Chelsy and John Maxwell 8: Killing Demons with a Salt Gun

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

38 minutes ago, PennySycamore said:

40 As and Bs can be damn near impossible to find.  There is this assumption by the bra companies that if you have a big rib cage then you also have a big cup size. 

I've always had a larger band size and a smaller cup size. I miss the "Thank Goodness It Fits" line by Playtex. They had in-between cup sizes, like "Almost A", and "Nearly B".

I bought some new bras via the internet last Spring. My best guess of my size was 38A. (US sizing) They're a bit too tight around, but the right cup size. I got a few extender-things from JoAnn Fabrics, and now they fit fine. Which I guess means that my real size is a 40AA. That should be an easy size to find, right?

Edited January 30, 2021 by WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?
Removing errant "s"

[Ozlsn]

On 1/28/2021 at 1:15 AM, mango_fandango said:

I seem to be one of the few people who doesn’t mind a bra. I’ve never had that thing of getting home and taking it off in relief. I don’t find them particularly uncomfortable either. I guess I’m just weird that way. 

Me neither. Everyone posting about not wearing bras during lockdown and I'm all "bras are fine, not wearing shoes or jewellery!" I think it's very body shape dependent, but if you find one that's comfortable then you don't notice it (or in my case three that are comfy, thank you varying monthly bust size and heat expansion).

[Botkinetti]

I’m giggling at the thought of Steve reading this thread because the discussion is about !!! BREASTS !!! . And the discussion is both matter of fact and funny. 

I think he would be both shocked and appalled that we’re not talking about how to cover them up so we’re not being a stumbling block to a righteous man. 

[browngrl]

On 1/27/2021 at 9:15 AM, mango_fandango said:

I don’t find them particularly uncomfortable either. I guess I’m just weird that way. 

I found that the big difference for me was getting properly fitted. Once I found a comfortable bra that was the correct size I found that it was more comfortable to wear a bra than not. I'm not the sort of person who is comfortable being scantily clad (TBH I'm most comfortable at fundie levels of coverage) so getting fitted was an odd experience for me but I am so glad I did it.

[anachronistic]

I really hate the fact that American culture dictates women cover up their chests. I feel like I’d be a lot more comfortable in the summer if I didn’t have to wear a shirt. As it is I wear the lightest cotton sundresses I can get away with, but I have a huge chest so even the most comfortable bras I can find make me feel like I’m wearing a parka on hot, humid days. My family isn’t particularly prudish but I somehow ended up being incredibly modest. I don’t wear anything that shows my bra straps, or anything too short, because it just feels wrong. (I think maybe it’s related to general shame about my body, which my upbringing and the culture around me have combined into my hating it for being fat and ugly and unfit. I know intellectually I’m not ugly, just average, but self esteem isn’t something I really possess.) And at the beach, I cover up with turtleneck swim shirts and longer shorts or cover ups just because I’m very, very fair and terrified of the skin cancers that plague my family. 
 

I love it when little kids are just, like, done with clothes, so bye. (This does not extend to diapers. Please leave that on. Please leave the poop in it. Poop is not finger paint.) They just strip anywhere. I hate it when I have to tell a kid, like around age 7-8 at home and 4-6 in public, that they should think about not doing it anymore, because I don’t have a good reason why they shouldn’t be naked if they feel like it. I always end up copping out and saying ‘because your parents don’t like it’ because they’re never my kids. If it feels good and it doesn’t hurt anyone, why not be naked? Maybe we are avoiding angering the ghosts of the Puritans? I don’t know.

[Lgirlrocks]

This ad was on the maxwell thread. 

[sparkles]

2 hours ago, browngrl said:

I found that the big difference for me was getting properly fitted. Once I found a comfortable bra that was the correct size I found that it was more comfortable to wear a bra than not. 

When you’re a 44J (yeah, you read that right) there’s no bra that’s going to be comfortable, properly fitted or not. Going without isn’t super comfortable either—I’d like SOME support, because closing a low-hanger in your desk drawer only needs to be done once in a lifetime—but I’d rather go that route since I’m WFH these days and the pets don’t care what I look like. Right now, if I have to go out, I’ve found that a sports bra is the most comfortable. It’s a bitch to get into because there’s no give and I’m exhausted by the time I wrangle everything in place, but there are wide straps, no wires, no bounce and I’m smooshed in enough that I’m not in danger of putting someone’s eye out.

