Bras after Massive Weight Loss
Replies
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Crafty_camper123 wrote: »ExistingFish wrote: »heikeeberwein9208 wrote: »heikeeberwein9208 wrote: »I was a 34H at my heaviest and now down to 30FF
Check out the Facebook group Boob or Bust for best bra fitting. They also have an online calculator: https://booborbust.com/
Unfortunately, it’s suggesting a DD, and I’ve already seen by trying things on that even a C cup is massively too big. I seem to be in some weird twilight zone where Bs are too tiny and Cs are as vast as the sea.
Apparently JC Penney does bra fitting. I’ll give them a try and see what they say.
The trick to a good fitting bra is really to find your band size first and it might be smaller than you’d think. Have you tried Boob or bust measuring? What size does it suggest?
Yes, as I said above, it’s suggesting a 34 DD. That said, when trying on bras yesterday I did not try bending over to get all the tissue in the cup, I was standing up and trying to arrange it “by hand”. Will try the bending over today when I go.
Yes, if you have tissue spill out the armpits and the bottom of the cups, your cup is too small.
If it's spilling out the bottom of the cups, your band is too big if it allows this. Try at 32 DD or DDD.
I'd also suggest https://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/. They have a good calculator on there.
I just wanted to second this. I just re-measured myself for bra shopping this weekend. Before I lost some weight I was a 36 D or 34DD.
With all the breast tissue I lost I thought for sure I dropped both a cup and a band size. Some of my existing D bras were way too big in the cups. But, I foolishley bought some 36 C's without trying them on. (Kmart was going out of business, and fitting rooms weren't available). And I have that armpit flab in almost all of them.
This weekend, I actually measured myself to find I should be a 34 D or 32DD. Lo and behold I tried on bra's and D cups eliminated the armpit flab. Anyhoo, What I'm trying to say, is you'd be suprised at what might fit. But the size is just a general guide. Unfortunatly, even if they are all the same size, no two bra's will fit the same. Even if they are the same cut. My suggestion would be to grab the size you think you are after measurements. Then, grab one up a band size, and down a cup size and, grab one down a band size, and up a cup size. SO you would if you measured out at 34DD grab that, a 36D, and a 32DDD. I was told at my last professional measurement (at a Victoria's Secret FWIW) that those are your "sister sizes".
For types of bras to look for? Try Demi's and Balconetts, or tshirt bras. They seem to gather the girls up without having as much space in the top and front as full coverage bras. This is a problem I run into as well. They're either spilling over the sides, or they settle into the bottom with a bunch of room on top. I do not have much mass "on top" to fill up the whole bra. They are mostly on the bottom and sides. Edit- Oh yeah, and pushup bra's! They tend to have less fabric up top, and the padding on the bottom. One of my go to's as well.
Also, I have had good luck with the Haine's wire-free bra's. They don't have cup sizes, but come in small, med, large, etc. They seem to have a bit of stretch to them, and seem to corral the side boob for me without having to deal with jabbing underwires.Sometimes there's a tiny pit of puckering on the top, but nothing that is noticible under a shirt. Good luck! I hope you find some good fitting bra's soon! Bra shopping sucks!
Yeah, this is why the bras that I have currently (44Ds) have lasted as long as they have -- they're foam cups, so though the cups are too big, the foam holds its shape well enough that it's not usually apparent how big they are on me. I've honestly been tempted just to take in the bands, shorten the straps (I've adjusted as much as I can short of sewing), and start stuffing them with socks! LOL!2 -
rheddmobile wrote: »I get the feeling that very few people posting really get what you're talking about. I'm 50 and down 125 lbs and yes, it's a problem, and no, bra fitting will not help because zero bras are made for people with loose skin from weight loss. There is no magic size which will work and no bras are made - balconette, plunge, or otherwise - which are made to support armpits and droopy tube socks and make them look good. There are simply not enough people with this problem to support products being made to fix it.
BUT! you may be able to find individual bras which sort of work. Weirdly enough my favorite at the moment is a convertible strapless. Since the band is broad and tight in order to hold from the bottom, my boobs don't slip down in it, and it has fairly high sides which cover my armpits. I think it's something inexpensive like a Maidenform but since I cut the tags off I can't give specifics. There are also some Bali and Maidenforms which are made with high sides for loose skin coverage. A full coverage molded cup will give your breast the right shape.
The right technique putting on a bra helps. I actually put on the bra, then pull down on my armpit skin and slide it downwards out from the bra, then lift my breasts into place. That eliminates most of the armpit issues.
