Big Boob Phobia!

I am afraid of clowns. I think they have machetes in their trouser-legs and they kill people who go to the circus. The logical side of my brain says there's probably a very small percentage of weapon-wielding, murderous funny-men but nonetheless I feel like crying when I see one. Perhaps the reason so many women have hang-ups about wearing a bra over a D cup is that they are actually suffering from Pectorusgiganticus; Fear of Big Boobs! (a word I just made up, naturally.)

Joking aside, it never ceases to amaze me how many women are afraid of bra letters over a D cup. It makes no difference what label you put on the ratio between your breast mass and your ribcage measurement (sexy right, that's what your bra size refers to) your boobs are still going to be that volume. Letter Phobia doesn't stop your boobs are spilling out of your bra or bouncing around so it's worthwhile getting educated about bra fit and what bra sizes actually mean.

Over several decades we have built up layers of phobias around boobs; women with big boobs are bimbos or promiscuous and they can't play sports or be pain-free. These phobias stem partly from a misogynistic language that keeps women feeling guilty about their bodies (but that's a topic for a whole other dissertation!) and partly from years of dreadful bra fitting knowledge. By fitting knowledge I don't just mean getting a good fitting at a boutique, I mean, being educated about bras.

As we grow up we're educated about periods, why we have them and what to do to manage them as they happen. Imagine never being told why you have periods or how a tampon should feel and work if used correctly. You'd spend your life blindly buying what you thought was best for you and wondering the whole time if there was something wrong with you. This is what we do to young girls about bras. We don't explain that bras should fit snugly at the band, how your cup size is relative to your band size and that breast sizes change regularly (every couple of weeks for some women). If we gave them this knowledge then the phobias around bras would begin to fade away.

It's such an old-fashioned idea that only a professional fitter can tell you about your boobs and bras. Your doctor gives you advice about how to live well (good diet, exercise etc) they don't just prescribe you antacid every time you have heartburn without ever explaining that cutting out fatty foods will stop the problem in the first place. Similarly a good bra-fitter should teach you about your fit, your breast shape, which styles work for you and how to keep an eye on your size. This way you'll understand your breasts and bras and there will be no room for phobia.

I think a lot of women worry that wearing a cup size over a D cup will make them look like they have big boobs. The reality is that a correctly fitting bra will make you look much more contained which makes your boobs look smaller than when they're bashing together somewhere near your waist!

If you think you might be suffering from Pectorusgiganticus then I want you to remember 3 things to try and overcome your phobia:

1) No one else needs to know your bra size so what difference does it make?
2) In the right size bra you won't bounce around or spill out of your cups (the two things that draw the kind of attention that can make you feel uncomfortable)
3) You can take your time but try to keep a piece of your mind open to the possibility that a different bra size could make you feel physically and emotionally better.

To every one of our customers and every reader of this blog I want you to know that you are changing the landscape for future generations of women. By educating yourselves about great bra fit you can pass on that gift and ensure that no-one has to suffer the terrible fear of Big Boobs!! xx

Are You Wearing Your Bra Too Low?

When your cup isn't filled at the bottom you're probably wearing your bra too low on your body

I see a lot of women wearing their bras too low on their body. This is something that can make you uncomfortable and leave you wondering why no bras ever fit you. With this simple piece of information you can check whether your bras actually fit you much better than you thought.

Finding a bra that is the right size and style for you is fantastic but if you put your bra on too low then you may never know you have the right bra. Your bra is on too low if you have empty bra at the bottom of your cup. The easiest way to check this is to stand side-on to a mirror and look for unfilled bra cup underneath your breast.  By ensuring that your wires are flush with the bottom of your breast you are making the most of your cup volume and can prevent your boobs from spilling out of the top of your cups.

FERN BRA Left: The breast is bubbling over because the cup isn't completely full. Right: The breast is encased and the cup is full

The Curse of the Front Fasteners
One of the most common causes of wearing your bra too low is if you're a front fastener. If you fasten your bra at your front and swizzle the bra around your body then you have to pull the bra up your body and many women don't pull their bra up high enough so part of their bra is left literally unfulfilled!

How to Fill Your Cup When You're A Front Fastener
Once you have twisted your bra around to the front and pulled the straps onto your shoulders get hold of the ends of the wires of one cup (left or right it doesn't matter) and pull upwards until you feel or see that your breast is at the bottom of the cup. Repeat on the other side. You may need to adjust your straps. Don't forget to sweep your breasts away from your armpits to ensure that all your breast tissue is inside the cups.

How to Fill Your Cup When You're A Back Fastener
As you lean forward to lower your breasts into the cups pull the band towards the bottom of your breasts before fastening your bra to ensure your breasts are right at the bottom of the cups. When you stand back up check that your breasts are filling the bottom of the cup.

Exception to the Rule
Some women have one breast higher than the other (the bottom of the breasts is literally higher on one side of the body than the other) and this causes the bottom of your cup to be empty on one side but not the other. This is totally normal. The most important thing is that your breasts are encased at the top so if you find you get spillage on your higher side it's worth going up in your cup size and padding your lower side. If you don't like padding then you can have your lower side tailored to fit.

I hope this helps you discover that some of your bras actually fit you - it's always a nice surprise! xx

5 Reasons Your Bra Straps Slip

One of the most common problems we see when doing Online Bra Size Consultations for our clients is slipping straps. To help you solve this irritating bra issue here are the top four causes of slipping bra straps.

