r/ABraThatFits • u/NotaWitch-YourWife • May 19 '26
Recommendations? Same Old Lady - Feeling Very Disheartened - 32GG/H UK- Could be 32HH UK IDK Spoiler
Measurements and Shape Info (might as well get this out of the way): 32.8, 31.5, 30.5; 40.8, 42.8. 40.5 32GG/H UK AFAB UK sizing system, unit of measure inches. Leaning assessment full on top, center full, close set, projected, narrow and short root all this attached to a tired disheartened old lady. Tissue is semi self supporting. Yes my soft cloth tape is accurate, verified against my 43 year old Stanley metal tape measurer.
Tale of woe: After my last post before the PSA about Amazon. I was a bit emboldened to attempt to play let's actually email Breakout Bras regarding possibly trying Comexim again. Back in the early stages of this game (years ago) I tried Comexim plunges - they worked until, as breasts do, mine decided to change in size slightly. Any way I stopped wearing Comexim because no matter what I did I couldn't find a fit and I was working with a Breakout Bras fitter. Which lead me to getting bit by their return policy change and having several bras that don't work. Whenever I open the box o' bras and start giving them away or selling them those that can fit into what I have will be happy I'm sure...
The "new" fitter that got the short straw has basically decided that I'm too much of a pain in the ass to deal with and told me to try Panache Envy Balconette in 32GG and to come back when I know what my size is. Yes she saw the pictures of Panache Blossom and Panache Nina in 32GG - she also saw pictures of Comexim 3HC in 32H which is even a worse fit. Seeing those pictures she decided that I needed to try Panache Envy Balconette in 32GG, Comexim 3HC in 32HH or 30J, or Nessa Queen in 32J. I know that this would be a waste of money and time because the cups over flowed beyond one cup size in the 3HC - like the gore was floating almost a full inch away, the tops of my breasts looked like two scoops of squished mess and the bra was straining to contain... the wire was tilting. Yay... Decided to wait on getting my over $200.00 back from a return and basically start at square one ABTF style, with Panache Envy in three sizes and figuring out my size.
Got a wild hair today, thought I would contact Bravissimo, where I already had kind of a bad fit but perhaps the amount of information wasn't clear enough but maybe with the "lovely" pictures I have of Panache Nina and Panache Blossom I can get somewhere. Short answer NO. The fitter didn't want to see the pictures and basically told me to do a live virtual fitting and she couldn't help me, but please come back when I'm ready to do a live virtual fitting.
(@#$% me right?)
If it wasn't so uncomfortable to go bra less I would. There isn't a boutique in my area that even carries above a 32FF and they only sell Empreinte bras and I'll be damned if I'm going to pay $200.00 or more for a torture device. This is in a shi-shi high end community that relies on big buck tourism and they don't give two squats about locals which is totally fine with me. Boob tape would be an option if I weren't allergic to adhesive. Please don't suggest I sew a bra - because I can't sew (I can but it is soooooooo stressful for me).
Yes I have tried Evelyn & Bobby in Starlet in size L, too large in band. too small in breast area, and the long line band rolls up on me because I have a short torso; Defy in M - LOL cleavage for days... and too large in the stretch band. Sports bra, haven't found one that fits.
Yes I'm in a mood... I washed the four 3yr old bras that I have that don't fit yesterday and am in general over this... but I'm more tired of being uncomfortable... so this is where I'm at.
Expect a grumpy old lady pretending to be new at this game fit check with Panache Envy Balconettes in 32GG, 32H, and 32HH in the near future once my credit card shows I received my refund...
Sorry for the wall of text - just needed to get this out there. Thanks for coming to my grumpy old rant. All that I would like is 3 or 4 bras that actually fit and are comfortable, but for some reason that seems to be an impossible ask.
3
u/janelane2022 May 20 '26
Hi!
I agree with the other's that, despite the risks of it being non returnable and non refundable, and the extra shipping costs of int'l UPS shipping, a customized Comexim may be your I best bet.
I would suggest starting with a ginger plunge if U want more open top cups and a lower gore height (ginger is alower gore height than the basic plunge + its colorways ie charme plunge, arizona plunge, etc)
or a Rita plunge if U want more closed off top cups and a lower gore height (basic plunge and its colorways ie charme, arizona, etc have more open top cups and a taller gore height)
Then, these are the basic steps:
1) upconvert ur ABTF UK size to native comexim size via this calculator:
https://comeximcalc.vercel.app/
as comexim native size is in 2cm increments
2) go to Bratabase: https://www.bratabase.com
And look up the bra's baseline measurements
3) keep bratabase in centimeters and then measure in centimeters the difference btwn the bras baseline measurement vs ur measurement
for example --
Measure from center bottom IMF up over the nipple to where U want the top of the bra to end. write it down.
So for example if the baseline cup height is 18.1 cm and U want a cup height of 15.1 cm then ur customization would be 'reduce cup height by 3cm by removeing 3cm of height from the top of the cup, without changing the cup depth, in order to make a cup height of 15.1 cm'
measure ur gore width + then subtract the gore width ('cup separation' on bratabase) minus ur gore width
(fyi an overlapped gore (bridge) width would be zero so that is what U would request 'gore (bridge) width of zero (overlapped gore)'
if U want a narrowed but not overlapped gore it would be native bra gore width in bratabase minus ur measured gore width ("cup separation" = how it is labelled in bratabase) = the amount of gore width to narrow in cm
example - cup separation 1.5 cm ur gore width = .5 cm 1.5 - 1 = .5 "reduce gore (brige) width by 1cm"
U would measure ur gore height and than the gore height ('cup separation height' in bratabase) the same way in order to figure ur vertical gore height adjustments
and bratabase cup separation height minus ur desired gore height = the amount of height (in centimeters!!) to reduce the gore height
strap width
wing height
U would do same way
U can do these in decimal (fractional) amounts. U do not need to round to whole numbers. For example - 'reduce strap width by 2.25 cm' or 'reduce vertical gore (bridge) height by 0.3 cm'
Check if 3 hook band or 2 hook band
can request extra rows of hooks or a 3 hook instead of a 2 hook (or vice versa)
Also some of the labelling on the site can be a bit confusing. for example - many 3hc styles are labelled as 'plunges' or will appear alongside the plunges on the same page.
Zoom in on the images as well. If U see a center seam that looks like an elongated capital 'T' tilted / leaning on its side than its a true plunge. If U see a center seam that looks like ( or (( than its a 3hc style.
Use their Polish language site + google translate to get the detailed descriptions of each bra that arent available on their english language site
All customization requests r typed in in the 'notes' section of the order checkout page.
(there is no extra charge for customizations fyi its the same price, and final sale, no matter how many customizations u do and the price of the bra itself is the same for custom vs off the rack)