Bra Fit Tips for Women with Active Jobs

I'm so thrilled to have this guest post by The Lingerie Detective's Avigayil. Being busty and having a very physically demanding job can be made more comfortable with some bra know-how and Avigayil has fantastic experience and tips on staying comfortable and supported at work.

"Lingerie style and fit is important when your job is physically demanding. I was an in-home caregiver for a wheelchair bound client for seven years. In my daily job I performed a standing transfer wherein I supported the full weight of my client to move her in and out of bed, on and off the toilet, and in and out of the shower. Given my highly active career, I had to find lingerie that was comfortable, supportive, and flexible. Here are a few tips for what kind of lingerie to look for if you also have an active job. 

Panache Sports Bra has wicking material and a J hook to turn the back into a racerback style

Fabric
Look for bras with breathable or moisture-wicking fabrics. Breathable fabrics allow air to flow towards your skin and sweat to flow away from your body. Moisture-wicking fabrics draw the sweat away from your body and cause your skin to dry quicker. If you are prone to heavy sweating or your active job requires you to be in close proximity to people while still performing well, then a moisture-wicking sports fabric would probably be a good choice. Natural fibres like cotton are breathable and can be a good alternative to synthetic if you have sensitive skin. I am also a fan of mesh: even though it is made of synthetic materials, the perforated design allows for a good exchange of air between the world and your skin.

Basic Beauty by Wacoal has a V back strap design to keep your straps firmly in place

Bras

When selecting a bra, look for designs with a t-back, racer back, or J-hook on one of the bra straps that allows you to convert the bra. This back style serves two purposes. First, it redistributes weight that would be on your shoulders and places it closer to your core. Secondly, it moves your straps farther in on your body so there is less of a chance of a strap falling down when you lean over, reach for something, or contort into an interesting position while at work. On the same note, look for bras with straps placed farther in on the front. Even if you do not have narrow or sloping shoulders, active work often means our shoulders are in a variety of different positions. When the bra straps are positioned closer to the core, they move less and require minimal (ideally no) adjustment throughout the day.

Two styles I suggest for an active job are the dependable sports bra and a non-molded cup bra. I think the sports bra is a no-brainer as most sports bras are about containment. They offer great support, reduce breast bounce, and tend to keep larger breasts closer to the chest. The materials used in sports bras either have moisture wicking properties or are breathable. This Panache Sports Bra has a couple other features that make it a great bra for work: the moulded cups offer extra padding for sensitive chests and it is cut lower under the armpits to prevent chaffing. While it is not a dedicated racer back bra, it does have the racer clip for conversion.

Dessous is a mesh range full cup bra that's ideal for shallow on top breasts and narrow or sloping shoulders

Now, just because you have an active job it does not mean you cannot wear pretty bras to work. I recommend trying a full soft cup bra (underwire) with straps that are set in a bit. If you have shallow on top breasts, then I recommend the Dessous line by Claudette. I could probably skydive in my Dessous and my breasts would not escape the cups. The coverage of a full cup along with the underwire offers the support your breast tissue needs. The closer set bra straps will keep you from having to readjust your bra throughout the day. The soft cups are also useful for work where your chest may encounter objects or people on a regular basis. Whereas a molded cup bra keeps your breasts acting as one, a soft cup allows each breast to move independently. Therefore, if I get an elbow/box/etc. squished against my one breast, it will not try to adjust my entire bra or push my breast out of the cup. My one breast will just “go with the flow,” while still encapsulated in the bra, and then settle back down. I found soft cup bras the best match for my work as a personal caregiver.

Underwear
The world of lingerie does not stop at bras so I would be negligent not to mention their common counterpart: underwear. Wear comfortable underwear. If your underwear likes to ride up or give you a wedgie, then leave them in your underwear drawer (or throw them out). While underwear style is going to mainly come down to personal tastes, I found high-rise full coverage bikini style briefs the most comfortable. Again, your moisture-wicking or breathable fabrics are going to be vital. There is nothing like the discomfort of overheating between your legs because the synthetic pair of underwear you purchased for $5 does not breathe. Do not be deceived by the cotton gusset: if there is a layer of fabric on the outside of the cotton gusset that does not breath that means that your crotch is not getting proper air circulation. Try out a pair of 100% cotton underwear or performance underwear. Mesh is also an option for the aforementioned reasons.

No matter what lingerie you choose to wear, fit is always imperative. Always buy underwear in your current size and get bra fittings regularly. Wearing proper fitting underpinnings will make a world of difference to both you and your skin."

