Changing Bra Styles: From Full Cup to Balcony

Earlier this year I found an excellent post by about Georgina Jones My New Year’s Resolution was to Get My Chest Out More and It’s Been Wildly Revolutionary. She has many of the same reasons I did to keep hers covered in the past and many of the same reasons for changing that look.
If you are full busted I know you too will appreciate as she put it: “seen as either obscene or matronly”.

I knew my day was coming, owing to working out, when I would have to leave my favorite Elomi full cup bras and the one plunge I had by them. Elomi, even though made by the same company as Fantasie and Freya, does not make bras with band sizes smaller than 34…oh sob…

I so hoped my cup size would go down, (Hopefully to a G cup!), but no. So it appears no demi-cup bras for me…but balcony styles, Yes!
I had also decided, owing to the fact that

• I am 55+ years old
• Have a heart surgery scar down the center of my chest
• I have also decided to change my style, which I aim to show here later 

I do not think I can be seen as obscene for showing cleavage anymore.
Personally, I find this rather freeing. As I have given up trying to cover my gray hair, I do not care if I look my age! I want to be as cool and comfy this summer as I can.

So I am wearing lower cut T shirts and bras to go with them! The two Curvy Kate bras I am trying, and loving so far.
I may always stick with T shirts style wise, and have other plans regarding my general appearance which I am slowly up grading and will show here.

Naturally, I plan to get to know my Curvy Kate bra sizes and styles well, then shop them for less, just like I did during my years of wearing Elomi’s Caitlyn bras, using this Curvy Kate bras New with Tags at Buy it Now prices at eBay stores link.
That’s right: Broke, Cheap and Working That! Here are 2 more

Curvy Kate Balcony Bras on Sale for $25 and $31

After the great relief of finding bras that felt great, in size 32J, I noticed, as any Tee shirt lover would, that the shape was not quite right.
I would have to get larger cup sizes in these, or similar styles.
Going for variety, I choose similar, no padding styles on sale at Figleaves!

Because I really needed a nude or near that, color one for pale tops,
I was lucky to find Curvy Kate’s Gia Balcony Bras on sale in their blush color for $31.50. Sizes were limited, but I managed to get one in a size 32K.

These do come in JJ cup sizes too, but I wanted to be sure that I did not end up with the cup seam cutting into me, creating the weird shape so easily seen in paler T shirts…

This is just a picture below, but using this New Curvy Kate Gia Bras at Buy it Now prices link at this 9/12/15 update, I am finding107 of these bras, starting at $20!

  

I know, I know, I was shopping for pale color bras
but could not resist this beautiful Bardot bra for just $25. So I ordered it in 32JJ. This will help me get to know my Curvy Kate bra size too. Also, most of the time, I wear black T shirts, very tight ones…
Here it is, at this 9/12/15 update, pictured at Bigger Bras. If you click on its picture soon you can likely find it in some sizes in the 36 to 40FF, HH, J and K. At this update, I can say this is the one I am wearing the most. Now if I can get it in a pale color...

They tend to have the best full priced styles in large cup size bra styles. Usually if better prices are to be found on bras by Panache, Fantasie, Freya and others, it tends to be at Figleaves or Bravissimo. Not always, but mostly.

As for the above mentioned style changes, I will show them here in the near future.
Waiting for a few more things to show up here besides a couple of excellent bras!

I was timid about these changes, the cleavage and other styles, but I think I am getting into it now!

Hope this info about bra size changes has been helpful to you!

It has been a trying experience, but it is getting better!

6/25/15
Anne

N by Natori Full Figure Bras

Also: On Changing Bra Sizes due to Weight Loss

I have mentioned here in recent months about my trying to find my new bra size, and at the same time wanting to change from full cup styles to demi, plunge or at least balcony style ones.

It has been a trial, to a certain extent because they are pricey and it is hard to afford to tie up money in a bra style / new size that might not fit, only to have to return it. I did this a few times since the beginning of this year…

For me, it was also nice to find I was not alone regarding certain aspects of this endeavor!

The mere toning up I did which lead to my troubles finding a large cup size bra in a smaller band size are Nothing compared to the story of a women who needed this sort of makeover after losing 100 pounds!
You can read about this in Fry Sauce and Grits' very informative post about Feeling Great in Your Bra While Losing Weight!

Like many of us found out when first finding our best bra size, The woman that post is about not only ended up with a smaller band size, (no surprise after losing so much weight!), but a much larger cup size! From a 38D to a 36G!

