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Bra fitting for the overweight or pendulous 2.0
The more I see of bra construction and girls in too small bras, the more I believe most of the girls in too small bras are those with wider boobs without a lot of projection. I would say this typically applies to the plus size girls. It simply isn't that easy to decide what the h-ll is supposed to be boob and what is "just fat".
After months of scoping and getting into a bigger and bigger cup sizes with wires ending behind my arms I've come to the conclusion that after all this cannot be that unusual.
Because there simply is no such thing as a natural breast crease. Leaning over a lot of us will have a very different crease from standing up. Lying down we will have another crease, and if we turn to the sides we will have yet another crease.
So I've started measuring my boobs my own way. This is how I do it:
1. Take off your bra
2. Grab a pen
3. Bend over. You will need to be in an almost horizontal position.
4. Allow breasts to hang loose and now take the pen, place it in the central gore and follow the line under the boobs (you might need to lift them a little bit to reach that space but don't lift too much because then you will draw the line to high). Stand up and look at the crease. No you know what shape of wires you need in the front. This will not change depending on shape of your bra.
5. Now bend over again. Now try to follow the tissue under the arms. Don't stop until there is no softness left on the sides. Don't assume anything about your shape, just look at that crease. Lean a little to the side and see where it ends as you bend. Also look on top of your boob. If you want to you can follow the crease with the pen again to see the shape better afterwards.
6. Now the most difficult part. Try to emulate a bra with your hand and at the same time look at where your tissue ends. Try to emulate different bra models and see where the tissue ends behind your arms, in the central gore and on top of your chest. Use the pen to draw the different lines if you want to.
You might find your boobs take up a lot of more space then you thought they could do. You probably might find out they are bigger than you thought. Fine. Now at least you know.
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I've found out that the best way for me to know if a bra actually fits is the feeling I have when I put it on my boob in a bent forward position. If the wires press at my tissue the bra is too small. If my boobs don't get space in the cups the bra is too small. Instead of looking at pictures of how a bra should fit we should rather learn how it's supposed to feel. Because after all it's how it feels that matters. A bra is there to help you support your bigger boobs, it's not supposed to torment you.
The best way to learn how a bra should fit and feel is doing this on PMS boobs. Because then our boobs are firmer and more sensitive and it's way easier to feel if there is any pressure or squeeze that's not meant to be there.
On my three month journey of boob migration I've been very insecure about my bra fitting, because after all I've been so wrong in the past.
But that was when I tried to follow the guide lines for smaller girls and tried to go by the rules that simply didn't apply to me.
4 comments
This is quite helpful! I often feel like most fit guides and tips to know about fit, is not so well suited for the overweight. Like the good old tip about felxing you pecs to see where your breast ends, just doesn't work for women with a lot of fat, unless they have very defined pecs.
Also, trying to avoid "a band digging in", is not really an option. I have the appearance of a band digging in, even when I am not wearing any! A band would need to be huuuuge to not 'dig in' on be, which will just not do.
I was inspired by your blog post and our talk about shape there and here! :) And also I've had a hard time explaining why on earth I needed the wires behind my arms. Because of course it looks odd.
Funny thing is I didn't know what pecs was and needed to google it. Even more funny thing I have somewhat defined pecs as I flex my pecs constantly on and off during the day to lift my boobs (and it's working). But if I would go by that measurement I would be in a way too small bra.
Imo the fat joining my boob should be in the cups because there is no more logical place to put it :D
And I agree about the band too. However I really wish for a bra with high and sturdy wings and a back band that would actually almost equal the "height" of my boobs.
This is the bra of my dreams:
Demi or plunge bra that just squeezed my boobs closer to my body without lifting them higher. It would be cut really low in front but very high under the arms and backs to avoid spilling out over the sides. 1800 century style.
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