We've all heard the statistic about how so many women are wearing the wrong size bra. The general assumption is that you just need a good fitting and then you're on easy street. And that makes sense, doesn't it? Once you know what size you are, it's just a matter of finding a bra you like in it, right?
Don't make me laugh.
Aside from the fact that every style is going to fit differently--so differently that you might need a completely different size--many fitters are poorly trained and actually have no idea how a bra should fit. In addition, our sizing system is just insane, and it get even worse when you go online because there are a number of different sizing systems. Here's a link to a couple of charts that illustrate exactly how much sizing varies throughout the world. For the most part, though, you can get along with just knowing the difference between UK, US, and European cup sizes (thank god, I don't think I could handle dealing with metric). And that is a very important difference--a UK G cup is fully two sizes larger than a European, and half of America doesn't even recognize anything past the letter D--we use DDDD interchangeably with G, which is, frankly, just a little ridiculous. There is so much variation in between countries and manufacturers that the size your fitter arrives at is really just a starting point. Well, that's okay, isn't it? It's better than nothing, right?
Riiiight. Until you realize the numerous ways "fitters" arrive at that number and letter. There are currently three ways people measure for size. All involve two measurements--one for the band, and one for the bust. You then subtract to get the cup. Now the problem comes in with the band measurement. Some fitters will measure under the bust and then add inches to it (four seems to be the most popular number), others will measure above the breasts (Victoria's Secret does this, if you're having trouble wrapping your head around that), and still others will just take a straight measurement under your boobs. In my experience, this last one has been the most accurate. Some women will swear by the +4 method--I have generally found these girls to have smaller breasts. If you have big boobs, your best starting point is to just go with a straight measurement, and round to the nearest size (since bands only come in even numbers). Lane Bryant measures this way, most of your better specialty shops will, and some department stores will as well. Measuring above the breasts pretty much never results in an accurate size.
Oh, and before you think bra sizing makes no sense, let me throw this one in there for you--cup sizes are graded and relative to the band. That's right. The cups for a 36A and a 40A are completely different. In order to have a cup that's physically the same size, you have to either go up a cup and down one band size, or down a cup and up a band size. This chart illustrates how this works quite well, although sources will argue whether it's accurate above a US DDD (which makes me wonder how the hell they size large cups, if not in that manner. I was actually looking at a bra parts place online, and their wires and cups appeared to be scaled differently. My head exploded).
So, now that you're thoroughly confused and you have some arbitrary number to start with, how do you know the bra actually fits? There are a number of different markers to look for, and most of the internet seems to agree on these standards. Do you fill the cups? Are you overflowing? Is the band riding up? Does the gore (that bit between the cups) lie flat on your chest, or can you see your belly when you look down your cleavage? Are the straps digging into your chest, or is the band actually supporting the girls like it's supposed to? Is anything poking or digging into you? This is stuff you're looking at for fit. And, at least in America, this is all stuff that bad bra fitters will say is normal.
As an example, allow me to relate a recent experience of my own. Having learned that Soma actually does carry a G cup, I decided to try the one style they carried in the store (they have three on the website in a G). I tried on the US 34G that I measure (I've had three fitters at three different stores agree on this). The band was far too loose (it was also even uglier than it looked online). Better fitters will advise to buy a bra that fits on the loosest hook--that way, as it ages and stretches out, you can tighten it and it lasts longer. The first thing the girl "helping" me did was move the hooks to the tightest setting. When I inquired about what I just told you, she nodded and dodged it. "This band actually fits you pretty well." Really? because the back was sitting much higher than the front, a common sign that the band is too big. There was also the fact that it felt like I wasn't wearing a bra--and by that I mean it was offering virtually no support. All the weight of my girls was on the straps. When I mentioned this, the girl suggested trying a different band size--not a smaller one, but a bigger one (and she really tried to me sell me on this). Yes, the cup on a US 36F (DDD) is the same size, but if the 34 band size wasn't giving me the support I needed, how in the world was a larger band size going to do it? I still have some old 36Fs lying around, and they hurt my shoulders like the dickens. This is a classic example of a) a fitter who doesn't know what they're doing or b) a fitter who is more interested in making a sale than supporting your boobs. If you wander the internets in search of odd size bras, you will find countless bloggers who have had this experience. You will find many testimonials from girls who realized that the reason their bras didn't fit right was because they had been told to go up in the band and down in the cup. There is no way a bra band can support your breasts if it is too loose. This also supports a suspicion of mine--a small breasted woman cannot properly fit a bra to a large breasted one. They don't realize how much more support is necessary, because they haven't experienced it. I'm not saying you should run away if you go into a boutique and the fitter has small boobs, but I would take what they say with a grain of salt. I have yet to be poorly fitted by a large breasted fitter (I cannot recommend Lane Bryant enough in this area--they will also be honest about your size, even if they don't carry it). And frankly, if I had very small breasts, I would reverse that advice. If your fitter has experienced a fitting issue like your first hand, she will be much better able to advise you.
