Jean's Bra Clinic - Session 1: Figure Types
Bra design varies greatly from one brand to the next as well as within one brand. This isn’t done to drive you crazy, though it may feel like that when you stagger past the lingerie racks at your favorite department store. Bra makers try to offer different bras for different figure types and needs, and within each design they must adjust the construction of each size of the bra - for example, a 34B of Design X may have a 2-hook closure and narrow straps (smaller body, less breast to support) while a 44D of Design X may have a 4-hook closure and wide straps (bigger body, more breast).
If you understand your figure type and know what type of bra design works best for that type, you can save yourself time and trouble when you go bra shopping. It is not safe to assume that every obese (or formerly obese) woman has the same figure type. An obese woman once approached me at work and said in a very bitter tone, “Show me your fat girl bras." I said (gently, I thought), “We don’t use the term ‘fat girl’ in this department." She looked taken aback, so I added, “Every woman has a unique shape no matter what she weighs."
Bra fit is influenced by some things you may not have considered. Women’s breasts can be close-set projecting forward, or wide-set and projecting to the sides. Put your hand to your chest and see how many fingers you can fit between your breasts at the point where the breast tissue starts to swell outwards. If you can fit 0-1 finger, your breasts are close-set. If you can fit 2+ fingers in there, your breasts are wide-set. Mine are wide-set, and that explains why I’ve had so much difficulty finding a comfortable underwire bra - because the curve of the wires started too close together in front and didn’t extend far enough to the sides.
Bra fit is also influenced by your overall shape (column, apple, pear); pregnancy, childbearing and nursing; life stage; weight; history of breast surgery; posture or medical conditions affecting posture (arthritis, scoliosis, narrow or sloping shoulders, shoulder surgery); breasts of different sizes; and so on. Here is a chart to explain the most common figure types.
|
Type |
Characteristics |
Clothing size |
Common Bra size |
Breast type |
Bra problems |
Bra solutions |
|
average |
140 lbs, 5'4" tall |
12-14 |
36C |
Rounded, protrude forward |
Needs correct fit |
Many bra styles work |
|
Small frame |
Column body, narrow shoulders, no waist curve |
0-10 |
32/34/36 band, AA/A/B/C cup |
More tissue on outside of breast, less breast projection, 2-3 finger width between breasts |
Straps slip, cups wrinkle or dent, bra rides up in back |
Padded, push-up, underwire |
|
Full bust |
Curvy shape, firm breast tissue |
0-10 |
32/34/36 band, D/DD/ DDD cup |
Breasts close together |
Needs to adjust bra frequently; muffin or marsh-mallow effect; straps dig into shoulders; breasts spill out bottom of cup; underwire pokes out in front; neck & back pain |
Underwire bra with extra support features |
|
Full figure |
More tissue overall (entire body), short or short-waisted, fleshy arms, excess back & arm tissue, uncomfortable in bras (especially underwire) |
14+ |
40+ band, D/DD/ DDD cup |
Breasts close together |
Bra rides up, wire free bra leaves red marks, straps indent shoulders, band cuts into midriff & sides |
Minimizer bra, M-frame or underwire bra, full coverage styles |
|
Senior/mature |
Age 65+; post menopausal; health/meds affect skin (irritation) & weight; stiff hands, arms, shoulders; stooped shoulders/back |
Any |
Any |
Less tissue elasticity & shape, not firm, breasts hang lower |
Tends to wear bra too big, wrinkled/dented cups, bra rides up in back, straps slip |
Seamed cups, padded straps, cotton or microfiber fabric (less irritating), Front closure |
Session 2 (tomorrow) will discuss how to measure your bra size.
Jean
Jean
Jean McMillan c.2009-2013 - Always a bandster at heart
author of Bandwagon (TM), Strategies for Success with the Adjustable Gastric Band & Bandwagon Cookery. Bandwagon for Kindle now available on Amazon. Read my blog at: jean-onthebandwagon.blogspot.com
Mimi
Lady,
Hi. I am doing really well, thanks. You can read my blog, I have gone through some rough patches,but I so happy I got the lapband. I love Dr Viamakis, she is great and the staff has been wonderful throughout. I see you just had your surgery earlier this month. I hope all is well with you.
Good luck with everything!
Mimi
Ain't nothing but to do it!
http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?GrpTyp=PRD&ItemID=16529d3&Dept
A playtex floral underwire bra 42DD, which has served me well and is now starting to get a little roomie on the smallest hook. I'd like to buy something similiar but without all the seams on the cup. I know I always seem to be most comfortable in a underwire with a band under it (and I would be full figured w/wide spaced breasts)
and ideas?
Thanks!
The Playtex Secrets line also has a seamless underwire bra you might like. It looks fancy because the cups are lace, but the cups are lined with soft cotton knit - no itchy lace against your skin. The straps have wide, gel-filled areas at the shoulders for comfort and stability. http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?GrpTyp=PRD&ItemID=16937 40&Ntt=playtex+secrets+bra&hdnOnGo=true&Ne=4+877+878+5+961+6 +29+3+598+11+15+12+506+10+23+585+596+1031+8+18+904+903+840+9 69+949+833&submit search.y=7&SearchString=playtex+secrets+bra&submit search.x=19&N=4294959029&Nao=0&SO=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=searchresults
The Bali Passion for Comfort back smoothing minimizer bra has seamless cups, underwires that are placed well for wide-set breasts, and a band that goes all the way around the torso (instead of ending where the underwires start).
http://www5.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?GrpTyp=STY&ItemID=190cc 9e&Ntt=bali+bras&hdnOnGo=true&Ne=4+877+878+5+961+6+29+3+598+ 11+15+12+506+10+23+585+596+1031+8+18+904+903+840+969+949+833 &submit search.y=7&SearchString=bali+bras&submit search.x=22&N=4294959029&Nao=0&SO=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=searchresults
If your 42DD is getting roomy around the torso, try a 40DD. Both of the bras mentioned above come in 40 & 40D, DD, & DDD.
