Boys will probably want to skip this entry. It’s all about bras.
…okay, maybe that means you want to read it. I donno. :)
So I get this biking gear catalog from Terry Bicycles. I was flipping through it the other day and found this sports bra that nobody could resist: it’s called Damn The Torpedos. It is specifically made for Women With Boobs; they advertised it as being designed for C and D cups.
Naturally, I bought one immediately.
It has a zip front and velcro adjustable straps to ratchet up the squish factor with. It arrived today, and if it weren’t so smoky out, I’d go dashing out for a bike ride to give it a real test run. It is smoky, though, so I just spent several minutes bouncing around in the bedroom, during which time I determined that it is probably the most comfortable sports bra I’ve ever put on, and furthermore that it seemed to do an excellent job of reducing bounce. It clearly works under the “flatten and squish” principle rather than the “lift, separate and squish” principle that some sports bra manufacturers go with. It’s possible the latter works if you’re not a C cup or better, but in my experience, “squish them flat” is about as good as it gets when you’re looking for a bra that will prevent you from having to clutch your chest to run up stairs (or anywhere else).
The other one I bought (in a large) claims to be wearable from 36A through 38B, and while the ribcage measurement is just fine, the actual cup size does not accomodate a C cup and so is not to be recommended. For an A or B cup, though, who wants a sort of casual sports bra thing, it’d probably be very good–it was comfortable, overlooking the slopping over the sides bit.
They also have another one I want to try, but I have to wait til they get my size in. Hrmph. And there’s another zip-front sports bra which looks a lot like the Damn the Torpedos bra, but doesn’t have the keyhole back and doesn’t claim to be specifically made for C&D cup women, so rather than trying it I think I may just get myself a second DtT bra.
You all now know far more about my bust size than I’m strictly comfortable with, but that’s something I’m just going to have to live with, in the face of sharing information about good bras. :)
So, any recommendations for larger sizes? Say, DD and up? (Pregnant and nursing are “up.”)
No, not for me…
I really like my Enell sports bras and I am definitely ‘up’ from a DD. I find them extremely comfy.
http://www.enell.com
I got mine at Lucy’s (workout clothes for women chain) and could try them on. I ended up going for a size smaller than would be recommended by their sizing chart but it felt much more stable.
I’ll second the wish for recommendations. I’m a 34 DDD and it’s nearly impossible to find anyone who makes/sells that size. Not so much the cup size, though that isn’t easy, but to find a DDD with a small band size? Blech. Most sites that sell the bigger cup sizes think women are going to be bigger around the band, too. *grumbles* I’ve been losing weight, so my band size has shrunk too.
It’s been suggested to me, too, that women try the Le Mystere bra. It’s the one that Oprah had on her show. Nice bra. Expensive, though. :(
Eponin, I do recommend you check Enell. I’m a 36J and I really like the sports bras I got from them. 34DDD does show up on their list of sizes and they do custom ordering. It’s not cheap but they seem to be lasting and I haven’t been easy on them.
These are the only bras I’ve found that fit me and actually give me the support I want for exercising without making me feel like I’m participating in a chest-binding bondage.