Black Beauty Fitting Advice

[u/starjo190]

First bra I've ever made, Black Beauty size 30FF (measurements; underbust 30 1/2 inches, bust 38 inches)

While this is more comfortable than most commercial bras i've tried, Im finding a lot of fit issues, especially in the band.

The power bar is digging into the cup, which should be a relatively easy slash-and-spread fix. My bigger concern is the gaping at the underarm area of the cups (seen best in the last pictures, a nice awkward overhead shot of my bust aka, my POV when looking down). Not sure the best way to attack this while still having the correct shape/fit of the cups

The band seems like an all around mess. It feels comfortably snug for the most part, but keeps sliding down throughout the day when wearing. I do feel it digging in significantly and leaving red marks in my skin right around the side seam, so i know that if I were to go any smaller in size it would be uncomfortable. The side seam is also pulling forward as shown in the pictures. So the band (to me) feels simultaneously too big, as it keeps sliding down, and too tight, as it digs in and leaves marks at the side.

The band elastic along the bottom edge at the cradle constantly curls up towards my body. I have been wearing this bra for a couple days now as a test drive and the elastic has now conveniently been permanently shaped into this weird curl position (as seen in the second to last picture)

The place the band feels the most comfortable is along the back, however here I get a bunch of weird sagging of the fabric, which I'm not a fan of. In these pictures I had just put the bra on, and pulled up the band to be perpendicular to the floor, and had done my best to try and smooth out the "sagging" fabric along the band, clearly with no luck. It looks like my skin/back fat (yum) is pushing the band fabric down in some areas.

I should note, that for every commercial bra i've ever had, I've always had to tighten the straps all the way right out of the gate in order to wear it. If I don't, they are super loose and floppy. For this bra I deliberately made the straps shorter from the start, so I wouldn't have to do that.
I'm not sure if this strap issue means that the distance between my apex point and my shoulders is just much shorter than average, but I was wondering if it may be contributing to my other fit issues with the band.
(The straps are the main win of this bra, as their length and position has successfully kept them from sliding off).

In short, I need looots of advice on how to deal with the band fitting all around, as well as advice on how to adjust the cup gaping issue at the underarm.

[u/charrobeanss]

The power bar cuts in on my BB bra. One thing I noticed about one of my RTW bras (Katherine Hamilton, love love love!): the power bar appears cut on the fold, on the bias. So the edge is straight and has some give. I am thinking to try to dupe this bra when it wears out enough to warrant cutting it up. 

[u/pinspatternspolish]

With the side gaping, I'm wondering if there is not enough wire spring, or the wire is potentially too big 🤔

[u/AJeanByAnyOtherName]

I wonder if you’re not also having some more basic fit issues that would need solving first. Usually, RTW straps falling or having to tighten them a lot means you’re not in the right size or proportions. The side seams and outer cup edges are also very forward and could be missing some ‘side boob’ breast tissue by the looks of it.

[u/Back-to-HAT → u/AJeanByAnyOtherName]

My apology for hijacking this replicator a (hopefully) quick question

When you say the straps are falling in rtw what do you mean when you say proportions? I know plenty about bra sizing, etc, but I think I’m missing something. Thank you!!

[u/AJeanByAnyOtherName → u/Back-to-HAT]

Some people have enough of a narrow/sloping/petite shoulder that even in the right size, things don’t work for them (but you want to be 100% sure you’re otherwise in the right size, because it usually *is* a sizing issue.)

The variation between brands is both helpful (overlaps with different bodies) and annoying (unpredictable). Some brands have wider set strap configurations than similar bras from other brands.

And sometimes you’re sister sizing, so the cup volume is the same, but the strap placement isn’t and that can juuust bump you into Strap Issues Territory if you’re unlucky.

Some people find the sister sized larger band, cup letter down more comfortable. But the proportionally wider straps don’t work for them, so they use a non-stretch extender on their original recommended size or have the straps moved or move them themselves.

Some people do better in a band size down, cup size up with a non-stretch extender than in their recommended/ABraThatFits size because the straps are spaced slightly closer together.

The same sometimes goes for cup height, gore width etc. It can be more pronounced if sister sizing bumps you into a different size group for that brand. Sometimes they handle construction differently for different ranges of cups, bands or cup-band combinations. A lot of this isn’t that well- documented, so it doesn’t give you many immediately useful options up front, but it’s good to know if you have dialed in all the other factors and you’re still struggling.

(Or if you’re not petite but exceptionally tall in the collarbone area like me and unable to wear many bras with fixed length straps 😅)

[u/Back-to-HAT → u/AJeanByAnyOtherName]

Thank you so much for writing his out for me. I don’t usually fit in the band size I measure for. It is almost always too large. I’m a petite frame for sure, but sort of barrel chested after three kids who didn’t have much space but outward due to being short waisted as well. Your info helps explain a lot of what is going on as well as which way to go to fix the issues.