Jean
Jean McMillan c.2009-2013 - Always a bandster at heart
author of Bandwagon (TM), Strategies for Success with the Adjustable Gastric Band & Bandwagon Cookery. Bandwagon for Kindle now available on Amazon. Read my blog at: jean-onthebandwagon.blogspot.com
Are you a professional des'el fit-her? DH says that's what he wants to be when he grows up. LOL
Your post explains a lot. In my opinion, if it's only going to have 2 hooks, don't bother.
I have a horrible time finding bras, and once I find one, by golly, I go back and buy 6 at least. Since losing some weight, some I have tried and didn't work now work, and I can't find them anymore.
I had a reduction about 10-12 years ago and I wear a 40-42 B. If I can find that, it usually has a narrow strap and 2 hooks. If I go up to a C, the cup is loose, but I can find more with wider straps and 3-4 hooks. Underwires were horrible. And I was a wide-set, but woke up from surgery with them touching in the middle. The surgeon said I would look like the front end of a Buick, and he wasn't kidding. Well, now that they have settled in and gotten more normal and I have dropped a few sizes, these 2 bras I had that I have never been able to wear (they must be at least 5 years old) fit me now and are actually comfortable and have underwires. They are 42B and came from Lane Bryant. I haven't gone to their web site yet, but I hope to find them on line.
The other problem I used to have was my shoulders were a bit narrow and the straps were forever falling down. They do seem to be moving them in in the back more these days, so I don't have that problem anymore.
I can't wait to see what you post tomorrow. And I hope you can address the surgery issue. I went to our local store with bras for women who have had mastectomies and other breast surgeries to find a bra and they couldn't even find anything suitable in my size in their catalogs.
Thanks for posting this,
Cheryl
When I got the job at JCP and told him I was going to be trained as a bra fitter, he said, "Why can't I get a job like that? I'd be really good at it, and I wouldn't even need a measuring tape!"
I had a breast reduction before my band surgery. My insurance company dictated how much tissue had to come out of each breast, and until I lost weight, my breasts were comically small compared to the rest of me and it was almost impossible to find a bra that fit. Fortunately, my breasts haven't shrunk much (because the plastic surgeon didn't leave much fat in them) since I've lost weight, but my torso and back have gotten smaller, so it's a tiny bit easier to find a small cup bra. Bra manufacturers are ignoring a big market - women (including young girls) who have 38+ band sizes but small cup sizes (AA, A, B). I'd say that 40-50% of my customers are made that way.
I'm away from home and much of my reference material, but here are my suggestions:
1. Look for the 2 bras you already have on the LB website. If you can't find them, you can send me (or post) a photo of the bras and I will make alternate suggestions.
2. Women with narrow or sloping shoulders often do well with bras that have removable straps (wear the bra strapless, or criss-cross the straps in back), that have T-back or racer-back construction, or that have U-back construction.
3. You could try jodee.com (or call them at 800-821-2767). Jodee sells mastectomy bras and accessories. The search features on their website are pretty limited but if you call and talk to a customer service rep, they will do their utmost to help you. If they ask how you found them, tell them that a JCP bra fitter (Jean McMillan at Store 2373) gave you their name.
4. From jodee, jcp.com, and other sources, you can get bras that allow you to insert a silicone form to fill out the bra cup.
4. If you go to jcp.com and enter BRAS in the search box, you will go to a page where you can select the bra type (full coverage, etc.), band size, cup size, brand, price range, even color in order to search for bras with the features you prefer.
Jean
Jean McMillan c.2009-2013 - Always a bandster at heart
author of Bandwagon (TM), Strategies for Success with the Adjustable Gastric Band & Bandwagon Cookery. Bandwagon for Kindle now available on Amazon. Read my blog at: jean-onthebandwagon.blogspot.com
Thanks Jean. I must be losing in the back more than the cup as well. I"m hoping it stays that way. These were pretty small 42s bought untried because they were the underwire version of the soft cup, but apparently not so much. I have worn a 42 forever. I don't think I want silicone to fill out the cup. I paid good money and pain to make them smaller. I told the surgeon to level them, but he said he could only remove a percentage. They were comical when first done. They sat right under my chin and were firm as stones and looked straight ahead. I still couldn't hold a pencil under them now, but they do look more natural. They finally stand out farther than my gut, which is what I'm looking for. It sure is nice not to have strap ditches in my shoulders. I think he took off about 6 pounds on each side. Think of that as in 6 boxes of butter off each side. In the past 7 months I have taken off about 30 boxes of butter with about 20 of that in the past 5-1/2 weeks. So if I do find this bra again, I will probably order a 40 and just keep washing these I have out until they don't fit.
Thanks for all your information. Have you made it to the coast yet?
Cheryl
I only suggested the silicone inserts as a possible solution if you just can't find a bra with the right band/cup size ratio.
I got to the "left coast" on Friday night and we spent the weekend at the cool, cloudy (but beautiful) Oregon coast. Now we're back in Seattle, which is having a heat wave. Isn't that just dandy? I leave Tennessee (heat index 115 degrees) to escape the heat and find 90+ degree weather here. And no air conditioners! But my host and hostess are wonderful and there are plenty of dogs to keep me entertained.
Jean
Jean McMillan c.2009-2013 - Always a bandster at heart
author of Bandwagon (TM), Strategies for Success with the Adjustable Gastric Band & Bandwagon Cookery. Bandwagon for Kindle now available on Amazon. Read my blog at: jean-onthebandwagon.blogspot.com
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