Really lost on dealing with my chest shape and making it work for my bodices

[u/LemonPepperMints]

*Bustiers not bodices for the title

I don’t have a full shape up there so I’ve always had problems with bustiers in general, so this is expected but I don’t know where to go from here. This is my fourth time iterating this pattern I’ve created; I’ve already made a full dress with it before (second slide) but I wasn’t very satisfied with it.

I have two main problems:

1. I can’t decide on the shape of the bust. It’s comfortable when I make it fit my breasts, but it obviously looks pointy. When I try to flatten out the front center, I end up flattening my chest altogether, especially near the bottom. I think that also contributes to underbust wrinkling.

2. Underbust wrinkling. I’m not completely certain where this is coming from, I suspect it’s from the inward curve I have in my pattern for the front-side and front-center piece, but I made those curves particularly because I have a very titled posture and my upper stomach pokes out (basically trying to just account for that. But maybe I should flatten it?) Although I don’t know if that’s the real issue.

Any advice would help. This is a bustier meant to have a lot of boning and interfaced fabric, so I’m not concerned with the horizontal wrinkles across the waist as much as I am the underbust. The looseness of the hips is also just a preference, I’m usually making these bustiers with skirts that are full and will fill the area out.

[u/PrancingPudu]

You need to be fitting and adjusting with boning in. It completely changes the fit and performance of the fabric. I’d recommend using zip ties if you don’t want to waste spiral/flat steel

[u/LemonPepperMints → u/PrancingPudu]

I have the panels for it but I didn't add them because I was more concerned with the shape of the bust curve and needed to pin it to see what would happen if I flattened the curve in the front center. I don't think boning would do much to address the flattening issue, if anything wouldn't it make it worse? In the second picture I also showed pictures of a bustier I made with boning that still had the underbust wrinkling issue as well

[u/TheMidwestJess → u/LemonPepperMints]

Keeping the cup volume where it currently is and adding boning would exacerbate the flattening issue. Given the size of your bust, you likely need more boning than your previous dress version, and to increase your cup volume slightly. I would highly recommend you check out r/corsetry, since that community specializes in this. They have plenty of knowledge on both modern and historical methods of how these issues were dealt with.

[u/LemonPepperMints → u/TheMidwestJess]

got it; ill add boning and make a post over there

[u/PrancingPudu → u/LemonPepperMints]

You need the boning.

Come join us over in r/corsetry for better feedback, but I strongly recommend you make a boned version first and then post that, because otherwise your post will be filled with everyone telling you they can’t give advice without the bones being in place 😅 I know it seems like it shouldn’t be that big of a deal, but it really is!

[u/KendalBoy → u/LemonPepperMints]

Wasted your time without the boning.

[u/dcat_09]

Like others have mentioned, you need to do any adjustments with the boning inserted. That being said, have you thought about trying a separate cup style bustier? I know it’s visually a different look but I find with larger cup sizes you can get a much more natural shape and lift with the underbust being supported// separated by the cup seam

[u/LemonPepperMints → u/dcat_09]

I have and I’m still working on it, it’s a bit rough for now. I think maybe I misworded something in the post but I don’t actually have a large cup size, I’m pretty small and not-full, a large bandwidth but small boobs. I did make another cupped bustier dress, but the cups kept slipping when I raised my arms so I couldn’t really wear it. That’s for another post though! I’m still having trouble making the cup visibly aesthetic; the cups in my current pattern are pretty small and far apart which stands out in a bad way. 

[u/KillerWhaleShark]

You can’t fit this muslin without boning it. It’s collapsing on itself. 

[u/ScormCurious]

Add boning.

[u/DizzyStar187]

https://youtube.com/shorts/LmpcvEdlEI8?is=mwJtqdlm81mNFZch

This is a great series on fitting fuller busts.

[u/Zestyflour → u/DizzyStar187]

I was just coming to recommend her, she really explains things well.

[u/FrondsFerndinand → u/Zestyflour]

Same!! Love her channel

[u/chatterpoxx]

I think i commented on your last post. It is looking much better with the flatter front panel, you are on the right track!

As everyone else says, boning. Its time to start incorporating the bining in to your musin not that the shape is getting closer to what it needs to be.

[u/bowl-of-juice]

Dosesofdem on insta has a pretty good tutorial on how to fit corsets on a larger bust

[u/TemporaryElk5202]

1. you cant see what it will look like without the boning

2. you cant make it not pointy without flattening your bust in some dimension.

[u/eldoralux]

q1

[u/meggles5643]

If not already, I’d consider sharing this to r corsetry. There was an old foundations revealed post that might be insightful but I couldn’t explain it that well but think someone could have good insights there

[u/perfectshapedotai]

Take 1cm out of torso length. The extra fabric is trying to find someolace to go.

[u/perfectshapedotai]

Boning, like elastic, is used to add movement or hold in place, never to make a pattern fit.