Did you know that approximately 80% of bra-wearing people are actually in the wrong size? And most of that is down to an incorrect band size which means the cups are too small and there’s little to no support at all. All of this leads to aches, pains, and hugely uncomfortable death trap bras that you can’t wait to take off at the end of the day! A well-fitting bra has the benefits of improving your posture, enhancing your figure, reducing back ache and shoulder/neck pain, AND makes your boobs look a-ma-zing.
A good friend of mine was desperate for a fitting – she was used to wearing an Italian 2B which is the equivalent of a UK 34B, and most of the time she would prefer to wear a simple white bralette that had no shape or structure to it all, because her 34B bras were so uncomfortable! I invited her along to Brastop HQ and got her the fitting she definitely needed. She didn’t believe me when I said I thought she’d be a 30F… Take a look below to see the results!
Before – Here you can see Ylenia wearing her trusty bralette from a high street store. While it’s super comfortable and on trend, it really has no support and offers no shape to her bust (see that riding back band? Yikes!). It might be great for lounging around the house, but you wouldn’t wanna go running for the bus in it! Read on to see what her properly fitted bras look like...
After – The first bra I fitted Ylenia into was a moulded plunge bra – the Curvy Kate Smoothie Soul. It’s a great everyday staple bra, with a nice stretchy band so it’s ideal for those who are just trying out a new size that’s a few band sizes smaller than they’re used to! We went straight in with a 30F and the sizing is spot on. The straps on this style are a touch too long for Ylenia’s short torso, so we had to adjust them quite a lot , but the beauty of this design is the j-hook that can be used to bring the straps into the centre of the back, so you don’t have to have them as tight. You can see that her bust has been lifted and pulled in from the sides to give her some great cleavage.
Another plunge bra but this time it’s a sheer, non-padded option – Curvy Kate Lifestyle. This bra is PERFECT for summer because it’s lightweight and super comfortable so you won’t be too sweaty and sticky in the hot weather. You can see again that the plunging shape helps pull Ylenia’s breast tissue forward for a rounded look up front. The band is a little snug for her, but that bit of bulging tissue above the band isn’t just ‘back fat’ – it’s also breast tissue that has migrated to the wrong place thanks to years of wearing the wrong size! Over time, with proper scoop-and-swooping, this tissue will go back to its rightful place in your boobs. It happens to the best of us!
Next up we tried a padded balconette bra, the Curvy Kate Daily Dream. As Ylenia has quite a short torso and high breast roots, the fact that the cups on this style come up a little shorter than some other styles we tried made it a great choice for her. The cups sit smoothly against the breast tissue, and give a projected shape with subtle lift. An ideal day to day bra, the foam lining gives added support without increasing the volume of your boobs and gives a nicer shape under clothes. It isn’t completely smooth due to the seams, but that just means it adds even more support!
The Curvy Kate Ellace balconette bra features a stretch lace top cup that I thought would be great for Ylenia, especially as it would help accommodate a small change in size when all that displaced breast tissue starts migrating back to the right place! The band on this bra can run quite firm, as it uses ‘strap’ elastic along the underband which isn’t quite as stretchy as your typical mesh-only bands. If you’re between sizes or prefer a slightly looser fit then we’d suggest choosing the larger band size, but you can see on Ylenia that it’s not too bad and it will loosen with wear. The soft structure of the cups means that her breast shape isn’t overly defined, and it offers a delicate, rounded shape. It’s great for asymmetrical boobs and handles fluctuations in breast size (such as during your period) really well, so we think it’s an essential lingerie drawer piece for everyone!
Last up, we tried her in a fuller balconette shape – the amazing Curvy Kate Victory bra. When I brought this one through to Ylenia she really wasn’t keen on the look of it, thinking it was too full-coverage but as soon as she got it on she was impressed! It does give more coverage than a typical balconette bra, but this is just one of the key design points that make it such a winner. The higher coverage means your bust is kept firmly in place, with no risk of spilling over the top so it’s fabulous for a fuller chest. It also has a clever side panel which you can see really brings all that migrated breast tissue back into its rightful place and out of Ylenia’s armpits! A four section cup brings the breast tissue up and in from the sides, so you get a really projected shape that’s ideal for separating your cleavage and really defines your boobs.
So after this little fitting, Ylenia went from wearing a 34B to a 30F and is so much more comfortable and supported now – and we think she looks SO much better! It might sound like a huge difference but really, it's just two band sizes firmer to give that all-important support and 3 cup sizes bigger to contain all her breast tissue. In all of the styles we tried, her breasts are lifted and projected instead of hanging down and splayed to the sides. A well-fitting bra can really make a HUGE difference and we encourage everyone to get a fitting at least every 6 months. When was the last time you had a bra fitting? If you or anyone you know needs a fitting, feel free to drop us an email on fittings@brastop.com or fill out our consultation form and we’ll be happy to help.
LJ x