When you're wearing the correct band size your straps will sit closer together on your band and on your shoulders

1. Your Band is Too Big
If your bra band is more than a couple of inches bigger than your ribcage measurement then the chances are your band is loose enough that it can ride up your back and cause your straps to slip off your shoulders. The proportions of a bra with a bigger band can add to the problem too. For example, even though the cup volume on a 38E is the same as the cup volume on a 32G the straps are slightly closer together on the 32 band than on the 38 band. It's worth checking that your band size is close to your ribcage measurement as this could be the source of your slipping straps.

Solution: Smaller bra band size. Remember you will have to increase your cup size when you reduce your band size so that you don't lose cup volume.

You can see that the strap isn't flush against the body because the breast is lifting the strap.

2. Your Cups are Too Small
Rather than slipping off your shoulders your straps may be 'popping' off your shoulders. If your cups are too small then you have rogue boob spilling out at the top of your cups and this can interfere with how your straps lie against your body. Your straps should lie flat against your body and over your shoulder but if there's stray boob wedging itself under the strap then it can cause your straps to 'pop' off your shoulders. If you have breast tissue spilling at the top, sides (under the armpit) or underneath your cups then this could be the cause of your slipping straps.

Solution: Larger cup. You may be able to keep your same band size and simply increase your cup size. However, you may discover that you need a slightly smaller band once all of your boob is in your cups as some of your breast tissue may have been living in your band rather than the cup. If in doubt we can help you find your best size with a free online size consultation.

3. Your Cups are Too Big
If you have lost some breast volume or your bra cups have stretched out over time then your cups can become too big for you. When you fill your bra cups your breast anchors the cup into place. When part of the cup is empty the cup can move around causing your straps to slip off your shoulders.

Solution: Smaller cup. You will most likely be able to keep your same band size (if you are comfortable in that size and your band doesn't ride up) but reduce your cup size.

If you have a short torso or high set breasts then bras with shorter wires will keep your straps in the right place.

4. Your Bra is Designed for Taller Women
If you are under 5ft 5" (or you have high set breasts) you may find that no matter what size you try your bra straps still slip off your shoulders. This is because the wires are too long for your torso or the height of your breasts so the straps don't sit in the right place. 

Solution: Look for bras with shorter wires that are proportional to your torso length (or breast height).

The racer clip on Panache Sports bra is ideal for sloping shoulders

5. Sloping and Narrow Shoulders
Straps can slip off narrow and sloping shoulders even when you're in the right size so style is really important.

Solution: Look for styles where the straps are set closer together or have a V back where the straps form a V at the back to prevent slipping.  Bras with racer clip backs (like the Panache sports bra above) are also a great option for narrow or sloping shoulders.

See Also: Bras for Narrow and Sloping Shoulders

As well as checking these five tips it's worth making sure you have tightened your bra straps so that your straps are flat against your body but not digging into your shoulders. Bra straps will lengthen as you wear your bra so they need to be adjusted regularly to fit your height. If your band rides up when you shorten your straps then your bra may be old or you need a smaller band size.

Besides finding your best bra size it's equally important to find your best bra styles that compliment your body and breast shape. Finding your best style can eliminate the annoying slipping straps forever! xx

The Shame of Big Boobs: Claudia's Story

The contents of this blog post are from an email I received from a woman who wanted to share her story of life in big boobs. I am always so touched when women get in touch to say that they want to help other women come to terms with and feel proud of their boobs. If Claudia's story reaches just one woman feeling ashamed of her breasts and helps her feel like she's not alone then it's a wonderful gift. My personal thanks to Claudia xx

Claudia's Story 
My name is Claudia, I’m a 25-year-old Italian girl and my adventure in bra-fitting began six months ago. When I came across your site by chance, I instantly fell in love. The passion you put in what do you is palpable in every word. I felt the urge to share my story with you and your readers because maybe it can help other women who are experiencing what I went through until not too long ago.

After years of being stuck in the wrong size and loathing for my boobs I ultimately decided to get a breast reduction. Since then, my life has changed. I now share your understanding of how important a good fitting is for women with big boobs.

A Child in a Grown-up Body
Ever since I hit puberty, I’ve had big boobs. They developed so fast that at the age of 11 I needed to buy my first bra. I was still a child, even though my body had suddenly decided to change and move into woman territory. I was shocked, I was ashamed, my boobs were my enemies, because I was the only one among my friends and classmates with “those things” and, mostly, I wasn’t ready for the strange stares that started coming my way, often from men the age of my dad and often followed by rude, offensive comments. I would have done everything to hide that unwanted presence that kept growing on my chest.

At the age of 20 my breasts stopped their development and I ended up with what I used to call “my ginormous, ugly boobs”, which were a nightmare to dress, carry around, live with, and totally disproportionate compared to my otherwise petite body. Men kept ogling at them whenever I went, I even received inappropriate looks/comments from other women, sports were a problem, the idea of going to the beach almost made me cry and jeez, they were heavy! Bra shopping? A living hell, a dreadful, humiliating, frustrating experience.

The Nightmare of Bra Shopping
When I bought my first bra, and up until relatively recently, every store only had sizes that went from 1 to 4, sometimes 5. These numbers are the old-fashioned Italian bra sizing system, 1 means “very small breasts AND ribcage measurement”, size 5 means “OMG you’re boobs are huge and so must be your band size”, and everything in between. If you wanted something bigger than size 5, you had to visit a specialized store, where the styles were for your grandmother, cost a fortune, and big cups were only on big bands. A few years ago the number/letter system reached Italy, but even now only a couple of brands offer a decent range of sizes. For the record, they don’t fit me and I must shop online.

