A Conversation for Ask h2g2

Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 21

Sierra Indigo - now Cheesecakethulhu flavoured

Wireless bras are okay, but for a bigger busted woman they're just not that good if you plan on doing anything beyond walking around the house.


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 22

cafram - in the states.

The latest addition to the world of support would have to be those singlets with the inbuilt shelf bra, and they're only good if you like the mono-breast look smiley - yuk


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 23

Wampus

Well, let's take the engineer's view here.

What's the objective of wearing a bra? I'll assume it's for support. That means you're supplying a force to hold the object in a certain position. You can only supply a force two ways: pushing or pulling. So a bra must either push, or pull.

I observe most of the bras today pull. If you're seeking to raise the breast, then a pulling force has to be supplied from somewhere above the breast. The most convenient source for that force is the shoulder, which leads to the current design of bra. You could design a bra that's held up by the neck (as some bikinis are), or by the head (which would look very silly), or design a bra that pushes instead of pulls.

A bra that pushes from below would be like a corset. Since you aren't hanging the weight from something, you would have to tie something around your abdomen that attaches to a shelf-like device that the breasts would rest on. If the shelf-like device were large enough, it would eliminate the problem of breasts feeling like they were pushed in by a bra, but one might have trouble breathing well after being strapped into something tight enough not to slide down.

Another tack might be to not redesign the bra completely, but make more different sizes and shapes, so that they fit better. Perhaps some sort of measuring/scanning device that would take more dimensions of the breast other than cup size and diameter of the chest, and then size the bra accordingly. I don't know if complaints are more from poorly designed bras, or bras not the right size/shape. If the design is bad, then there might be a better design to be discovered, though I have trouble envisioning a bra design that wouldn't be more uncomfortable. If the sizes are wrong, then more measuring data is required, and more sizes need to be made available.


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 24

Saturnine

Thought a lot about this haven't you Wampus? smiley - smiley

Nyssa, of course you haven't had a problem! You have nothing-breasts!! I have 38DD ones that aren't shrinking as I lose weight!!! smiley - wah Ok. I'm not really complaining, but you can see the luggage I have to carry.

It's not so much that bra's are a problem - more that nothing much has changed. I suppose that's because the human body hasn't changed. But you would have thought what with advances in materials and technology...it would have changed just a little...smiley - erm


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 25

cafram - in the states.

But the human body *has* changed! People now are bigger than people 100 years ago...surely this would call for something more in the way of support!


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 26

Blatherskite the Mugwump - Bandwidth Bandit

I think you're on to something, Wampus. More cup sizes would be a good idea. And what do you think of this... interchangeable cups!

After all, no two breasts are the same dimensions, especially when they're both on the same woman. And the bigger the breasts, the greater the available range of deviation. Merchants couldn't possibly stock all the varieties... left one bigger or right one? Quarter cup, half cup, or full cup difference?

So a buyer could choose a design, select the appropriate cups (B- right, C+ left), then just pass this string through this bit and this bit, and hook into place. Voila! The custom-fitted bra.


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 27

kelli - ran 2 miles a day for 2012, aiming for the same for 2013

A couple of years ago those engineer chappies on 'Build a better...' built a better bra for larger women that was designed to support from beneath. All bras should support like this Wampus - they do it by having the strap around your chest with the wires and material 'pushing' as you say, from underneath. Once you get past a certain size however, the pull on the shoulder straps is important too (manufacturers deny this but the canny ones make these strap comfortable when under strain smiley - winkeye).

The 'better' one is the 'bioform' one you can get in M&S or the original Charnos version in most department stores. It has a plastic thing in it instead of the wires that is supposed to not dig in you anywhere, provide better support for a larger bust, and be washable in a washing machine. Can you believe that ALL underwired bras should be hand washed - and do you take adequate care of yours? I don't, but it does mean that I occasionally have to fish a bra wire out of the washing machine smiley - laugh

I'd love to know if any of the claims for this new bra are true - any of the bustier ladies here ever try one? They don't go up to my size unfortunately but I am shrinking, so maybe I'll get into one soon. I have just bought my first new bra since losing weight - how wonderful to have one that fits again...


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 28

PQ

Interchangable cup sizes....that would be wonderful, I've got a C and 1/2 on the right and a D and 1/2 on the left.

The only *comfortable* bra's I own are boobs-in-a-bag style...ie some support but no structure...they look awful under clothes. I've got a lovely new bra that fits fine...unfortunately its a strapless/optional straps jobby which has a really snug fit around the ribs....it gives me heartburnsmiley - sadface

My sis in law owns a bioform bra...she likened it to walking round with two missiles strapped to her chest - but said it was very comfortable once she stopped bumping into things with em.

