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Bra fitting help » HH gapping and quadboob same bra; 36 is too tight but 38 is too loose


Elomi » Kim Plunge Bra (4340) » 36HH 36:12

Issue resolved

I went down from a 38H to a 34HH and found that although this bra still isn't the right shape for me, I at least know my main problem was trying bras that were too large in the band AND cup.

Original problem

Update 3/20/21: Trying the 34H made me realize this bra just isn't the right shape for me BUT I at least know that my size is a 34HH in most bras. I've been trying other brands and styles in 34HH and they fit MUCH better than the 36HH. I also have been getting used to what a snug band really feels like. Thanks for your help everyone!

Update 3/18/21: Going down in cup (and band) helped EVERYTHING! I was super skeptical but went down to a 34HH and the fit is MUCH better. I may even be a 34H. The elastic top still gives me a lot of overspill, but the rest of the cup fits so much better and I think I can carefully remove the elastic strip to stop that muffining. And no gore putting intense pressure on my sternum. Woo hoo! Will update with the final verdict. Thanks for your help everyone!

Update: It seems I may benefit from going down a cup size, but I'm afraid that would make the issue of the underwire cutting into my underarm breast tissue even worse. Also, is intense pressure from a gore (leaving bruising) a sign of anything that I can fix (style, cup size, band size, bending wires)?

TL;DR: I don't know what size or style to try next since this Elomi Kim 36HH feels too tight in the band with cups that feel too shallow and narrow while the 38H Elomi Kim band feels too loose with cups that feel wide enough but still too shallow.

I'm looking for a practical every day bra to be lifted front and center. I originally ordered about 15 bras and the Elomi Kim seemed to fit the best, so I've been trying to find my correct size in that bra. I tried Elomi Kim style in 38H, 38GG, 40G and now this 36HH and can't seem to get a good fit. I don't know if I need a new size, brand, or style. Advice please!

My breasts are very projected and pendulous with wide roots, tall roots, soft tissue, even fullness top and bottom, center fullness, are close-set and one breast is slightly larger than the other. I'm 5'1" and 180 pounds with a high tummy.

ABTF calculator measurements as of 3/10/21:

1. 37.5" loose underbust
2. 35" snug underbust
3. 33" super tight underbust
4. 47" standing bust (braless)
5. 53" leaning bust (braless)
6. 48" lying down (braless)
7. 49" bust when wearing my best fitting unpadded bra

This Elomi Kim 36HH: Band is difficult to fasten and feels like it may be too tight. But based on 38s feeling too loose with a few hours of wear, do I just have to break it in? I also noticed that this 36HH seemed to be more contoured to my underbust than the 38 bras which felt kind of unwieldy in the front. I have slight muffin top along the inner top cup. There is gapping where the strap meets the cup. I feel like the cup does not keep my breast tissue in front of my body as much as the other sizes did. I can kind of catch some of my breast tissue when I raise my arms in front of me, whereas the other sizes took all that tissue from under my arm and put it up and center. The cup also feels like it comes up too high in front of my arm in the area from the strap to the underarm. There is some wrinkling on the bottom of the cup. The underwire on the outside of the right cup cuts into my breast tissue (this is my larger breast). When trying it on, this bra felt tight all over.

Other sizes of the same Elomi Kim that I tried and how they fit:

38GG: Band felt perfectly snug at first, but after a few hours of wear it started riding up my back on the loosest setting. The cups were too small with overspill and the wire was not wide enough to encapsulate my breast tissue under my arm. The wire came closer to my IMF than the 38H. During the day the bra would slip down and the underwires would push into my tummy.

38H: The band felt a little too loose with some wear. The wires are actually wide enough to encompass all my breast tissue. There is some occasional spilling out at the top/inner and some gapping at the strap. I think there was some gapping at the base of the cup. The wire rested about an inch below my IMF. When I first tried it on, I had pre-existing bruising on my sternum from wearing an Elomi Cate in 38H. I switched to the Kim in hopes the lower gore would fix the sternum pain, but found the gore still angled inward to my breast tissue painfully. It's possible I only felt sensitive because of the existing bruise and I'd be willing to try it again.

40G: The band was way too big, so I didn't really take note of any other fit issues. I don't remember how the cup felt but I could try it back on if that's helpful.

At this point I've tried at least 20 bras and I don't know what size, brand, or style to try next and I'm feeling pretty discouraged.

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