12 Common Bra Fit Problems & Solutions (Part 2)
You measured yourself, tried the size calculator, read our blog, took the plunge and ordered new bras – but they are not perfect. Is it the size? The shape? Or just the wrong design? We are here to help you figure out your bra fit issues. Read through Part 1 and Part 2 of our troubleshooting guide. We are passionate about finding bra solutions to your bra fitting problems. We hope you get closer to your dream bra! You are almost there.
7. The underwire is sitting on your breast tissue
If the underwire hurts on the sides because it’s sitting on your breast tissue, and there is wrinkling above the wire, this is a sign that the underwire is too narrow. Try a bra with a wider, more open underwire (check out our bras with wider underwires). Alternatively, try a wireless bra (check out our wireless bras).
Another reason for the underwire sitting on your breast tissue is the underwire being too short. If the underwire is too low on the sides, and your breast tissue overflows and sits on top of the underwire tip, it can be painful. Here are our bras with regular to tall underwires.
8. The cup gaps on top
Tighten your shoulder straps and do the scoop and swoop. If the bra continues to gap on top, it could be 2 reasons: 1. the cup is too big, and 2. the cup is too tall. If the cup is too big, cup sizing down will fix the issue. If the cup is too tall, cup sizing down will make the underwire and bottom portion of the cup feel too small.
People with wide and tall roots + less than average projection tend to struggle with top-gapping. If you’ve tried a few sizes of the same bra and all gap, choose a shallow bra instead. Molded cup bras tend to be shallow in the cups, as well as some styles specifically designed for “plate” shaped breasts.
9. Center gore doesn’t lie flat
If this tends to happen to you, choose “Firm Fit” when using our size calculator. If you are already wearing the “Firm Fit” size, try a smaller band and larger cup.
If you don’t have any room between your breasts, choose a bra with a low center gore (check out our bras with lower center gores).
10. Band rides up in the back
The bra band does most of the support work (not the straps! The straps are mostly there to keep things in place). When your bra band creeps up your back, and the whole bra “see-saws,” this is usually because the band is too loose. Choose “Firm Fit” when using our size calculator. If you are already wearing the “Firm Fit” size, try a smaller band and larger cup.
Note: points 1, 3, and 4 cover underwire discomfort. The bra solutions above assume you want to stick with underwire bras. If you don’t mind sacrificing a bit of lift, consider a wireless bra.
11. Overflow on top
Top overflow (also known as “quadboob”) typically happens when the cups are too small. Try a larger cup size.
Full-on-top shapes (when you hold your breasts up with your hands, most of the breast tissue is above the nipple) tend to struggle with top overflow. If you’ve tried the same bra in several neighboring sizes, but you always overflow, you need a bra that’s FOT-friendly.
When you go up a cup size, the top doesn’t overflow anymore. But the bottom and sides are empty. This means the original bra was likely the right size, but wasn’t projected enough for you. If you were wearing molded cup bras before, switch to a cut-and-sewn (ideally unlined) bra. We recommend Zoe or Salma, in the original size.
12. Shoulder straps dig in and cause pain
When your shoulder straps dig in, it can cause pain in your shoulders, back, and neck. Most of the support work should be done by the bra band, not the straps.
Wearing a smaller band size and larger cup size can shift more of the support work to the band, instead of putting it on the shoulder straps. Choose “Firm Fit” when using our size calculator. If you are already wearing the “Firm Fit” size, sister size down.
Don’t just tighten the straps for more support! If the band is loose, only tightening the straps without changing size will cause the shoulder straps to dig.
Bras with wider shoulder straps and more back coverage (such as Eva, Amber, and Noelle) can also help with digging straps. The wider the straps, the more spread out the weight distribution.
Hello, my bras fit well for the most part, but the sides of the cup sit very uncomfortably in front of the armpit. Like the cup itself is too wide.
My measurements put me at a 28H if I did them right. Even vertical and horizontal fullness.
Hi Irene,
We’ve so far had 2 bras that come in 28H – Petal and Harper. Petal is a taller cup, Harper is a shorter cup. A new option coming next year, Yara, has shorter cups, shorter side underwire, and a more centered strap position (closer straps). It should be a better fit.
Good Morning!
I loved the fit of the zoe and salma when it came to the band and style but both gave me quad boob (zoe more so than Salma):(
I am returning, but would love to try another style.
What style would you recommend and do you recommend going up to a H Cup?
All my mesurements put me at a 34 G for a firm fit.
Thank you!
Hi Chris, visible quadboob usually means the bra is at least 1-2 cups too small. Sometimes quadboob has to do with the bra being too shallow (“dinner plate” bra for “drinking glass” breasts).
We recommend trying Salma or Quinn in a 34H (they are our two most projected bras at the moment). We don’t recommend Zoe, as it’s designed to fit shallow.
We also have a bra coming out in ~2 weeks called Anya. It’s designed to be more projected than Salma and Quinn. We recommend trying that in 34H as well.