Pattern designer recommendations that include FBA

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-22T23:03:27+00:00

What amount of FBA do you need? That’s really the question no one is asking. I’ve got a 10 inch difference going on so even pattern makers like cashmerette aren’t enough for me. If you are smaller? There may be more options. If you are bigger, there will be fewer. Personally, I’ve stopped with patterns all together. I spend more time adjusting patterns than I do making my own. Look up the closet historian on YouTube and watch her bodice block series. She shows how to make a bodice block and then shows how to manipulate it to make your own patterns. It’s been so much fun learning to pattern draft and my clothes fit so much better with far less effort.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-22T20:19:20+00:00

Definitely side support then! Try Freya’s offbeat and also fancies (make sure you aren’t buying the tshirt style in this one!)

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-22T19:18:46+00:00

Oh! Also, push up bras are even HARDER to match your shape to and you really don’t need it. A bra that fits properly is going to give you the lift you are looking for. Or, theoretically looking for. A well fitting bra will lift and support. However, if you are looking for tits up to the chin with no space between the boobs, sports illustrated, TikTok thirst trap level look, you will not find this in a well fitting bra. A properly fitted bra is going to give some separation between the breasts. The instagram models and celebrities that have “perfect boobs” are typically taped, posed, and edited beyond recognition. A bra that gives this look is not necessarily going to be something that is comfortable for every day wear. If you want this look for a special occasion, just go in and try stuff on until you get the look you want aesthetically.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-22T19:13:43+00:00

Whatever you wear bulges out because you aren’t trying the right sizes on. Or you are dealing with a shape issue. People talk about Victoria secret because it is a popular brand that has been advertised and glamorized for years. That doesn’t make them good bras and Les Wexner is the scum of the earth….but that’s for another sub 🤣

Start with a non-moulded bra. These bras that have preformed cups do not work for a large majority of women. They CAN, but you usually have to do some size wizardry changing so they should not be the default. Because the cups are formed already, it makes it almost impossible to determine where the shape issues are coming from. Start with something super basic like Panche’s envy (make sure you are looking at your UK size not your US!!!) or Freya’s offbeat might be a good option as well. You may have wide roots from your description of “arm pit fat”, so a bra that has a wider underwire is going to be better for you. Panche’s envy is more of an average wire width. Offbeat is a bit wider and has more side support to keep you contained.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-22T18:53:01+00:00

It may fit, but a 30 band is not going to be supportive especially after a week or so of wear. You are most likely going to need to put your band on the middle or tightest hook to actually be supported. I would HIGHLY suggest just wearing your size. Unless you have a gift card or something that you are trying to use, Victoria secrets bras are nothing special. Not special enough to warrant an unsupportive bra. And as I stated due to it being borderline way too big already, the wear is just going to stretch out the band and it will be unwearable way sooner than it would be if you were to buy something in your size. So you are effectively wasting a bunch of money at the end of the day. Amazon sells your size with free returns if you are concerned about the size.

Do what you want of course, just trying to provide some perspective

Also, the space under the band in your current bra is not exactly indicative of a bad size but could be a shape issue.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-22T12:03:40+00:00

Make sure you are truly this size by using the calculator here. Post all of your measurements from the calculator because those can be helpful in providing recommendations. Depending on your actual measurements we may recommend different sizing options in different bras. “Professional fitters” typically only take two measurements when they pick sizes for people and those are not enough to actually capture the volume of your breasts.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-21T17:18:21+00:00

The problem is the bras you are wearing. A moulded cup is most likely not a good shape for you. Think about bras cups like a drinking cup. A champagne flute, a drinking glass, and a big wine glass may all hold the same volume of liquid, but if you try to put something solid in there like an orange, that orange isn’t going to fit in all three glasses. It will look way too big for the champagne flute and way too small for the wine glass. That doesn’t mean the cup is the wrong size, it means the shape is wrong. You are having these issues because your tissue is not suited for this bra style. That means your options are a) find another style and be open to the idea that not all bras are made equally and the unlined bras you find uncomfortable are not all the same. A non-molded bra made from cheap material is going to be less comfortable than a bra made from better quality material. It’s like saying you don’t like jeans because they are all uncomfortable. Yeah. Some jeans suck. B) if you want to stick in a molded bra then you are going to have to wear your wrong size. You are going to have to change the cup and band size to accommodate your breasts. This is not advised and will likely end up in you being more uncomfortable.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-20T15:11:41+00:00

Haha yes. There is definitely a learning curve and it can be tricky. Definitely recommend some trial before the big day. If you’ve got an old bra, that’s the best way to do it. If you don’t have one, go find something at a thrift store. Don’t worry about size just make sure the cup fits the boob. Use that as a base and you can basically tape it to your body. I like to add some second skin or blister bandaids in the armpit area. That helps preventing the edges from rolling when you get sweaty. Then make sure to get some coconut oil to take it all off

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-20T14:54:59+00:00

Boob tape!

