bra sizes: Temmuz 2012

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Since my size has changed as of late, I've been buying a bunch of gently-used, cheap bras from some friends/fellow bra-lovers in order to help determine my exact size in different brands. I recommend this "buy a bunch of cheap bras in a small range of sizes" method (from ebay, Bratabase, friends, online communities, etc) if you've changed sizes or are trying to determine your size - it's cost effective and you get to try on a much greater variety of bras than you would if you had to buy new! I now have several bras that fit me (and quite a few to re-home!) and have learned a lot about how different brands and particular bras fit.

You might remember that I didn't have the greatest luck the first time I tried Curvy Kate bras (especially since I was still trying to fit into 28GG's). Armed with a better idea of my current starting size, here's the Curvy Kate bras I tried out these most recent rounds:

Criss Cross: 28H (pink) and 28HH (Blue and Purple)

This bra isn't perfect for me, but I LOVE the colors and feel of the fabric, so I think I'll probably be keeping at least two of these anyway. The bands on both these sizes are too big/stretchy for me, but not unwearably so (they do ride up a bit in the back). The 28H cups are as little too small (the wire looks fine on the side, but I get a bit of overspill in the tops of the cup); however, the 28HH cups are too big - but in a "the wires stretch too far under the armpits" rather than a "wrinkly in the top part of the cups" kind of way. If only going up a cup size in this bra meant more "forward" space rather than wider wires! Oddly, the cups of the purple bra seem to be bigger/wider than the blue one, so I may keep the blue and not the purple (though I love the color!).
I don't think I'll go out of my way to buy this particular bra again since it doesn't suit me that well, though I would recommend it to others - maybe it would suit someone who needs wider wires/a bit shallower cups.

Princess: 28H (red) and 28HH (blue)

The Princess has seemed to be the best-fitting CK bra for me that I've tried so far. While the 28H is wearable, it's small in the cup for me (the top cuts in). The 28HH is much better, although the wires are a little on the wide side and the top cuts in very slightly. I'd even look into trying out the 28J if I came across it - a good rule-of-thumb when trying on a bra style is to keep going up in cup size until it's obviously too big.

Emily: 28H

The band in the Emily was very tight for me (I had trouble getting it on, and tried it out with an extender as well), and even then I could tell that the cups were too large - but this time, in more of a "looseness in the front/top of the cups" rather than a too-wide wires way. I could deal with the tightness of the bra by wearing an extender until it loosened a bit, but the wrinkling in the cups makes this a bra I'll probably forgo to keep.

Angel: 28HH, center gore taken in

When I tried the Angel before in a 28GG, I felt that the cups were too small, but I really didn't like the spread-out look I got (and it made it harder to tell what the true fit was for me). This 28HH bra, on the other hand, has been altered to have the center gore brought in, giving the bra a much better shape for me!
However, bringing the center gore in will often make the cups of a bra bigger/roomier, and the cups on this 28HH are thus too big for me. I'm definitely willing try this bra again in a 28H (or even a 28GG) with the gore brought in, though.
(I'm also interested in trying the Portia bra again - probably in a 28HH-J since the 28GG was so ridiculously small.)

Conclusions:
So, when comparing just 4 (similar-looking) bras within one brand and in the same 1-2 sizes: One has a band that's too big/wires too wide, one fits well in the larger of my two sizes, one has a band that's too tight, and one would fit in a smaller size with the center gore brought in!

There's some "in general" principles and facts that can be taken from this (that the Emily runs larger in the cup than the Princess, for example, and the band of the CrissCross runs stretchy/large), but just because I found the bands tight or loose in some of these, or the wires wide, doesn't mean that everyone else will for their particular body/breast shape.Bratabase is a great resource for checking out what other women have to say about the fit of different bras. For example, these entries have comparisons of lots of different Curvy Kate bras (for the same user). However, the only true way to tell if a bra will work for you is to try it on for yourself!

Have you found that you need to wear different sizes within the same brand (or even in different colors of the same bra)? How do you deal with a size change/figuring out your size if you can't shop for bras in stores?

Nursing Bras: Things to Consider [Guest Post by April]

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Today's post was written by my good friend and first-time-mom April, and it's the first-ever guest post for the blog! April gives a quick guide to bras for nursing moms based off of her own experiences.

