Bra fitting help » Should I keep this sports bra? Can I do better?
Royce » Impact Free (S925) » 36K 36:15
Issue resolved
I am going to keep this sports bra and shorten the straps. I tried pinning them shorter to test, and it really does help a lot with both the lift and the bulging out the sides.
Having to talk about what other options there are and what I want to use this bra for really helped clarify what I want out of it, and helped me realize it actually fits my expectations pretty well. (Or will once I shorten the straps and swap out the attachment for rings, which should be pretty easy to do with the way they are attached.)
One thing that is different about this sports bra is the way it provides coverage on the top of the chest, and this is actually something I want, to help keep my boobs out of my neck when leaning forward. This is something the other options don't have, so it helped me decide that this Royce Impact Free is actually a good fit for what I want from it right now.
Original problem
I'm trying to decide whether to keep this sports bra or send it back.
The fit is okay, inasmuch as my breasts fit inside the area allotted for them. However they are totally smooshed together in the middle, and it seems like they aren't supposed to be?
The straps don't adjust short enough to make the bra as secure as I'd like. (Look at the difference in the picture where I'm holding the front up more.)
Coverage on top of my boobs is important to me, as one of the things I want a sportsbra to do is to keep my boobs out of my neck when I lean forward or whatever.If I keep it, I will replace the strap connectors in back with circular ones, and shorten the straps when I reattach them. I think this will work . . .
Please look at my review for more of my impressions of this bra
Basically, it's definitely not perfect, but is it good enough?
I don't want to just settle, but there's really not many options out there for my size range, so I can't really afford to be tooo picky.I don't have anything else to compare this to, really, so right now it's not so much a question of "A or B", but "Is this good enough, or can I do better?"
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Suggestions (4)
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helpful
I think there is basically only one real criterion on sports bras - do you (how much do you) bounce in it? Could you, for instance, run in it without your boobs hitting you in the face?
would it keep you safe in whatever you plan on doing with it?
If yes - even if it's a conditional yes with straps altered - keep it.
If not, send it back.
You can guive freya a shot - the good thing is it will keep your boobs separated, the bad thing is you will probably poke simebody in the eye with that thing.
The best advice I could give you - get a made to measure enell sports bra. It does look like a bulletproof vest made from satine, but I swear - it's the closest thing you'll ever get to holding your boobs with hands. And it's crazycomfortable!Updated on December 15, 2012 Flag this
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I actually had a same problem - straps too long + a bit of sideboob, but when I shortened the straps it actually pulled my sideboob in as it came much higher at sides :) and the straps are really easy to alter :)
But yes, I like to have more options also :)
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I also own this sports bra. A black one in 32K. I don't think it runs very tight for a sports style, since most of them do run tight in the band - and small in the cups. And it loosens very quickly after a few washes and wears. My boobs are also squished completely together in it. My problem with this sports bra is that it's only suited for light exercising. I wouldn't dare to jog in it
But apart from the velcro, which I cut off, it's very comfortable. To be honest, I mostly use it as a lounging bra
You have some side spillage. But I don't think the fit is that off. Since there is so little choice in sports bras in the very high cup sizes, I would keep it. But of course you also could give the new Freya Actives, which now go up to a K cup a chance. I think the old versions ran rather small too - but you also could call it 'normal' for a sports bra. I haven't tried the new version. Most of my heavier work out I perform with the Bravissimo Inspire sports bra (in 30K) which unfortunately isn't available any more. But there could be some left on Ebay I added this bra to Bradatabase. It runs extremely tight in the band and rather small in the cups - actually too small for me in both respects. But apart from the crappy strap adjusters, it's the firmest and most reliable sports bra I ever had. Updated on December 14, 2012 Flag this
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As far as the loosening quickly, I think I'm seeing that, even just from trying it on a few times. :(
I was actually glad that the 34K was too tight in the band (like I actually couldn't close it), because it meant that I could get a bigger cup by going up a band. If this is going to loosen up so quickly, that might be a point against it.I agree on I have a bit of side-spillage, I would gladly go up another cup size in this if I could! :( And, frankly, given what you say about stretching, back down to the 34, again, if I could. So I guess I would really want 34L. Which is not surprising.
I'm glad to hear that it's not just me with my boobs totally squished together! One less thing to blame on not being able to go up a cup size!
Why do they put that stupid velcro when everyone hates it?! I think I will take it off, too, if I keep it.
I'm very curious about the Freya Active bra, now that they've increased the size range! However I do like the fact of how high this one comes up, because of the keeping my boobs out of my neck factor.
I think I'm leaning towards keeping it, because there aren't a lot of other options. (According to the note on here, Bravissimo says they will release the Inspire again at some point. I will keep my eye out for if/when this actually happens!) I think with some modifications it could be great for things like stretching and strength stuff, if not for very bouncy activities!