This is all stuff you need to take into account when you go bra shopping, regardless of size. No one should have to endure the pains and discomfort of an ill fitting bra.
Coming soon: bra reviews (I have a package in the mail!), brand commentary, and (hopefully) preliminary mockups of bra designs
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Welcome to the Bra-dyssey!
Hello there! Thanks for coming!
My reason for starting the bra-dyssey is two fold. Firstly, everyone I know is sick to death of hearing me talk about my boobs and the problems I have finding bras and I would like to keep my friends (and my poor, poor husband). I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe, if I put it on the internet for all to see, I can shut up about it.
The second reason for starting the bra-dyssey (which is my attempt at being clever: bra+odyssey=bra-dyssey) is very simple: I cannot find a bra that fits me in a physical store in my region. Plenty exist online, but you can't know if a bra will fit you without trying it on, which means a lot of returns and a lot of time. It also means a lot of money, because, so far, I have yet to find an online bra retailer who provides free shipping on exchanges that will let you exchange more than one item on an order. Now, while I am girding my loins for this particular hell (because shopping for bras in person isn't bad enough), I am also working on another solution: building a better bra. This is the long term solution. Can we create something better to hold up our boobs? There has to be a better solution, even if we lack antigravity technology on a small enough scale to do it. Failing all else, there at least has to be a better way to size bra, one that actually takes into account measurements and is slightly less arbitrary. Oh, and while we're at it--let's make it pretty. And maybe even affordable. And in America, so we don't have to import from England or Poland.
Is there a way to design a bra for boobs outside the "normal" range that will provide consistent sizing? There has to be.
For reference, we'll be defining the normal range as band sizes 30-40 and cup sizes AA-DDD, as these are the most common sizes that most manufacturers make. I'll also be using as a secondary normal scale the size range offered by Cacique, the only widely available line that caters to girls outside the normal range. The secondary scale provides band sizes 36-50 and cups from B-H; not all cups are available in all sizes. There are some pretty obvious gaps in here, as far too many ladies are aware. My ultimate goal is to address those gaps so that girls who fall outside of these ranges will have somewhere to go. I plan to address the smaller band size/larger cup size group first, as that is the one I fall into.
So let's get started. Join me on my bra-dyssey for the better bra.
My reason for starting the bra-dyssey is two fold. Firstly, everyone I know is sick to death of hearing me talk about my boobs and the problems I have finding bras and I would like to keep my friends (and my poor, poor husband). I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe, if I put it on the internet for all to see, I can shut up about it.
The second reason for starting the bra-dyssey (which is my attempt at being clever: bra+odyssey=bra-dyssey) is very simple: I cannot find a bra that fits me in a physical store in my region. Plenty exist online, but you can't know if a bra will fit you without trying it on, which means a lot of returns and a lot of time. It also means a lot of money, because, so far, I have yet to find an online bra retailer who provides free shipping on exchanges that will let you exchange more than one item on an order. Now, while I am girding my loins for this particular hell (because shopping for bras in person isn't bad enough), I am also working on another solution: building a better bra. This is the long term solution. Can we create something better to hold up our boobs? There has to be a better solution, even if we lack antigravity technology on a small enough scale to do it. Failing all else, there at least has to be a better way to size bra, one that actually takes into account measurements and is slightly less arbitrary. Oh, and while we're at it--let's make it pretty. And maybe even affordable. And in America, so we don't have to import from England or Poland.
Is there a way to design a bra for boobs outside the "normal" range that will provide consistent sizing? There has to be.
For reference, we'll be defining the normal range as band sizes 30-40 and cup sizes AA-DDD, as these are the most common sizes that most manufacturers make. I'll also be using as a secondary normal scale the size range offered by Cacique, the only widely available line that caters to girls outside the normal range. The secondary scale provides band sizes 36-50 and cups from B-H; not all cups are available in all sizes. There are some pretty obvious gaps in here, as far too many ladies are aware. My ultimate goal is to address those gaps so that girls who fall outside of these ranges will have somewhere to go. I plan to address the smaller band size/larger cup size group first, as that is the one I fall into.
So let's get started. Join me on my bra-dyssey for the better bra.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)