I knew big cup/big band bras clearly weren’t a good fit – they didn’t stay in place, offered no support and uplift, my boobs spilled over the top and the sides, wires poked here and there, straps dug into my shoulders – but I kept buying and wearing them because they were the only pretty bras I could find. I can’t even begin to count how many saleswomen have looked at me like I was some kind of alien, with either a pitying or a you’re-so-damn-lucky expression. I definitely didn’t think of myself as lucky, I envied the small-busted girls who could find tons of lovely bras and didn’t have to hide their boobs, but I totally understood the pitying stares. If you live in a world where big boob stereotypes are everywhere and you can’t find bras, swimwear and clothes that are good for you, self-loathing and shame are an easy mistake. And when “bra fitting” is a meaningless concept, no one teaches you that it’s not your fault if manufacturers are ignorant, that a 32-38 A-D range is extremely limited, that the “plus 4” method is wrong… well, being stuck in the wrong size for years is even easier.

The Consequences of Bad Bras
I spent more than 10 years of my life blaming myself and my curves, torturing my boobs with horrendously ill-fitting bras and thinking there was something wrong with me. The consequences, of course, didn’t only affect me emotionally; wearing bras that were too big in the band and too small in the cups also had a major impact on my posture, breast tissue (aka migration) and health, the lack of proper support leading to severe neck, shoulder and back pain.

Two years ago I decided I’d had enough, and finally found the courage to have the reduction I’d been dreaming of for a long time. To make it short: surgery went well, my boobs were still big but proportional to my body and I was extremely pleased with the result. Do I regret it now? More on this later.

Being at Peace with my Boobs
So… I didn’t hate my boobs anymore (I loved them, actually), but unfortunately I kept wearing the wrong size for the same reasons as before. Things changed six months ago, when for the first time I considered the option of online shopping; deep inside of me I knew there had to be pretty, not too expensive bras for big-busted women. I Googled a few keywords and… discovered a whole new world. I learned how sizing works; that you don’t have to add inches to your underbust measurement to determine your band size; that DD+ cups really exist and no, it’s nothing scary; that yes, I can find pretty and sexy bras in my size; how to tell if a bra is a good fit or not. All this, and much more.

I will NEVER forget the feeling of wearing a well-fitting bra for the first time. So supportive and comfortable! And what an amazing silhouette! I looked thinner because my boobs were where they are supposed to be and not near my navel, I could lift my arms up and bend over without worry because they were perfectly encased in the cups. No more back rolls, no more discomfort, no more quadraboob. My posture? I couldn’t believe the difference.

Back to my breast reduction… I don’t regret it. I decided to have surgery for many reasons and one of them is that in spite of everything I didn’t like my boobs, aesthetically speaking. I’m happier now, I think they better suit my body. But all that self-loathing, the frustration, having to deal with constant pain? Ah, if only I had well-fitting bras back then, if only proper bra fitting was common knowledge! I would have chosen to have a reduction nevertheless, but I’m sure my journey toward self-confidence and acceptance of my curves would have been easier. And this is the point I’m trying to make with my overly long story. Wearing the right bra has been a total life changer for me and I took the matter to heart; I keep reading as much as I can on bra fitting, I try to educate women, and I have a dream: a world where no woman is ashamed of her boobs because of stupid myths and thinks she’s a freak just because she needs bras in sizes that aren’t always available due to manufacturer’s ignorance. Not all body image issues would be magically resolved, of course, because self-confidence is a complex thing. But it would be an important achievement nonetheless.

Do You Have Breast Migration?

You may not have heard about breast tissue migration before but it is one of the most common conditions caused by wearing the wrong bra size. Breast migration refers to breast tissue that starts to move into the armpit and towards your back after long periods of wearing the wrong bra size and style. This can affect the fit of your clothes and make you look heavier than you are. The good news is, the situation is reversible.

You see breast migration so often we've come to think of it as normal. All these pictures show women who have tissue migration or are wearing a bra that will cause breast tissue migration.

 

The Cause
The most common cause of breast tissue migration is wearing a cup that is too small for you. Women with large breasts have breast tissue all the way to their armpit and all this tissue needs to be inside your cup. If you wear a bra with a cup that is too small for you the wire of the cup rests on your breast tissue. The pressure of the wire divides your breast tissue pushing some inside your cup and the rest is forced back into the armpit area.

Your bra cup should enclose all the breast tissue right under your armpit (Melody Bra)

What to Look For
If you have excess flesh around your armpit then it's worth reviewing your bra size because it could be that the excess flesh is actually breast tissue that needs to be inside your bra. It's easy to mistake wrinkling at the armpit for tissue migration. Most women get some wrinkling or folds at the armpit where your breast tissue rises to meet you armpit - this happen when you're in the right bra! 

What Can Be Done?
By getting your breast tissue into the right cup size you can gradually reverse the tissue migration by training the tissue back into the cup. There is no proven health problem linked to breast tissue migration, however, it can be painful and unsightly so it's worth ensuring that all of your boobs are inside your bra. If you need help working out your bra size you can use our Free Size Consultation or book a Skype fitting with one of our fitters. Have you experienced breast tissue migration and managed to rectify it over time with the right bra? xx

Why Do Cup Volumes Get Bigger As the Band Gets Bigger?

One of our most popular blog posts is ‘Not All D Cups Are The Same’ which explains that the volume of D cups (all cups in fact) gets bigger as the band size gets bigger. This is why a woman wearing a 32E can also wear a 34D because the cup volume is the same, only the band is different.

This chart from the 'Not All D Cups Are The Same' blog shows Sister Sizing - bra sizes with the same cup volume

Lots of women were interested in the topic but asked for some more explanation. Today's post goes into more depth about why the volume of the same cup letter gets bigger as the band gets bigger. 