So you’ve made the decision to breastfeed your child. Great! People are always talking about how good that is for babies. What they never mention is how big of a deal this is going to be on your poor breasts. They will increase and decrease in size and weight throughout the whole ordeal (you can forget wearing your pre-baby bras for a while). Getting a good set of nursing bras is an essential investment for the breastfeeding mom. Stretch marks, back pain, clogged ducts, and other issues can be avoided or minimized with the right support. Here’s a few things keep in mind as you search for a comfortable and convenient way to hopefully enjoy the nursing relationship.

Know Your Size(s)
My biggest problem with finding a good nursing bra is that I didn’t know what size I was in the first place. A fitter probably won’t be able to help you find the right nursing bra. For one thing, your size will fluctuate throughout the day. I found that I changed two cup sizes from day’s beginning to end. Also, your size is going to change over time. Nursing the baby for 6 months? Your size could change rather dramatically after the first month or so of nursing, after supply has been established. Planning to nurse over a year? At 13 months, I’m still fluctuating through two cup sizes (this baby is getting weaned soon, gosh darn it). I use this method for getting a good measurement [see also these good bra calculators for a quicker calculation].

The general rule for buying the first nursing bra is to do so before the baby arrives. You probably won’t want to go shopping within the first week after delivery (I was way too tired and had more than enough to keep me busy), and if you need to order online it’ll need time to get there. Make sure the bra fits on the loosest setting; you’ll need to be able to accommodate your shrinking ribcage. According to most websites, adding a cup size to your 8-month measurement will give you a good fit when your milk comes in. I’m pretty sure I went up two cup sizes, but one cup size up is a good all-around rule for something that’s hard to predict with perfect accuracy.

After about 6 months and onward, as supply begins to decrease somewhat, it’s time for another set of bras. I would recommend measuring in the morning (before the first feeding, if possible) and in the evening (when you’ll probably be the smallest) to get a feel for the range of sizes you’ll need. Personally, I went a cup size down from my early morning measurement in order to make sure the bra would fit the majority of the day.

Consider Ordering Online
If you are reading this blog regularly, you most likely have the same problem that I do: there isn’t a store nearby that carries your size! I need a 30F, and I live in a small town with very little selection in a 30 band for regular bras. Finding a nursing bra here in that size is even more impossible. Right now I have a pair of Royce nursing bras that I love (a brand which, by the way, runs a tad tight in the band, so consider yourself warned), but they are a British company and I’m in the US. The cool thing about having to order online is that you don’t have to go to the store to try anything on. Okay, so that might not appeal to some of you, but for those who are going to be first time moms and think that their little dear is going to be their best bra shopping buddy, here’s some advice: don’t count on it. Not all small children are very happy about having to wait for you to try on any amount of clothing. Ordering online can solve both lack of selection and lack of child patience issues.

Royce Nursing bras

Some bra sites that carry a good variety of nursing bras, including in 30 and under bands:
Brastop
Breakout Bras
Bravissimo
Ewa Michalak
Figleaves
HerRoom
Linda's Online

Compensate for Nursing Pads
If you are just starting to breastfeed, make sure there is enough space in the bra for a good nursing pad. Some women leak a lot, others don’t, but milk stains when letdown happens at the wrong moment and noticeable bulges in your bust when a nursing pad doesn’t have enough room both look kind of awkward. This means that an unpadded bra will probably be your best friend at the beginning. Look for a bra with full coverage and a firm band.

Easy Access
One thing that a nursing bra absolutely needs to have is easy nursing access (I hope this one is obvious). This is the big reason that just buying a regular bra won’t work out so well for most breastfeeding moms. As much as I wanted to think that the one-handed access feature for nursing bras was just a gimmick, it’s pretty important. After all, you’ll probably be holding a sleeping infant or wiggly toddler; do you really want to A) accidentally flash the public due to a weird maneuver to get your bra back in place, or B) wake a sleeping infant. Or both, really. Even if the baby isn’t sleeping, it’s not like you can always just put the kid down to re-adjust, especially if you are switching sides. When you try on the bra, make sure each clasp (or pull-aside) is easy to replace with either of your hands.