Avigayil Morris is a full-time wife and a full-time student about to graduate with a BA in English. A long time deal blogger for Bargainmoose, she has recently started her own lingerie blog called Lingerie Detective as a creative outlet for her overwhelming obsession with underpinnings and as a place to exhibit her ever increasing collection. Her other obsessions include animals, water, nature, food, fashion, and earth friendly living.

Explained: Straps on 28 Bands, Cross Grading and the Lack of 26 Bands

Following on from last week' post, today I'm answering more of the questions posed via our Facebook and Twitter pages. 

The thing I don't understand about bras is... Why there aren't more plunge bras or bras with short gores in my size! 

This is a great question and one I get asked about a lot. Lots of plunge bras stop around a G/GG/H in 28-38 bands. Over that size you really struggle to find plunge styles and this has a lot to do with the mechanics of creating a plunge bra for heavy or voluminous breasts. 

Plunge bras don't work for a lot of women (women with soft or center heavy breasts find plunge style don't give enough support or cause a lot of spilling). This is because with such a short gore and acutely angled cups, plunge styles have to rely on the sides and band to give lift and support. If you need support at the center then a plunge style will never work.


Plunge styles over an H cup (US J cup) are usually seamed bras because the seams contribute to supporting the breasts in a way molded cups can't. You can find non-plunge styles with a shorter gore but there definitely needs to be more options for H+ women who need a shorter gore.

Sizes sizes are cups that have the same volume (approximately) but different band lengths, e.g. 28G, 30FF and 32F are sister sizes.

The thing I don't understand about bras is... The fact that a 28G and a 32F have the same wire width, like seriously I'm not as wide as someone who wears a 32 so my wires should be narrower.

This is a great point about cross grading sizes. By that I mean that the proportions of a woman with a smaller band can be very different from those of a woman with a larger band. However, this can also be affected by wire shape. It might be that the 28G styles you're trying on have wider wires than you need and on a woman with a wide 28G breast shape it would work well. Some brands and styles use narrower wires than others.

Wire shape and length has been one of the biggest topics of the last 18 months and I think we'll start to see another shift in wire shapes from manufacturers in the next 5 years. 

The thing I don't understand about bras is... Why no manufacturer makes 26 bands. 

You and me both! We've carried 28 and 30 bands for years now and we carry on buying them because we have hundreds of clients who need these band lengths. And yet, many of our reps tell us that very few of their customers (boutiques/stores) buy 28 bands because they don't have any customers who fit them. The fact that few boutiques carry 28 bands translates into lower sales in those sizes so manufacturers don't prioritize shorter bands.

I think a lot of boutiques don't fit bands correctly (hence the reason so many women are in the wrong size because stores put them in a bra with a band that's too big for them). If fitters had a better understanding of how bands should fit then there would be a great demand for short bands and the need for 26 and 24 bands would become more apparent.  

I really like that the Dessous style by Claudette has closer set straps so the fit is better for 28 bands

The thing I don't understand about bras is... Why are shoulder straps so wide on 28 bands.

Another great question! Are you sure you lot haven't been rifling through my bra wish list!? What I wrote above about the slow take up rate of 28 bands by stores and boutiques has a direct bearing on your question. Because 28 bands are hard to justify from a sales point of view for a manufacturer (to give you an idea, manufacturers sell about thirty 34 bands for every 28 band ordered) there is less budget to diversify the styles that are available in a 28 band.

For example, if you are a 34 band you can find bras that are full cup, plunge, balconette, tear drop shaped, smooth, seamed, close straps, far straps, convertible and longline because there are thousands of orders from stores for these sizes so brands can afford to diversify the styles they offer in a 34 band because demand is proven.

If more stores bought 28 bands then manufacturers would see a proven market and would invest in diversifying their styles. It's completely crazy that 28 bands tend to be on styles with straps not positioned for narrower shoulders. I think Claudette's Dessous is one of the few styles that truly accounts for the shoulder fit of a 28 band client.

The thing I don't understand about bras is... Why the wire is always a finger or two width below my breast

This is usually one, or a combination of, three things: Wearing your band too low, or cups with wires that are too narrow for you and your torso shape. Because each of these is a blog topic unto itself I recommend clicking on each of the links to find out the cause of your bras sitting low on your body.


