Your Bra Past Doesn't Have to Dictate Your Bra Future

Today writer and Butterfly Collection client, Justina Luther, shares her experience of overcoming her bra past for a brighter bra future. 

"What was your first experience with bras? Was it happy, sad, comical or humiliating? For me it was the last option. Thankfully the past doesn’t have to dictate your future. When I was ten years old my chest was developing without my knowledge and I was surrounded by bra ignorance. A scenario with which I’m sure many of you are familiar.

I was a tomboy who took choir and drama classes. During a drama class in the midst of friends, and my crush, my drama teacher called me to the front of the group and told me everyone could see my boobs and I needed to go put on a bra. That was my first jarring and humiliating introduction to my developing bust and the world of bras.

For a long time I wore a bra because it was necessary but ignored it as much as possible. My back hurt, my band rode up and my boobs spilled out as I continued to change sizes but because of my drama teacher’s harsh words I was intimidated by bras and was scared to address the issues or ask my parents for help. I continued with this attitude for years.

Two years ago I decided something had to be done, so I went to be fitted. While the fit was somewhat better, and the bras were nice, I quickly realized the size was again wrong. Being the research hound I am I decided to search the internet for better information. After learning a great deal about bras and breasts I realized bras were not devices contrived to torture me but were actually there to help me.

I stumbled onto Butterfly Collection’s online boutique and decided to do a Skype Fitting with Claire. She was so kind and quickly saw the issues I knew I had, but hadn’t understood what caused them. She suggested a size for me but told me to try 2-3 sizes around it because what was comfortable to me might be different from the size a tape measure recommended. This was the first time someone consciously told me I had control over saying what fit was right for me. That thought was empowering.

In my journey to love the body I have there have been highs and lows and the highs have always been the result of seeking knowledge and taking control over my body image. The first thing I did after I dared to find my right fit was to find a bra (in the right size) I wanted to wear because I thought it was cute! Claudette has some beautiful designs in 30FF and so does Fantasie.

I used to hate my bras, and to an extent my boobs, but our past doesn’t dictate our future and the lies we’ve been told can be overcome with wisdom. Every woman, no matter what’s in her past, deserves a bra that brings her confidence and comfort."

Justina Luther is a lifetime author with a passion for people. Whether it’s her current work, a suspense titled Would You Have Believed Me? or her personal experience short story titled GED=OMG, which was published in Beginnings XIV, she puts her heart into every word she writes. Justina believes words can change the world. She is currently an author on the exciting new blog When Readers Write. To read more of her work, visit www.whenreaderswrite.com

Sternum Shape and Bra Fit

Cora over at The Lingerie Addict asked me why the gores tack on her 34C bras but only tack at the top but not the bottom on her 32Ds and don't tack at all on her 30DD/E bras. This sounds counter-intuitive to most fit information because we learn that when your band is too big the gore stands away from your breast bone so why would Cora's gores tack in big bands but not smaller band sister sizes? The answer lies in ribcage and sternum shape.

Band Size and Ribcage Shape
Let's start with the band. When we measure around our ribcage (the parallel line directly below your breast root) it tells us the circumference of only part of our ribcage. Bra bands are several inches deep and wrap around a greater depth than the single ribcage measurement we can take with a measuring tape. I want to make it clear that the underbust measurement is well worth taking because it's a great starting point but for lots of women it needs to be taken in conjunction with other bra fit factors.

If you have a broad back or a flared ribcage (it's worth reading my article on torso shape and bra fit) then your band has to stretch around large and small circumferences simultaneously. The measuring tape measurement probably tells you the smallest circumference that your bra band will stretch around which is why someone like Cora can measure a 30 around but find her best fit in a 34 band because her ribcage might flare out into a broader back or acute angle which is better suited to a larger band.

Cora, The Lingerie Addict, in a shoot by Old School Pinups wearing Kiss Me Deadly Sirena Corset

In a 30 band Cora's bra is staining over a wider part of her ribcage which lifts the gore away from her sternum at the front. In a 32 band the strain is less so the gore is tilted and fits either at the top and not the bottom of vice versa. In a 34 band the strain is relieved and the gore can sit flush against the sternum. Women with flared ribcages sometimes find that they get some hollow space just below their gore where they can fit several fingers underneath their gore - the is quite normal and in general doesn't detrimentally affect fit.

Breast Bone Shape
The other fit factor to consider when a larger band fits you better than a smaller one is the angle and shape of your breast bone. When you measure around your ribcage it cannot take into account the shape of your breast bone (sternum). When your sternum is acutely angled or protruding you often find that you need either a very short gore than sits below your sternum or you need a larger band to accommodate the shape of the breast bone. You may find that your breast bone hollows where your gore is meant to tack, or that it protrudes more at the top than the bottom. This shaping of your sternum affects which band size and gore height will work best for you.

The band number and cup letters are far less important than finding a fit that feels right to you so don't worry if you measure a 28GG but find that a 30G or 32FF fits you better, it could very well be that other aspects of your torso are affecting your fit. xx