Yeah, I really suspect you're right that they just don't make bras for situations like ours, but I will try what you suggest. The side stuff is really my biggest concern, because the cups being too big I can always just get foam-formed bras where the emptiness won't show as much and/or pad them out a bit as necessary. But the skin on the side there's not much I can do with except try and find bras that will adequately smooth that out or at least not accentuate it.0 -
@sgriska You just jogged my memory. I've seen this bra running around that could be worth trying. Maybe it will help smooth the skin on the sides you're talking about? I've seen it at Kohl's Penneys, and Macy's. Just another thing to add to your arsenal of things to try next time you bra shop?
Warners No Side Effects Full Coverage Bra
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Crafty_camper123 wrote: »@sgriska You just jogged my memory. I've seen this bra running around that could be worth trying. Maybe it will help smooth the skin on the sides you're talking about? I've seen it at Kohl's Penneys, and Macy's. Just another thing to add to your arsenal of things to try next time you bra shop?
Warners No Side Effects Full Coverage Bra
Ahh!! This is the brand I was going to suggest! I’ve gone from a 42H to a 32B and things just aren’t the same. Most bras tend to dig in under the armpits creating a flow over effect I just don’t want. This bra fits well and has a little extra give under the arms allowing that extra to not bulge over. Seriously, I only have these bras and sports bras now. I love them. They have padded versions and molded cup versions.4 -
Ah, Penney’s has them in stock! I’ll definitely check them out!0
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Crafty_camper123 wrote: »@sgriska You just jogged my memory. I've seen this bra running around that could be worth trying. Maybe it will help smooth the skin on the sides you're talking about? I've seen it at Kohl's Penneys, and Macy's. Just another thing to add to your arsenal of things to try next time you bra shop?
Warners No Side Effects Full Coverage Bra
This is basically the same design as the Bali ones I have - tried the Warner's and the fit wasn't quite right for me, but they are very similar otherwise. I ended up in a slightly different size than my measurements suggested after trying a variety of different cups and bands - if you can, try everything close to your size on, sometimes going down a band and up a cup or the reverse works.2 -
rheddmobile wrote: »Crafty_camper123 wrote: »@sgriska You just jogged my memory. I've seen this bra running around that could be worth trying. Maybe it will help smooth the skin on the sides you're talking about? I've seen it at Kohl's Penneys, and Macy's. Just another thing to add to your arsenal of things to try next time you bra shop?
Warners No Side Effects Full Coverage Bra
This is basically the same design as the Bali ones I have - tried the Warner's and the fit wasn't quite right for me, but they are very similar otherwise. I ended up in a slightly different size than my measurements suggested after trying a variety of different cups and bands - if you can, try everything close to your size on, sometimes going down a band and up a cup or the reverse works.
I find the same thing. It feels like I have to try on 20 different combos of band/cup size in each style to find the magic number. The person who has to restock them all probably hates me...1 -
the best bra fitting I did, I did myself by following the instructions on wiki how to. lol. I'm a 38 D and never would have known. I've been wearing the wrong size for years.0
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+1 for a professional fitting.0
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Professional fitting definitely does not mean the sort of service offered in shops, though. I was wearing entirely the wrong size of bras for years after I tried Evans's 'bra fitting' service and was told I was a 50D.
I was actually a 42F.
This is going to be particularly true in the case of people whose boobs have deflated due to weight loss; they're no longer the shape that all the guides out there are based on.5 -
i don't know what an evan's fit is (my google-fu says its a "plus sized store" but not a specific lingerie one)...but my last one - involved the sales lady measuring my boobs in 3 places - top, middle and band to baseline it and then she brought in a range of sizes and styles based on the fact that different brands fit differently - its a fitting that takes at least an hour (the store I go to even recommends making appointments)
it also sounds like Evans did the standard go up a bandsize to get a larger cup, if they don't carry the size you need (this is very common at stores with a limited range) - Victoria Secret told me for years I was a 36D because they didn't carry my actual size (32FF)0 -
At the time, Evans totally carried my actual size.
In any case, however, for anyone who has lost a lot of weight, measuring will just not work because their breasts are a completely nonstandard shape. My breasts are droopy deflated balloons that hang down; trying to measure around the 'middle' would actually result in trying to measure a bit that's hanging down over the band level!
To be honest, I'd recommend just going into a shop and trying on a ton of different size and style combos until you find something that feels and looks good. That's all that most professional bra fitting services do anyway
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At the time, Evans totally carried my actual size.
In any case, however, for anyone who has lost a lot of weight, measuring will just not work because their breasts are a completely nonstandard shape. My breasts are droopy deflated balloons that hang down; trying to measure around the 'middle' would actually result in trying to measure a bit that's hanging down over the band level!
