a 40 band into a 26 band or something, but you'd need to move the straps and the elastic a little. It depends on the strength of the wires, the placement of the straps, there's a whole lot of variables. Certainly making a 30 band into a 28 is quite possible. I find gores very rarely tack, so giving them a bit of extra tension on the top is fine with me, unless they end up so high they feel like they're stabbing me in my collarbone. :P
I pretty much shorten a band a different way each time depending on what I feel like. I've only ever once made it too short, and that was because I didn't really factor in how much I'd have to trim off to turn a Cleo into a 3-hook closure bra. Because Fantasie starts in a 30 band, I don't think I've ever actually tried one of their bras. I knew that as a Freya cousin, if Freya didn't really work out for me since I've been trying out bigger bands, Fantasie certainly won't.
CK is just crazy stretchy! This 32 band has a shorter at rest length than a Panache 30 band. It's more like what I'd expect from a 28 band bra, from my time measuring bras.
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I can't add too much to what you already know! But i will say, I agree its pretty cute and the shape it gives is not too bad, considering there are fit issues. It does appear to be a shape issue more than anything, but that being said, its hard to tell properly when the shape is not right.. the volume does appear to be in the wrong spot for you- wires too wide. Which you already know. This particular CK is supposed to be the new cut i believe- so narrower and deeper- but still on par with Panache I guess(?).. I wonder if there would be a possibility of swapping the wires out for some narrower wires which allow then for more depth- closer to where you need. I know thats a big pain and I don't know for sure if it would work as personaly I haven't tried it, though I have certainly considered it before.
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helpful
It looks like an omega-shaped in too shallow of a bra compatibility issue. It's unfortunate because I can't think of anything that fits typical Omega shape well that comes in your size (which seems to be 28KK right?). I normally recommend Comexim or the Masquerade Persia, but I'm not sure if they would come up with the right size. Perhaps Fantasie balconettes will work well? They're fairly open on top, they narrower than most bras in that size, and they have depth.
Updated on July 30, 2013 Flag this
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helpful
I'm guessing the design is too wide/tall in the gore and the cups are too shallow. CK is known to trend a bit shallow at the midline. Your biggest problem may be the gore and the shape of the cups at the bottom of the gore. Overall, the wire length is ok (if you shorten the gore), they're just not shaped the way your roots are shaped. The fabric you need to give you more room in the cups is unfortunately trapped at the bottom of the cup, and your breasts can't settle into them because of the shape of the wires/shallow cut.
I get a bit of this with CK's. Actually, your fit is great compared to what I get in CK's...
.Updated on July 31, 2013 Flag this
I agree, it's likely that this bra just won't work for your shape. I noticed that you are wearing it on the tightest hook, if that's the case then you could try a band size down and two cup sizes up and see if that works for you.
Looks like you already have quite a few bras, so you probably know what works for you...it looks to me like this one just isn't the right shape in the cups to really hold 'em in.