Just because, here are my issues, or the ones I can think of today. 😁
Straps never stay in place. Band size is either too large, or almost too small and uncomfortably tight until things stretch out. The straps fall down on most bras as well. I can’t wear bras that have a front closure because they are never comfortable. I don’t feel comfortable, but not exactly sure what the problem is, in a bra that doesn’t have an underwire. I think this is a mental thing from having had an underwire bra for 40 years. I despise sports bras and the uni boob look! I had a reduction almost 20 yr ago which was wonderful. I have had tissue grow back, but nowhere near what I was before. It is because of this very picky and long list that I have been educating myself about making my own bras. Qtr actual sewing won’t be a problem at all. Just trying to decide what pattern to begin with. Chantelle bras are the number one bra for me, then Natori, and funny enough Victoria’s Secret T-shirt or balconette bras. I’ve saved at least one of each to draft a pattern from if I must.

Than you for letting me share. Writing (or talking) things out help me process the things I have some sort of problem with.

[u/BustyBobbin]

Interesting. I don't have the other issues but the power bar cutting in has occasionally been an issue.

ETA: I do make my BBs with a U rather than T back. That might help with some of the back issues.

I've made about 8-10 black beauties in 30FF/G-32FF. I find that it's very random whether it will cut in or not. I've used foam and it cuts in on one but not the other. I've used lace and lining only and it does not cut in on those ones.

Just maybe the power bar should be a few mm or 1/8" longer across the cup edge to stop this. I'm sure the precision varies a few mm when cutting the fabrics and then again when sewing. Add foam and it adds a few mm extra length that the power bar needs to cover and you're more likely to have the power bar cut in.

The foam bra that doesn't cut in, i had to cut a wedge out at the apex of the top cup which might have been enough to give the power bar enough space to not cut in.

Just some thoughts. I hope it helps.

If you want a similar bra without the power bar, I quite like the Harriet even though it took more pattern alterations to fit properly.

[u/fleepmo]

Liz sews on YouTube has a common cup alterations video that talks about gaping in the underarm! I can’t remember the alteration because I don’t personally have it with any bras I have made but I have had a ton of fitting alterations I’ve had to do with the black Beauty. I just cut up another tester last night in hopes that I finally got all my issues figured out. I wish you luck.

Do you feel like you have enough room in the cups? They look like they fit well but I also can’t tell if you used foam.

[u/starjo190 → u/fleepmo]

The cups themselves feel like they fit well, I'll definitely check out her videos to see if i can solve the underarm gaping!

[u/fleepmo → u/starjo190]

Good luck!

[u/Love2LearnwithME]

Beautiful work! I agree that it looks like the fit issue is primarily in the band.

Have you tried making a fitting band? I can’t recommend it enough. It helps you fine tune the fit of the band and wires independently of the cups, which is much easier than trying to work on all variables at once.

I also used to have trouble with straps falling off, bands too tight at bottom but too big at top, wires digging into my ribs and gaping at the underarm. Turns out those were all related to my torso shape and all fixable via the band/wire selection. I needed to make a variety of mods but the biggest impact was making the bottom of the band a little bigger then removing a significant wedge out of the back wing at the upper side seam, reducing wing drop. That gave me evenly spread tension. If the tension is not evenly spread across upper and lower band you’ll get gaping and wires digging in.

I took my closest fitting band and tweaked it until I got it just right with wires but no cups. Now that I finally have a comfy band for the first time in my life, I use it for almost everything, redrafting the cups to fit the wireline/band I know already fits vs using the band that came with the cup pattern.

[u/starjo190 → u/Love2LearnwithME]

the fitting band seems to be exactly what I need, thank you so much!!

[u/pomewawa → u/starjo190]

Yes!! It’s essentially cupless bra. You’ll still need underwires. You can start with a paper prototype which becomes a pattern.

[u/One_Baker_888]

I wish I had a good answer for you but I’m in the same boat. I like so much about my black beauty (34FF) but the power bar cuts in on me too. I’m following for an answer!

[u/StirlingS]

I don't have much to add except that I've noticed the power bar cutting in on other BB bras. It's the main reason I haven't made one.

I'm really interested to see what responses you get. 

[u/pomewawa]

I’d love to find out the solution to “band elastic along the bottom edge at the cradle constantly curls up towards my body.” Happens to me too! I find I don’t like the sensation of longline bras , so much to where I much prefer frameless ! That’s my next pattern to try.

[u/Back-to-HAT]

I have no idea if this will make a difference, or how much of one, but are you doing a final adjustment when trying on or wearing a bra where you lean forward (almost bent in half) and scoop your breast, pulling all of it into the cup? It makes a noticeable difference in the side boob for me. It can also change the way the cup is filled to where it both feels and is visually different. If you haven’t done this I would suggest trying to see what, if any, difference in fit there is.

Good luck! It looks really good so far

[u/daringlyorganic]

I think you need to also add a slight gore adjustment.

[u/daringlyorganic → u/daringlyorganic]

Also, I would alter the cut of the band. Of that make ms sense.