My daughter worked at a super high-end lingerie boutique in NYC for a while and she has quite the collection of beautiful bras and undies $$$$$$$ that she got for free each month. To say I’m hella jealous is a major understatement. 

[MamaJunebug]

Attencion, attencion:

Catherine’s has a front-closing bra that gives good support and is all-cotton save for some kind of stretchy stuff where you’d expect it. I’m rocking a 44C even after luring a lot of weight.  
 

Ny only complaint is that about 4 or 5 in the afternoon, the band seems tighter. To date I’ve just taken off the whole bra but going forward, I’ll try just unhooking the very bottom hook-&-eye.

And heres a link !
 

Mine is the first one.

Edited January 31, 2021 by MamaJunebug

[moreorlessnu]

On 1/30/2021 at 9:43 AM, browngrl said:

I found that the big difference for me was getting properly fitted...so getting fitted was an odd experience for me but I am so glad I did it.

I've always wanted to get properly fitted but worried that I would be more "exposed" than I care to be in front of a complete stranger. 

[louannems]

On 1/29/2021 at 6:07 PM, WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo? said:

I've always had a larger band size and a smaller cup size. I miss the "Thank Goodness It Fits" line by Playtex. They had in-between cup sizes, like "Almost A", and "Nearly B".

I bought some new bras via the internet last Spring. My best guess of my size was 38A. (US sizing) They're a bit too tight around, but the right cup size. I got a few extender-things from JoAnn Fabrics, and now they fit fine. Which I guess means that my real size is a 40AA. That should be an easy size to find, right?

https://m.jcpenney.com/p/dominique-wireless-full-coverage-bra-5316/ppr5007205499?pTmplType=regular&catId=SearchResults&searchTerm=42+a+bra&productGridView=medium&urlState=product_type%3Dbras

 

For years, I ordered my bras from JC Penney, either the old catalog, then later online.  I wore a size 42A.  They were the only place I could find that size in several styles.

After I lost 75 lbs on Weight Watchers, I wore a 36A, but the cup was not filled out.

Like others have said, in the winter I rarely bother, and only wear sports bras now, when necessary.

They even have a 44A!

[MamaJunebug]

4 hours ago, moreorlessnu said:

I've always wanted to get properly fitted but worried that I would be more "exposed" than I care to be in front of a complete stranger. 

If it helps, the ladies who fit other ladies for bras have seen so many breasts, they’re completely professional, nonjudgmental, all-business and yet very sensitive to the fact that many of us do not want to expose ourselves. 
 

They tend to look away when the bra is going on or coming off and are only concerned with matching the right garment to the body. They pantomime what you need to do to adjust your breast Into the cup.  I’ve never had to ask them to do this for me, though if it were necessary, I’m sure they’d be gentle and discreet. 
 

I’m only writing all this because when you’re finally wearing the right bra, you’ll feel like you have a new lease on life. Seems like everything fits better, feels more comfy, when the bra fits. 

If you do decide to get fitted, good wishes! 

 

[nausicaa]

On 1/27/2021 at 9:15 AM, mango_fandango said:

I seem to be one of the few people who doesn’t mind a bra. I’ve never had that thing of getting home and taking it off in relief. I don’t find them particularly uncomfortable either. I guess I’m just weird that way. 

Same. I wear them at home with no one around. I actually feel freer with things battened down and streamlined, you know? I actually used to sleep in my bra when I first got one in middle school (I kept my underwear on under my pjs, so why not my bra?) till a girl called me out at a sleepover. 

During the pandemic I've switched to sports bras, but that's mostly because underwire bras are so expensive and so I don't want to unnecessarily wear those out. 

I also don't get the whole meme about the joys of going pantsless around the house. I get cold? I prefer leggings to jeans at home, but being in my underwear sounds really uncomfortable and distracting. 

A born nudist I am not. 