M&S don't stock them anymore(well they don't in my store) last time I saw one was in last yrs january sale and again they didn't have my size (why do they assume that everyone fits into a 36 or lower...and my sympathy to any woman with 32DDs but at least she can always find a bra).

PQ (desperately seeking a bioform)


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 29

Gubernatrix

>>>and my sympathy to any woman with 32DDs but at least she can always find a bra).

Not true! It is often quite difficult to find a bra with a large cup size but small chest size.

I speak as an ex-32DD myself (changed to D recently). And I know someone who is a 32F who has to go to specialist bra shops because she can't get her size in a normal department store.

The female body shape doesn't change uniformly. We are apparently getting bigger as a population, but I also get the impression that girls have bigger boobs (because of better nutrition or whatever) but smaller torsos (because of more targeted exercise - lots of girls do weights these days for example).

And don't get me started on sports bras! They are rubbish!


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 30

Wampus

What's wrong with sports bras?

Forgive me for being a guy, but...32F? smiley - bigeyes That girl must be really skinny, and have a very sore back.


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 31

PQ

I only have a go at the 32DDers because whenever I shop for bras they seem to have any cup size you could ask for in 32-36 but *nothing* in a 38...and even when I weighed almost nothing I was a 38C...my boobs can grow and shrink - my rib cage will always be a 38 or moresmiley - sadface

Oh and I've found the bioform - figleaves.com do three versions (and their sizes include up to a 32FF<ouch&gtsmiley - winkeye £35 per shot...I'm seriously tempted. Almost all the other retailers have discontinued - figleaves says something about Charnos incorporating the Bioform into *all* it's bras thoughsmiley - wow


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 32

PQ

In the name of research I bought a bioform and I've been wearing it for a couple of days.

It looks greatsmiley - wow...I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror and thought I'd lost weight...amazed that a bra could do so much.

Its also very comfortable supportwise - they aint going anywhere but alternatively they don't feel like they're strapped down and immobile (like sports bras).

The only problem I've had is a tendancy to start rubbing under the arms wghere the wire-substitute ends...but then I've always had quite sensative pits (ever since an incident at 14 with immac and sure deoderentsmiley - yikes). However the chafing has lessened the longer I've been wearing it so I think it's just my body getting used to a different area doing the weight bearingsmiley - winkeye

I'm going to give it a few more days and then probably buy another one after pay daysmiley - ok(the basic one was £29 with free delivery, the lacy/shiney ones are £35)...plus the little catalogue that came from figleaves.com has made me tempted to go on a major knickers spending spreesmiley - silly.


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 33

Saturnine

Ooh.


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 34

Wampus

What makes bioform bras different than standard-issue bras?


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 35

kelli - ran 2 miles a day for 2012, aiming for the same for 2013

That is good to know PQ, when I get small enough I will definitely buy one! smiley - cheers

My next experiment (it is in the post) is one of the strappy tops and one of the halterneck tops from bravissimo with the built-in bra. I haven't worn a halterneck since I was about 12 so looking forward to giving it a go! I will (of course) report back when I have tried it on.

Wampus - see my earlier post smiley - winkeye - they were specifically designed with the larger bust in mind, so lots of clever engineering stuff in the materials and way the panels are put together. They have a plastic thingy in them (sort of the shape of half of one of those ying-yang doobries) instead of the wire that is supposed to provide better support.


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 36

ismarah - fuelled by M&Ms

The bioform sounds really interesting - only problem is that half the site(figleaves) doesn´t work!
grrr@sites that aren´t h2g2!
cheerssmiley - disco ismarah


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 37

Wampus

Very interesting.


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 38

Narapoia

32FF? DD Cups? You don't know you're born! At least most manufacturers think about doing sizes up to a FF, or maybe even a G. Well I'm an HH and HHeartily peed off not being able to get a bra to fit.
I tried a Bioform in the closest size (G cup, 1 back size larger) just to get an idea what they were like and nearly dislocated my shoulders getting into it...
What really narks me is the manufacturers seem to think that just because you're well endowed you want armour plating up to your eyeballs and no sexy lace or cleavage. I will never wear a Triumph Doreen!!!!
Bravissimo are the brave exceptions although I will have alook for these Figleaf people. Bravissimo are collecting customers' views to pass on to the manufacturers so you can express yourself on their website.


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 39

Saturnine

smiley - erm

Always breast reductions!!


Why hasn't there been any advance in the world of bust support?

Post 40

PQ

The figleaf site worked fine for mesmiley - erm maybe its got some stupid wizzy programme in it that mucks it up. The one thing I really liked was that you could search for bra's that where your size...so instead of trawling through bra after bra checking the sizes available in each you could narrow it down instantly....v nice.

I'm not sure but I think they do Bravissimo too....lots of different brands. I was amazed to find they even do bodies/corset/slips in larger sizes too...I was so annoyed when I got bigger than a C cup.


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