What About Underwire?
While many experts say that underwire is a bad idea for a nursing bra (possible cause of clogged ducts, etc), this is mostly because many women don’t know how an underwire bra should fit (see also this video for how a correctly-fitting bra should look). Properly adjusted, they are perfectly safe to use and will probably give better support to some. See this post for more info about proper sizing for underwire. My only complaint about underwire nursing bras: getting the darned flap to stay down or in a comfortable position while nursing. Make sure you check to make sure this won’t be an issue before buying.

…Also, the Sleep Bra
I’m a firm advocate of getting a sleep bra. If you are generously endowed, breastfeeding probably won’t be kind to your sleep habits, especially if you are a side sleeper or stomach sleeper. A comfortable, supportive bra for night (when, if you are lucky, your baby might go for many hours without relieving you) is essential. Plus, if you tend to leak at night, you’re going to need something to put those nursing pads in.

This is by no means an exhaustive guide, but hopefully I’ve given you a few tidbits worth using. Nursing a baby is hard, but there’s no reason for your bra to add to the difficulty. A good nursing bra is worth the money.

For veteran nursing moms out there, what is your favorite brand of nursing bra or your biggest complaint about them?

A Guide to Getting Your First Well-Fitting Bra

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So, you know that your old bras don't fit, and you're tired of it. You've measured yourself or used a good bra calculator to get a fairly accurate estimate of what your current true bra size is. And, you've also discovered that your new size is going to be hard to come by in most stores.

Now what?

First of all, good for you! You've taken the first big step to getting a bra that's perfect for you. That's great!

The prospect of finding a bra outside of the very small "normal" size range sold in most U.S. stores can be a daunting one, though. If you live near a store that sells a fairly good range of bras around what your estimated size is, that's great. The selection may be very limited (as in, the store may only carry one or two options for each size), but take this as an opportunity to try out a few bras in your size range. For example, if you estimate that your size is around a 30G and you live near a Nordstrom, go try on all the 30G's that they carry! If the cups are too small, try some 30GG's, or too big, try 30FF. Back feeling too tight even though the cups seem to fit in a 30G? Go to the sister size of 32FF. And so on.

But if you've already exhausted the limited options of nearby stores, or you just aren't able to find your size anywhere, you'll have to venture into the world of online shopping.

Buying online for the first time

Online shopping can seem scary - trust me, I know! Some people are dead set against buying any article of clothing online. "How will I know if it fits me?" they ask. "I never buy anything unless I try it on first."

These are admirable and understandable sentiments, but unfortunately, in the world of U.S. bra shopping, they're very often just not feasible. A good number of us will have to accept that, for the present, there are either very few or no choices in physical stores. If we don't want to suffer from ill-fitting bras, we're going to have to turn to the wide world of online bra stores, where choices abound (yes, there are lots of choices even in "weird" sounding sizes!).

Lots of pretty bras in "weird" sizes (28-30 G-HH) - almost all gotten online

But where to start? There are quite a lot of great online bra stores that sell almost every size imaginable. You may be hesitant to spend a lot of money on a bra that you don't know for sure fits. Fear not! While many of us have seen those good, well-made, out-of-the-norm-sizing bras sold in stores for upwards of $80-$100, the median price for brand-new bras on most bra sites is really more in the $40-$60 range (and all good bra sites have reasonable exchange/return policies). Still feels too expensive? Still more web stores (like Brastop and Lovebras) sell overstock and discontinued colors and styles for much cheaper prices (in the $20 range). Even cheaper options can be found through ebay (and ebay.co.uk), online communities/friends, and sites like Amazon. And remember - a well-fitting bra is an investment. It's much better to spend $50 on one great, well-fitting bra than the same amount on two bras that fit you terribly, give you pain, and do nothing for your shape!

So, you have a good idea of what your size might be, and you're ready and willing to try ordering bras online. But wait! Don't go ordering twenty bras in your newly-estimated 34H just yet! Measuring yourself and using a good bra calculator will give you just about as good as an estimate as you're going to be able to give yourself; however, it doesn't mean that the size you come up with will always be your exact starting size in every bra. Breast shape, body type, and personal preference are factors in determining bra size as well. Not to mention that different brands, different bras in the same brand, and even different colors in the same style of bra can fit differently even within the same size! Some styles are more suited to different breast shapes than others, too.

