How to Tailor Your Bra fit with Accessories

In an ideal world bras would fit us perfectly from the first time we put them on. In reality many of us need to tailor our bra fit by using accessories or by making minor alterations so that we get a fit that's right for our bodies. Bras fit so close to your body and have to do such a specific job that there's less room for error which is why it's a good idea to know which accessories are out there to help you get the best fit.

You can find bra extenders that are 1 hook to 10 hooks deep

Bra Extenders
These are easily the most popular and convenient accessory we sell. A bra extender gives you more band length by hooking some extra fabric to your band at the hook and eye fastening (extenders are readily available in 1, 2, 3 and 4 rows of hooks to suit different bras). Having a little more band length is particularly useful when you're breaking in a bra.

Shown here in a contrasting colour for effect, you can buy extenders that closely match your bra tone

Rather than buying a 34 band that fits but could quickly stretch out on your 33 ribcage, using a bra extender on a 32 band gives you the wiggle room of a 34. Once the band has stretched a little (new bras stretch in the first 3 weeks) then you can remove the extender and wear your 32 band in total comfort. This isn't just comfortable it also prolongs the length of time you can wear a bra before it stretches out completely.

An adjustable strap holder like this is looped through your straps to give you more security.

Bra Strap Holders
This accessory holds your straps together so that they don't slip off your shoulders. The most common cause of straps falling off your shoulders is your band being too big. However, some women have such narrow or sloping shoulders that they find most conventional styles to have straps set too far apart.

Stretchy bra strap holders move with you so that you have a more flexible fit.

Bra strap holders come in lots of different styles from plastic discs that make your bra into a racer back to the elastic ones we carry that stretch with you as you move so you don't feel constricted.

Straps Pads give you some extra cushioning between your shoulders and your straps

Bra Strap Pads
If you're a regular reader then you should know by now that if your straps dig into your shoulders then you should check that your band isn't too big. When your band is too big it stops doing the work to support your breasts and the weight gets transferred to your straps which begin to dig into your shoulders.

For women with very heavy breasts or sensitive shoulders (trapped nerves for example) strap pads are great.

Having said that, some women have extremely heavy breasts and no matter how fitted your band is a lot of weight still rests on your straps. Other women have sensitive nerves in their necks and shoulders and find that some extra cushioning makes them much more comfortable. Bra strap pads attach to your straps and sit underneath them to give you some extra comfort.

Related Article: Top 3 bra alterations for tailoring your bra fit

There are lots of other bra accessories out there like pads and cookies to slip into one cup to even out cup size and bra liners that sit between you and your bra band to stop the irritation of sweat. If you have an issue that you find happens with every bra you try on then it's worth contacting our support team to see if there an accessory or style suggestion that could transform your fit xx

Bra Fit and Digestive Issues

Digestive image courtesy of DocStoc

Thousands of women suffer from digestive issues. Conditions including food allergies, acid reflux, and irritable bowel syndrome can be exacerbated by your bra fit. As these digestive issues are so common I wanted to explain the causes and the solutions I recommend for my clients.

The Right Band
The band of your bra passes directly around your stomach and upper duodenum (the beginning of your small intestine responsible for breaking down food). The pressure from your band can cause your digestive issue to flare up. It's tempting to think that the only solution is to wear a looser band, but that may not be your only solution.

Profile Perfect is a bandless bra as there is no material below the wire

It's a good idea to wear the loosest band size you can without compromising your fit, but wearing a band that is too loose will cause other issues so don't go too loose. Look for bandless bras; these are bras that don't have an extra strip of fabric below the wires. Minimizing how much fabric goes around your body will reduce the area of pressure on your digestive system. This simple style alteration can make a big difference to some sufferers.

The Right Gore
Your gore puts pressure on your sternum (or breast bone) which in turn can put pressure on your esophagus (the organ through which your food travels to your stomach). To relieve the pressure on your esophagus you can also try a looser band, however, it's also worth experimenting with different gore heights.

