Padded sports bras

[zoom-zoom]

Anyway, while there I saw sports bras with underwires!?!? Sounds painful to me.

My 2 favorite Champion bras both have underwires--they offer better support and encapsulation than bras without, at least on my boobs. If a bra fits properly the underwires shouldn't be uncomfortable...I have worn a few that don't fit well (or are just plain poorly-made/designed) and in those cases the underwires are uncomfortable.

[Crankin]

I received the Handful bra today. It comes in a large mesh bag that looks like it will be useful for traveling, so I kept the bag. When I first took the bra out of the bag, I thought it looked big for an x-small, but it fits perfectly. It's not tight and constricting at all, like all of my other sports bras. I thought the V back straps might show in a regular shaped top, but I wore it and changed into a wicking t shirt for a run on the treadmill and nothing showed.
I thought the pads (which are removable) were natural looking and certainly didn't increase my size in any real way.
It just made me look like I *might* actually have some boobs. I am glad I bought two.

[Melalvai]

I almost said "could you post a picture please?" and then realized how that sounded. Um, is there a link to an ad that has a picture?

[BalaRoja]

I find that for regular bras, a 38A fits across the back but is too big in the cups, and a 36A fits in the cups but is too tight in the band. I wind up wearing the 38A because I'm not a big fan of all-day pain.

Also I can't wear anything with an underwire because they dig into my ribs in the front. I have weird ribs.

Really I wish I could just skip it altogether.

I feel compelled to ask as it is relevant to me (same size basically): what brands are you wearing/using in a 36a/38a? Most dept. stores don't even carry 38a's and the selection of 36a's is usually slim at best.

I think what Oakleaf said sounds right: broad shoulders/torso + small cups = lotsa problems finding a well-fitting bra.

[OakLeaf]

I almost said "could you post a picture please?" and then realized how that sounded. Um, is there a link to an ad that has a picture?

http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodHF_5...um=productLink

[Susan Otcenas]

If I can jump in here for a moment...

We carry LOTS of bras, to suit many difference preferences.
http://www.teamestrogen.com/product/...-c2-c3-p0.html

To address a few things mentioned here...

A/B cup bras without padding:

1) Try the Handful. Pads are removable. These have been HGELY popular this year. Come in 5 colors.
http://www.teamestrogen.com/handful/...3-b100201.html

2) Patagonia Barely Bra. No padding.
http://www.teamestrogen.com/patagoni...3-b100123.html

3) Phoebe A/B bra - Racerback with no hardware.
http://www.teamestrogen.com/search.ep?keyWords=phoebe (note this link shows you the A/B AND the C/D versions.

4) CW-X Lite Support - no padding
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodCW_165001.html

5) Iris Bra - I love this Bra. Comes in A/B and C/D. No padding http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodMC_300124.html Might be a teeny bit generous in the cup for a true A, but a tweener should be fine in it.



I'll address larger bras in my next post.

[Susan Otcenas]

And I'm sick of the only really supportive sport bras having hooks right over my spine where my hydration pack sits. Oh yeah, that is soooo comfy on a rigorous mtb ride.

Of course, front zip bras for the endowed have their own problems (like requiring 4 hands to install). I don't have an answer but then I'm not a engineer.

It's a dilemma. I was a 36D/DD for a long time, I know where you're coming from. Here's the problem though. If you make a pull-over only bra with a band that stretches enough to get over the sheer mass of a D or DD chest, then the band becomes too big to really lend enough support to the garment. To compensate for that CW-X has a really nice racerback that has a single flat hook/loop on the band. I've owned and extensively wore the CW-X and it's a great bra. If you click into this and look at the alternate photos, you can see the back: http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodCW_165102.html As a bonus, CW-X just started making this in a 32D, which is a really hard size to find. ( FYI - my written review on that bra is a few years old. I'm wearing a 32C now and have an entirely different problem. 32Cs & especially 32Ds can be hard to find, though there's lots of choice in 34 C & Ds.)

[zoom-zoom]

32Cs & especially 32Ds can be hard to find, though there's lots of choice in 34 C & Ds.)

I hear this. I am a 34D, which isn't horrible to find, but when I lose weight it's only through the band, and not the cup volume...when that happens I end up a 32DD, which is nearly impossible to find. It kind of hurts my incentive to lose my last 20#s.

[Susan Otcenas]

Try being an f'ing D and every danged sports bra is some double-layered beast with a thin layer of some sort of thin padding sort of garbage...then all strappy cycling and tri tops have an additional built-in, worthless, shelf-bra...4 layers of fabric over my danged boobs.

