While I'm all for a bra that fits..

[LadyMilfordHaven]

I'm not convinced that everyone is a 32 inch back. I'm worried there are back hamsters.

I know as a 32 back that the minute I head more to 15 than 12 my bra is too tight.

So ladies. Do check your rear view

[sparkle12mar08]

?

[SorrelForbes]

Ummm, one of the biggest causes of back fat is too big a band!

[AKissIsNotAContract]

What are back hamsters?

[LizzyDay]

I'm also not convinced that a tight bra strap is healthy - or flattering from the back. Clothes should not have to be horribly tight in order to provide support.

I would have thought that back bulges are more caused by the narrowness of straps than being loose / tight though. It's fundamentally a crap design - trying to suspend everything from a band that's only an inch wide and cutting into your flesh.

If bra straps were 3 or 4 inches wide all the way round it would provide much better support. Oh and if they could do this without nasty hooks and scratchy bits that would be a vast improvement.

[LizzyDay]

forgot to say the 'over the shoulder' straps don't need to be wide at all if the band is wide. Therefore the bra need not be frumpy looking.

[SorrelForbes]

I take your points about hooks etc. but no one is saying that the band should be horribly tight.

I get back fat in a 36D but none at all in a 30GG.

[StatisticallyChallenged]

I have checked my rear view-it's worse in a bra that is too big at the back or too small in the cup. a good broad band also helps and I prefer one with 3 clips

[NotAQueef]

anyone else confused about this sentence " I know as a 32 back that the minute I head more to 15 than 12 my bra is too tight. ?
"

[GobblersKnob]

Of course everyone isn't a 32 back

Back fat is caused by ill fitting bras, you need one that fits and then scoop it all into the cup. I have been wearing correctly fitting bras for about 2 years now and have gone up two cup sizes from putting migrated breast tissue back where it belongs. I don't really have any back fat now.

[IWipeArses]

Surrealist style trolling.

[LizzyDay]

I just can't wear anything even slightly tight round my chest, it's sore and itchy and makes me feel a bit panicky.

I appreciate that you don't want to be hanging the weight of your bust off your shoulders either. For me the only answer is a crop top, but I wish they made comfortable 'proper' bras in a similar style - ie with a very wide band, comfortable (or no) fastenings, but proper moulded 'cup' support at the front.

[SorrelForbes]

But moulded cups aren't always that great for support as they don't mould to your shape and tend to cause a lot of gaping.


Surrealist style trolling

[LizzyDay]

Sorrel - Hmm yes I know what you mean about the gaping, I suppose I don't mean rigid shaped cups. It's actually the seams I have a problem with - so something like thick elastic, shaped (rather than rigid moulded) cups - does that make sense? So more supportive and shaping than a crop top, but something along those lines.

[SorrelForbes]

What size are you Lizzy? I'm sure that one of us can suggest some styles/shapes that might work for you, comfort wise.

[LizzyDay]

Thanks Sorrell - that would be a challenge indeed! I think I'm a bit of a lost cause when it comes to conventional bras.

I'm 33 under and 39 over which I think makes me a 34E - ish?

Norks aren't large nor particularly droopy, but are wide. The fat attached to them (not breast tissue) goes right round under my arms.

Don't have a lot of back fat though (I think my breast tissue has migrated down to my thighs ).

I have very very sensitive skin. I have tried lots of bras in 34s and even 32s in all cup sizes from C to F - and yes I would say that some fit and look good - I just can't wear them because they make me start twitching within minutes of putting them on, and I don't think that constantly pulling straps away from my skin is a good look!

[LadyMilfordHaven]

im not convinced about moulded cups either, although i have ONE i really like. It prevents nipple show

[SorrelForbes]

Lady. The Cleo Juna is a very nice in moulded tshirt bra which is lightly padded. No nipple show!

[GobblersKnob]

I am a big Juna fan, it's a lovely bra, gives a very round shape, but is super comfy to wear. Like lots of Cleos it comes up tight in the band but is otherwise very true to size. All my Cleos are 32 FF whereas I measure a 30G.

[LadyMilfordHaven]

I used to have a fantasie one. Plain material not padded. Amazing shape. They don't make it any more

[sparkle12mar08]

See I find the Juna really inconsistent - I ordered nearly half a dozen in various sizes and some of the 30 backs were larger than the 32's when stretched, and not one of the three 30's I ordered was the same length (I just kept the one that fitted best). But I agree totally that the shape it gives is wonderful, it's fairly shallow on it's projection but gives a fab Marie Antoinette look. I just wish it had three hooks instead of two, on the larger cup sizes.

[GobblersKnob]

That's interesting, are they newer ones? I have older designs (tend to buy cheap dicontinued bras) a Poppy and erm another pattern.

I fancied a plain back, but I wonder if the sizing is different?

[timidviper]

Sorry to gatecrash but can somebody tell me again how to measure properly. I have had some disastrous bras from M&S and Evans (I am a larger lady) but my one and only trip to Bravissimo was almost as bad. It got me a bra that looked great from the front but dug in so badly at the back I looked as though I had bigger boobs on my back, even worse I only realised how bad it was when I saw myself on photos!

[SorrelForbes]

I have two Cleo Junas, a Meg and a Melissa and they all seem to fit the same size wise tbh.

[GobblersKnob]

I tried on the Meg in five different sizes (the bird print one, so pretty) and then gave up, it did dreadful things to my boobs.

It always amazes me just how indivdual bra fitting is. I think my very favourite Cleo is a toss up between the Marcie and the Sasha.

[StatisticallyChallenged]

timidviper - what size is the Bravissimo bra? Have you tried scooping in it?

Scooping - basically all the armpit and back fat needs to be manhandled in to the cups of the bra. Put your bra on, stand side on to a mirror. Lean forward, put your left hand in side your right cup, reach right round, and pull EVERYTHING forward in to the cups. Repeat on other side. Then repeat again for good measure!

To measure yourself - measure tightly under your bust in inches then, bra off, bend forward to as close to 90 degrees as possible and measure around the widest part..

Pop your measurements and the info about the Bravissimo bra on here and we'll go from there