To be honest, I'd recommend just going into a shop and trying on a ton of different size and style combos until you find something that feels and looks good. That's all that most professional bra fitting services do anyway
It isn't just people who have lost a lot of weight who have breasts that hang below the band line. I've only lost 35lbs and mine are very pendulous.
The trick to measuring soft breasts is to measure them in a good fitting bra, which is the catch-22 because you can't find a good fitting bra is usually why you are measuring.
Here is a good calculator:
https://www.abrathatfits.org/calculator.php
It uses several underbust measurements, and does a standing (in a bra), leaning (not in a bra, while they dangle), and lying down (when they smoosh out flat). There are pictures to help measure. It's quite accurate.
Here is a good guide to fullness and projection: https://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/wiki/beginners_guide1 -
I've used that calculator multiple times; it was accurate in the past, but now it badly overestimates my cup size because my poor deflated breasts dangle far further than their model assumes. That is why I suggest that anyone with very nonstandard breast shape not bother with calculators, but just try on a lot of stuff 2
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I've used that calculator multiple times; it was accurate in the past, but now it badly overestimates my cup size because my poor deflated breasts dangle far further than their model assumes. That is why I suggest that anyone with very nonstandard breast shape not bother with calculators, but just try on a lot of stuff
Hm, I haven't used it in a while (I've just been going down in sizes, fairly linear progression) but I found it to be pretty accurate, or a good starting point (I think I went one cup size different in the end) it was a very good place to start.
Not everyone has the ability to try on a bunch of stuff, I don't have any local stores I have to order it all online, so it has been important for me to get as close as possible in size to avoid shipping fees and time delays.
If you have Amazon prime, you can do prime shipping (and free returns on clothing) to try on bras, less delay and you can try them on at home. Or Prime Wardrobe (but less is available on it) and you get a week to try it on before you are charged. I have bought a lot of bras on Amazon using Prime shipping/returns and Prime Wardrobe.
Unfortunately, Ewa Michalak isn't on Amazon. The last ones I ordered I had to pay nearly $30 in shipping charges by the time I ordered some, returned them (didn't fit) and got the replacement shipped to me (paying both shipping and return shipping). That is why I like Prime...2 -
Try going to Brayola.com. They ask a series of questions to see which bra will fit you best.0
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I'm 53 and have lost about 144 lbs in total. I went from a 42 DDD to a 36 D I usually wear plunge bras because it seems to push things forward rather than armpit spillage, but I recently found Sankom wireless posture bras. They only go up to a DD I believe, but it is like wearing a shaper almost. I like that everything is held firm. My mother told me I would never get enough support from a wireless bra, but these are great for everyday0
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I've lost over 200 lbs; that makes a huge difference to breast shape. When I was 35 lb down, I too went down in a linear progression. But that nice pattern broke down in the end stages, at about the same time even the 'good' calculators stopped working.
If the OP has lost 150 lbs, she may be in a similar situation. I agree that trying on lots of bras is just not practical for everyone (it's largely not practical for me right now, with the result that I'm ordering a couple of 'best guess' bras second hand from eBay every month and hoping to slowly zero in on the right size and style!) but from my experience, calculators and measurements are likely to be an even worse and ultimately more expensive solution; however well they may work for people whose breast changes are less extreme.0 -
That's fair. I still think a measuring tape will get you closer to the right size than just a guess. Your ribs are your ribs. A measuring tape will tell you that.
It will probably just be trial and error for the cup size, but you have to start somewhere. A calculator will be a better starting place than a guess, IMO. Most people have a distorted view of what cup sizes actually look like.2 -
Yeah, you can certainly get band size; it's cup size and style that's the nightmare.1
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I'm going to be 47 this March...Soooo after a 90pd weight loss I totally get this. Used to be a 36DD, now??? Victoria's Secret stated I was a 34C. Nope... Went to multiple stores and tried on every bra they had. My problem is that the bra fits in the band and the cup, but as soon as I bend over or go side to side my boob falls out. I do the bend over test in the dressing room. If my boob falls out then it's a no go. If I move around too much I get the dreaded boob spillage. I've found that sports bras that smoosh my boobs are actually the best. Been tempted to try my daughters bralettes that are so in style rn because I'm sick of having to constantly adjust my girls back into the cup every time I move.3
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Funnily enough, although well structured bras with wires are recommended for my size and shape, I find I do best in bras with a slightly smaller cup that have some give and are wireless. Kind of like a sports bra but less restrictive, and kind of like a lounge bra but more supportive. Due to my odd shape after weight loss, I haven't had a wired bra that didn't dig in somewhere or everywhere (off topic, but has anyone experienced chest becoming too sensitive to pressure with less fat padding?)