I just, I dunno, I wanna make sure I'm not being totally unrealistic spending this money on something that really could be better, you know? -
Yeah, I can understand what you mean. A 34L probably would be better for you. But many bra styles should at least go up to a N cup. But of course you could do some alterations on it. But it's still only suited for light excersizing - at least IMO. The velcro is just horrible. It rolls up completely even only after one handswash. Bad, bad, bad idea from Royce;)
Bravissimo took the Inspire sports bra out of their collection because there was a major problem with the strap adjusters. When I bought it from them, it officially wasn't available anymore even then. But there were some left. I guess they will re-release it after fixing that problem. But when they do I hope they will extend their size range a bit.
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helpfulI would also suggest maybe giving the Freya sports bra a try now that they offer K cups, but I don't know of any other sports bra that comes in such a large size range, so I think you may be stuck with whichever works better of the two.
Updated on December 14, 2012 Flag this
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Yes, I am curious to try the Freya one as well. I think the K was released right around the time I had originally ordered this Royce one, I wish I had managed to have them at the same time to try and compare! They're really very different, so I feel like ultimately I may wind up wanting one of each, when I have the money.
I hope that Astrid (http://lesgrosbonnets.wordpress.com) will post her review soon! I'm especially curious since she mentions other Freya bras haven't worked for her, as this is true for me as well. I imagine the sports bra may be quite different, though.
The only other one I know of is this:
http://www.lynxsportswear.com/Zoom-Sports-Bra_p_19.html
Which I saw here:
www.thefullfiguredchest.com/2012/10/sports-bra-throwdown-the-zoom-bra-versus-the-royce-impact-free-sports-bra/
But I have to admit I still don't understand how it works or what it does!(the site says:
"HOW THE LYNX BRA WORKS
Designed by a large breasted athlete, the LYNX bra utilizes Patent Pending technology to provide Outstanding Support and Motion Control to Women of All Sizes."
Um. That is not actually an answer! And their video is so blurry I can't see anything at all of what's going on.)
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helpfulI looked at this and thought that you could maybe go one cupsize down in this to get better support.
I normally wear a 40H with Elomi and a 40HH with Panache, I tried this bra in 40G and it was a good fit. Not too small, just right. Due to the cut the upper part is very roomy. With non-wired bras this usually results in some sagging, which is exactly what you experience here. Going down in cupsize might fix that, if your boobs put up with it.
Aside from that, I agree with Gervaise that I wouldn't use this bra for jogging. I did some jumping jacks in it, compared to the Elomi Energise which I also tried it was absolutely laughable. It is a good bra for yoga and back exercises, but not for any high-impact sports. (Harhar.)
My suggestion would instead be to try the Elomi Energise in 36J. It runs large in the cup so the size might be ok, plus it will definitely support you better.
EDIT: If the Elomi Energise is too small, check out Enell.
Updated on December 15, 2012 Flag this
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Thanks for the thought. I don't think I could go any smaller, my boobs are really taking up all the space in this one. I actually tried the 34K first (so one size smaller "cups") and I couldn't get my boobs all the way into it. But I can see the reason for why that would help sometimes! (I think shortening the straps may be doing something similar, taking in a little of the volume in the top, while still leaving the bottom.)
I realized I mostly do want this for lighter uses, like stretching/yoga and strength exercise (I really like the top coverage for these things, too), so I think it should work well.
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This was actually really helpful to focus my thoughts on this, thank you!
Part of the problem is that I can't be *sure* how well it will work with the straps tightened. But I certainly have a good guess. (I think what I plan to do with it is reasonable, given the material involved it shouldn't be too hard to do.)
And given that what I want it for at the moment, to be honest, is using my WiiFit in my own damn living room, it really is probably good enough.
I, um, actually have a custom Enell, as it happens. It's a great suggestion! Mine's like a 5 front on a 2 back with 1.5 band, I think. (I got it 3-4 years ago.) But I should have also had the straps shortened, and the side-coverage bits added, but I didn't, so it was never perfect, and I've gone up a cup size or two since I got it, so the sticking out on the sides has gotten really bad. Every time I wear it I get annoyed that I didn't get those other changes done too!
I would get another one in a second, if it weren't so expensive! By the time all those changes are made, I think it will be like $100 or more! Which, I'd rather have 2-3 bras for that money!
And, the truth is, even if I did get another Enell? I would still want something like this Royce. That is a useful realization!
Because I guess I hadn't really thought about it, but I really do want something that's for lighter exercising. The Enell is great,even if not perfect, but it's hard to put on, hard to breathe in, makes my back sweaty, my arms bump into my escaping side boobs, etc. (and the straps are too long, so I have to keep hiking it up for it to work right). It's worth it for heavy exercising, but not so much for something lighter. So this Royce really does address those issues, and I think once I shorten the straps, will do a good job with boobs-out-of-neck, too. My boobs will still get sweaty in the middle, but I can't have everything, lol! Would it be better if I could get one more cup size bigger? Yeah probably. I certainly wish they would extend their sizes. But it's good enough to be useful now. Therefore I think I should keep it! Thank you!