This is what she ended up with for her choice for her daily wear bra. I did not even know Natori made full figure bras!

N by Natori Bare Support Molded Underwire Bras

While the article that inspired this thankful post has a link to this bra at Amazon, (we many of us often shop anyway!), with excellent prices from $14.33 to $42, the price in size 36G depends on color, of which there are 10 at Amazon! Nice!

These are just pictures below, but you can use this Her Room's VIPoints Loyalty Program, (it is free and I like it!), link to go to Her Room and check them out there by going to N Natori by brand. Her Room is a great place for detailed descriptions, which I very much prefer before purchasing!

Her Room has these bras in sizes 32 to 40C to H in 10 colors too. Their prices are also depending on color, but between $20 and $42.

They also have more N Natori bras of interest, at least to me…

Smooth Curves Minimizer Bras

These bras are available in black and café in the same size range and have excellent reviews!

The description says the molded underwire cups of these bras shape and support and will minimize your breast up to 1 inch!
I personally do not care much for the minimizer effect anymore but can well understand the woman who does!

What I like is the shape of this bra and how comfy those straps look!

They have other ones that intrigue me by this brand, but before I run out of time and they run out of sizes…

N by Natori’s Natural Fit Demi Underwire Bras

If you like this one, (I do!), check it out soon because it is on sale for $29.95!
Currently they have these in sizes:

• 32C to DD
• 34 and 36D and DD
• 38DDD40D and DDD

in three colors.

They have some other beautiful bras by this brand as well!

Enjoy!

6/21/15
Anne

Get 10% Off 2015 Undies Award Winners at Her Room

Once again Elomi's Caitlyn bras win the favorite full figure bra in the Undies awards. There we can find other award winning bra styles and currently get 10% off these styles!

Click on this picture of the Elomi Caitlyn, in chambray color to go to the 2015 Undies Award Winners at Her Room and get 10% off these styles should you decide to purchase!
 

These bras are $49.50 with this discount and are available in sizes 34 and 36E to K,38 to 42DD to K, 44 and 46DD to HH, in 5 normally full price, ($55) and one sale color for $44.95 at Her Room.

Other Favorite Award Winning Full Figure Bras include:

• Favorite T-Shirt Fantasie's Rebecca Molder Spacer Underwire Bras
• Favorite Sports Panache Full-Busted Underwire Sports Bras 5021
• Favorite Strapless Wacoal The Red Carpet Full-Busted Strapless Bras 854119 

To name just a few more Favorite Award Winning styles.

I believe the Favorites ones are what we voted for and the Select Winners are what the Judges of this Award choose. So there is a nice selection of bras,and also panties, to browse available at this discount!

Enjoy!

6/9/15
Anne

A Going Down a Bra Band Size Lesson

Or: Even if the cups seem loose in your old favorite, now loose bras
Even, or perhaps Especially, (?), if you are also going from full cup bras to balcony styles
It is Still: Down One Band Size Up One Cup Size

I think the Butterfly Collection’s Sister Sizing Chart and Description explain this well enough.

Ultimately I went from two favorite Elomi Bras in 34HH to some Curvy Kate bras in size 32J.
Stopping briefly (took about 2 months actually and quite annoyed with myself),
at two beautiful Freya plunge balcony bras, first in size, Freya’s Ignite , which I tried in size 32GG but it appears to come in the 30 to 38D to H size range,
then their Eden Bra , which appears to have come in the 28 to 38D to K, (not much left in larger cup sizes), size range, that I tried this in size 32HH.
Their cup sizes were too small.

Further down the page is what I learned, and why I made these; time and some money consuming mistakes.
But First:

Two Beautiful Curvy Kate Balcony Bras in sizes up to 40K and J

I am wearing this Madagascar bra, the red one below, as I write this and I am IMPRESSED with both this and their Florence bra below that! Lift, Support, Comfort and excellent fit for me!

These bras are available in sizes 28E to J and 30 to 40D to K!
Also, This is Smooth Under T Shirts! I wear Tees most of the time, so it matters to me, a lot.

Click on its picture to find it, currently for $45.91 at Bravissimo. They have matching briefs and thongs down their page in sizes 8 to 20.

  

Click on the word More below to find this excellent bra in sizes 30 to 40D to J at Bigger Bras!

They come in blush and black. The blush is pale enough to wear under most, if not all, of my lighter colored Tees and blouses! I love the fit of this one too!