What Would We Look Like If All Cup Sizes Really Were The Same Volume?
As regular readers will know, cup sizes simply acknowledge the difference between a woman’s ribcage measurement and her full bust measurement. So for example both these women have D cup breasts because they both have a four inch difference between their ribcage and full bust measurements:

Woman A is a 30D (Ribcage = 30 inches, Full Bust = 34 inches)
Woman B is a 38D (Ribcage = 38 inches, Full Bust = 42 inches)

So why does Woman B with a 38D bust look bustier than Woman A who has a 30D bust? The answer is that Woman B's bust is PROPORTIONALLY bigger than Woman A.

To put this into context let's take the 30D breasts from Woman A and put them on women with 32, 34, 36 and 38 bodies to see what it looks like.
You can see that if all the women had exactly the same volume and size of breasts as Woman A then by the time you get to Woman B with a 38 body the breasts look pretty small (and quite far apart). In reality as our bodies get wider, so too do our breasts. The extra width doesn't just happen to our backs and band size, extra width applies to our breasts too.

Breasts Get Wider as Our Band Sizes Gets Wider
Here is the same diagram of 30 to 38 size women but this time the breasts increase in size in the same proportion as the body increase. You can see that the breasts get wider as the body does.

All these women are D cups because the difference between their ribcages and full bust measurements is four inches. To see why the breasts get bigger as the body does but the cup letter doesn't change let's take an aerial view of the breasts.

What Difference Does A Wider Breast Make to Cup Volume?
This diagram shows 30, 32, 34, 36 and 38 band women who all have the same depth breasts (this depth of breasts is always a D cup):
You can see that as the breasts get wider (but not deeper) the number of dots (i.e. volume) inside the breasts increases. The 30D breasts have 14 dots in them, then as the band size increases each breast increases by one dot. By the time you get to the 38D breasts they have 8 more dots inside them than the 30D breasts.

This is why the breasts on a 38D woman look much bigger than the breasts on a 30D woman, basically because they are. They are ALL D cups because they're all the same depth but their cup volumes are different because as the band size increases so too does the breast volume.

I hope that these posts and explanations of breasts helps you understand yours and other women's breasts better so please let me know if you find the explanations helpful or just plain confusing! The important thing to remember is that cup sizes don't say anything about the size of your breasts without the band size. xx

Smaller Bra Bands Are Better for Squidgy Torsos

A flesh indent caused by your bra band at your torso is completely normal

I'll say right off the bat that there is no way to be completely delicate in this article so let's lay it out on the table - we're talking about body fat. Fat can be a prickly word for some people but the reality is we've all got it and some of us have more around our torsos than others. If you carry weight around your mid-section then you might decide that you're a 'plus size' girl and discount yourself from wearing 28-38 bands and this could be your biggest mistake.

As you know at Butterfly Collection we use the +0 measurement technique as our base point for finding out your band size. For example, if you measure 34 around your ribcage then we recommend starting out with a 34 band. What may surprise you is that about 1/3 of our customers wear a bra band one, two or even three sizes smaller than their raw underbust measurement. What's even more interesting is that lots of these ladies carry extra weight around their mid-section.

Your band should be as snug as possible to give your bust the lift it deserves

Weight around your torso is spongy so if your bra band isn't tight enough it may just be bouncing around on your flesh and not getting close enough to your frame to keep your bra completely in place. It may sound as though it would hurt to squeeze into a bra band that is technically smaller than your body, however, the sponginess of the flesh around your ribs makes it ideal for wearing a supportive but breathable band.

Your best band fit depends so much on your body shape. If you compared 10 women with the same bra size they would differ greatly in height, body weight, physique and most flattering bra style. So many of us have fixed ideas in our heads about what bra sizes look like and in reality one bra size can be right for lots of different shapes of women. I have lots of customers who measure between 40 and 44 who wear a 36 or 38 band size. In a 40 band the bra simply isn't firm enough to lift the breasts at the front (which is after all what your band is doing).

How to tell if you need a smaller band
You can whip off your top right now (I take no responsibility if you flash a co-worker - use your discretion!) and your bra will tell you if it's the right band size or not. If the center part of your bra is lying flat between your breasts (no matter what body size, shape, type you are) then you're in the right band size. If there is any gap between your body and that center panel then you need a smaller band size. If you're concerned about trying a smaller band size I recommend investing in a pack of reusable, washable bra band extenders that gives you some extra wiggle room on a smaller band and peace of mind while you get used to your new bra fit.

Don't let your preconceptions about size keep you from finding your best bra fit. If you know you're not comfortable then consider trying a smaller band. xx

Extra Resource from XL Hourglass about bands for bigger bodies Click Here

The Bra Statistic That Just Won't Die!

"85% of women are wearing the wrong bra." If you're even remotely aware of bra stuff you will have heard of this stat. It's been around for almost a decade and I am sick to death of hearing it. Has no one stopped to ask the question why this statistic is still being churned out? There are two explanations, either;

a) Not one single woman is listening to the endless parade of boutique owners and 'celebrity' fitters on TV and in magazines who advise women to get fitted regularly and we're all just running around choosing the wrong bra sizes for the hell of it,

OR

b) The boutique owners and celebrity fitters churning out this advice are then putting you in THE WRONG BRA and perpetuating the cycle all over again.