A lower gore, like this one on Idina can relieve digestive discomfort for some women

Some women find that wearing a short gore (like plunge styles) relieves the pressure on their esophagus. Other women find that wearing a tall gore spreads the pressure over a larger area and that is more comfortable. It's also possible to bend the wires at your gore away from the body so that the pressure is relieved (this requires a bit of effort but is very effective).

Wirefree Bras
You condition may be such that any wire pressure is going to aggrivate your condition so you need to wear a wire free bra. Wirefree styles can be hard to find in GG+ cups but you can find nursing bras that will give you support without wires. You will have a different shape without the wires but the benefit to your health is worth it.

Medical Attention
If you try different bra styles and sizes and still have unmanageable digestive issues you must seek medical attention.

I hope these tips can help you find a more comfortable fit so that your bra support isn't at the expense of your digestive comfort! xx

Bra Fit: Which Gore is Right For You?

Continuing our series about the finer points of bra fit, this week I'm explaining how different gores affect bra fit. The gore on a bra is the part between the cups that sits between your breasts. This little bit of fabric can be the best and sometimes the worst thing about a bra! The most common complaint about gores is that they dig into the breast bone which can be very painful. I'm going to explain what your gore does and how to choose ones that are right for you.

How Should a Gore Fit?
On wired bras the gore should lie flat against your body. Non-wired bra gores won't lie completely flat against your body because there's no wire to bring the cup back around your breast towards your body. It's rare but some women find that no matter what they try the gore never lies flat. There are a couple of reasons for this:

1) Their breasts are so close together that the gore always gets twisted
2) Their ribcage or breast bone is curved in a way that prevents the gore from lying flat

If your gore doesn't lie flat then you most probably need a smaller band. If your cups fit you but your gore doesn't lie flat then you should try one band size smaller and one cup letter larger (this will ensure you don't lose any cup volume).

The center panel comes up high on sports bras (like the Panache Sports) to minimize vertical bounce

What is the Gore For?
The gore's job is twofold. It contributes to the shape the bra gives you and most importantly it's a key part of support.

Shape - If the gore is narrow then the cups will sit closer together making the shape better for close-set breasts and forward projection. If the gore is wide then the cups sit farther apart and make the shape better for wide-set breasts.

Support - The depth of the gore changes how much vertical bounce a bra will reduce. A deep gore will generally give you less vertical bounce. This is why sports bras come so high up so that the vertical bounce is almost eliminated when exercising.

A low, wide gore (like this one on Idina) is great for wide-set and average set breasts that are side heavy.

Gores for Wide-Set Breasts
If your breasts are heaviest at the sides and spaced quite far apart with very little full breast tissue in the middle then you'll want to look for wide to medium width gores that are short to medium height. A tall gore can give you too much cup at the center which your breasts can't fill. The shorter gore will still give you enough support as you don't have heavy breast tissue at the center that needs support.

Dessous Peony with Limeade is a great medium gore style for side heavy breasts

Look for bras with high side panels that will give you the support where you need it, like the Dessous range from Claudette above.

Gores for Average-Set Breasts
If your breasts are full all round and set averagely close together (you can get 1 to 3 fingers between your breasts) then you need extra support at the front/center of your bust. This is especially important for women over a G cup as the increased projection away from the body needs vertical as well as horizontal support. 

A medium/tall gore like Jasmine is great for average set breasts (both rounded and shallow) that need forward support

Look for medium to tall gores. If you are shallow through the top of your breasts look for styles with stretchy upper cups that will give you a smooth fit.

Gores for Close-Set Breasts
If your breasts are very close together then gores can be a real pain! Some styles will have gores that are narrow enough for fit between your breasts (lots of my clients like Melissa, Bella and Meg) but a lot won't be. Very short gores (most usually plunge styles) can be a much more comfortable fit. The gore sits flat against the body just below where the breasts meet.

A short gore style like Tango Plunge can be excellent for close-set full breasts as the cups offer full support

If you have full all round breasts then look for cups that rise vertically from the gore rather than cutting acutely across. If your breasts are shallow through the top then you can look for plunge styles with cups that come out more acutely from the gore as you need less cup coverage.