Moving Comfort has a couple of C/D tanks tops that they've done a GREAT job on. They've basically taken the support systems in their bras and turned them into tanks. Take a look at these:

http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodMC_300263.html (This comes in an A/B as well)
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodMC_300131.html

On the first one, we have an inside out photo so that you can see the construction of the bra. It's really nice. I have one of the tanks from the second link above, and I DO NOT move in it. I acquired it when I was between a C & D.

For the B/C gals, CW-X took their Sport Support Bra, extended the length, and created a great support tank.
http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodCW_165007.html


Hope all this info helps!

Susan

[Susan Otcenas]

I hear this. I am a 34D, which isn't horrible to find, but when I lose weight it's only through the band, and not the cup volume...when that happens I end up a 32DD, which is nearly impossible to find. It kind of hurts my incentive to lose my last 20#s.

Moving Comfort makes 5 bras in a 32DD.
http://www.teamestrogen.com/moving-c...0002~32DD.html


FYI - we have all sorts of "filters" running down the left side of the website. When you're in the bra section, scan down to the "size" filter. Click "more sizes" and it will display all the sizes available. The link above I filtered on Moving Comfort & 32DD. We don't have any other vendors that make a 32DD, btw.

[Susan Otcenas]

zoom-zoom,

The Enell would work for you too, but that's a whole lotta bra. Title 9 calls it "The Last Resort Bra" with good reasons. But I can attest that it is ROCK SOLID, even in the larger sizes.
http://www.teamestrogen.com/enell/pr...3-b100040.html

A 32DD would probably be a size 00.

Susan

[crazycanuck]

+1 to Moving Comfort bras!!! Thanks to whomever it was that suggested them to me & TE for selling them

[lph]

The message in all of this is that I'm not supposed to be happy with small breasts, and I have to lie to the world and make them look bigger than they are. Except I'm actually quite content with the way I look and I don't want some clothing manufacturer to tell me that I don't measure up to their standards of beauty. This is how I was born, and anyone who doesn't like it can pound sand.

Sing it, sister. I can choose to wear a lightly padded bra to work, but when I can't find a single unpadded bra - and I'm talking augmentation, not just hiding the headlights - I get mighty sick of the implication that "you can't possibly want to go out in public with those ". I like looking like this. They fit my body shape. It's a bear finding a bra that fits a wide back and an A-cup, but I wouldn't change them if I could.

[Catrin]

If I can jump in here for a moment...

We carry LOTS of bras, to suit many difference preferences.
http://www.teamestrogen.com/product/...-c2-c3-p0.html

I'll address larger bras in my next post.

Any solutions for those of us who fall between B-C cups? I was a 38D before I lost a lot of weight and went to the department store this weekend to get measured properly. Nothing they had in either 38B or C cup came close to fitting, but I've never been a fan of sports bras I've found in department stores. I don't care so much about headlight dimming, but that would be great if I can get that and proper support.

And just to be picky, I need a racer back - or at least one that is convertible. Perhaps as I continue to lose weight perhaps I can get out of this "in-between" category. I didn't buy anything since nothing fit - but my larger bras just aren't doing the job any more...

I've looked at your site and didn't see anything in a 38B - it seems better to me to go a little small rather than a little large. Of course, I may just not have hit the right filter I've never been smaller than a C cup as an adult, so this seems odd to me

[Susan Otcenas]

Any solutions for those of us who fall between B-C cups? .....
And just to be picky, I need a racer back - or at least one that is convertible. ....
I've looked at your site and didn't see anything in a 38B - it seems better to me to go a little small rather than a little large. Of course, I may just not have hit the right filter I've never been smaller than a C cup as an adult, so this seems odd to me

I think you may not have hit the filter correctly. (Go to Apparel-->Tops-->Bras. then go to the size filter and click "See More Sizes") There are 4 bras in 38B on the site: http://www.teamestrogen.com/product/...00002~38B.html For best support in a racer-back, I'd recommend the Moving Comfort Juno over the Saucony Motion Sensor.

As for B/C, yes, there are some options here. I find Cs a skosh too large in some styles (I can hardly believe I'm writing that... ), so here's some B/C options that I've found to work well.....

By filtering on 36B/C, these CW-X options come up. http://www.teamestrogen.com/product/...0002~36BC.html They are all racer back. As far as the bras go, in order of most supportive to least supportive, these go Extra Support. Firm Support, then Sport Support/Ventilator are a tie (same bra, different fabrics). Only the 1st 2 are available in 38B/C. (ANd yes, I've worn all of these extensively, except the Ventilator. Did a 10 mile run inthe Firm Support just yesterday!)

Hope this helps!

Susan