Custom undergarments

[cjsmith]

OK, Bay Area folks, I've got guests coming in to town. One of them has heard of a place (Berkeley area, maybe?) that specializes in bras for nonstandard women. Er, let me rephrase: women with a nonstandard ribcage-to-boobage ratio.

This would normally be only an amusing sidenote (oh, those crazy Californians!) but for two things. 1) I could sure use a visit to a place like that myself. 2) It's my fault she's heard of it -- apparently, long ago, I'm the one who told her!

What was it? A store that does custom work? A store with a much wider variety than usual of premade stuff? I'm sure it wasn't just the Title Nine store, but I'll take her there too.

Comments

[genderfur.livejournal.com]

I've ordered brassieres from England, personally. They seem to believe that women come in a wider variety of ratios over there.

But since I'm *in* Berkeley, I've got a strong interest in knowing what the answer turns out to be.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. If I didn't have such an aversion to buying things without fitting them in person, I'd at least have tried Title Nine by now, but... How do you do it?

I will definitely make a post with a summary of the answers!

[genderfur.livejournal.com]

I *totally* know what you mean about buying things w/o trying them on, but I was just feeling desparate for a brassiere that fit properly, and Bean had been having success with this particular place.

It was from England, they were pricey except when on sale, they didn't charge shipping (why should they? bras are so light). When I fretted about the hassle/expense of returns, Bean reminded me that we were't having to drive anywhere to buy these things.

When I find that gosh-durned link, I'll get it to you. It might already be in the list below, I dunno.

(PS: 32F)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I hear ya. (Supposedly 28F or 28FF, but a 32D cinched as far as it will go is sort of close.)

[deedeebythebay.livejournal.com]

If you find it and go, do let me know. I have the ribcage for a 38 and the boobs for an I cup and I'd love to find a place that carries the correct size bra!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I will definitely make a post with a summary of the answers! (Ribcage 28, cup size fits a 32D so probably in a 28 it'd be DD.)

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, lemme search my poor little brain.

I'm thinking Oakland, near the convention center. There was an article in the Merc about it in the last year. I found this link Where to find a bra (http://parents.berkeley.edu/recommend/where2buy/bra.html) with some hints, but unfortunatly no name.

In San Jose there's Chicki Downs @ 1209 Park Ave 408-286-2772 I've been here. Its okay, but they did have a decent nursing bra in my size. although her stock seem limited in styles, but lots of sizes (you get ugly with functional).

Out in Pittsburg is Under it all @ 4571 Century Blvd 925-778-7272 I love this store. I ended up buying some very nice, very comfy bras for me there. In fact this is where I went shopping for a bra to wear under my wedding dress. I highly reccommend this store.

Hope this helps! I definitely have the problem of nonstandard ribcage to boobage ratio. Most manufactures seem to think that someone who needs a 44 needs a minimum of a D cup. I barely fill a C when not nursing. (Although I must say after I had Ike I really enjoyed my new D cup tits. Unfortunately, *sigh* they went away. I'm back to where I started. I am however very interested to see what happens after I have Elli and Gwen!)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oo, thanks for that link! That one person's vague comment about Oakland seems right on -- the store I remember mentioning so long ago could be that one in Oakland. More Google in my future. :)

Under It All is now on my short list. Thanks.

I took out my tape measure just to see how bad it really was. Now I'm sorry I did. According to the fitting instructions on this site I'm a 28FF. Many of the stores other hard-to-fit people rave about, such as Decent Exposures, stop at 30. (What I've got on is a 32D, all straps and closures pulled as snug as they'll go.) No wonder I can't find anything to fit right.

Maybe after a coupla pregnancies you'll start keeping a little of that extra nursing boobage. One can hope!

[aelfie.livejournal.com]

Under it all should be able to help. If I remember their yellow pages ad they go up to something like a J cup.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I've heard of one in Oakland that has a huge range of sizes, but a few months ago. I'll ask in eastbay and oaklandca.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Other clues are also pointing to Oakland. Thank you!