I wrote to The Doctors show about how bad this fitting advice is (bands start at 28 and even lower in some brands!) - no reply. Watch Here

Why are Stores Putting You in the Wrong Bra? 
This statistic has been around for such a long time because about two thirds of lingerie stores and boutiques are not driven by fit, they're driven by sales. If you're driven by sales then you want to get as many women into as few bra sizes as possible and this means using the Plus Four Method. Getting 85% of women into 32-42 A-D size bras rather than the 40% or so who they actually fit makes a lot more profit at the expense of good fit.

There are around 250 individual bra sizes and that's a lot of stock to have available but rather than say "I'm sorry we don't have your size" many stores will simply put you into a bra that covers your breasts but does not support you in the band. Your band is the most important part of your bra so if it doesn't fit you're in trouble before you've even left the store.

Alison Deyette seems to have no problem advising women to wear the wrong bra size for Playtex. I got in touch with her to ask if she understood the dangers of adding inches - no reply. Watch Here

I know that adding inches to the band size works for some women, but they really are the exception and not the rule. For busty women the rule never applies, in fact you're more likely to wear a band size smaller than your ribcage measurement than one four inches bigger.

Every time I see a video of 'expert bra fitter explains how to find your bra size' I hold my breath to see if they're going to give out the right advice. Almost every time I am disappointed to hear them adding inches, denying the existence of 28 and 30 bands, measuring over the top of breasts, or saying things like "Some bras even go up to an F cup" as though it's revolutionary and the end of cup sizes.

Here are two of the worst video offenders I've found:
Measuring over the breasts and using the full bust measurement as your band size.

This video is from a HUGE company and they try to sell Plus Four as a 'fun story'. They add inches, advise expelling all the air from your lungs - common sense tells you this is a daft idea - and insist that the fuller bust model is a 36DD when she's clearly around a 32G. FYI, I would put the first model in a 28G or 30FF.

 

Be Bra Smart
Over the next few months you'll see some pieces from me that will all be marked with BE BRA SMART. This is my new campaign to empower consumers to demand more from the bra industry and boutiques. Your breasts are important, delicate and beautiful and deserve to have well made and properly fitting bras.

As you can tell from the image at the top, I want to turn the tables on the industry and shine a light on exactly how much bad bra knowledge, advice and fit there is out there. Our primary concern at Butterfly Collection Lingerie is that you can enjoy and feel comfortable being a busty woman. This means fit and knowledge are the main priorities. We're going to arm you with the basics you need to know about your breasts so that no matter where you shop you will know if you're getting the best service for your boobs. If you're not, then ask for better. It's only when consumers start to demand better service and product choice that we'll see a change and we can ditch this tired and meaningless statistic. xx

Bad, Bad Fitting Advice

It's been a rough week in the world of good bra fitting. I have wonderful moments every week with women who are ready to embrace being in the right bra. Unfortunately I have also been reminded that many women are simply not ready to be in the right bra and given how much lousy fitting advice is out there, I'm not surprised.

Brand Betrayal
A few of our wonderful Facebook fans got in touch this week to say that they had seen some dreadful fitting advice during commercials for the Olympics. They were so frustrated and wanted to know what they could do about it. The short answer is, tell them their fitting advice doesn't work for you. Consumers have the greatest power and it's only by voicing your opinions that brands will begin to change the variety of sizes they make and information they dole out.

There are some brands who are deeply concerned about correct fit (Claudette, Panache and Alegro are three of my favourites) but the sad reality is that most brands still use, and advocate, the Plus Four Method. One of the biggest culprits is Playtex US. Millions of women buy Playtex bras and if you really do measure as a 36C then these bras are amazing but if you're a 30GG being told you need a 36C so that Playtex can make fewer bra sizes and more sales, that's betrayal.

Playtex UK listened to the calls from bra bloggers to revise their size calculator and bra advice and they took it incredibly seriously, opened a focus group and made a commitment to better fit. Playtex US has completely ignored similar pleas and continues to promote crippling fitting advice like the video above.

While enormous companies like Playtex continue to promote outdated fitting advice there are huge mixed messages out there which are so confusing for women. I know there will never be a perfect consensus on fitting advice and techniques but we have to get rid of adding 4, 5 and 6 inches to the band as a general starting point - adding inches is the exception and not the norm.

Click to Watch

'Expert' Advice
In the past week I have encountered two videos who both claim to have bra fitting advice. The first video has a vivacious and engaging presenter who is obviously passionate about social media and has a huge following. This could have been a great opportunity to give thousands of women the gift of great fitting advice, but unfortunately the video is full of misguided and quite simply wrong information. Lots of women responded to the first video saying "thanks, great advice!" and a couple of lone voices said "I'm not sure this is right, your band should be smaller" and they were shot down (not very nicely) by other readers. This just made me realize that lots of women simply aren't ready to step outside of the 34-40 A-D bra world and while they have videos like this confirming their misguided knowledge, they'll stay there.

Click to Watch

The second video has a rambling section dedicated to comparing your boobs to fruit in order to get a good idea of your bust size. This made my head want to explode! Your boob volume means NOTHING without your band size so the handy apples and oranges guide is just pointless. There was only one response to this video when I saw it and that response was another narrow-minded jab at being busty - not helpful.

I get very disheartened sometimes because flying the flag for great fitting, smaller bands, bigger cups, more styles, shorter and longer straps, hypo-allergenic fabrics etc can make you feel like a lone nutter! But I have to remember that change takes time so I'll be here flying my nutter flag for every woman who searches out a better bra life! xx

What to Expect When You Start Wearing the Right Size

We help a lot of women into their first fitting bra. This usually means that they start wearing a smaller band and a larger cup (mostly because so many stores fit women into bands that are too big). There is an instant joy at putting on a bra that encases all your breasts and lifts them into the right place but what can you expect to feel after a few hours, days and weeks of wearing your right fit?

