Does your bra make your upper back look like a balloon animal? - YouLookFab Forum

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Does your bra make your upper back look like a balloon animal?

April

Veteran

What is the story with that?

I don't carry a lot of extra body fat, and when I touch my bare back under my arm, all I feel is ribs, so how is my bra band creating serious bulges?

We all know that a properly-fitting bra has a tight band. When you go and get fitted, invariably they tell you, "Oh, you thought you were a 34B, but in reality you're a 24G -- good luck with that."

So what to do?

The products I've seen that are designed to address this problem, such Sassybax, seem convinced that smaller people don't need their products. Their smallest size fits a 4-6 top <sound of loud "you're out" buzzer>.

Anyone have thoughts?

Dressing

23 replies

Latest reply was from Claudia

adorkable

Veteran

It's definitely true that the smaller bands often give LESS fat. (For example, I look much lumpier and heavier all over in a 34DD than in a well-fitting 28G.)

Freya makes a longline bra that goes down to a 28 (although the minimum cup size is a D or DD - I don't know what you need). It might help since the band sits in a much different place.

Something like this:
http://www.figleaves.com/us/pr.....Bra/?size=

I actually own this bra in a too-big size and had it taken in; I'm going to buy one of these and am happy to pass on my review (although, um, no photos).

Claudia

Veteran

This is the absolute bane of my fashion existence. I have a 34G (DDDD) cup and the back fat/soft tissue seems to really go hand and hand with large breasts, especially with age.

I have tried a couple of back smoothers like Sassybax, but then I lose the great cup support and shaping I need. I have to choose between looking good from the front or the back.

All I can say is it does help to know that petite, slender and smaller breasted women also struggle with this issue too.

carter

Veteran

Soma's Vanishing Back bra solved that problem for me.
http://www.soma.com/store/page.....Experience

Emily

Veteran

Yes, yes, yes! to the Freya longline bras. I have three and I <3 them so much. I have the one with the multipart cup that comes in fun prints, and the "deco" shapewear version with the moulded cup. I really like both. I found the best price (albiet shipped to Canada) at belle-lingerie.co.uk.

MuseumGal

Veteran

I have a (dancer, flat chested) friend who once told me that she thought back fat was an invention of the media to make women feel bad about themselves for something that doesn't exist. I had to laugh, because it's true - back fat doesn't exist - on her.
Anyway, on a practical note, I'd just go a department store and try on 20 different bras until you found one with a back strap that you like.

Marmee

Veteran

Yes! I don't get it. I've been wondering about this lately. I have lost some weight in the last year, and it seems like that area is even more voluminous now. Did all of my remaining body fat travel there? Does it have to do with being 50?

I'm so glad you posted about this!

April

Veteran

Oh, those Freya longline bras could be the answer! Though I worry about putting all that on during our hot, sticky summers.

@Carter -- the Soma style got my hopes up, but they start at a 34 band. I need a 32 or sometimes a 30.

Sal on Already Pretty once said this: "Bras dig. I’ve seen professional athletes with less than 5% body fat whose bras dig into their backs. Try not to get too wound up about it."

Comforting, but hard to remember when catching sight of yourself in a three-way mirror.

Thistle

Veteran

I have it. I won't admit to how many "D's" are in my cup size, but enough that if a bra didn't dig, there would be no lift. So, I just go for tops that skim and hopefully don't show too much of it.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

April, this one I cannot get around, nor fathom. I've managed to get rid of undies that dig on the hip and make muffin top, but cannot find a decent size 30 band bra that does not do this. The closest I got was probably the Simone perele Caressence 3D, alas it was just a touch too large at the top of the cups and I resold it here to another member. If you find one in our sizes, anywhere, do give a shout out and a head's up!!

adorkable

Veteran

One more thought: maybe also check out the blog Hourglassy for suggestions? I believe its just hourglassy.com and I bet they've covered this topic.

I'm holding out hope for the magic invisible anti-gravity cups of the future, myself. As soon as I invent them I'll make sure everybody here gets a free one!

ironkurtin

Veteran

I find bras with a wider back band do this less. I wear very tight sports bras and nary a bulge.

Diana

Veteran

Hm, I don't have this problem but this may actually be because my rib cage is wide in front and narrow in back, which leads to its own problems, mostly being that it's hard to find cups wide set enough. But I wonder if it might be worth it to try on some different bras that have narrower set cups in front to see if that would eliminate the bulging? I'm thinking on bras with wider set front cups then the back band would be shorter, so the opposite might also be true where a bra with narrower set cups would have a larger back width? But of course you can't go narrower than where your boobs want to be so it may not work. Freya is supposed to have narrower set cups than other brands.

