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DoubleD’s Dilemma
I am 5'5", 170lbs, and I typically wear a size 38DD bra. And I have had a lot of trouble finding tops and sports bras that not only have enough space in the cups for my breasts, but actually offer support.
My technique so far has been layering – wearing my most supportive sports bra and a decorative top (or second bra) over it. But my sports bras are nearing the end of their lifecycle and I've started looking around for new ones.
There's a lot of cute clothing out there for dancers with awesome cuts, patterns and designs, but when you get up to my size, the selection seems to shrink considerably. I can find some tops that are big enough but don't offer support, so I'd have to layer up anyway; or I can find supportive sports bras that are just FUGLY, to be blunt. They're often meant for runners and designed to keep everything strapped in and down, which I do need if I want to avoid nip slips, but they do *no* favors to me aesthetically.
I'd like to do some more performances next year, and I want to look good on stage, not like I'm dancing in my underwear. The best supportive bras I've been able to find have parallel straps, but the "fashionable" tops that I would wear over the bra are almost all racerback-style or have some other fun & funky thing going on in the back that makes the parallel bra straps stick out in a very awkward, obvious, not-good way.
So I'm looking for suggestions of brands or stores that cater to the larger-chested athlete/dancer. I've tried the Hanes store and Nike store at the local outlet mall (too sporty/unflattering), as well as Lane Bryant/Cacique (too lingerie-ish).
And I should let you know: As a rule, I don't buy clothes or shoes online. I love to browse online but I am very, very hesitant to buy anything without trying it on first. This is especially true with bras or anything bra-like because every design and every brand is going to fit me differently. (I hate, hate, hate going through the hassle of returning purchases and obtaining refunds/store credit/etc.)
I've poked around on sites like Mika and Bodybinds and Lululemon but have still not seen a lot of what I'm looking for, and it ends up being a very depressing shopping experience that doesn't make me feel very good about my body. I'm pretty sure if I wore bodybinds I'd look like an albino whale caught in a fishing net, not a mean sexy-lines machine.
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36 Replies
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I find Soma to be better suited to girls with larger breasts. They make lovely supportive bras, most have a side sling in the cups so your supported from all sides. The have full coverage that are great to preventive nip slips. Bonus at this time of year they bring out the nicer colors and offer a lot more in terms of style. Bonus thier pj’s are great. Downside these bras can be expensive, but they wash beautifully and don’t lose thier shape or dry odd.So they are worth the investment. I put mine in a mesh bag ( the tub style ones) and then hang dry. I found this keeps the underwire nice and you avoid pilling of the fabrics. You can put them in the dryer on low if you need your bra clean soon. http://www.soma.com/store/home.jsp
This is the one I wear to class or at home. I put a cute sports bra over it and I have support, avoid uniboob and the sport bra keeps the girls from sliding out of the cups when I’m inverted. http://www.soma.com/store/browse/product.jsp?maxRec=60&pageId=3&productId=570011773&viewAll=&prd=Allura+Racerback+Bra&subCatId=&color=&fromSearch=&inSeam=&posId=2&catId=cat40089&cat=Bras&onSale=&colorFamily=&maxPg=4&size=
This is the bag I use to wash my bras. I can put two in at once and them come clean just fine. Just don’t do what I did and accidentally put your bras in with towels. It was bad and I had by new bras. The towels mangled the underwire.
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Opps forgot the link to the bag. http://www.target.com/p/tide-bra-bag/-/A-11153983
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Thanks Finreah, I will have a look!
I'll also retract what I said when I mentioned Mika, I'm on their site poking around now and the selection is a lot better than the last time I browsed. Looks like they've had some requests from larger-chested ladies and adapted some of their popular styles. Considering the Tula, Seren and Lynn tops.
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I don't ever get those problems because I am a bb – barely b! LOL xoxo
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Believe me, PFM, the double D's are overrated. I'm currently saving up for reduction surgery to take me down to a C if possible. Be GLAD you don't have my problems. 🙂
And I just caved and got the Mika Curvaceous Tula top because it's on sale right now. So much for my "I never buy online" mantra. Fingers crossed that I won't have to return it or can at least figure out some way to make it work if it's not ideal.
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I have 32DD/32Es, depending on the brand. Believe me, I feel your pain! I have to buy all of my bras online or in specialty boutiques, since I've had sales clerks in regular stores look at me like I had 2 heads when I said 32E.
For regular exercise, I love the Moving Comfort Fiona bra. It's not the most attractive thing out there, but it comes in some fun colors, and boy is it supportive. I also have a Natori soft cup sports bra that has convertible straps – regular or X-back. I can wear it under racerback tops without it showing. I also have the Lululemon Ta-Ta-Tamer and I do not recommend it. It was OK when I first bought it, but after washing and wearing it is really uncomfortable. It does not hold up well over time.
