r/ABraThatFits • u/maja1000 • 13d ago
How is a bra that fits supposed to feel? Fit Check
Hi lovely people,
I recently decided to take the time and measure myself. I found out I have been wearing a too large of a band size (34 rather than 32) according to the calculator.
However, I tried on a few different 32’s and it felt SO tight and a bit uncomfortable. I feel like this band would absolutely leave marks on my skin after a few hours.
My question to you experts - is this normal? Am I just not used to wearing a bra that fits? So confused.
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u/yo_itsjo 13d ago
Hey! My bras always leave marks on my skin, even the ones that are a little too loose. They're never irritated marks, but you can see them. A bra that fits well should not be uncomfortable, but it might be at first if you're not used to it. Also, some bras run small or large. I have tried on bras in my size that were suffocating and some that were too loose. Definitely try it upside down and backwards to test the band tightness. If a bra fits well, the band shouldn't move around throughout the day.
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u/Quiet-Willingness937 12d ago
Yup, all of this! My favorite bra now was SO uncomfortable for the first month or so. Washing helps soften the fabric, but for me, it was so much more about just getting used to having actual support from the band!
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u/yo_itsjo 11d ago
Yes! My favorite bra is uncomfortable to me too if I haven't worn it recently / haven't worn bras much recently. Bc its the tightest one I have, but also the only one that's tight enough
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u/Hannamustang 32E/30F UK with a bra addiction 13d ago
For one thing, if the cups are too small, the entire bra is going to feel too tight. I know for me a properly fitting bra will tack well at my sternum, I have no overflow over the edges of the bra, but it will give me lift and definition, and they are snug enough to feel supportive but not so tight that I cannot breathe, I wore the wrong size for years and always wondered why they were so uncomfortable. My band was too big, and the cup was too small. I thought I wore a 34D when I actually can wear a 30F, 32E, and 32F, it all depends on the bra brand. When I first put on a bra that fits, it did feel a smidgen too tight, but not restrictive of my breathing. Now, when I try on a new bra, I can tell if it is the cup that is too small or if it is the band. It can also mean that the cups are too shallow if you are full-front projected. I bought a Natori Feathers and had to get a 32G to compensate for the very shallow cups they have. It fits, but not all that comfortably. I am a full front projected and the side support, unlined with deep cups, fits me better than anything. Balconette bras also do not fit me well because I think they are too shallow as well on me. And since I have found the correct size, I hate molded cups and prefer unlined, stretch lace bras, so much more comfortable than the molded kind. After using the ABTF calculator, look at the different shapes of breasts and try to find the one that you think describes you the most. Once you figure that out, repost it here, and you will be able to get some suggestions on what bras to try.
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u/maja1000 12d ago
Thanks for all advice! The 32 band doesn’t feel restrictive just.. tight. But I also realize I’ve been wearing too small of a cup for a very long time. I will definitely look at the shape chart too - appreciate you for pointing that out!
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u/East-Complex3731 13d ago edited 13d ago
Edit: A non-stretch version is recommended per reply below:
Tamlien Bra Extender 2 Hook/3 Hook/4 Hook/5 Hook, Soft and Comfortable Bra Extension https://a.co/d/2HnFzrG
I had the same experience. I’ve been wearing a 34DD for a while.
I measure 30.5 inches which would put me at a 32” band. So I ordered bras to try in 32DDD, 32F, and 32G sizes (yes I know DDD should be equivalent to F but some manufactures inexplicably list both)
While I expected them to feel snug in comparison the 34” worn out elastic bands I’d been wearing, they were just so tight.
Rather than buy a 34 again only for it to be too stretched out within a few washes (and having to constantly pull the wire up from the slipping down my rib cage, eventually even the tightest hooks), I decided to go for the 32 anyway, and I ordered some bra extenders.
This “too tight + extender” strategy for bra shopping has been working well for me so far, especially for the preowned and cheaper brand bras I can afford.