Cups with some elasticity squeeze me into an acceptable shape instead of expecting me to fit a pre-defined shape, that works best for me. A cup a bit too small does the trick for me since most of my loose skin is in the breasts themselves, not the sides, so I can just "rearrange" it inside the cup. I suspect it may work for side spillage if you stretch the cup over the sides, but I can't guarantee it.
This is the one I use, cheap and very comfortable:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MUQ3AFY/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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I've used that calculator multiple times; it was accurate in the past, but now it badly overestimates my cup size because my poor deflated breasts dangle far further than their model assumes. That is why I suggest that anyone with very nonstandard breast shape not bother with calculators, but just try on a lot of stuff
That's good advice.
And for a starting point, I third (fourth? fifth?) whoever said visit r/abrathatfits on Reddit. I've been following that community for a year now. Their calculator is the best on the internet. And their community usually knows how to fix all the issues like a floating gore, spillage, slippage, et cetera. You can post a pic of yourself in your bra on that board, and they'll know exactly how to fix your problems. Those ladies are amazingly technical in their bra knowledge.
I always thought I was a C cup, because that's what my mother put me in growing up. Nope. I'm currently a 32 E! I would have NEVER guessed that. Oftentimes when a cup size is too small, it will seem too big and gape awkwardly, which was surprising to me.0 -
Went to Kohl’s last night, and though their prices seemed excessive (every single bra was $40, with the whole “Buy One Get One Half Off” game for all of them, but still...) they had a large and diverse enough selection I could try dozens on and get a good idea what I’m looking for elsewhere.
Cup size... in some brands a C is best, in others a D, and it really depends on lots of factors that vary from style to style. Had gone in thinking push-up bras might be good cuz lord knows I need lift, but, uh, no, they’re all awful. Also somewhat surprised that underwire bras aren’t uniformly awful — never had tried them on before, but in a lot of cases if there was a wired and wireless option of the same bra, the wired looked better albeit less comfortable and more prone to weird gaps at the side. Also have decided foam cups really are essential as fabric just wrinkled up on top and looks awful.
So, we’ll see. JC Penney’s prices for some of the same bras are about half what Kohl’s are, though the selection is a lot more limited from what I can glean online. Will go there tomorrow night and hopefully find something doable.2 -
ExistingFish wrote: »At the time, Evans totally carried my actual size.
In any case, however, for anyone who has lost a lot of weight, measuring will just not work because their breasts are a completely nonstandard shape. My breasts are droopy deflated balloons that hang down; trying to measure around the 'middle' would actually result in trying to measure a bit that's hanging down over the band level!
To be honest, I'd recommend just going into a shop and trying on a ton of different size and style combos until you find something that feels and looks good. That's all that most professional bra fitting services do anyway
It isn't just people who have lost a lot of weight who have breasts that hang below the band line. I've only lost 35lbs and mine are very pendulous.
Yup. Mine have sagged since I was a teenager. Literally. Never ever been perky. In that time, I've swung from a 36 something, to a 40D, and now back down to a 34DD. Weight has always been within a 20-30 pound range.
I'm on a quest for a supportive pushup bra -- or something that supports and lifts -- without bulk. (I want a breast lift. I can't afford it.) I was shocked the other day to hold them up by hand, and see that oh *kitten*, underneath, there's *visible* rib cage (and all sorts of feels about that one), but it's always hidden because I droop so much.
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I second the hanes stretch bras. I have never had anything without stretch do the job. I detest "falling" out when I lean over. The hanes supports and is very comfortable. I could probably jog in them but I do ride in them very comfortably. For running I use the UA running bras. That said I think that there is BRA size inflation going on just like with other clothing only the other way. I never used to wear mediums in bras but now i do. I think they are trying to tell me my bust is bigger. LOL0
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ExistingFish wrote: »heikeeberwein9208 wrote: »heikeeberwein9208 wrote: »I was a 34H at my heaviest and now down to 30FF
Check out the Facebook group Boob or Bust for best bra fitting. They also have an online calculator: https://booborbust.com/
Unfortunately, it’s suggesting a DD, and I’ve already seen by trying things on that even a C cup is massively too big. I seem to be in some weird twilight zone where Bs are too tiny and Cs are as vast as the sea.
Apparently JC Penney does bra fitting. I’ll give them a try and see what they say.
The trick to a good fitting bra is really to find your band size first and it might be smaller than you’d think. Have you tried Boob or bust measuring? What size does it suggest?