Firstly though... Should you be able to feel your bra at all? 
Busty women have been a little deceived about how their bras should feel. There's this idea that you shouldn't be able to feel your bra at all and I'm afraid that simply isn't true. There are definitely some things you shouldn't be able to feel in your bra:

1) Straps digging into your shoulders
2) Any poking into your breast tissue (the end of a cup wire is usually guilty)
3) Your band chafing your back (this happens when it rides up - taking your back with it!)

These are signs that your bra definitely doesn't fit but there is one thing that you will be able to feel in a correctly fitting bra:

1) You should be able to feel your band. This doesn't mean it will be tight but snug enough to feel (think about the feeling you have when you wear supportive but comfortable tights).

 

Your bra is holding up pounds and pounds of weight which is why you need a snug band to be able to hold all that weight in place. A band you cannot feel at all simply isn't doing the job (and the dents in your shoulders are probably paying the price!)


Things to look for in a more comfortable band
Quite simply, the deeper your band the less you'll feel it. This is straight-forward physics; imagine the entire weight of your breasts resting on a piece of dental floss then imagine how they'd feel resting on a giant rubber band. When you wear a deeper band the pressure is spread out over a greater area reducing the amount you feel it. 

How will your brand new, correctly fitting bra feel after ONE DAY?
In a perfect world your new bra would be like wearing silk woven by fairies from the moment you put it on until you send it off to bra heaven, however, a new bra is like new shoes, it needs some time to break in. Bras are incredibly complex to make and the more pieces there are in a bra the more sections there are to break in. This simply means that the seams need to soften and the elastic needs to stretch to your figure so that the bra works for your shape.

 

After one day of wearing your new bra you may experience some more pronounced red marks than usual (marks are completely normal for busty women, it's the result of wearing something elastic under pressure - think about the line your sock leaves after you take them off and they're just holding up your ankles!) It's a good idea to wear your new bra for just four hours on the first day, then four hours again on the second day. This will give your bra enough movement to break it in without putting too much strain on your skin.

How will your new, correctly fitting bra feel after A COUPLE OF WEEKS?
By this stage you will have washed your bra and this has done a few things. It will have washed off the starch that bra manufacturers insist on spraying all over new bras (if you have an allergy to starch then you should wash your bras before wearing at all). It will have softened (and by this I mean break down which is the inevitable progress of every bra) the fabric so that the stitching is softer. It will also have stretched the elastic slightly (I don't mean stretched it out) so that your bra can move with you more. By now your new bra should be feeling like a good friend.

How will your correctly fitting bra feel after a COUPLE OF MONTHS?
By now you and your bra should have shared some great outfits, collected some crumbs in your perfectly supported cleavage and enjoyed some luxorious washes in lingerie detergent. You may well find that you are already on the second hooks and this is where you will be for most of your bra's life because the bra has molded to your figure (if you buy a bra that fits brand new on the middle hooks you'll migrate to the tightest hooks very fast with nowhere else left to go). If you're taking care of your bra you can be on these hooks for a while. As the elastic breaks down further you'll move to the tightest hooks and be there for about one to three months before it's time to say goodbye and start again.

Do you have some tricks for breaking in a new bra and turning it into a trusty friend fast? xx

Breaking the 34 Band Barrier

Back in October I wrote a piece about how social stereotypes and lack of choice keep women from accepting and embracing cup sizes over a D cup. The idea of being 'big in the cup' is just too daunting for some women but for some reason the opposite applies to band sizes. We don't want to be small in the band. Why?

I find it a very odd contradiction that it's not OK to be big in the bust but it's more than OK to be big in the band. I don't know how many women are shopping for dresses and saying "this size 16 really swamps me but I should probably wear this rather than a well-fitting size 10". After our piece in the Huffington Post went out last week we have been inundated with Size Consultation Requests and a whopping 95% of the women were wearing a band size that was between 3 and 10 inches too big for them. This problem is so epidemic is got me wondering why we're so keen to be in bigger band sizes.

The most common band sizes available in stores is 34 and 36 (thanks to the Plus Four Method). If these are the most commonly available sizes then we get conditioned into believing that anything not readily available must be abnormal or specialist. You see commercials for Victoria's Secret with supermodels who are apparently all 34 bands, because that's the most common size they sell, and you tell yourself you're not slimmer than them so you can't possibly be a 32, 30 or 28 band. Unfortunately many Victoria's Secret models are wearing bras that don't fit them (every one above is wearing a cup that is too small and/or a band that is too big) so the foundation of the sizing is completely misleading.

I know that making the mental leap to being a 32GG is tough when you've spent your life in an agonizing but familiar 38DDD, but it really is essential for your physical and mental well-being. I would like you to take one step on the road to that better bra right now. You don't have to worry about cup sizes but I want you to find a tape measure, wrap it around your ribcage under your bust so that it's parallel with the floor all around your body then note the measurement in inches. If you are wearing a bra that is more than two inches bigger than this measurement then you need to reconsider your bra size (as always this applies to busty women, this doesn't work for all small busted ladies). That's all right now, just find out whether you are in a band that is good or bad for you.

Three telltale signs that your band is too big:
1) Your straps dig into your shoulders
3) Your straps slip off your shoulders
3) You band rides up your back and you have to pull your bra back into place

You can literally drop a couple of band sizes in seconds and discover that your figure is far more amazing than you thought so what do you have to lose? xx

How Your Posture Affects Your Bra Fit

Image from Ghetto Nurd website

Large breasts are heavy, very heavy. Imagine carrying a couple of bags of sugar around your neck all day and you get the idea. This weight can impact on your neck, upper spine, lower back and shoulders. The most common posture issues are curvature of the spine, hunched shoulders and back pain. Besides potentially giving you physical pain, bad posture can affect the way your bra fits you (even a correctly sized bra) and consequently, how you feel about your shape.