[fundiefan]

On 1/29/2021 at 7:30 PM, PennySycamore said:

40 As and Bs can be damn near impossible to find.  There is this assumption by the bra companies that if you have a big rib cage then you also have a big cup size.  My oldest daughter who was 9 pounds 5 1/2 ounces used to park her little fetal feet right under my ribs.  My ribs have stuck out ever since.

They also think that if you have an A or B cup, you want a larger cup so every damn bra is padded & shaped. Before my reduction, I had an easier time finding 36DD's that actually fit than I do now trying to find a 38B that fits, isn't padded or shaped, and doesn't cut into me to the point I start thinking I need a 40B, which I don't. I've been fitted several times over the past few years as my shape has changed with the scoliosis & everything being crunched together in my middle. 

I really, really just want a damn bra that holds the girls in place, doesn't increase their size in appearance, isn't molded, and has a bit of lift but not so much my  girls start reaching for my chin. That is apparently an impossible dream.

[FinallyMe]

16 hours ago, louannems said:

https://m.jcpenney.com/p/dominique-wireless-full-coverage-bra-5316/ppr5007205499?pTmplType=regular&catId=SearchResults&searchTerm=42+a+bra&productGridView=medium&urlState=product_type%3Dbras

 

For years, I ordered my bras from JC Penney, either the old catalog, then later online.  I wore a size 42A.  They were the only place I could find that size in several styles.

After I lost 75 lbs on Weight Watchers, I wore a 36A, but the cup was not filled out.

Like others have said, in the winter I rarely bother, and only wear sports bras now, when necessary.

They even have a 44A!

Thank you!!! I knew I couldn’t be the only person out there who needed a 40 or 42 A. Every time I try to get hep with online retailers, I’m directed to bralettes. I want a regular bra, with lining....if I wanted a bralette I’d just order one since they are easy to find!

[courtlylove]

3 hours ago, fundiefan said:

I really, really just want a damn bra that holds the girls in place, doesn't increase their size in appearance, isn't molded,

I have small boobs, but this is me, too. I despair when I walk through the lingerie department and see rows and rows of pre-formed, underwire bras. I just want something simple, with no wire, in a pretty fabric, that fits me and my shape, not that shapes me to some predetermined idea of what boobs should look like this year. 

[anjulibai]

On 1/29/2021 at 8:30 PM, PennySycamore said:

40 As and Bs can be damn near impossible to find.  There is this assumption by the bra companies that if you have a big rib cage then you also have a big cup size.  My oldest daughter who was 9 pounds 5 1/2 ounces used to park her little fetal feet right under my ribs.  My ribs have stuck out ever since.

Yes, I have noticed that same assumption. 

I also have the issue that there's a fair amount of boob material at my arm pit, so get a lot of bras that cut into my flesh. 

We need bras that form to the boobs and rib cage, and don't try to force the boobs and rib cage to form to the bras. 

[Lady Grass Lake]

I read a blog by the lady who also blogs a Cakewrecks.   Her companion blog is EPBOT and she did a whole post years ago about bra sizes and sister sizes that is about the best thing I have ever read.  I used to wear a 38D but they were always on the outside hooks, but I ended up moving to a 42C and finally found a size that fit me.    If you go to her blog    www    EPBOT    dotcom  and search for bra sizes it will take you to the 2013 post she did on bra sizes.       

[16strong]

If it hasn't already been mentioned, r/abrathatfits over on Reddit is a magical resource. Their bra calculator is second to none. I don't even bother getting professionally fitted anymore.

[Katzchen24]

I follow Cora Harrington, The Lingerie Addict on Instagram etc. She also has a great website with lots of information about fitting and wearing lingerie. I've found her info really useful in the past,

Spoiler

https://www.thelingerieaddict.com

 

[Charlie Brown]

Hello!! I have been registered on this site for years but have only posted once before I think. However, you are all speaking my language now - IRL I am a professional bra fitter and I feel everyone's pain. Please, please, please, all you ladies who have trouble, please get a professional to fit you!! As Mamajunebug said, we are professionals, we are not looking as your boobs per say, they are just a couple of bits of flesh on the front of your chest to us and we just want to get you the best fitting bra we can. The most common problem is that most women are a lot bigger in the cup than what they think they are, everyone thinks they are a 'DD', so few are. To accommodate the more than DD cups women keep going bigger across the back which is not the way to do it. I had a lady in on Monday who told me she was a 36C - she was actually a 32F.