How to Adjust the Gore
If you find a bra that you love but need to alter the gore then there are a few things you can do.

If the gore presses too hard into your breast bone then you can physically bend the wires away from your body. You'll need to apply quite a bit of pressure so it's important to do this while NOT wearing the bra so that you don't tear the material. If you haven't tried styles with a lower gore then I suggest you try them as taller gores might simply be incompatible with your breast bone shape.

If the gore is too wide you can make it narrower by following these steps.

If the gore is too tall you may be able to shorten it by pushing the wires down away from the top of the gore then removing the excess material at the top. Be aware that this will also affect the angle of the cup so this is not a minor alteration.

I hope this helps you figure out which gore shape is right for you so that you can have a comfortable and supportive fit. Let me know in the comments if you have a gore question xx

3 Easy Bra Alterations That Can Improve Your Bra Fit

You can find a great fitting bra by understanding your size and knowing which styles of bra suit you. However, our bodies are so unique and different that many women find that they need to alter a new bra to get a great-fitting bra. Here are 3 of the most common bra alterations many women need to make to their bras and how you can do these alterations.

Marcie on the left has a narrower gore than Porcelain Viva on the right.

1) Narrowing The Gore
If your breasts are very close together it can be difficult to find a bra with a gore that is narrow enough to fit between your breasts. A gore that is too wide for you can sit on your breast tissue or cause the breast tissue to pillow over the gore. If a bra fits you in the cups and band but the gore is too wide then narrowing the gore can transform your fit. The gore tends to be a rigid piece of material (occasionally it's elasticated, but not often) that can be narrowed easily.

How To Fix Put on your bra then slide your fingers in behind the gore and pinch together the excess gore material. If you can't undo your bra by yourself you'll have to ask someone else to unhook you (so that you don't let go of the pinched material) then put a pin or two in place where the material pinches together.

Sew along the pinned seam. You will probably find that you don't need to remove the excess material, however, if you'd prefer to remove it then you can. Be aware that narrowing your gore can make your band feel tighter.

The wires on Lucy (left) are shorter than the wires on Tango (right) in the same cup size

2) Stopping The Wires Poking Your Armpit
Lots of women find that their bras poke them in the armpit. This can be a particularly prevalent issue for women with short torsos (or high breasts). Some bra styles and brands have longer wires than other bras and so you may find that you prefer brands and styles with shorter wires. However, if you have a very large bust (and especially if you have a short torso) you can find that the wires poke you no matter which style you try because the wires have to be long to support your bust volume.

How To Fix It sounds rather basic but you can bend your bra wires and by bending the wire under your armpit away from the body it can make a big difference to your comfort. Bra wires are very sturdy so you might have to spend a little time bending the wires. I tend to do this to my new bras whilst watching a movie - it's strangely therapeutic!

Some women always need to shorten their band so that a new bra fits them on the loosest set of hooks

3) Shortening The Band
Lots of women need shorter bands than the ones available on the market. A style that suits you in the cups may only begin as a 30 band and you need to shorten it to a 28. For other women they may want to get more life out of a bra by shortening the band. You can do this alteration by hand, however, it's easier with a sewing machine.

How To Fix This demonstration by Dressing Curves is far better than anything I can describe so I'm deferring to her wonderful post here.

There are lots of other alterations you can attempt or have a seamstress do for you. Here is a list of some other posts about bra alterations:

Dressing Curves - Moving the Strap Position
By Baby's Rules - How to lower and narrow the gore
Bratabase - List of Bra Alteration Posts
Boosaurus - Tightening a Stretchy Band
Fix a Bra - Wires poking through the material
This post from Braless in Brasil gives you 10 great guidelines for altering bras

I believe that a lot of women who currently experience problems with their bras will find they get a near-perfect fit in the correct bra size and style for them. However, I think it's important to remember that the imperfections in bra fit are more apparent than the fit imperfections in clothing and we have to bear that in mind when trying on bras. When you know the fit imperfections that are easily fixed and the ones that simply mean the size or style is totally wrong for you it can make a big difference to perfecting your fit and widening your options xx