Friday, June 24, 2016

Compromising An Aspect (Or Two) Of Fit While Searching For The Perfect Fit

I've been on my journey for the perfect fit for more than a year now.  In July of 2015, I found a style that would work for me while continued my search for "much better."  Along the way, I have tried more than 100 bras--some were the same style but different sizes; most were 36FF.  And then I gained weight and my shape changed ever so slightly.  But my size increased from that calculated 36FF to a 36GG/38G--two full cups.  I lean towards the 38 band because, at 39 inches around, my ribs won't be comfortable in a 36 band size.

As a result, I'm compromising even more.  Why?  Because I'm not going to stick at this weight.  This is road trip weight.  This is two and a half months of traveling across the United States.  This is sitting on my ass while I drove nearly 12,000 miles.  lol.  So, I compromise.  I bought some bras at a couple places during my trip--adjusting for my new size but not really able to accommodate my actual shape.  The reason being: the store that I stopped at didn't carry too many styles with medium to narrow cups.  They carry Elomi and other wider-cupped styles/brands.  I think it's because it's easier to put a narrow breasted woman in an Elomi and have her be satisfied with a "much better" fit than to try to carry the narrower cups and attempt to fit wider breasted women in them.  Most folks I know would rather have a slightly too big garment than a slightly too small one...in any garment.

So, where do I compromise?

Usually in bottom of the cup projection:
(sorry for the blurry photo)
Yep, that's my finger sitting in the space that doesn't come out immediately at the underwire.  You get this when you swoop & scoop and the cup is too shallow.

I already mentioned cup width.  That's another place that I compromise.

My actual width is about halfway between where that underwire is and where that seam is.  If the strap came straight down to meet the underwire, that's my root width.  BUT the underwire doesn't jab me in the armpit, despite ending there, so I wear the bra for now.

As for other areas of compromise, when it comes to this specific bra, the cup is actually a hair too small.  You can see it (sort of) in how the breast tissue is being dug into by the center gore and I'm quad-boobing a bit.  

Luckily, the top of the cup is stretch lace so this makes it easier to just go with the flow until I can continue my journey for a perfect fit.

So...where do YOU compromise on your Perfect Fit journey?

Friday, June 3, 2016

I Found My New Size But Then My Weight Changed. Now What?

This is me in the past year.  Last May, I calculated my new size--went from a 36DDD (using VS methods) to a 36FF (using the calculator over there ---> ) --and proceeded to work my way through more than 90 styles in four different rounds of shipment from barenecessities.  Then, come December 2015, I started gaining weight.  It happened because I took (and passed!) my last Physical Training test for the military.  That initiated a very torrid affair with Ben & Jerry.  In January of this year, I had surgery that called for a month's worth of rest afterwards.  Bras were definitely feeling more snug but I was able to still wear the ones that I bought six months prior--four Chantelles that were starting to show their age.  Come April though, the weight gain had been significant enough that I could no longer wear them.  Luckily, I was on a road trip through the south that allowed me to stop at a few places and get some new bras (in a new size!!).  I bought three or four from bra te da in Abilene and was on my way.  In the six weeks since that purchase, I have, once again, outgrown my bras.  Ugh!!  The band is tight, the gore doesn't tack, and I have quad boob.  Unfortunately, since I'm still on the road (and there are no bra stores where I'm at), I have to make do with these ill-fitting bras.  So be it.

On /r/ABraThatFits, I've seen the question as to whether shape changes when your weight changes.  I can say, for me, the answer is YES.  It's not drastic but it is significant in that I can wear different styles of bras in addition to the ones that I was already wearing.  My shape at 36FF was slightly pendulous, short rooted, evenly Full on Top (FOT) and Full on Bottom (FOB), and medium to narrow width, as well as having bottom-of-the-cup/immediate projection.  Because of the even fullness and short roots, I was functionally FOB and that resulted in me not being able to wear any bras that had a lace panel across the top.  You can see what I'm talking about in the pictures of the Lily and Lucy bra in this post.

Well, now that I've gained even more weight, there's increased fullness all around.  That lace panel probably wouldn't flutter like it has in the past.  I am still medium to narrow, I still have the immediate projection and my roots haven't grown in height either.  The breast increase appears to be working its way towards an omega shape (where the breast tissue is wider than the actual roots) rather than adding width to the roots themselves.  When I take off any of the Elomis, the wire is still obviously wider than my breast, even if the cup itself is too small.  For reference I have the 8750/Jocelyn (36FF), 8810/Tiffany (38FF), 8011/Rita (36F & 38FF), and 8840/Etta (38FF) styles.  I will say that the Jocelyn has some great projection in the cup.  When I take it off, the wire indent is damn near right in my crease.  And the lace panel at the top helps alleviate some of the quad boob that I get due to it being too small now.

The bra fit veterans may ask why I bought Elomis if I have medium to narrow roots?  I'll tell you: Bra store owners who don't know what root width is tend to stock a lot of Elomi bras--every store that I've been in has them--not realizing that some women may need a narrower wire and a deeper cup.  The wide cup width tends to accommodate a lot of breasts; much like shaped/lined cups tend to accommodate a number of shape mismatches.

So, what's my plan?  I'm going to hit Bare Essentials in northern DE and get a few more "make due" bras.  Then I'm going to do what it takes to get this added weight off.  Some women may enjoy having an increased breast size--mind you, I'm still a fairly average size when you take into account just how many cup/band combos there are but I'd like to be on the less voluminous side of that scale.

What have you done when your weight or shape changed?