Yes, as I said above, it’s suggesting a 34 DD. That said, when trying on bras yesterday I did not try bending over to get all the tissue in the cup, I was standing up and trying to arrange it “by hand”. Will try the bending over today when I go.
Yes, if you have tissue spill out the armpits and the bottom of the cups, your cup is too small.
If it's spilling out the bottom of the cups, your band is too big if it allows this. Try at 32 DD or DDD.
I'd also suggest https://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/. They have a good calculator on there.
Even with using this excellent calculator and wearing the correct size bra, some bra styles just don't work if you have a lot of excess skin.
I'm a 30FF now, and though many bras in that size come in styles that are low cut and available in one-hook closures that sweep low under the arm, those don't work well for me due to loose skin.
This is my current favorite bra because of this issue. It's not fancy, but it keeps everything in place:
https://figleaves.com/us/freya-active-underwired-sports-bra/FRA-AA4002.html?dwvar_FRA-AA4002_color=610750&cgid=lingerie-bras#start=60 -
@GottaBurnEmAll
Nice looking bras and thank you for sharing the website. However, all the models are fit and without sagging/older breasts or extra skin. And that is not fair!
I don't have extra skin but as an older woman, I don't have the perkiness or support of my younger years, but I am bustier than before. Go figure! Getting the proper bra is not easy, and it's frustrating and expensive. I will try some of the website posted in this thread to help me determine if I am wearing the proper fit. So thank you to all of you for sharing information.
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »ExistingFish wrote: »heikeeberwein9208 wrote: »heikeeberwein9208 wrote: »I was a 34H at my heaviest and now down to 30FF
Check out the Facebook group Boob or Bust for best bra fitting. They also have an online calculator: https://booborbust.com/
Unfortunately, it’s suggesting a DD, and I’ve already seen by trying things on that even a C cup is massively too big. I seem to be in some weird twilight zone where Bs are too tiny and Cs are as vast as the sea.
Apparently JC Penney does bra fitting. I’ll give them a try and see what they say.
The trick to a good fitting bra is really to find your band size first and it might be smaller than you’d think. Have you tried Boob or bust measuring? What size does it suggest?
Yes, as I said above, it’s suggesting a 34 DD. That said, when trying on bras yesterday I did not try bending over to get all the tissue in the cup, I was standing up and trying to arrange it “by hand”. Will try the bending over today when I go.
Yes, if you have tissue spill out the armpits and the bottom of the cups, your cup is too small.
If it's spilling out the bottom of the cups, your band is too big if it allows this. Try at 32 DD or DDD.
I'd also suggest https://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/. They have a good calculator on there.
Even with using this excellent calculator and wearing the correct size bra, some bra styles just don't work if you have a lot of excess skin.
I'm a 30FF now, and though many bras in that size come in styles that are low cut and available in one-hook closures that sweep low under the arm, those don't work well for me due to loose skin.
This is my current favorite bra because of this issue. It's not fancy, but it keeps everything in place:
https://figleaves.com/us/freya-active-underwired-sports-bra/FRA-AA4002.html?dwvar_FRA-AA4002_color=610750&cgid=lingerie-bras#start=6
How, one hook bras for an FF cup? Design flaw. That sucks. All my bras have 3 hooks OR MORE and I'm an FF/G.
I had that bra. It was supportive, but it looked sooooo bad on my body. It made my boobs point away from each other and out to the side, and my breasts are naturally close-set and hardly have room for underwire between them. I was happy to shrink out of that one.
This is my current sports bra and I like it so much better. It's non-wired, but I also wore it's wired sister and I liked it as well. If I weren't nursing, I'd probably wear it for a normal bra a lot of the time. It's quite flattering and comfortable for me. I didn't want to go through the trouble to convert it to a nursing bra (probably with limited success) so I've kept it to the gym.
Non wired: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HQQXMPK/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Wired (also like): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9Y3Z8B/ref=twister_B005X5FG2O
I'm wearing right now an Ewa Michalak nursing bra, and this bra, which I turned into a nursing bra. It's supposed to be a plunge (which I normally can't wear) but it fits more like a full coverage bra. The Ewa is also available in a non-nursing bra. I really can't say enough good things about Ewa Michalak
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01291EBD4/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Yeah, body type and how your breasts are placed/sit (and how your breast tissue is distributed) will for sure affect how well a bra will work for someone! The irony of you posting that the Freya's didn't work for you is that I've tried Panache, and they just look TERRIBLE on me and don't work at all.
It's taken me a lot of trial and error to learn that Freyas pretty much are the brand that works best for me. Sounds like you know that about Ewa Michalak for you!0
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