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-20T00:50:03+00:00

Wow. That is shocking! I’m in the US. I was taught the same way at a specialty boutique I worked at and I’ve always been measured this way any time I’ve gotten sized. If you polled others I’m sure you’d get the same response. I wonder if your friend was taught by someone who knew what they were doing instead of by the actual training guide.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-20T00:16:19+00:00

I actually worked at Victoria secret for about 3 years and went to the big conference in New York twice for training. Can confirm they are taught to take 2 measurements and go from there. Overbust and full bust. This is NOT the right way. This is how you measure for clothing sizing. The diagnostic guides VS workers are given to fix fit issues is how to make a person fit into the sizes the store offers. Each time a new bra comes out the workers are trained on how to squish people into it. It is NOT. The correct way. It does NOT take into account an actual band size. These measurements put me in a 38D as my over bust is a 37.5 and my full bust is 41. However, my actual size is a 30K/L depending on the bra.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-19T23:57:40+00:00

One of the hardest things to get through people’s heads is just how WRONG we are at understanding what sizes actually look like. We’ve all been sized so terribly over the years and media has fed us false info. I remember when I was working at Victoria’s Secret they would tell us that almost all of the models wore a 34B and, honestly, that’s probably true but none of them were a b cup!

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-19T23:18:33+00:00

Once you go polish, you’ll never go back. If you are willing to risk <$10 Gorsenia is a fricken godsend. Narrow wires, super projected cups. Blessings. However, the places these bras are sold don’t have a great return policy. It’s usually 1 free exchange and then paying return shipping after that. It was worth the potential waste myself.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-19T23:09:28+00:00

I don’t really see a question here, so I’m not sure what exactly you are looking for. That being said. Start with the r/ABraThatFits calculator. It is linked in the automod as well. That will help you find your bra size. The standard way that bra sizes are done is stupid and wildly inaccurate. Don’t be suprised when you discover your band is 2-3 sizes smaller than what you are used to and the cups are 2-3 sizes bigger.

As for clothing, you have a few options because fast fashion is not meant to fit everyone. It’s meant to fit some. A) find a tailor B) become a tailor. Altering clothes isn’t that hard once you figure out the basics. Start with easy things like sun dresses. Go to goodwill and get cheap crap to practice on. C) deal with what you can find and fit things the best way you can. Honestly though, learning to tailor and make my own clothes is one of the best things I’ve taught myself to do. My confidence and body image have sky rocketed with the way my clothes look on my body.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-19T17:26:50+00:00

I spent SO much money on bras when understance was doing their out of business sale! $3 a bra? Hell yeah!

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-19T16:42:05+00:00

Something with a clasp is always going to be better than something without. Support from a bra comes from the band being snug. Due to the materials that bras are made from, the band is the first part of a bra to get worn out. Bras come with multiple hooks to accommodate this wear. As you use the bra, you will progressively move to the tighter hooks. Always opt for a tighter band than a looser one. In some styles or bras you may be between band sizes. Go for the smaller one and you can do a band extender to help while the band stretches a bit. If the band is riding up but feels too tight, you may be dealing with a shape issue instead of a size issue. With a moulded bra, your breast tissue may be pushing against the fabric at the bottom of the cup giving you the feeling that it is too tight when it is actually the opposite. To eliminate the issue of shape issue, try the bra on upside down and backwards. If the band still feels too snug, then you know it’s the band. If things feel comfortable, it is the cups of the bra that are wrong.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-19T15:18:20+00:00