The thing I don't understand about bras is... No matter how many I have, I always NEED MORE

Because bras that fit are not only comfortable but they're a joy to put on and look at! If you need more bras because they never seem to fit you then that's a bad thing but if you always need more bras because there are so many great ones out there then you're my perfect customer! xx

Bra Fit Tips for Soft Breasts

The density of your breast tissue can make a big difference to your bra fit. Today we're focusing on soft breast tissue. You might think all breasts are soft but there is an easy way to distinguish between firm and soft breast tissue.

Firm breasts have a defined shape and need a bra that is as close to their shape as possible to get good fit (the most common problem is finding a cup size that fits but the style cuts into your boobs making it look like you're spilling out). Soft breasts are very fluid and tend to pour into a cup. They can flow sideways, vertically down, over your center gore and they can struggle to fill the top part of a bra. Soft breast tissue also jiggles a lot more and can slide around inside your cup if the fit isn't spot on. You can also find that soft breast tissue wrinkles as there isn't as much fatty tissue in the upper layers of skin.

There are lots of reasons why breast are, or become, soft. Genetics is a big player here, breastfeeding, weight gain or loss and simply getting older are some of the major factors. Soft breasts have less firm fat and collagen in them than firmer breasts. If you think about breast fat and collagen as internal scaffolding then it makes sense that dense, firm breasts can retain a lot of lift and shape even without a bra. Soft breasts, on the other hand, need more support because they can't lift themselves up. Here are some bra fit tips for soft breasts:

The medium height gore and cup shape of Eva have been a huge success for heavy, soft breasts in bands 34+

Fit Tip #1
Look for bras with a medium to tall gore that will keep your breasts separate from one another.

Dessous has been a popular choice for our clients with soft breasts as the seams are soft and the sides are tall

Fit Tip #2
Bras with tall sides (the piece of fabric coming down from the strap) are good for side heavy soft breasts. However, avoid bras with an inside side sling because they can cause a ridge in your breast tissue. If you love the bra you can always cut out the inner sling which is bisecting your boob.

A structure lower cup and stretchy upper cup like Envy by Panache can work really well

Fit Tip #3
Stretchy fabrics can be your friend (especially in an upper cup where you might struggle to fill) but you also want a bra with some structure to minimize the bounce. 3 or 4 part cups with a firm lower cup and stretchy upper cup can work really well.

A molded cup like Wacoal's Basic Beauty can be useful for breasts that dent easily

Fit Tip #4
Some women find that any seams create ridges in their breasts and so need molded cups. Be aware that you might get some hollow space at the top of the cups (especially near the strap) but this isn't terrible for fit.

While there is very little you can do to change your breast tissue density (outside of surgery), remember that breast tissue skin is like any other part of your skin, it benefits from good moisturizing and sun protection. So get the girls lathered up with some SPF and lotion!

As with all things boob, no one solution fits all so if you have questions about soft breast tissue fit then ask them in the comments below and we'll answer as best we can xx

Bras Good for Short Torsos

Bra wires are a crucial part of keeping heavy breasts close to your body so that they don't bounce. The length of a bra's wire makes a big difference to a woman's comfort. If you have tall breasts then you might find that your breast tissue hangs over a short wire which is uncomfortable. Alternatively, if you don't have a lot of breast tissue near the armpit then a long wire can poke uncomfortably into your armpit.

It's a fine line for bra manufacturers to create wire lengths and shapes that are long enough to give coverage and support, but short enough to accommodate different torso lengths. In reality, not every bra will fit you and if you have a short torso (or high set breasts) it's important to find out which bras have shorter wires and side wings so that they don't poke you. Here are some of our top picks for short torso friendly bras:

1. Claudette Dessous
This modern-day classic has a semi-teardrop shaped cup and shallow wing that makes it ideal for women with short torsos. I have always adored the deep V neckline and of course the apologetically bold colour-ways.

2. Elomi Eva
This is a new addition to our store which we chose because of its short torso friendliness. The wires are deliberately shorter than other Elomi styles so that they don't come up too high into the armpit. I love that the cups are smooth like a molded cup but have the side wing and seaming of a 4 part bra to give more lift and shape. The straps are closer together too which is a feature lots of petite women need.

3. Freya Gem
Whether you're short or tall, heavy busted or not you can have a short torso. This is why Gem is such a great option. Ranging from 28-38 bands up to a K cup this style gives lots of women a balconette option with a shorter wing.

4. Panache Envy
This latest basic from Panache is in response to a request for shorter wires. I love the shape and support of 4-part cups, especially for heavy busts. This bra gives a good balance between support for weight and volume and a shorter wing for comfort.

 

If you have your size right (the band is firm and the cups aren't gaping or spilling) but still find that your bra is poking you in the armpit then I highly recommend trying styles that are shorter in the wing xx

How Many Bras Should You Own?

