DD+ underwired bra that doesn't dig into armpits

[ArtichokeAardvark]

I'm 38GG and have been wearing the Bravissimo Millie bra for years, but it's so bloody uncomfortable by the end of the day! The wires under the arms dig and rub into my armpits to the extent that I get sores on hot days. I tuck cotton wool pads over the tops of the underwires to 'blunt' them every day but it doesn't work brilliantly. Can anyone recommend a bra that gives a similar shape under clothes (boobs hoiked up and forward, but not 1950s pointed) but that doesn't have such high underwires?

Bralettes and non-wired bras absolutely useless to me, I have one non-wired which is strictly for around the house only. Massive monoboob territory.

(Not very helpful immediately but omg consider a reduction. Best thing ever. We have a long thread on AMA )

hope you find comfort.

I thought I had a massive wires-in-my-armpits problem. Turns out I was wearing the wrong size. If you haven't already, I suggest getting remeasured.

Yes, I wondered the same. You need a much bigger cup size obviously your boobs aren't fitting into the wire. even when I had massive tits (2.5.kg extra than I carry now) I never found bras that uncomfortable

I don't think it's a cup size issue - wires are digging into my pits not the breasts themselves. Cup lies flat across the top of the boob, no bulging anywhere. I am however fat and flabby which means I get rolls around the bra 😖

I third the remeasuring. I'd had my cup size many MANY times too small..Im now an F. Ridiculous. I was perfectly happy with being a C for many years so I don't know why my body decided to grow so much larger.

I asked the same question on here and a bra fitter suggested the Panache Cleo and I've never looked back. Just make sure it's the right size.

Straps up too tight? Although you may lose perkiness payoff I suppose.

What we need is someone commenting here that does this for a living as they always know what's what.

As a flabby 34k wearer, I recommend Elomi or Goddess. The wires go further back at the sides and so miss the flab of uplifted saggy bosoms at the armpit (well, I AM old….)so don’t rub. They are not the most attractive of bras, but they do the job and give a decent shape. On me, anyway.

Try Rigby and Peller. Ive switched from Bravissimo (Fantasie) and I find their bras are comfortable all day long. and they give you a coffee when you go for a fitting.

I wear Ann summers they are only about £16 each and have served me well over the last few years.

I concur with the other comments on here, I thought I was wearing the correct size so kept buying different brands of ‘wired’ bras, then I got a proper fitting and realised I had the number and letter completely wrong.

Surely if the underwiring is digging into your armpits then the band is too big?

Elomi Matilda used to be one of my faves (I’m sized out of it now and wear beavissimk Delilah)

On the recommendation of another bra thread I have recently bought an Elomi bra (went to dept store and was fitted). OMG why didn’t I sort myself out years ago - sooo comfortable. I actually had measured myself using booborbust and the sizing was correct. I’m a 32H.

Check booborbust to make sure you’ve been measured correctly but it sounds like the underwire is the wrong shape.

Try a few “sister sizes” if the same bra so a 36h and a 34hh.

is the underwire too tall or too wide?

I don't know if it will give you the shape you want, but I recommend everyone to try the Chantelle Norah. There are a few different models, but this is mine and the only one I can vouch for comfort-wise. I wear nothing else. https://www.johnlewis.com/chantelle-norah-comfort-underwired-bra/p110592639

I second Elomi but a Morgan or Lucie.

I found the same with Millie, and I was definitely wearing the right size!

Triumph Urban Minimiser

I also loved lucie but Morgan was awful on me - the bra fitters face was a picture when I tried it!

Some of my bras do this and some don't.

They are all the same size but different brands. I have big but high boobs, and once they are hoiked up i end up with quite a short gap between the top of my shoulder and the tip of the cup wire (I have the bra straps almost as short as they will go)on some bras this does result in literally having the wire in your arm pit! Bigger/smaller cup sizes are just obviously too big/ too small for my boobs.

I think there is such a thing as shallower wired bras. I don't like a big tall gore either (the bit between the boobs). I find balconette style bras are better.

Honestly I still think we're paying the price for all those lads mag/ page 3 images of big breasted women captioned "Lucy is a 34DD" when in reality she was probably more like a 30H. It's taken me several goes of bra purchasing to stop rounding the bloody cup inches down because I really didn't think I was that big. But I've not had an uncomfortable bra for years now.

The calculator at A Bra That Fits is great BUT none of the calculators can account for height (taller women can have lower set breasts) body shape (body fat distribution and also shoulder width can really affect how stuff fits even if the cup size is correct) and how the roots of your breasts sit (close together/ far apart/ under the armpits etc).

100%

I have big boobs and people can see that but nobody ever guesses at a 34KK, I get a lot of “does that size exist”

Is it the cup wire digging in or does it have some kind of side boning in the side? I hunch when I sit at work, and the ones with side boning absolutely murder me, sticking in and causing rubs.