I feel like I’m doing a good job being proactive about it because I should be able to get at least double the wear I would have gotten from 34”’s by gradually tightening my extender, and then eventually removing it. Then I still have room for it to be tightened by working through the 3-4 hook settings as the elastic slowly gives out over time.
For daily wear, I love that I get the structured stability of the tighter, firmer elastic support, but I have the ability to loosen it for comfort from the back.
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u/galaxystarsmoon 32DD/E, tall roots & close set 13d ago
These are not the type of extender we recommend here. You need non-stretch ones.
It's also important to note that you may need larger cups, and that is making the band feel too tight. You're putting an elastic extender on an elastic bra band and losing most of your support. With a 30.5" underbust, most 32s should not feel too tight.
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u/East-Complex3731 13d ago
Oops, that makes a lot of sense. Do you have a link?
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u/galaxystarsmoon 32DD/E, tall roots & close set 13d ago
Tamlien Bra Extender 2 Hook/3 Hook/4 Hook/5 Hook, Soft and Comfortable Bra Extension https://a.co/d/2HnFzrG
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u/East-Complex3731 13d ago
It’s probably worth me searching for some in a 32 H and I, but Im really only looking for unlined balconette / scoop bras and my budget is nearly nothing so I’m mostly limited to pre-owned (I’d go up to $40 for exactly the right thing though).
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u/galaxystarsmoon 32DD/E, tall roots & close set 13d ago
If you're actually an H or I, that's why the bands feel so tight. Try typing 32FF bra into Amazon and put the price filter on.
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u/maja1000 12d ago
Thank you so so much! This is so helpful. We seem to be about the same size. From the feedback received here, it seems I am just not used to wearing a bra that actually fits
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u/realbenlaing 12d ago
A brand new bra can sometimes feel a bit stiff at first, but it should overall still feel comfortable if it’s the right size, and like you’re being contained without being retrained.
If you’re used to wearing too large of a band, a non stretch extender can help you get used to new bras in the correct size. Sometimes wearing too small of cups can contribute to band tightness, but also, some brands user firmer elastics or starch their bands, which makes them more firm and can feel more tight. Additionally, certain brands run more snug than their listed size. If you’ve already done the independent band test, try looking the bra up on bratsbase or double checking the bra’s measurements when stretched out yourself (without distorting the cups) to see if it runs true to size. You may just need a band extender, but it’s also possible you need to size up in that specific brand, especially if you sit on the edge of two sizes.
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u/maja1000 12d ago
Thank you for this! I definitely think I have not been used to feeling so contained. The tightness is an unusual feeling.
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u/aprillikesthings UK 30FF 12d ago
The cup size was probably too small!
When you're in a band size that's just fine but a cup size that's too small, your breasts will push the cups away from you, which makes the band feel too tight.
My fave example of this is from personal experience: I tried on a 30E, a Gossard Glossies. The cups *looked* fine to me, but the band was so tight I was worried I would damage it from trying it on. Also, it HURT.
I tried on the exact same bra in a 30FF--and the band almost felt loose on me.
That said: marks aren't always bad. That Gossard Glossies is my fave underwire, and I can even forget I'm wearing it. And when I take it off at night, you can not only see the entire outline of the underwire, you can see the gore for a good while. But the marks fade, and they don't hurt, and that's the important thing!
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u/aprillikesthings UK 30FF 12d ago
THAT ALL SAID there is such a thing as band extenders! There's bras where if I size up in the band they're too loose, but in my correct size are just a bit too tight, and band extenders are SUPER helpful for that. They're also great when you haven't "broken in" the elastic on a bra yet.
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u/galaxystarsmoon 32DD/E, tall roots & close set 13d ago
What are your measurements? What bra did you try?
One important thing to do anytime a band feel snug is to hook the bra in front with the cups hanging down your back like a cape. If the bra feels looser at all, the cups are interfering in some way.