Bra fitting help » Bra straps chafe at underarms
Flirtelle » Swirl Balconette Bra (FL1005) » 34E 34:6
Issue resolved
Thank you! I will look up the bras recommended and try to look for bras that naturally have closer strap placement
Original problem
I think this bra is the best fit I've ever experienced. I'd like to get more informed opinions so I can be even more exacting on fit. Everything about this bra feels good except the shoulder straps. they chafe right at the point where the cup and the strap are sewn. I tried loosening the straps and it doesn't stop the chafing. This is a balconet style; could it be that I need to avoid that style in favor of something else?
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helpful
This looks to me like it could be a "side problem", ie your pectorial muscles that connect from your chest to your arm collide with the straps.
There isn't a good solution to this, except to try on a lot of bras.
I know somebody who has a similar problem and a similar shape to you, from what fits her I would say that you could try the Panache Andorra and the Freya Tara/Zara/Beau cut.
Updated on November 16, 2012 Flag this
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What elfin is talking about is that you should look for bras that are center-pull instead of side-pull. Most fullcups are centerpull, but I've found that they can cut into your side too. For example, I would not recommend the Fantasie Belle Fullcup to you, I am reasonably sure that this bra will cut into your side despite being a centerpull.
What has worked for some is that they took padded halfcups and reattached the straps more towards the middle. With some padded halfcups this relatively easily done. But be aware that this changes the fit of the cup. In most cases the cup becomes shallower, distributing the tissue more to the side. You loose projection, making the cup too small in many cases.
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Ok, I send the link of your pictures to the woman I mentioned above. She took one look and recommends the following (aside from P.Andorra/Jasmine and F.Tara/Zara/Ada):
- Charnos Trellis/Anais/Ava, additionally the Charnos Amore. Be sure to go for the unpadded fullcups and note they all run large in the cup, so go down in cupsize.
- any bra by Bravissimo, especially MaiBlossom, BoudoirBeau and Satine
- most bras by Freya, she can recommend Nina, Roxanne and Tabitha, maybe Freya Piper Balconette (the unpadded normal bra as sold by Bravissimo!), Freya Arabella/Lyla, Freya Faye. She also strongly advises against Freya Gem.
- Bravissimo Strappy Top in 34DD
She also says that some of the bras of the Cleo George family might work, the Cleo Lizzie and the Cleo Eleanor did not cut in, but they did not fit her in the cup. But she hasn't got any definite recommendations aside from that.
Also, after conferring with a second woman with the same "side problem" they both think that some Flirtelle bras might work. Does the Flirtelle Iris cut in on you? If it does not cut in on you, I would like to pass on this information to both of them, they are always on the lookout for new models.
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I might test that strap movement on a bra i'm going to discard, just to see how the alteration works, and I'm definitely going to look for those bra brand/model so I can see how they look - that way if I can't buy those bras, I know what I'm looking for!
This was so very helpful, thank you for sharing so much knowledge with me!
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Looking at those bras it is not going to tell you anything that helps you find a fitting bra. This list is a shortlist of all the bras that the woman I mentioned has tried (over 400), most she had to send back bc of the "side problem". You could try to get the bras I mentioned cheap at ebay.co.uk though.
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To prove my point, just took a quick search (30 sec) and found this: Charnos Anais Fullcup in 34DD, ebay 110888139649.
EDIT: ebay 360474560455 - Freya Ada in 34E.
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ebay! thank you for reminding me about ebay!
I second what t_maia has said. I have this problem myself and there is no easy solution since most bras have wide placed straps. I usually wear my bras with the straps lengthened out as much as possible to minimise the chafing.
You may have more luck with a full cup style as the straps tend to be placed closer in. If you're handy with a sewing machine you could also try this alteration. http://dressingcurves.blogspot.se/2012/03/alterations-moving-strap-position.html A word of caution with this - I tried it with an old bra to see how it worked out and it made the cup too small for me so depending on the bra you might need to make allowances for this.