Curvy Kate Florence Balcony Bra Style CK8001

Balcony, Bra, Mesh [More]

Price: $59.00

Sale: $59.00

Buy Now

Also nice is the Bigger Bras discounts at the top of their pages, which INCLUDE Curvy Kate, and other fine brands!

This tale might help you skip the returns, which Her Room was Excellent about, but still, annoying for me and would no doubt annoy you too.

Going Down a Bra Band While Moving from Full Cup to Balcony Styles

Yes, that was part of it; I was tired of full cup bras.
I did not want to change from Elomi bras,
but I knew they did not make band sizes smaller than 34.
However, with persistent weight lifting followed by months of a diet lower in saturated fats,

• not only were my bra bands riding up my back
• The cups of my favorite Elomi Caitlyn bras seemed loose
• And The one bra I already had in a 32J, (Freya’s Arabella bra),
• was not as snug as I like a bra cup 

My best fitting bra was the Elomi Suzie plunge bra by them, which is like their Betty plunge bras.

I should have simply gone down a band size and up a cup size, but:

• Having the Freya Arabella bra in that size already
• Finding those cups a bit loose
• And according to Bigger Bras Bra Size Calculator and Cup Size Comparison Charts  
• The 10 inch difference between my fullest bust measure and band measure 
• meant I should fit a GG Cup!

Naturally I was wildly enthused, as there are all these beautiful bras that come in GG cup sizes, that I wanted to try, some for years. Such as Freya long line bras and others...

So that is how I tried GG cup sizes first, then HH again and found that;

Even though, based on the same bra cup size comparison chart, which says,
Curvy Kate bras have cups the same size as Elomi and Freya,
I found that for now Curvy Kate Balcony bras are perfect for me!

I hope this tale helps you avoid some unnecessary steps in chaning bra sizes and styles!

If I lived near a Bravissimo or other excellent store with a good supply of HH to K bras, I would have just gone for a fitting...

Best wishes!

6/5/15
Anne

Plus Size Shorts

I especially like The Curvy Fashionista’s post about 20 Plus Size Shorts to Keep You Chic in the Heat.

I do wear shorts and found myself putting on a pair of Baby Phat shorts I brought some years ago, which are along the lines of cut offs with a bit of flash! Real different for me.

 I decided I liked this more playful look and went to check out the available Baby Phat Plus Size Shorts, New with Tags at eBay stores. Not much at the moment, but they do have some in sizes 18, 22 and 24W and one pair for $39.98 available in sizes 14, 18, 20, 22 and 24…

Here is a look at some of Fashion to Figure’s current selection of

Plus Size Shorts and Skorts

While they do have one cut off and two cuff types of jeans shorts, they also have these Summerly Ponte Zip Skorts, in this pink, which I thought were quiet nice!

They have a discount across the tops of their pages now too! They often do! This sweet and chic style is currently on sale for $16!

The following are just pictures but you can use this Take 20% OFF all orders at FTF.com whe you use code AFFFTF20! Excludes Squeem 4/27 - 6/30 discount link to go there!

They also have a Skort that looks like a skirt from the front, black with asymmetrical angled chevron / floral print. As they describe it: Sweet meets Edgy and currently on sale for $18, but down to size 3…

These stretch high waist shorts are available in their red color in sizes 0 to 3 and are $22.50, at full price!

One thing I like about Fashion to Figure, not unlike many styles we can get new with tags at eBay stores, they are often affordable at full price!

Here is one of the jeans style shorts they currently have, which are down to sizes 20 and 24 in light blue, for $28.50

So apparently Fashion to figure has shorts in sizes such as women’s plus sizes 0 to 3X as well as women’s plus sizes 12 to 26.

OK, so it has been a long time since I purchased shorts, likely normal for a women who wears cut offs.
That said, it has been nice wearing something a bit nicer than my usual cut offs!
Perhaps I will take up at least shorts browsing after all. I should, as some of those cut offs are thread bare in wrong places, and it is only June 1st…

In the relatively near future I will regale you with the currently 3 part saga of;
Finding my New Bra Size
Right now, between parts 2 and 3,
I am depressed and wearing a not quite good fitting bra…
Yes. It was better to put my attention on shorts until I find out what this last bra purchase,
(trying new brand for me and size),
turns out to be like.

Enjoy!
Be ready for the Heat!

6/1/15
Anne