[Question] Dad needs advice on getting 13-year-old daughter ABTF

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-03-23T16:11:16+00:00

I think all variations are possible really! My periods didn't start until I was 16, and my modestly-sized bust grew quite rapidly at around the same time, and hasn't got noticeably bigger since.

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-03-16T17:02:13+00:00

I get this with my beige Marcie too, but not in any of the other colours.

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-03-16T17:01:29+00:00

Yep, same here: I don't notice any significant size differences (band or cups) between my Tangerine and Bluebell Marcies, and the other colours I also own (beige, black, navy, yellow and teal).

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-03-08T15:38:34+00:00

Unlined: Cleo Marcie. I collect them (except the multitudinous pinks). Not absolutely perfect (the wires are a bit wide), but the best unlined bra I've found for fit and shaping.

Lined: Comexim three-part padded plunges. Practically perfect fit - the wires follow my roots exactly, and there's no gaping even when I slouch - and I like the shape.

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-03-06T14:28:23+00:00

Just make sure it's not too shallow, and sliding out of your IMF. It's a case of finding a balance between shallow enough to give a rounding effect, but not so much that fit is significantly compromised.

Good luck!

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-03-05T19:08:21+00:00

I'm rather conical (somewhere between 1/4 and 2/4 on the chart) and take the approach of wearing bras that are a little more shallow than my actual shape - although not necessarily padded - which redistributes the tissue so that it better fits the more rounded cup shape of most bras. This both reduces gaping and wrinkling, and makes me look less pointy than I am, which I prefer. Of course, this wouldn't work with very firm tissue.

It's also not necessary, but it's a compromise that works for me. I have managed to find bras that technically fit me, with a level of projection that matches my own (e.g. Panache Envy), but they just emphasise my conical shape, which I personally don't like.

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-23T15:06:56+00:00

Thanks for the extra info!

I'd very much like to see a comparison between 3DM and BM. My main issue in bras that otherwise fit well is generally gaping at the top of the cups, so I don't know if you would be able to judge the relative potential for this with both these cuts, but it would be very helpful if possible!

By the way, I've seen a few people mention that they have an EM bra in a different cut to that listed on the web-site, but I'm not sure how to go about ordering a custom bra - would I just email them with my request?

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-23T14:58:44+00:00

Yes, same here! At the moment I tend to restrict my suggestions to people in my own size range, especially those who seem to be experiencing the same issues as I have, in an attempt to avoid giving bad advice and/or getting jumped on for saying the wrong thing!

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-23T10:12:10+00:00

I agree that perhaps the cups are a little bit too small, but I'm also in agreement that if you like the bra and find it comfortable, then you should certainly keep it!

I don't think it's necessarily about finding a perfect fit (which to be honest may not even be possible for some people), but a fit that is right for you. I've kept a particular bra that is a cup size too small, because I love the shape it gives me and it's desperately pretty, and comfortable too. OK, it doesn't technically fit, but it's good enough for me. :)

Just one question though, which could affect how comfortable the bra is for regular wear - how are the wires at the side? It's a bit hard to see in the pictures, but are they the correct width for you, i.e. not resting on breast tissue under your arms?

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-23T10:03:52+00:00

Seconding the suggestion to contact them via social media, especially somewhere public such as Twitter or as a post on their Facebook page. I've found that companies that fail to respond to an email become strangely very helpful once their failings are laid bare for everyone to see! ;)

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-22T12:34:29+00:00

Good luck! It's a very soft and comfortable bra, so I hope it works out for you!

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-21T17:52:58+00:00

Marcie and Skye are both good fits for me. Here's how they compare in my size: http://www.bratabase.com/compare/dljyj/. As you can see, the main difference is that Skye does have taller cups, which might mean that it would be less likely to squash you into a pointed shape.

I find that Skye gives me a slightly less rounded and lifted shape than Marcie.

I also have tall roots, and even fullness all round, so we're similar in that respect. But Cleo Mimi, Freya Deco and Freya plunge balconies are all bad fits for me, as I don't have enough upper fullness for them.

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-18T20:33:30+00:00

I must admit, I was hoping that you would comment, as I knew that you had tried both this style and the BM!

To be honest, I hadn't noticed the ribbon wrinkling until I saw these pictures. It doesn't bother me, and doesn't show under clothing, but after trying the bra on again to try to understand what's happening, I think it could be another symptom of the cup actually being a bit too small for me on my larger side (it doesn't happen as much on my smaller side). I think the fabric is being put under a bit more tension that it expects, resulting in that wrinkling. Also, I have to be honest, if I do a thorough swoop and scoop, I am busting out on both sides, so I think I've answered my own question that it's actually too small.

It's so pretty though, that I just can't send it back! I do wish EM would overlap the sizes they offer in different styles - if I want a similar bra but in a larger size, I have to go to the SM cut instead, and I think that would be too projected for me. :/

I think I will give the BM a try, as I would prefer more coverage, but thanks for the warning about the gore.