This is a question I get asked a lot and you may be surprised to know that there is a little science to the answer. We wear our bras anywhere between 8 and 18 hours every day and in that time the elastic in our bra heats up to our body temperature; especially around the band where it is in greatest contact with our skin. Heat causes elastic to expand and stretch farther. When you take off your bra the elastic begins to cool down and the fibers in the elastic start to contract back into a shorter state. It takes about 36 hours for elastic to cool down completely so ideally you want to give your bras 2 days rest between wears.

Considering how crucial your bra's elastic is to your fit and longevity it's worth looking after by washing and drying your bras correctly and by allowing them rest between wears. Here's a general breakdown of how many bras you need to maximize their longevity:

From Left to Right: Profile Perfect, Lucy Black and Leopard Dessous

Everyday Bras
There is no hard-and-fast rule about what an everyday bra is. It's any bra that keeps you supported during your daily activities and that works with your wardrobe. For lots of women their everyday bra collection is one light coloured bra, one dark coloured bra and a bra with a lower neckline that can be worn with lower necklines. Three is the minimum number of bras you should have for everyday wear to give your bras the best chance at lasting as long as they can. If you have more and rotate them on a 4 or 5 day basis then they'll last proportionally longer. If you wear the same bra every day then it will probably only last about 4 months, if that.

Sports Bras
The number of sports bras you need depends on how often you exercise, what you do and for how long. If you work out three times a week doing more or less the same level of activity for about an hour then you only need one sports bra. If you do a high-impact sport one day and a low level yoga class another day you may need two different bras; one designed for impact and one designed for flexibility. If you work out every day and sweat a great deal or exercise for more than an hour then you're going to need two or even three sports bras. Be sure to wash your sports bras every week as the salt from your sweat can break down elastic quickly.

From Left to Right: Evie Strapless, Tango Cherry Plunge, Enell Classic Black

Solution Bras
If your wardrobe requires you to have a strapless bra then you can probably just invest in one unless you need a specific colour. In the summer you may find that you want a couple of strapless bras that you can add to your everyday rotation. Plunge bras or wide balconette styles (think heaving bossom!) may not be something you wear every week but are useful to have for a favourite dress or event. These bras aren't essential but can add more freedom to your wardrobe choices.

Colourful Bras
I don't think that colourful bras should be an option, they should be a standard in your bra drawer. If you love colour then your everyday bras may all be colourful ones. However, if you have a basic everyday bra wardrobe then I highly recommend treating yourself to a colourful bra that you wear at weekends because it can lift your spirits to wear something that is fun and different. It can help you see you and your breasts differently.

I hope this helps you work out whether your bra wardrobe and habits are helping you get the most out of your bra budget. xx

Rethinking Skin Toned Bras

Claudette's American Tan colour is a great addition to the full bust nude spectrum

North America buys more skin-toned bras than any other colour. It's important to remember that skin-toned bras come in all sorts of colours so no single colour is a nude bra. Too many stores refer to beige bras as Nude and this excludes the millions of women for whom beige would be far from nude.

Finding a bra that is as close to your skin tone as possible makes your bra less visible under pale clothing which lots of women welcome when wearing pale or fine clothing. With such a disproportionate number of beige bras on the market many women don't know that they have other options when looking for a skin-toned bra that's right for them.

Image courtesy of My Skins who create an array of skin toned bras

The Nude Spectrum
There are some manufacturers who are producing an array of skin toned bras and hopefully this will gain momentum. Currently there is still a lack of skin tone choices in the full bust market. I love the styles and colours available from My Skins but they only go to a D cup right now. Full bust manufacturer, Claudette, has created some really great skin tone bras up to a G cup so there is movement in the right direction.

From skin toned bras to colourful bras in the right hue, lots of bras can appear invisible under clothing

The Colourful Nudes
For lots of women a beige bra serves as a perfect skin toned bra, however, many others find they get a much more invisible look with other colours. The reason a bra looks less visible under clothing is because the hue of the colour is close to the hue of the skin. You can find a similar hue from other colours, not necessarily just a skin coloured bra. Some colours are particularly good at blending with skin tones, these include pale pink, lilac, yellow and even red. If you are very pale then pink and yellow can work well. If you have a mid-tone complexion then lilac and orange colours blend well. Darker skin tones work well with reds and purples which can appear invisible under clothing.

 If you want to rethink your skin toned bra then maybe venturing out into different colours will yield some surprising results! xx