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

Attack of the Killer DDDDDDDs!!

When Mr Butterfly and I set off for Las Vegas last month we were super excited to attend a big lingerie show and get up close and personal with lots of brands. We definitely met lots of interesting and passionate people at the Curve Show but this was interwoven with some glaring problems that dog the lingerie industry and keep women from their best-fitting bras.

Here are the FOUR big bra problems I encountered:
1. The use of multiple Ds is keeping North American women away from embracing larger cup letters
2. Not enough brands understand the difference between Full Bust and Plus Size bras
3. Sizing for Full Bust women is still wildly inaccurate
4. Online boutiques are massively overlooked by brands and women alike

It was a privilege to attend the Freya Fitting Seminar, however, it raised more questions than it answered.

1. Who Wants to be a 12D? Not me!
As most of you know I'm an adopted North American having lived here for 7 years but I'm originally from England. I had never heard an F cup referred to as a DDD before I moved to Canada and it baffled me why multiple Ds were used for bra sizes. Figuring out how the multiple D system translated into UK sizes took me months.When I attended the Freya Fitting Seminar in Las Vegas, the fitter referred to the range of sizes produced by Freya as going from D to 12D (or K in UK sizing). Using Ds to describe sizes all the way up to a K is ludicrous and harmful in my opinion:

1. No one else in the world uses this multiple D system so it makes it harder for women to figure out which bras from other countries will fit them (something they need to know considering how few North American brands design for G+ boobs).
2. Keeping women trapped in D cups perpetuates the stigma that anything over a D cup is huge (check out my blog 'Breaking the D Cup Barrier' to understand why this is a problem)

The majority of women in North America do not know that bras with cups over a DD exist which is part of the reason so many full busted women are in the wrong bra. If we could get some universal and consistent language around small back, full cup boobs then perhaps D-K cup bras will seem less scary. Ditch the Multiple Ds!!

2.  Full Bust Bras Aren't Necessarily Big Bras
What's the difference between Full Bust and Plus Size bras? Plus Size refers to your body size and not your boobs. You can be plus sized and have a small bust. Check out the chart below to see an approximate breakdown of Regular, Full Bust and Plus Sizes:

A lot of brands we spoke to were eager to tell us about the addition of G and H cups to their range, however, very few of them had these cups in bands under a 34. Adding larger cups is a good step but in the full bust market only adding 2 band sizes is only half a job. Brands still need to figure out where the Full Bust and Plus Size markets differ. Check out Holly Jackson's review of Full Bust vs Plus Size.

3. How I wish there was a single sizing method!

I understand that no two garments can ever measure exactly the same. The machinery you produce the garment on, the style of the garment and the average weight/height of the models in your country all affect the eventual size. However, in the bra world the advice on size (and measuring for size) differs wildly.

During the Freya Fitting Seminar I raised the question that UK DD bras are always shown as being equivalent to a US DD whereas in fact they almost ALWAYS fit like a US D cup. A UK E cup fits like a US DD cup and a DDD fits like an F cup. The fitter agreed that she also found this and yet every UK size chart lists a DD the same as a US DD. 

We were handed a Freya Sizing Chart and I was really surprised to find that their chart suggested adding inches (in one instance the classic +Four Method). For a dedicated Full Bust brand like Freya I was so surprised to see them recommending adding inches to your band. 

I was undoubtedly the annoying kid asking too many questions. "Why do you add inches...?"

Considering Freya makes 28 and 30 bands I was surprised not to see them on the list so I asked "Who do you fit into 28 and 30 bands?" The answer totally floored me - "Juniors". What?! Has Freya been online and read how many fully grown women review their 28 back bras? The seminar was supposed to be conducted by Frederika Zappe, Freya's senior fitter, but she was ill so we had a last minute stand-in fitter who was perhaps caught a little off-guard, but surely she should know that women wear 28 back Freya bras.

If a flagship Full Bust company like Freya is adding inches and marginalizing 28 and 30 backs then the industry is in more denial than I thought.

4. We Were the Ugly 'Online' Sisters!

When we set up Butterfly Collection I very quickly realized that North America wasn't used to the idea of selling bras online. Brands told me time and time again "We don't sell to online" "We have no need for online boutiques." It was very frustrating but I knew that what I was trying to achieve (bringing hard to find Full Bust bras to Canadian and American women) was even more important and necessary. How are you supposed to shop for your HH boobs if you live in a remote village in the North West Territories!!  

My passion revolves around giving women the tools to understand their breasts and bra size

We continue to come up against 'Online Fear' and indeed some brands at Curve simply wouldn't talk to us about their lingerie because we're online. One brick and mortar store owner actually said to me "So you don't have to think about fit then being online." This summed up for me the lack of knowledge about online boutiques. We have to empower our customers even more to understand their size and styles.  Fit should be everything to every boutique whether online or off.

When I spoke to brands and other store owners about the online discussions around Full Bust bras, removing +Four as the standard measuring technique and competitions like Star in a Bra most looked at me like I was spouting gibberish. Being so far away from the conversations (and women) who rely on the Internet for their bra knowledge, support and product is a mistake that some may realize too late.

The heaven that is Claudette's Neon Green Mesh bra will be coming to Butterfly this spring!

Conclusion
Our trip to Vegas was thoroughly worthwhile (we got to see Claudette's neon green mesh bra for goodness' sake!) While the lack of knowledge about Full Bust bras is frustrating it also makes me even more determined to grow Butterfly Collection and set the tone for how Full Bust women everywhere should be treated. xx