Well, I am wearing my one lone 32C bra today. It's a VS Ipex. I must say that it feels looser and the band is not as uncomfortable as I recalled - probably because it's loosened up over time. However the straps and the band are slimmer and less supportive than the Chantelle 34B, and the cup... well, I think the cup is not as roomy as the 34B. I had thought the two were comparable but I guess not. And with clothes over I feel like it flattens me out somehow.

I coulda swore I tried on the Chantelle in a 32C too... but maybe I didn't. Maybe I gave up with this VS bra? I can't remember now. It could be worth another try-on, but I already spent my budget for the month so it will have to wait a week or so.

Hmmm. I too have really dainty shoulders and my bra straps never fall down. I can't tell you why.

Maya, I'm trying to think whether I always carry my bag on my left shoulder and over time I've made my shoulder slope, therefore creating bra strap slippage? Is "bra strap slippage" even a term??

Tanya, thanks for the tip. I'll try that bra when I'm next in Nordstrom, plus maybe some Chantelle options.

I have broad shoulders and my straps seem to fall down all the time. I am always tightening them to prevent this but it doesn't really stop it altogether. Although I occasionally use it, I don't really like the racer back maker thingy because it pulls the straps toward my neck too much so that the straps don't lie flat where they meet the cup.

At Nordstrom, I always end up with Wacoal. I always say I'm looking for comfort and they seem to think Wacoal makes the most comfortable bra. My experience is that this is true.

Hey Nicole, here are my numbers, if it's not too late (I was away whole weekend).

31 over bust
29 under

I typically get a 32 band. I once tried a 30 band at Nordies, but don't remember the brand name. I am somewhere between A and B. In some brands, I can do A, in some brands like CK I prefer B because the underwire cups are wider and more comfortable.

Thanks Lena...I've added your numbers to the spreadsheet. Your over bust measurement seems to be more accurate in regards to determining your band size.

16 people have given me their measurements.

4 people's over bust measurements match their current band size. (Nicole, Shana, San, Maya)

7 people's over bust measurements are wearing band sizes within one inch of their over bust measurement. (all of these women have odd number over bust measurements.) (Marianne, Nav, Tanya, Shiny, Tarzy, Mequita, Lena)

2 people's over bust measurement is 2" greater than their band size. (Kari & Laura--both have even numbered over bust measurements).

1 person's over bust measurement is 2" less than their band size. (Eva--even)

1 person's over bust measuremet is 3" greater than their band size (Patience--odd)

1 person's over bust measurement is 3" less than their band size. (Angie--odd)

Under bust measurement results are:

7 people's under bust measurement + 4 is the same as their band size. (Shana, Maya, Tanya, Shiny, Tarzy, Eva & Mequita*) (* Since Mequitas measurement was odd, I added 5)

7 people's under bust measurement + 4 was 2" larger than their band size (Marianne *, San, Nav *, Kari, Patience, Laura & Lena *) (Marianne, nav & Lena have odd numbered measurements, so I added 5).

1 person's under bust measurement + 4 = 4 inches greater than their band size. (Nicole)

1 person's under bust measurement + 5 = 2 inches less than their band size. (Angie--who was also odd).

Because band sizes are always even numbered, you have to adjust for odd numbered measurements. So taking that into consideration, 11 people have more accurate band measurements by using the over bust method.

If you do the same for the under the bust method...only 7 people had accurate band measurements. 7 people were over by 2 inches. Angie and I did not fall into either category.)

There is a reason why I did not become a statistician!! My head hurts!

Patience, you and I are odd. Nicole, my head hurts too.

Patience, I think it might also have to do with the slope of your shoulders.

I almost cried today because my strap kept falling off, even in the new bra. then I realized I had hooked it on the wrong loop ::headsmack::

Laura, I always attempt to carry my bag on my right arm. Ironically, my bag never stays on my shoulder, so I end up carrying it in the crook of my elbow. It just seems to be a theme with me.