When the Lingerie Addict tried on a pair of weighted 34HH breasts she was amazed how heavy they were. Photo: taken by Darlene at Hourglassy

The Emotional Causes of Bad Posture
The most common posture issue for busty women is hunched shoulders and this is the direct result of physically hiding your breasts. You see it all the time; huddles of teenage girls with rounded shoulders and folded arms. Of course it's an awkward time being a busty teenager but if no-one bolsters your confidence and teaches you to be proud of your body then the shoulder-hunched-arm-cross can plight your life forever.

 

Every day I see adult women who are visibly ill-at-ease with their breasts. They stand and walk in such a way that says 'don't look at me, I'm ashamed of my bust.' I want to run up and hug these women, whisk them off for a cup of tea and a bra fitting. Is it worth risking your health and happiness for the sake of worrying about what other people think about your bust? The small-minded idiots who would judge you for your bra size aren't in physical pain because of their ignorance, why on earth should you be? 

Shoulders
If you have rounded shoulders then your straps can't lie flat against your chest causing your bra to stand away from your body. This can cause your breasts to bounce up and down in their cups as the strap can't keep them locked down. I see lots of women default to hunched shoulders when they try on bras. When I realign their posture they can see the difference in fit instantaneously.

It can be incredibly hard to re-train your mind as well as your body, but it is possible. You should try to roll your shoulders back in small rotations every day. A little tip I like is to put a red sticker on your computer (one of the culprits for our declining posture) then every time you become aware of the sticker relax your shoulders, and make 10 small, slow backward rotations (make sure not to stretch you neck back, keep your chin down). Over time you can improve your overall posture by moving your shoulders farther back.

Back and Neck
Your head should be aligned over the thickest part of your spine so that the weight is distributed evenly down your spine. When your boobs pull your whole body forward your head can move farther forward causing the upper part of your spine to work extra hard as it tries to pull your head back into place. This strain on your upper back causes curvature of your upper spine which affects your height as well as disrupting the blood-flow and nerve message around your upper body.

Physically pulling your head in (tuck your chin in and down as you do so to ensure you don't strain your neck) will align your head and spine. You need to wear a correctly fitting bra (by this I mean a snug band!!) so that the weight of your breasts is transferred from your neck and upper back to your mid and lower back which is much stronger. Click here for some posture improving exercises.

Wear the Right Bra
It can never be said enough, wearing correctly fitting bras is so important for your physical and emotional health. In case you don't know if your bra fits, here are the 5 tell tale signs:

1) All of your breast tissue should sit inside your cups (this includes the breast tissue at the side under your armpit) without any gaping.

2) You should be able to get just two fingers under your band. If your band is too loose your bra is completely redundant and probably doing you more harm than good.

3) The centre part of your bra (the gore) should lie flat against your body.

4) Your straps should NOT dig into your shoulders.

5) Your band should be level with the ground at the front AND at the back of your body.

The way you feel about your bust (and your figure in general) is absolutely apparent in your posture. If you think that you should be ashamed of your figure, then you will stand that way. If you feel proud to be busty and healthy then your stance reflects it. Feeling better in your body and your bra starts in your head so I highly recommend reading this post to start piecing together what's holding you back from your embracing your shape and standing with shoulders back xx

Holly Jackson: How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Wires and Love Panache

If you'd asked me a month ago, I would have told you I hated Panache. I'd purchased two of their bras back in February at full price in a New York lingerie boutique after being fitted into them and later discarded them in the back of my drawer. They were a black Tango and a Fern bra and the only way to describe them was dreadful. They poked into my arms, they gaped in weird places and they practically came up to my chin. The shape they gave me was nice, but rounded breasts aren't worth pain and agony.

Panache Superbras, like the Tango here, have longer wires which can be problematic for shorter women

I talked (well, whined) to Claire about this after I got them and she pointed out the obvious: I was probably wearing the wrong size. She also mentioned that I should try Panache's Cleo bras, since they tended to have shorter wires. I filed this away for the future, but it was only after being refitted with a great fitter that Claire's theory was confirmed: I was either a 32H or an HH, not a 34J like my Tango bras were.

Lucy comes out in a seasonal colour twice a year

My Lucy bra fits perfectly in a 32HH and I love the bright colors. I'm now on the hunt for a yellow version to go with my purple one. It's definitely higher cut than some of my bras, but not to the point where I feel like my grandmother or that I can't wear v-neck t-shirts with it. It's the perfect bra for when I want tons of support without sacrificing style.

My Chloe is a tiny bit smaller in the cup, but still fits nicely. It's got a gorgeous liberty style print along with a darling bow and button detail on the gore. The fabric and pattern is perfect for summer!

If you've had problems with high wires in Panache bras in the past, don't give up! Make sure you're wearing the right size by scheduling a Skype fitting with Claire and try out the Cleo line. I've fallen in love with Panache as a result of trying it and completely understand why their bras are so highly recommended now.

Note from Butterfly Collection: We have new Cleo styles arriving in Fall 2012

Customer Experience: I've Stopped Being Ashamed of my Chest

This week I'm handing you over to my wonderful sister-in-law who has very kindly written about her experience of having her first bra fitting. I can tell you what a difference the right bra will make, but nothing is as good as hearing a first hand account of going from limp, uninspiring, badly-fitting bras to a joyful over-the-shoulder-boulder-holder like the Sunshine Yellow Lucy bra above...