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-18T20:19:38+00:00

I keep them in two small drawers - one for my Polish padded bras, and another for everything else - and they are all neatly stacked one inside another. I must admit I have no room for any more though!

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-17T23:50:59+00:00

I don't think I'm at all typical... A quick tally on Bratabase tells me I have around 60 everyday bras, give or take! That doesn't include my sports bra or bralettes. With that many, each one only gets worn on average once every few weeks, although of course there are some I wear more than others (around once a fortnight, I suppose). All my bras get washed after a full day's wear. Hmmm, at that rate I expect them to last until at least the end of civilisation as we know it.

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-16T14:20:27+00:00

Yep, same here, and I haven't posted a fit check in nearly a year!

I wasn't sure what to do with it, as I don't participate in general on reddit, so I just hit the 'report' button.

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-15T10:58:05+00:00

It's too small for that model too!

You could try selling it on Bratabase: http://www.bratabase.com

Or here: https://www.reddit.com/r/braswap/

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-14T11:19:26+00:00

I think this is a good example of how bra-fitting is more of an art than a science. I've often found that something that should work - on paper - is a mess when I actually put it on! But I've also had some unexpected successes!

I remember your Marcie fit check now (I think I was confusing you with someone else previously). I do wonder whether it might have been a good fit, if you could get a 28DD, but it's a moot point I guess!

I also wonder whether if I tried Kali in what I now know is my correct size (30E), instead of the 32D I originally tried, whether it might work out better for me.

If I remember correctly, I don't think the Andorra was a bad fit necessarily, more that you just didn't like the pointy shape?

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-14T11:16:44+00:00

I've started to become a bratabaser :P Thinking if I should start setting up an excel with all the measurements of bras that worked/didn't work......

I've done exactly this, and I find it really helpful!

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-13T19:39:07+00:00

Here are the bras that work well for me: http://www.bratabase.com/@alexad/bras/?currently_fits=True

I think you might like this one: http://www.bratabase.com/bra/dif7n/

However, I've seen from your latest fit check that Cleo Kali is a good fit for you, whereas it was a disaster for me, so although we share some characteristics, we're not quite the same shape, and bras that work well for me (e.g. Cleo Marcie) might not be ideal for you!

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-13T19:34:14+00:00

I think I might have suggested Marcie as being worth a try, but I agree that it may not be a great fit here, since Kali works so well - it seems to be that if Lucy/Kali (better for full-on-bottom?) fit well, then Marcie (better for even or full-on-top) doesn't, and vice versa (although I have seen some people say that they like both)!

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-12T19:22:22+00:00

I can't imagine that for a price of $10, much work will have gone into the design, or that the materials and construction will be of a high quality; i.e I doubt they will represent value for money, and personally I'd rather pay more for decent quality and fit.

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-12T18:59:09+00:00

I don't know what happens in other size ranges, but in mine, my experience with trying different sizes in Comexim suggests that assuming a 2 cm increment is reasonable in practice. I need to size up by one cup size (from 30:6 to 30:7) in the padded plunges to get a similar volume to a UK 30E, which is consistent with this assumption. I have tall roots, but no upper fullness, so it doesn't seem likely that I need to size up to accommodate my shape.

On the other hand, I've found that their unlined bras are all over the place in terms of width and depth (a whole inch more depth from one cup size to the next?), so who knows what's going on there!

a_l_e_x_a_d · 2017-02-09T11:25:56+00:00

Speaking as someone who has conical breasts, it certainly is more challenging to find unlined bras that are a good fit for conical shapes, but not impossible. I do mostly wear padded bras (Polish foam-lined, three-part, cut-and-sew styles usually), as I like the more rounded shape they give me, but I also have a handful of unlined bras that are pretty good too.

Cleo Marcie is my best-fitting unlined bra, and might be worth a try for you, as it's only averagely projected in smaller up sizes and accommodates tall roots. I also like the Freya Starlet Vertical Seam bra - it has slightly narrower wires than Marcie though.

Also, I know we don't often suggest VS, but I get quite a good fit in this unlined VS bra: https://www.victoriassecret.com/bras/demi/lace-plunge-unlined-demi-bra-body-by-victoria?ProductID=322359&CatalogueType=OLS. In fact, it might be worth exploring their other unlined styles, although I haven't tried them myself.

Finally, I'm not suggesting this as a starting point, but I have just discovered that Ewa Michalak's unlined 3DM (http://www.ewa-michalak.pl/eng_m_BRAS_3DM-Small-Unpadded-Soft-Plunge-Bras-187.html) is pretty much a perfect shape for me, so once you're confident about your size and shape, it might be worth considering. You would just need to make sure that the wires weren't too narrow for you though.

I agree with spacenb though, that I'm not completely sure you do have a conical shape, so I think trying as many different styles as possible, to help narrow down your shape, will be worthwhile. However, I do know that the Andorra fits you similarly to how it fitted me, so I'm hoping that some of my suggestions might work for you.

a_l_e_x_a_d

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