Perhaps it doesn't happen to Angie because she is basically in proportion. I seem to be extremely dainty and small-framed in my extremities (calves, neck, arms, hands), and average or (in the case of my chest) large everywhere else. But that doesn't seem to apply to Laura or Patience. Who knows, it is probably a combination of factors.

If I hadn't made a promise to Angie to keep my filthy mouth off the forum, I would have lots of words for what I think about bras fitting. Grr. Most frustrating process ever. After shoes, bra shopping is my least favorite.

I think that shoulder slope has something to with it, Maya. I have small shoulders but they don’t slope. They are quite square. Perhaps thats why my straps don’t slide off. I have a plus size client with a large chest AND slopping shoulders and her bra straps fall down all the time. So we put her in one of those bras that you can adjust at the back so that the straps come in closer at the band. Do you know what I mean? It has definitely helped. Are you due for another bra fitting Maya?

(Thanks for keeping your promise).

Angie, I think you missed the extensive bra discussion I started with Nicole, Hannah, and Carissa. I went for a fitting a few days ago, and got one of those bras you are talking about with the inset straps. I am wearing it now. I also ordered a Fantasie bra but I will have to bring it in to get the straps altered. It seems like strap alterations are going to be a fact of life for me.

The new bra I bought and the ones I tried on were all a cup size up (sigh) from my old ones, but I still feel like many of my old bras fit. I laid them together cup-to-cup and they hardly seem different. They come up to the armpit and don't poke me or cause me to spill out from the top or any other telltale signs of too-small cups. I'm not sure what the deal is. I give up trying to explain anything bra-related because in order to explain it, it would have to make sense.

Sorry Angie & Patience for calling you odd. I was trying REALLY hard not to say that someone was odd...but I thought I was getting rather redundant and long winded with my odd and even explanation. I figured you all got my point--those of you who were still conscious after the first paragraph of my post!

Nicole, you'd make a great statistician!

I haven't known till now that if the bra's cup does not come to the armpit it means that the cup size is too small. That makes a lot of sense in my own experience. Before I got fitted at Nordie's and wore a B cup it never came that high and some tissue was always spilling over under my armpits; but I always though I had underarm fat! Once they put me in the C cup my 'fat' magically disappeared. I feel so clueless.

Don't worry, Nicole. Bosom buddies have special license.

Thanks for filling me in, Maya. I was unaware of your recent bra fitting (I’m prepping for an upcoming business trip and time is at a forever shortage). Sooooo, what’s the verdict on the new bras? Are you still a 32?

Glad you got your spillage sorted, Tanya.

Still 32, but a 32F instead of E. Though I am skeptical. I still measure out to the same number. The problem I was having was not related to the band size but to the fact that the straps kept slipping--I ended up shortening them too much to try and compensate for the slippage, and that made the bra fit awkwardly.

Maya, were you shortening the straps of your old bras? Do the straps of your new bras stay on your shoulder?

Thanks, Nicole!

New bra has inset straps so I only shorten them enough to fit. With the old bras I would shorten them too much in a desperate attempt to keep them on my shoulders, which made the bra ride up in the front. Bras that do not have inset straps (as in almost all bras) will need to be altered in the back. I have such a difficult size and fit that I do not want to be restricted to only convertible bras. I would rather just get the best bra I possibly can, and then get a simple alteration.

Maya,
If this is just straps alteration, it is definitely worth it. If you look in the thirty-twod community, you won't believe what kind of alterations ladies are willing to do in order to get a properly-fitting bra. I can say that I myself got the lacy Freya bra after having the Rio model from them and seeing that it is very uncomfortable in the band, and for some reason I decided that maybe it is because Freya run smaller in the band, so I should get 34h. Well, my lacy 34H bra (the one Carissa linked to) arrived, and what do you know? - it was so big in the band, I swear, I could pull it over my head with all hooks closed! Since it is an international shipping and I didn't want to send it back and pay shipping twice, I altered it. I ended up shortening the band both near the hooks and in the armpits (the first shortening brought the straps closer together, and the second one returned them to their original place), and then I also had to take in the cup a little, because cups in 34H are bigger than in 32H (obviously). OK, so now I have a decent-fitting bra, but it was quite a project. Still, it is not ideal - probably my body is just not suited to Freya bras.