All this information can get overwhelming quickly, but don't despair! Rather than trying to learn everything there is to know about bra brands and styles all at once, just start by looking online and finding a few bras in your estimated size range that you like. It may be preferable to pick one brand (like Freya or Curvy Kate) to start with. Once you've picked a few styles that you like within a brand (if you can), research about these particular few bras a little. Many bra sizes will note how the bra fits - if it runs big, for example, or if the back runs tight. Ask someone who may have tried the bra before, if possible - there are lots of bra bloggers out there who give thorough reviews to bras they try out. Ask questions! Adjust what size you'll probably need to order from your estimated size, if applicable. Rinse and repeat for the starting few bras that you order to try out (I strongly recommend ordering at least 3 different bras at first to try out to get a better sense of what you need - even if you know you're going to return most of them).

Determining fit

Once the bras you've selected and ordered arrive, you might get lucky and discover that they all fit you perfectly. Yay you! You're set for the next little while.

For some of us, though, maybe only one or two of the bras fit - or none of them seem right. That's okay! You've still learned something. Try on each bra and note if there are any obvious signs of a poor fit. Cups too small in all of them? Return them and pick a few more bras in a cup size up! Write down what size, brand, and style of bras you've tried and how they seemed to fit before you return them so you have something to go off of.

Also, remember that new bras often need a little bit of breaking in (just like shoes!). If the bra seems to fit pretty well but feels tighter in the band than you're used to, remember that after a few wears and a first wash, the elastic should relax a little. You can also wear an extender until the bra loosens a bit if it's more comfortable.

Care and upkeep of bras

So, you've settled on a bra size and confirmed it with a few new bras, and you may have spent a pretty penny on them. How should you care for these investments that you've just made?

One of the most important things is to handwash/hand dry only! There's no faster way to create stretch, wear, and weakness in your bras than to just toss them in a load of laundry. Bras may have the amazing power to give support to voluminous bosoms, but they're still delicate underthings. Treat them gently!

Related to this, try not to wear the same bra for two days straight. This is why owning just one bra that fits isn't going to do your boobs justice, by the way. The elastic in a bra needs some time to relax after you've worn it all day. And, if you have only one good bra, what are you going to do when that bra needs washing? (and don't say you'll just wear an old, ill-fitting one!)

Note that the fewer bras you have, the more strain each bra has to take from daily use/washings/wear. I recommend owning 2-3 bras as a bare starting minimum, hopefully working up to about 5 if you're able. The 5 bras you're cycling through wearing will last longer than the 2 bras you're having to wear all the time! [As an aside - I would still caution against going haywire and ordering twenty bras at this point. You may very well find that your size changes a bit in the months after you start wearing a good, correctly-fitting bra for the first time, due to breast tissue migrating back to where it's supposed to go.]

Do you remember your first foray into the world of correctly-fitting bras and online bra shopping? Any other advice you would add, or questions you have?

Urkye Review: Francuski Blekit

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Have you heard about the company Urkye yet? They're a small, Polish, "boob friendly" clothing company (much like BiuBiu) that just started up early last month. I made a small order about a week ago and received my package already, so be expecting several clothing review posts to follow!

When I was first checking out the company, I loved all the clothes that I saw, but was a little bit intimidated by the size chart (as usual for me with online charts). My measurements (93-94cm bust, about 71cm waist) placed me right about in the middle of four sizes (36oo, 38o, 36ooo, and 38oo). I emailed Ula, the owner of Urkye, and received a prompt and VERY helpful response. She advised that my bests fit would probably be about 36oo/ooo in general, and possibly 38o/oo depending on how I liked my clothing to fit and how the fabrics ran. She told me what sizes some of the models were wearing so I could compare. Based on her advice, I ended up ordering three different pieces of clothing, plus buying one shirt new/used from someone. I highly recommend asking Ula if you have any specific questions about ordering or sizing!

The first item up for review is the Francuski Blekit, which I ordered in a 36oo/ooo.