April

Veteran

@IK -- but [insert whining tone] sports bras don't look good under clothing either.

@Diana -- I hadn't thought of that. And in fact, I often find that my bras place the cups a little too far apart for my natural shape. Lightbulb! Thank you. All roads seem to point to Freya...

DonnaF

Veteran

I just got a Freya longline, and I still get some back fat!!! It also flips up a little at the bottom which I understand longlines are prone to do, and I am very long-waisted. What I've found that helps is that once you are fully in the cups after having done the swoop thingy is to pull the back out a little, either in the middle or under each strap. This enables the squished up back fat to settle down in its regular place.

Three hook bands give me less back fat than two hook ones, and I guess the longline the least of all. Has anyone seen a three hook in a 28 band? Just because I have a small ribcage doesn't mean I don't want/need support!

Sage

I eagerly wait for adorkable's invisible, superlifting bra
As a 28 hh I also experience the back bulge, but the better my bra fits, the smaller the bulge.

I've found some help in reading these bra blogs:
http://brasihate.blogspot.no/2.....boobs.html
http://www.hourglassy.com
http://www.bralesssinbrazil.com

Sarah A

Veteran

Well... these are my favorite b/c the band doesnt have a top and bottom elastic just one kind of stretch whole back panel. But alas, start at 34. Maybe some other member will be helped by the link.

http://www.amazon.com/Barely-T.....#038;ie=UT

E

Veteran

Yes! I'm somewhere in the 30/32 band size, and I don't seem to have any fat on my back, but a lot of bras will do the bulgy thing. So annoying! My gap wireless t-shirt bras do it least (even in a body con tee, there aren't usually any lumps), probably because I'm wearing a 32 vs a 30 (but it still sits evenly around my ribs & back). As someone too in the 30C/30D/32C/32B range (once again, depending), I'm sized out of a lot of bras recommended on the forum, otherwise those long line bras seem like a good solution! My real solution is to often wear tops that don't cling to my chest, thus allowing me to go bra-free. But when I'm wearing knits, the gap bras treat me better than any of the fancier brands I've tried! They hold up well too, and come in decorative options as well as utilitarian ones.

Claudia

Veteran

I just ordered a Freya longline, I'll let you know after the poor thing gets put through its paces.

Lyn D.

Veteran

LOL- I enjoyed your title
My solution is less clingy tops.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Diana might be onto something. I wonder. That is so interesting. Like her, I'm wider in front than back (or so it seems).

Anonymous

Yes. Even though I have not an ounce of fat on my back, a properly fitting bra makes my back skin squish up like a Shar Pei puppy. I'm also sized out of the Soma vanishing back bra (plus, it's a front hook, so you can't tighten it up after it stretches out after a week, or am I the only one who has that problem?). I bought a 32 band bra last week, it was nice and snug on it's loosest hook when I bought it and it's on the tightest hook already. It even rides up just a little when I raise my arms. So then I end up loosening the straps to keep it from riding up and then I wonder, why am I even wearing a bra (besides the padding)? I am getting no lift or support at all from this thing. It's just like a bullet proof vest. *sigh*

ETA: I meant to say that I stopped wearing knit tops and T-shirts so at least the lumps and bumps aren't as noticeable. I love a good print for camouflage, too!

adorkable

Veteran

And for some commiseration (although no good answers):
http://brasihate.blogspot.com/.....-band.html

For DonnaF: Bravissimo has a lot of 3-hook bras in a 28, but it's only for GG cups and up ... so it may not be relevant to you. My size is sadly the top end of the 2-hook range - I'd prefer 3 as well!

Claudia

Veteran

The Freya longline bra is so not for me. I will be returning it. Not nearly enough support and coverage for a really big cup size. Bounced just walking, and after stopping and standing still the girls took a while to settle down up above their perch. Also, it did nothing for smoothing the upper back above the closure and the jiggly bit directly behind the armpit and above the backband. Would be good for lower back fat, but not upper. Also latching together all the closures (6!) was a bit much for me. It does have great uplift and separation, though.

(So far the best all around bra I've found for me, while still not perfect, is the Wacoal Awareness 85567 underwire bra. The girls are locked and loaded and going nowhere. I can run in this thing.)