I had a question in my comments regarding breast shape and how that can affect bra fitting. My post on “What Exactly is a Good Shape?” was an importing starting point for this, but I think it’s also pretty important to share a bit of the background to that post. Because I’ve tried so many bras and the shape of my boobs is very stubborn and frustrating, I’m very aware of it. Figuring out your shape is something that tends to happen gradually the more bras you try. But for trickier shapes, or for those who haven’t tried as many bras, it can be more difficult to figure out what shape you are. Once you’ve figured out your shape, you’ll be better equipped to choose bras that will suit that shape.
If you have boobs that are full on top, you will find that you struggle with bras cutting in across the top, especially when there is a ribbon or tighter detail there. In some cases this just means the cup size you are trying is too small, but women with full-on-top boobs will often have this problem even if the bra fits otherwise or is even too large everywhere else. Full-coverage bras can be very hard to fit into properly for those with this shape. If you find that you fit lower-cut bras in a certain size, while bras that have tighter upper section across the top cut in and give a “four boob” effect, you might be fuller on top and more suited to bras that are lower-cut or more open in that part. Stay tuned to this blog for reviews of bras that will work well, as this is the shape I have.
People with boobs that are more full on the bottom are likely to have more luck with bras that have a tighter upper section, like Bravissimo’s Alana and Dotty Spot or Freya’s Arabella. On the other hand, these women might find they need to size up with bras that give a lot of uplift by pushing the bottom of the breast tissue, like Curvy Kate's Thrill Me and Tease Me styles. Women with this shape will also have an easier time fitting into full-coverage bras, though they may find that style doesn’t give as much support and uplift as they’d like. I have no scientific data on breast shape, but from people I have talked to, and my observations of bra designs that sell well, I believe the full on the bottom shape may be the most common shape.
Other women have boobs that are more full on the sides, which I imagine would mean they are better suited to wide underwires; or full in the middle, in which case you might find you 'fall out' of plunge bras in the center. Or, some people’s shape might combine several of the shapes I’ve described. If you've tried lots of bras and have never noticed any of these effects, you might have a balanced shape that doesn't skew to any one direction, which could be good, and mean you fit in a lot of different styles.
If you haven’t been able to try on a lot of bras, you can also start to guess your breast shape based on the shape of your boobs without a bra. See if you can tell where most of the volume of your boobs is, and where they are most firm. For instance, my full-on-top boobs have the most volume on top, and that area is also very firm compared to everywhere else. Your monthly breast self-exam is a good time to investigate your shape while you’re at it.
People with boobs that are more full on the bottom are likely to have more luck with bras that have a tighter upper section, like Bravissimo’s Alana and Dotty Spot or Freya’s Arabella. On the other hand, these women might find they need to size up with bras that give a lot of uplift by pushing the bottom of the breast tissue, like Curvy Kate's Thrill Me and Tease Me styles. Women with this shape will also have an easier time fitting into full-coverage bras, though they may find that style doesn’t give as much support and uplift as they’d like. I have no scientific data on breast shape, but from people I have talked to, and my observations of bra designs that sell well, I believe the full on the bottom shape may be the most common shape.
Other women have boobs that are more full on the sides, which I imagine would mean they are better suited to wide underwires; or full in the middle, in which case you might find you 'fall out' of plunge bras in the center. Or, some people’s shape might combine several of the shapes I’ve described. If you've tried lots of bras and have never noticed any of these effects, you might have a balanced shape that doesn't skew to any one direction, which could be good, and mean you fit in a lot of different styles.
If you haven’t been able to try on a lot of bras, you can also start to guess your breast shape based on the shape of your boobs without a bra. See if you can tell where most of the volume of your boobs is, and where they are most firm. For instance, my full-on-top boobs have the most volume on top, and that area is also very firm compared to everywhere else. Your monthly breast self-exam is a good time to investigate your shape while you’re at it.
You also may be able to tell your shape based on the appearance of your boobs without a bra. Although once again this is not scientific and won’t be true of everyone, boobs that are full on top tend to look more like the figure on the left without a bra, while boobs that are full on the bottom tend to look more like the figure on the right.
One last point is that some boobs are close together, while others are set further apart. If you have close-set boobs, you might find that you get a lot of cleavage without trying and need a narrow center gore, or to alter wide center gores so they don’t cause discomfort. If your boobs are wider-set, you might find it is harder to get cleavage when you want it, and you might find it is difficult to find plunge bras that work for you—Cheryl at Invest In Your Chest has talked about this difficulty.
I hope this post is useful to anyone who is working on finding the right bra for her shape. Of course, like any such guide, this is only a starting point. The main point I want to make is that there is no “wrong” shape for breasts. Every shape is normal and attractive, and every shape deserves a bra that fits well. There are lots of different kinds of bras out there, and especially as the market is growing, there will be something out there for everyone. The more you know, the better luck you’ll have.
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