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Are Racerback sports bras better? Understanding strap configurations
There are so many different strap configurations in sports bras that it’s almost impossible to categorise them all. From standard T and U backs to racerbacks, J hooks, cutout racerbacks, decorative multi straps, what should you choose? Is there a physical reason why these strap styles are so popular, or is it just fashion? In…
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What is the effect of changing the dart width in a bra cup pattern?
This question caused a lot of intrigue on Instagram when I asked it, and it’s a question that has confused me as well for a long time. Analysing this alteration and its effects has really improved my overall understanding of bra cup geometry, so even if you don’t intend to wear darted cup bras, I…
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Are You Overfitting Your Wires? A look at breast root anatomy
Bra making has taken a very modular turn in the past few years: to make a well fitting bra, you must: Take a root trace (while leaning forwards) Match this to a wire chart and order some similar wires Make a fitting band to fit your wire and band Add the cups and fit those…
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Should you worry about bending your wires? (A response to Bare Essentials)
For those who are unfamiliar,”Bare Essentials: Bras” is a book by Jennifer Lynne Fairbanks, which is most known for its unique bra drafting techniques which allow you to make a custom bra draft based on your measurements. I won’t be talking about those in this post – the book is expansive and also covers bra…
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Bra Physics 4 – What can we learn about the cups and straps?
In this part, I talk about the physics involved in the cups and the straps. The cups are by far the most complex part of the bra, and their geometry befuddles millions of people worldwide. I won’t be talking about geometry here – cup shape, strap positioning, and necklines (well, I do a tiny bit…
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Why the Omega Alteration keeps messing up your armpit (and how to fix it)
There are a few different adjustments you can make when altering a pattern to fit a smaller frame – Emerald Erin has a great rundown here. One that I have mentioned before on this blog is called the omega adjustment. Now, a bugbear of mine is that while this is called the omega adjustment, doing…
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2 Ways to Widen the Lower Gore – Wire Spring vs Wire Rotation
Widening the lower gore (aka the lower bridge) is a common alteration for those with a splayed root shape, but the techniques in this post can also be used to turn a regular wire into a plunge wire. Here’s two ways to widen the lower gore, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Wire Rotation…
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Bra Physics Part 3: What can we learn about the wires and cradle?
This is Part 3 of my Bra Physics series. In Part 1, I described the forces involved in supporting your breasts and what parts of a bra are responsible for providing those forces. In Part 2 I introduced the concepts of stress and strain, and applied these and part 1’s principles to the design and…
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Necklines always cutting in? Why full cups may be your foes and power bars your unlikely friends
I have a series of posts about the physics behind supportive bras. In the first post, I described that the band should make up most of the support system of a bra – but this doesn’t mean the straps are not important. The best way to boil that post down is that the band provides…
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Bra Physics Part 2: What Can We Learn about the Band?
In my last bra physics post, I described the forces involved in supporting your breasts and what parts of a bra are responsible for providing those forces. How can this knowledge inform our decisions when making or choosing bras? This post is part of a series and covers the bands of bras – just the…
Recent Posts
- Wireless Bra Analysis: Panache Sophie & Andorra
- How wireless bras create support: the 3 types and how to choose between them
- Lilypadesigns Lanai Wireless Bra Pattern Review & Debug
- Not all power bars are created equal: which patterns will give you the best side support, and why
- Altering your bra cup to fit a smaller wire (aka the omega alteration) – a more accurate way
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Comments
I would love to see an article on the best bras for lifting gravity-challenged, tennis-ball-in-a-sock, grandma boobs back up where…
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