To the ladies who are a bigger back size and a smaller cup size - we agree the manufacturers just don't cater to you. We used to love the 'Goddess Michelle' bra which was perfect for larger back/smaller cup and then they stopped making it, we were gutted!!!! My suggestion is to try 'post surgery bras', they are generally wireless and they tend to make them with wider backs and smaller cups - Amoena and Anita are good brands.

Sorry for this huge post, I just got so excited to see talk about one of my passions - my heart was skipping a beat when I was reading the recommendation for Freya bras - yes! Fantasie Helena - yes! To reiterate, professional fitting - you will never regret it!!!!!

[ophelia]

@Charlie Brown, welcome! Love to see with how much enthuiasm you talk about being a professional bra fitter.

I've recently started to wear nursing bras since my boobs are growing due to my pregnancy and I just love it. Don't see how I can ever get back to normal bras.

[Charlie Brown]

Thanks @ophelia, I do get slightly carried away, but it is such a deeply satisfying job - I have had customers burst into tears on me when I can get them into something that fits and is comfortable for them. Nursing bras are really comfy - you can now get really good wired ones with Flexi wires in if you are not ready for a non wired yet, I'm happy to answer any questions you might have!

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

@Charlie Brown, thank you for chiming in! It's great to hear from a professional. Have Covid19 precautions had much of an affect on professional bra fitting appointments?

One reason I ordered bras online last spring (when I had previously considered a professional fitting) was that I had gift cards for J.C. Penneys and I worried that they could go out of business before I used my gift cards. The local store was temporarily closed, so I just tried online. 

Also, in a bra discussion awhile back on FJ, someone said that some bra fitters can be expected by their employer to steer clients to bras that their company carries, even if they weren't a great fit. (The specific complaint was that Victoria's Secret fitters would tell customers to buy a VS bra that didn't fit quite right, because VS didn't actually make the right size for that customer.) In your experience, does there tend to be a better result from a fitter working at an independent store, than say a fitter working at Victoria's Secret, or a department store like Macy's, J.C. Penneys, or Kohl's? (I guess your answer might partly depend on where you live and work.)

Thank you in advance for any answers!

Edited February 5, 2021 by WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?
missing word

[Black Aliss]

41 minutes ago, WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo? said:

@Charlie Brown, thank you for chiming in! It's great to hear from a professional. Have Covid19 precautions had much of an affect on professional bra fitting appointments?

One reason I ordered bras online last spring (when I had previously considered a professional fitting) was that I had gift cards for J.C. Penneys and I worried that they could go out of business before I used my gift cards. The local store was temporarily closed, so I just tried online. 

Also, in a bra discussion awhile back on FJ, someone said that some bra fitters can be expected by their employer to steer clients to bras that their company carries, even if they weren't a great fit. (The specific complaint was that Victoria's Secret fitters would tell customers to buy a VS bra that didn't fit quite right, because VS didn't actually make the right size for that customer.) In your experience, does there tend to be a better result from a fitter working at an independent store, than say a fitter working at Victoria's Secret, or a department store like Macy's, J.C. Penneys, or Kohl's? (I guess your answer might partly depend on where you live and work.)

Thank you in advance for any answers!

If there is a Nordstrom store in your area they are probably your best bet. I've also had the female Alissettes fitted at the local Macy's (when they still existed) and they were good. It's a good idea to call ahead to find out if a store offers professional fittings and to book an appointment. You could even describe your body type and ask to be booked with someone who is especially good with that type.

It's always interesting to see what brings people out of lurking. Thank you @Charlie Brown for stepping out and giving such great advice.

[Thorns]

On 1/27/2021 at 3:15 PM, mango_fandango said:

I seem to be one of the few people who doesn’t mind a bra. I’ve never had that thing of getting home and taking it off in relief. I don’t find them particularly uncomfortable either. I guess I’m just weird that way. 

I hate going without...! I can still remember wearing my first properly fitted bra, and the day I discovered Fantasie bras changed my life. And I am so thankfull I found my Elomi nursing bra!