How To Buy A Strapless Bra

Don't you just love summer clothes?
All those strapless, shoestring strap, sleeveless, haltered tops and dresses, low backed, arms and shoulders free?
All of you that is, except for the girls with big boobies.


You see for she of the perky A and B cup, she of the firm and youthful C cup, and she of the righteously augmented California/Scottsdale-style breast (you know, the gravity defying power breasts who's nipples point skyward no matter what position the body is in), summer clothes are a dream.

Jennifer Lopez in a strapless dress

But for she of the full breast, she of the round breast, the heavy breast, the large breast and she of the pendulous mammaries any and all of the above mentioned clothing styles are more like a nightmare.
Generally gravity calls to all big breasts like a siren song, luring them ever downward, making the strapless styles and their brethren all but an impossibility unless said boobies are bound into an industrial strength hoisting contraption, also known as a strapless bra.

Helena Christianson in a strapless dress

For those of us who don't have their own personal Howard Hughes, or who are not married to an architect who can custom design an ergonomically correct, aerodynamic support structure that provides both the caging and raising of the beasts and perfection in aesthetic balance, the world of the strapless bra is pretty much a no fun zone.

They squeeze and corrupt, don't stay in place, make you nervous to bend over, terrify you at the mere thought of raising your arm and leave you at the end of the day with red line road maps marking their turf.

Unless you get a really good one.
A great strapless bra that is perfectly sized for you is a wonder to behold.

So today on the blog we are going to explore the fundamentals of How To Buy A Strapless Bra.

1. Avoid VS.
They have no end of fun lingerie, but when you need a workhorse to do a serious and important job, this is not the place to go.
Unless you are super lucky you will find most department store lingerie departments, such as Macy's and Dillards are a total waste of time too.
You can't be certain that the girl who is fitting you (assuming they actually have a girl there to fit you) wasn't working in the toaster department last week,  or that she knows what she is doing. 
They all say they are trained in fitting, but start asking questions about said training, or ask questions about bra construction, fabrics or shape and more often than not you will find yourself facing a blank stare.

Le Mystere strapless bra

2. Go To A Bra Specialist and Get Properly Fitted.
Either find a lingerie specialty store in your area, or Nordstrom tends to have really well trained and knowledgeable bra fitters. They also have quality merchandise.
Once you have been fitted by a pro you will be able to spot an impostor a mile off.
Strapless bras have a big job to do, and they cannot do it without being properly fitted.

3. Invest In High Quality.
You are not going to find a great strapless bra for big breasts at bargain prices. Look at your strapless bra as an investment, and be prepared to pay more for it. Quality is everything in strapless bra land.

4. It's All In The Band.
The band of your strapless bra is going to do all the work. This is where you get your hold, your support and your security.
The band has to fit you firmly without squeezing you. If it is too tight you will get fat rolls over the edges, even if you're not fat. If it's not firm enough you will have no support.
This is where a really good bra fitter is priceless. She will not only make sure it is sized correctly, but will look for unsightly overflow. It's important that your back looks smooth, so if you have large, weighty or fuller breasts a wider band is best.

5. The Gore must Be Flush To Your Chest.
I was told this yesterday. The gore is the flat part between the cups, and it needs to sit flat against your breastbone. If it is lifting away from the skin the bra isn't fitting you properly, and the cups will lift at the outer corners, or pull away from the top of the breast.

6. No Side Gapping.
If the band feels good, and the gore is flush with your skin but you are seeing gaps between the side of your breast and the cup of your bra you either need a different size, or that bra isn't right for your breast.

7. Choose A Molded Contour Cup.
For a bigger breast, especially a natural big breast or a fleshy big breast, cups that are molded will give you a smoother line in your clothes. Molded cups have a fit that feels more snug.

8. Beware Boob Ridge.
Check the line of your breast as it meets the top of the cup and make sure its smooth. Top boob rolling over the cup or spilling out of the cup both looks awful and means the bra doesn't fit you correctly.

9. Bring A Lightweight Top Or Dress.
The best way to test the fit is by trying on the sheerest fabric you are likely to wear with your new bra. Sometimes the bra will look great, but when you put your top or dress on you see the line of the top of the cup. A quality bra is expensive, so you need to make sure it looks good with everything you are going to wear it with.

10. Move And Groove.
With your perfect fit strapless bra on try a variety of movements.
If you are going to wear it dancing, bust a move and see if the girls get out or stay in place.
Try everyday movements that would normally be scary in a strapless - bend over, reach your arms out in front of you, raise your hands above your head. Twist and turn your body and see if your boobs stay in place.
With the exception of the monkey bars at the park you should be able to do most things in a strapless bra and not have your breasts slip out or fall out, or have the band and/or the bra itself slip down toward your waist.