It was like turning back time to old days, when I was thinking my size is 34e. There, picture on the left, is something what I would be still wearing if I wouldn't know better. Picture on the right is Cleo Alexa 32ff.
I can't tell what size Playtex bra is, but they don't do bigger cups or bands smaller then 32.
Before getting some bra education, I hated padded bras and I wouldn't wear any bras with narrow straps. I didn't know the most of support in the bra comes from the band, not from the straps. So the band was loose and I would shorten the straps to give boobs some lift. All so uncomfortable and horrible looking. Now, look at the centre gore in both bras:
In Alexa the wires meet between breasts and sit flat against the ribcage. Plytex has underwires too! But because cups are too small and band is too loose, wires are just hanging couple centimetres away the ribcage.
In Playtex, breasts are squashed and flat and almost not lifted. Side view:
Can you see the band riding up? Very bad sign. Now, let's talk about the band.
My tight underbust measurement is 71cm (28 inches), loose is 74cm ( 29inches). I think +0 inches rule is wrong, it was used in Poland few years ago, when Freya was making very loose bands and before Ewa Michalak started making her bras.
After few years, the quality of bands improved and all Lobby Biusciastych and Balkonetka users agreed - they used to wear their bras too tight. There is no need to go 15cm down in the band, really!
What's my rule? Measure yourself not too tightly, use centimetres. Go down 5cm and choose the closest band size.
So 74cm less 5 is 69 - band size 32 (70). This is my band size in Cleo, Panache Superbra and Ewa Michalak.
Couple more photos, this time with a pj singlet on, can you see the difference?
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Nice post! Just a little detail: -10 in centimeters is the same than +0 in inches. -15 would be -2. :-)
ReplyDeleteSo, if you suggest taking -5 centimeters from your underbust, you're saying you like +2 inches method. :-)
I think that as I have more fat tissue and my bands stretch more because they are bigger, I have to decrease centimeters. I measure 105 centimeters underbust and I could never wear a 100 band except in Ewa Michalak. In UK bras I need a 90 or 95 band. :-)
Thank you Bra Nightmares. The Band sizes in EM is another story - I see so many girls ( not from Polish forums) who don't want to use EM Calculator and use +0 inches method when choosing her bra and then complaining about bras being too tight. Actually, it's my huge pet peeve:)))
DeleteYes, I read somewhere (maybe in your blog??) that EM bras should be the same size as your underbust in centimeters. I believe that in many cases this is correct. They just don't work if you look at the inch measurements. :-)
DeleteIt would be interesting to compare the Playtex bra with either Ewa Michalak's CH Toffik or Curvy Kate's Daily boost since they are very similar styles. I have a feeling both would be a huge improvement also. ;)
ReplyDeleteIn terms of the 0+ method it depends a lot on your underbust type and also stomach size. For instance, I have a squishy back (even thought it measures as 28") so for me I feel more comfortable in 28 bands (probably also due to me being at the very high end of cup sizes too) whereas Bras I Hate & Love has similar measurements and prefers 30 bands (my guess is I probably have more squishiness than her between major weight loss and pregnancies). Additionally, ladies who have rounded stomachs (i.e. underbusts smaller than waist size ) can have difficulties getting an accurate underbust measurement and might need to size down (especially during pregnancy if you're carrying high).
Even comparing our measurements mine prepregnancy is 28" tight and closer to 30" loose, which means I have a higher squish factor than you, which probably explains the difference in preference.
Thank you for very valuable comment, June.
DeleteThat's a really marked difference, but I bet my friends would look at the Playtex one and think it was perfectly fine. I find it interesting that when looking at the Playtex photo compared to the Cleo I would estimate your age as possibly ten years older in the Playtex!
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that you wear a bigger band size than me even though your measurements are slightly smaller than mine (I'm 29 inches tight, 30 inches loose). I have a bony ribcage and I do find 30 bands rather constricting to start with, but I cannot stand 32s. They are too loose right off the bat and it's like going back to the horrible old days when I didn't know what bras were for. So like June's example of her and Bras I Hate & Love, it's so fascinating to see how we might all have similar measurements and different band sizes - and I know that applies to cup size too. I think bra fitting is definitely an art rather than a science!
Thank you for your comment:) 32 bands work well for me (I'm 32ff-32g) in brands I wear at the moment.
ReplyDeleteLove the blog hun!! Just stumbled across it and have spent the last hour reading through :-) I am bra obsessed as well but have been blessed to be able to do something with my obsession and have just started my own website with discounted bras in bigger cup sizes.. :-) So just thought i would say HI!
ReplyDeleteMelissa