I also have the Lynn top from Mika. I was really skeptical about it, especially with boobs my size, but I decided to try it, and it works! It seems so thin and fragile, but it keeps me tied up wonderfully and I get compliments when I wear it. I can actually breathe in it too. I wouldn't wear it out on the town, but for pole it's fantastic.
I only have one pole dance video on SV (and it's not very good), but if you check it out, you can see my Lynn top.
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I was a 32 G and with pole I lost a cup or two which that make me very happy. Bras are most definitely hard to find.
Sales clerks look at me like a deer with headlights on when they ask if they can help me…lol I know that this one lady really tried and to prove my point I tried on the 34DD and she saw that the 34 is too big around and the cups overfloweth.
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Sadly, no amount of exercise has had any effect on the size of my breasts, hence the plan to have them surgically reduced. I've been the same cup size since I was about 16, and my band size has only changed from 36 to 38.
That's also why I don't want to spend a whole ton on tops/bras for myself at this size. For one, every dollar I don't spend on bras goes into the surgery fund, and for two, I'm just gonna have to buy new ones for my new breasts anyway.
God I can't wait.
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Ninja, you're right, your top does look really secure (and cute!!) in your video. Good to know, it did catch my eye, and I've had luck in the past with tankini-style swimsuit tops styled similarly to the Lynn. We'll see how the Tula goes over before I order any more from Mika.
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You may want to try this one if you can:
http://panache-lingerie.com/brands/panache-sport
If the links doesn’t work, it’s the Panache sports bra. It comes in a few different colours, not just black and white (!) and an added bonus is that the straps can be adjusted to make it a racerback bra.
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I want one.
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My girls aren't quite that large, but my reccommendation is Moving Comfort–they have a lot of different styles and are crazy supportive. http://www.movingcomfort.com/Sports-Bras/sportsbras,default,sc.html
Some of the straps are a little thick, but they spread out the weight and don't cut into my shoulders like some bras, which I really appreciate.
First time I wore one to class, I actually had a little bit of an issue with some moves because they didn't smoosh my boobs down like most of the sports bras I'd worn!
I also use them for running, and it's the first bra I'v found that I can wear alone without having to double up.
To jazz it up, you could get something in a fun ciolor like this: http://badkittyexoticwear.com/shop/wraparoundtop-p-2494.html (which is rediculously tiny) and tie it over a black or white bra for a pop of color!
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Hey hon, if you find anything good, let me know! You and I have the same bust size- though my band size is a 30, making me an H cup (ugh!)
So, I would love to know if these things work for you, because I've not really had the chance to look around… but I know the choices are thin :/
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Im a 42DD, and it freaking sucks! I really want a reduction but Im going to hold off and see how much cup size I lose working out and go from there.
For sports bras I wear normally Under Armour (local company for me) and I have one Lululemon bra. I like them both and are comfortable and supportive. But I need something that doesnt give me cleaveage 24/7 when I work out. Ive been wanting a mika bra but nothing is ever in my bra size.
Ive been tinkering with the idea of creating a sportswear line for women with larger chests. Like you I feel like when you hit 38D and higher you options get really limited and takes the fun out of shopping for athletic clothes. I sketched some stuff months ago but I really need to get back to it and try and create a line with it.
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Preach it, Lulu! Nothing pisses me off more than sifting through the XLs in sportswear and still not being able to find something cute the covers the girls. I'd love to see more sportswear for busty women – not just bras, but cute tops like the Bad Kitty one that pantherchild linked to. We want to be cute and sexy too! I'm sure if you did do a clothing line like that, you'd have little trouble finding a following for it – especially if there was a way to make them more affordable. It drives me up the wall that b-cup women can grab something cute and sexy off the rack for $15 while I'm a couple aisles over bargaining with myself over how many $50-60 bras I can justify buying in one trip.
The Panache one looks pretty awesome, actually! I like how there is definition between the breasts, not just a band of fabric spanning the gap, or the dreaded Uniboob. I've had sports bras in the past that made the girls look *bigger* and that's the last thing I need.
While we're on the topic, can we talk about boob sweat? I swear I sweat more between and under my breasts than anywhere else on my body. And it STINKS – at the end of the day, my boobs often smell kinda yeasty and gross. I've seen differing opinions about this but the consensus seems to be that it's not really a good idea to use antiperspirant anywhere but your armpits (though I've used it myself on my inner thighs to prevent chafing if I'm wearing a skirt with no hose or something).
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