Nicole, I remeasured this morning, and I'm still odd. I don't mind. I'm wearing my cobalt button down this morning under a sheath and now I know that I need an xs for the torso and a small to fit the shoulders and upper chest. Oh well. Thanks for all of the statistics. Now I have proof for fit issues.

You guys have given me a big aha on insetting the bra straps to help them stay on. How much should the alteration cost and do you take it to a regular tailor or is there a better option? It seems weird to have my shoulders be broad and sloped but I think they most slope forward a little.

Nicole, I finally overcame my laziness and measured myself. I am in the odd one together with Patience! I measure 32 underbust and 35 overbust, and I wear 32 band size.

Very interesting I think this in part explains how on earth can I have the same band size as teeny tiny Maya - it is just that the underbust is the smallest part of my body apparently.

Hannah, I think all this copious research proves is what we already knew: bra sizes are only loosely based in logic. Anyway I'm not all that teeny--just short-waisted. My under bust measurement isn't much bigger than my waist measurement.

Ha! Maya, you see, I am much odder in this respect: my underbust is actually a little smaller than my waist! Which makes me wonder, where exactly should my waist be if we follow the common definition of "the smallest part of the body between the bust and the hips".
And yes, you are teeny compared to me, don't argue

I think Nicole should publish the results of this extensive research in some serious journal

I think it's actually quite common to be smallest just under the bust--that's why empire waists are so popular. Unfortunately they only work if you aren't busty...so that doesn't help at all, does it?

Patience, I do not take my bras to the tailor to be altered. The place where I go to for fittings does it. It's free if you buy the bra from them but I think it costs something negligible otherwise. I'll bet Nordies does it.

Well I have just returned from my first strap-slip-free day. I can never go back! Definitely worth the minor alteration. I don't think I would do such extensive surgery as you did, Hannah, but a small alteration is completely worth it.

Seriously, Nicole, I second the idea that your findings should be published in the Journal of American Bra Fitting Technology ... or whatever organization has authority over all U.S. bra fittings

I think Nicole should seriously get some kind of honorary doctorate in bra fitting.

Maya, can you link to the bra that slips and then to the one that stays on? I know in the larger cups that balcony bra straps are placed further apart than full cup bra straps, because of the shape of the cup.

Don't worry if its to much effort. I'm just interested in learning how cup shape affects strap placement, etc. Either way I'm glad its working better.

And that is the problem, there is NO governing bra sizing body in the US or world for that matter.

Carissa, the one that stays on does so because I can adjust the placement of the straps in the back. It has nothing to do with cup shape really.

This is the bra (yes the review is mine):

http://www.herroom.com/Chantel.....shtml#info

This is one of the bras where the straps fall off.

http://www.herroom.com/Chantel.....-Bra.shtml

Pretty much any bra has that problem though. Doesn't matter if it's molded, seamed, contour, lined, etc. It has to do with the placement of the straps. I did not have this problem when I was not busty though (yes, there was such a time). I was a 32B for most of my teens and a 32C for the first couple of years of my 20's, and it never bothered me. It only became a problem when I got up to a 32D. I don't know why but it seems like bra designers/manufacturers think that if you're busty you must be broad-shouldered too. I think the strap placement should relate more to the band size than the cup size, if anything.

So late data for you Nicole-

26 under bust
30 over bust

I have been measured for a 30C but most of the time I wear a 32B as I can't find 30C and even when I do find them, they're far too expensive for my budget.