I'm not at all used to having tailored-type clothing (or clothing that fits really well) so I almost felt like this shirt seemed too small at first. But, after wearing it for a bit, I got used to it and now feel like it's a perfect fit. I'm definitely glad I didn't order a size smaller, though! The fabric feels thicker and the shirt seems very well-constructed, but it still has a nice firm stretchiness to it. It's quite amazingly comfy.

You'll notice that in the picture above (back view), there's some wrinkling in the middle of the shirt around the narrowest part of my back. This, I found (based on the way other similar things fit and the comments and help of fellow bloggers and friends), is not due to some strange flaw of the shirt, but rather because of my body type. I have a fairly broad back and shoulders, a short waist/torso, and the curves above and below my waist are rather sudden and pronounced. I have a rather high-set "hipline" (for lack of a better term) below my waist, and this sometimes stretches clothing in an odd way.

You can see how suddenly/sharply my back curves in and then out again in the side view here. Because of this, and the fact that I have a pretty short waist, there tends to be that extra fabric that shows up in shirts in that narrowest area of my back. It's not very bad on this shirt in particular, and it doesn't really bother me, but it was interesting to learn about myself! Wrinkling in the shirt shouldn't be a problem for most people, especially if you don't have a short torso area like me.

(And look - it's actually long enough! :D)

Overall, I really love this shirt, and I'd definitely order it again - it's comfortable, well-constructed, and well-fitting! One small annoying thing was the tag on the inside of the shirt on the side - I have sensitive skin and found the tag pretty itchy and annoying, so I'll probably cut it out sometime. No biggie!

Look for more reviews in the coming week:
-Turkus w kiesce
-Kontrast w fuksji
-Groszki latte

Urkye Review: Turkus w kiesce dress

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The second item from my recent Urkye order is the Kieska (Pocket-dress) in turquoise!

Bras I Hate tried this dress recently as well with good results. Since she thought the 36oo/ooo was a little roomy for her and she wears a few cup sizes larger than I do, I decided to try the 36o/oo size in the dress.

From the front, it looks pretty good. Like the Francuski shirt, it's a thicker material, has some stretch to it (and is fairly clingy), and feels quite comfy.

...However, the back gives me the same problem that I got with the Francuski, but in a much more pronounced way - it wrinkles up quite a bit at my narrowest point. Some knowledgeable blogging friends pointed out that the wrinkling issue I get is most probably due to a few things:

-My body type. As mentioned before, I have a sharp curve to my back, a short torso, a broader upper back/shoulders, and higher-set/wider hips. All of these factors combined make it so I tend to get extra fabric in this space in my back - in particular, there's more fabric here than torso, and the fabric also gets "caught up" in my waist because my hips flare out so suddenly.

-The dress itself. It's simply made for someone with a longer torso, slightly narrower overall frame, and less extreme instant-hipcurve than I have. The consensus among knowledgeable friends was that it was most likely a body-type issue rather than a sizing issue (i.e. wearing the dress in a larger size wouldn't really fix the issues, and would make the dress too large overall). The dress is perhaps very slightly tight on my bust and right below my waist, but much of the wrinkling problem goes away when I "fix" the short/curved torso issue by lengthening my torso by raising my arms:

It's really a pity that the dress just doesn't seem to be made for me. :( I do love the side profile it gives me:

You can still see the wrinkling that I get in the back of the dress, though. Bras I Hate pointed out that in the pictures of her wearing the same dress in a 36oo/ooo, you can see how much more gradually her back curves as compared to my sudden, sharp curve, so even though she does get a bit of wrinkling in the back of the dress (perhaps just because of the way the dress is), it's much less noticeable on her longer torso. She also pointed out that my hips/bum stick out more, which also affects the fit; while the dress hangs about evenly front and back from the legs on her, the bottom of the dress is clinging to my legs in front and sticking out in back instead on me (rather than being 50/50 hanging in front and back of legs).

I'm still deciding if I want to keep the dress. I like the shape and it's definitely comfy, but it's just not as well suited for my body type as it would be for most others. If you're considering the dress, I would say give it a go! Who could resist those pockets? ;)

8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar

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