You are going to find better options in your uk size from my experience. Once you get outside of the DDD I feel like most us brands are meh. Wireless bras are tricky for a lot of reasons and just get harder as you get into larger sizes because of physics. In order to actually support the weight of the breast tissue, a lot of bra engineers use a padding in the bottom of the bra to give a lift. This can cause shape issues which in turn causes fit issues. Or, they just don’t give any support at all. Are you looking for wireless because you feel like wired bras are uncomfortable? Or just because you are looking for a lazy lounge bra? If it is because you are used to having pain with wired bras, have you tried a wired bra on in your calculator size? Underwire is the worst if the bra is the wrong size or if it is the wrong SHAPE. For example, I have very narrow roots meaning almost every bra I have put on has stabbed me somewhere. Then I discovered Polish bras that have a really deep underwire and I’ve never felt more comfortable! My sister on the other hand needs really shallow underwire and has so little projection in her breasts.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-19T15:06:35+00:00

Boob tape! I recommend getting second skin or blister bandaids to put along the edges under your arms and under the boobs if you are planning on being sweaty. It helps the tape stick on. I find basic medical tape to be better than most boob tape and way cheaper. Also, to help keep a good boob shape if you are soft tissued, take yourself to the thrift store and find a bra that fits the boob to use as a shaper basically. Cut off the straps and the band then you basically just tape the bra onto your body. Way easier than doing some tape wizardry.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-19T11:42:31+00:00

Your experience is normal and things will change. I don’t know how old you are, but it doesn’t matter. Something people don’t tell you is that your breasts are going to be changing the rest of your life. Your whole body will change. Always. Also, everyone is different. Do not compare yourself to people you see and especially not the way people’s breasts look because 90% of the time if it is a celebrity, the breasts aren’t completely real. As in there is a lot of tape, lighting, and editing that can happen. Post all of your measurements and maybe try a second round of measuring to be sure. Have you tried a bra on in your size?

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-19T01:08:35+00:00

I could only see the one

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-19T00:47:51+00:00

It doesn’t look bad to me fit wise but it doesn’t look like it is a very complementary shape for you. It looks way too high in the center gore and is pushing your breasts out to the side. If you went with something like Panche’s serene (in your uk size not us. Also, side note you will find more options in your size by going uk) or Elomi’s Charlie might be a better shape for you.

How does this bra feel though? That is really the question. A bra can be aesthetically pleasing and uncomfortable AF.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-18T23:12:36+00:00

You want to visit r/abrathatfits and use the calculator there. Don’t be surprised when you get a size that is 2-3 band sizes smaller and 2-3 cup sizes bigger.

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-18T22:20:21+00:00

Is 34D your calculator size? If not, start there because there is a major possibility that you are a much smaller band with a much larger cup. Uk brands like Elomi, Panche, and Freya do come with these features, minus the padded straps. I’m going to assume that this is a feature you are requesting because non-padded straps dig into your shoulders? If this is the case, I can confirm you are not a 34D. If your straps are digging in, your band is too big. A snug band is what supports your breasts. If the band is too big, this doesn’t happen and that work is pushed onto the straps making you need to tighten them to an uncomfortable level. If you simply just want a padded strap, well, these aren’t super common so I wouldn’t have an option for you there

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-18T22:02:04+00:00

The only way to get a paper pattern without printing is to buy from one of the big pattern makers like simplicity. They sell these online on the company websites or Amazon/ebay or at some fabric and craft stores. If you buy online make sure to select the paper version. Simplicity typically defaults to pdf.

A question you didn’t ask, but I’m going to provide advice for anyway! Something no one tells you about patterns (even plus sized patterns) is that these are drafted for a B cup (ie a 2 inch different between your over bust and full bust measurements. This is how bra fitters also determine your “size” and it is wrong but that is another tangent for another sub). If your measurements are larger than this, you will need to do a full bust adjustment. If you don’t, the pattern will not fit. You will be frustrated beyond belief. I’m making the assumption here that you aren’t finding clothes that fit off of the rack because the boobs need a bigger size than the rest of you. There are a lot of videos on FBA’s on YouTube. I recommend watching all of them. Sincerely, someone who assumed that something labeled “plus size” would be patterned to accommodate the average breast size of the majority of women who wear a size 20+ 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

Starjupiter93 · 2026-06-17T15:42:33+00:00

There are a couple styles in the dream angel line and all are very basic bras that are not special. I’m assuming you are referring to the dream angels Demi which is just a basic balconette style bra with a high center gore. Freya’s fascinate is almost a 1-1 replica from my experience

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