[aleeceh.livejournal.com]

I've ordered quite a bit of stuff from http://www.figleaves.com/ in the UK. They have an excellent selection, excellent size-search tool, and easy returns. Their stuff tends to be high-end and expensive. I've returned almost everything I've ordered, however. The UK bras seem to have very bullet shaped cups, i.e. made for breasts with a smaller diameter base on the chest wall and greater depth from chest to nipple for equivalent breast volume. That shape just doesn't work for me.

I order sports bras from http://www.roadrunnersports.com/. They have their own brands of many types of activewear that are cheaper than the major name brands and very high quality. They have a basic X-back stretchy sports bra designed for D/DD cups that I have several of.

I've ordered a lot of stuff from http://www.barenecessities.com/. They make it easy to search for specific sizes and carry most of the major brands. My favorite bra of all time is the Vanity Fair "My Satin Fantasy." It comes in a wide variety of sizes and has been on the market for many, many years, but it's always a crapshoot whether Mervyn's or Macy's will have my size in stock, and I got frustrated with wasted trips. If you are like me and have already zeroed in on the make, model and size you like, Bare Necessities is great way to go.

If you do find this local place that does a good job with fitting and possibly does custom work, I'll be interested to hear about it. My girlfriend's breasts are mismatched in size (by a full cup size) and chest placement due to childhood surgeries, in addition to her being extremely petite. She has yet to find a comfortable bra, though going to a 30B (not available in local stores) rather than a 32A after doing the measurement thing was a big improvement.

I've had no luck with fit at Victoria's secret, which was suggested by many people on one of the sites someone else linked.

http://www.plussizebras.org/ has good advice, fitting/measurement instructions, and size reference charts. They don't sell anything.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Wow, that last link is very informative. I could have about sixteen different cup sizes depending on the manufacturer's whim. :)

Sadly, Road Runner bottoms out at a 32" ribcage and Bare Necessities stops at 30. I'm solidly 28. My mother, on the other hand, might be able to do well with some of these links. We're opposites. She got all the ribs and I got all the boobage! :)

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

I don't know if these folks do bras small enough, but this is the one that I immediately thought of when you posted:
http://www.ntac.org/news/01/01/06max.html

I know there was a place in England that is the perfect place for you (caters to women with large breasts, but who are not otherwise "plus size," but I can't think of the name. I think I gave the catalog to grynz, so maybe she'll know.

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

The place in England is Bravissimo (http://www.bravissimo.com/Bravissimo/). (I remembered all by myself!)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Wow, somebody gives a sh*t about this body type! I'm stunned. If they carried sports bras I'd be buying one this instant, although in some random size. (I went through their fitting checklist and all it tells me is yes, the one I have doesn't fit. Shocker. :) )

O'course my mom, coming in from out of town in a few weeks, is exactly the opposite. She got all the ribs and I got all the boobage. Too bad it's not easy to trade a little!

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Umm... CJ?
http://www.bravissimo.com/BRAVISSIMO/ProductList.aspx?cid=Lingerie_Sports+Bras&language=en-GB

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

That's really weird. I clicked on their "Sports Bras" link and got something about how to choose one. But you found this. Maybe my mind is going. Dave... please don't do that...

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Ah, but they too don't go below a 30" ribcage. Still.. hm...

[dawnd.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I noticed that, too. :^( But I am wondering if you should write them anyway. Sometimes companies have stuff that they don't have enough call for to advertise, or might be willing to make up special order. And if enough people ask for it, they may end up ADDING it to their stock. You might do hundreds of women around the world a favor by asking! Plus, I'm imagining that a sports bra MIGHT be slightly more forgiving about being a tad large in the band size. They're often VERY tight, IMO. I think you'd need to try to find out. It might still be an improvement over whatever you have already. What a nuisance this all must be for you!

[firecat]

Have you tried http://www.decentexposures.com ? They do sports bras in all sizes, made to measure.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

One of my personal litmus tests is whether a place goes below a 30" ribcage.

[sharya.livejournal.com]

We have a lot of trouble up here... there's just not enough stores like that. In fact, I haven't found a single one in my entire province.

My friend has given up trying to buy locally and she also orders from Europe. She's a 28GG :/

[gdmusumeci.livejournal.com]

I've heard good references for A la Folie (http://VisitAlaFolie.com/).

But being merely an observer, rather than a possessor, of such glands, please take this with a small heap of salt.