Fear of the Unknown
I had barely finished expressing my dread for an impending bra shopping expedition when Mrs. Butterfly flicked her head towards the back room and asked, “Do you want to pop around for a quick fitting?” I got the distinct impression that she had been waiting for the first possible opportunity to get her tape measure around me! I didn’t know what to expect because I’ve never been fitted for a bra before, however had I known the outcome, I would have sought her counsel a very long time ago.

Boob Hiding Tactics
I realize now that from the onset of my very early developing years to my fitting with Mrs. Butterfly, I never got past the awkward teenage stage where all you want to do is pretend your breasts don’t exist. I have spent the last twenty years of my life trying to hide my boobs.

A grey hoodie goes a long way to hiding your shape

I'd hunched, covered my chest with strategically placed scarves, I wore bulky sweaters in the sweltering heat of Australian summers and basically did anything I could think of to hide myself however possible. I spent a lot of time wishing that I didn’t have boobs, which is a great shame for a woman. One fitting with Claire at Butterfly Collection changed everything!

I didn't know my boobs until now
At first I was anxious about taking my top off in front of someone but Claire’s professionalism put me at ease in seconds and the actual measuring was the work of a few moments. She handed me a bra to try on, and nothing about the way I carry myself has been the same since.

When I clasped on my first bra, that actually fit me the way a bra is supposed to fit, I had an epiphany!  I didn’t hate my boobs! I just hated my boobs in the wrong bra!  When I shopped for bras by myself I set myself an imaginary size threshold that I would refuse to cross because then I would be admitting how big my boobs were. I thought that by wearing a bra with a smaller letter cup my boobs would look smaller (this doesn't work obviously!).  So imagine my surprise to find that in the correct bra, my boobs actually looked smaller!

My outfit with new bra from Butterfly Collection at the wedding of Mr and Mrs Butterfly!

I purchased three bras from Butterfly Collection after my fitting and have little doubt that before too long I will probably have more bras than Butterfly Collection's stock room. My new found bra enthusiasm is about more than just the comfort of wearing the right bra. It’s about how the right bra makes me look and the changes I feel, which then changes how I carry myself and how others see me.  Because of Claire, I am sure people think that I have grown an extra three inches since I am walking with a much straighter back these days.

If you have ever felt the way that I have about your large boobs, and you are on the fence about reaching out to Butterfly Collection because of any level of embarrassment or shame you think you might have, then I implore you to just bite the bullet and do it before you have the chance to talk yourself out of it.  You have nothing to lose but ill-fitting bras and reasons to hide.

Solutions for Uneven Boobs, Disguising Nipples and Hard to Find Band Sizes

As women we are bombarded with images of perfectly symmetrical boobs that defy gravity and sit in their oh-so-cute bras like bouncy boiled eggs. In reality MOST women have one breast larger than the other and struggle to figure out which bra to wear. Add to that nipples with a mind of their own that pop up to take a look around whenever they feel like it and a bra band that never quite fits right and you've got yourself some real life boobs! Today we're looking at the solutions for these common problems.

Solutions for Uneven Breast Sizes
Most women have one breast larger than the other. For some it's almost imperceptible and for others the difference is a whole cup size or more. Nursing mothers know precisely how much difference two boobs can muster in a single day which is why nursing bras are super stretchy to accommodate the different cup sizes you experience on a daily basis. We're bringing in a line of amazing nursing bras that can be adjusted over 3 cup sizes to deal with this daily fluctuation. For everyone else, there are a few things you can do to support your smaller breast.

1) You must ALWAYS fit your bra to your largest breast. This is because you can add support to a small breast in a big cup but you can't undo the spillage of a large breast in a small cup.

2) Shorten your strap on the side of your smallest breast. This will close down some of the gaping between your breast and the cup. This works best with non-molded bras.

3) You can use foams cups inside your bra to even out your appearance. These are different from gel inserts that add cup sizes for smaller breasts because they are thinner and can be stacked to give you complete control over the extra padding you need.

Porcelain Viva is a great example of a lightweight bra that gives you modesty coverage.

Solutions for Over-Eager Nipples
Some women's nipples can be seen through their clothing regardless of the temperature or time of day. This is understandably not the look that you want all the time. You mustn't let you nipples trap you in a cycle of wearing thick, padded bras, there are other solutions.

1) Every woman should enjoy the diversity of lingerie so don't banish yourself from a fine lace bra for the fear of nipple distraction. You can solve the issue from within the bra with nipple petals. If like me your skin doesn't react well to adhesives then reusable silicone petals are ideal. You place one over each nipple then put on your bra. At the end of the day you can wash them, let them air dry then wear them again.

2) Busty women worry that wearing a molded bra will add too much bulk but materials have come a long way in the last few years to be lighter and more comfortable. A lightweight molded bra will give you the modesty you're after without the bulk.

Solutions for Women with In-Between Band Sizes
Band sizes come in even numbers, 30, 32, 34 etc. If your ribcage measures an odd number you can find that bras are either too tight or too loose. This problem is easily solved and can actually save you money!

1) Buy the band size smaller than your ribcage then invest in a pack of bra extenders (these are reusable and last ages). The bra extender links onto your bra closure and give you some extra band size. As your bra naturally stretches over time you will no longer need your bra extender. This method will extend the life of your bra too which saves you money.

Once you know which accessories you need to keep your breasts supported and comfortable it can free you up to enjoy a much wider range of bras. If you have a specific bra problem you would like help with you can email support@butterflycollection.ca and one of our fit specialists will get back to you xx