Bra Shapes
Bra Style Guide
Once you have your measurements figured out (see measuring instructions here), it’s time to find bra styles that will work best for you!
The first step is to have a look at your breast type. In other traditional systems, it’s important to know if your breasts are shallow or projected. This is how much volume your breasts have relative to the base they are sitting on.
Projection (Volume)
With the Elizabeth Valentine system we are measuring volume, so you don’t really have to worry about if you’re projected or shallow. It’s already taken care of. What we are concerned with is where the volume is located (see next section). There are endless combinations of breast types; you might not fit neatly into one type.
If your breasts are projected, full cradle, full cup, full wire bras and longline bras offer the most support because there is simply more material and longer wires holding everything in. Although, you may be projected with breast implants and be self supporting and don’t necessarily need extra support.
If your breasts are shallow, floating cups without a cradle, plunge cups, balconettes, bralettes and wireless bras have lighter support.
Fullness (Location of Volume)
Some bra styles work better than others depending on the location of fullness of the breasts. There are endless combinations of breast types; you might not fit neatly into one type.
If you have more breast tissue on the bottom and less on top, the styles that may work best for you are balconettes, half cups, plunge cups. There is less cup to fill up top. Some full cups with stretch tops might work for you. Some types of non-balconette plunge cups may work depending on how low they cut in the front. The lower it is, the less cups that will cover the breast, and therefore, less cup to fill in at the top.
If you are fuller on top, the styles that may work best for you are balconettes with a full wire and full cups that have more stretchy fabric in the top cup, such as power net or stretch lace tops. In this case, the material may stretch to cover your upper volume, instead of cutting into breast tissue. In the balconette, there is less upper cup to cut into your breasts as it simply doesn’t cover that area as much.
Breast Spacing
The space between the breasts can greatly determine the types of cups that will fit best. There are endless combinations of breast types; you might not fit neatly into one type.
If you have closer-set breasts, you might benefit from the plunge cup style. The front is cut lower so the underwires don’t go up as high and will intrude less on breast tissue. If you need the most support but have close together breasts, a non-balconette plunge would be a good choice. If you have breasts that are close together but don’t need as much support, a balconette plunge is an option worth exploring.
If your breasts are further apart, you might benefit from the plunge cup style. The front is cut lower so the underwires won’t be as close to each other in the centre. A non-balcony plunge is a good option if you need as much support as possible while not having the wires come together in the centre.
Shoulders
Depending on whether your shoulders are narrow, sloping, or possibly both, certain bra styles may work better.
If you find bra straps slipping off your shoulders, bras that are not balconettes may work better because the straps are a little bit closer to the centre than balconettes. Avoid bras that have widely spaced straps coming out from near the armpits.
If you find bra straps slipping off your shoulders, bras that are not balconettes may work better because the straps are a little bit closer to the centre than balconettes. Avoid bras that have widely spaced straps coming out from near the armpits.
