Adventures in underwear (73/365)

[white_hart]

As those of you who know me in real life will be aware, I possess a rather substantial bust. This is not something that I particularly like (the me in my head is flat-chested and generally androgynous, and it's always a bit disturbing to be reminded how different the me in the mirror is), and it's compounded by the horror that is bras. Bras, in my experience, resemble torture devices whether they are frilly lacy underwired ones (which (a) scratch, (b) poke into your ribcage and (c) are so femme just looking at them gives me the screaming heebie-jeebies) or sports bras (which are plain and sensible and even a bit compressing if you get the right kind, but which require the skills of a contortionist to get on and off). For the last few years, I've been wearing beige or white t-shirt bras from Debenhams, which have soft microfibre fabric with only a tiny bit of lace at the sides (and, inevitably, a small bow on the front, because apparently it's impossible to make a bra without a small bow on the front), and whose underwires only occasionally poked into my ribcage. They didn't make me particularly happy, but they didn't make me actively unhappy either, so I stuck with them.

Recently, though, I started seeing pictures of the Muna and Broad Banksia Bralette on Instagram, and I was intrigued at the idea of a bralette designed for larger bodies and a range of cup sizes. I decided that making one would be my Christmas holiday sewing project.



I've just finished sewing my fifth*, and now I have enough that I can get from one laundry day to the next without ever wearing an underwired bra. And, wonder of wonders, I actually like how I look in these. They're colourful and fun, and utilitarian, and comfortable, and not at all femme or "sexy". I'm so happy to be able to make them.

*actually, sixth, but the second version I made was in a fabric without enough stretch and the seams ripped almost straight away

Comments

[cosmolinguist]

I can't sew but I bought some bralettes that fit my big chest about two years ago and have worn an underwired bra maybe twice since (when I had to dress up around my family). It's been life-changing. My vision of myself is also flat-chested and in a funny way, while I'm still of course anything but, the bralettes help with the disjunction between my brain and reality because I hardly ever spare a thought for my chest all day when I'm wearing one; they're comfortable and unobtrusive in a way no other bra has ever been for me, so they feel invisible.

[legionseagle]

Not having sewing skills, I was extremely pleased to find a range of reasonably priced non-underwired bras from Simply Be which go up to 48G and are extremely comfortable.

[angelofthenorth]

ooooooh - as a 44H I might have to try to make these if they go that big!

[joyeuce]

I have started wearing Molke bras in the last year. Life-changing.

[girlyswot]

Hooray! They are so much fun, which I think is a huge glaring gap in the underwear market for grown women. In my size (42C) the options are basically sexysexysexy or structural engineering. Neither of which I want. I just want pretty and fun.

Anyway, my FOE has all arrived and I have printed the pattern and now I just need to make time in my sewing room. You have inspired me!

[cmcmck]

I'm relatively small (38b) and it's strange how 'they' manage to produce reasonably comfortable stuff that actually fits at this sort of size.

[caulkhead]

What is with the little bows? I can't think of anyone whose style, femme or not, gains anything by them.

[sollers]

Sports bras: the best way I know to get them on is put head and both arms in, pull down to your waist and and then put arms in one at a time. There is still one moment of struggle but you can use both hands to pull them out and down.

[nineveh_uk]

They look great! Very cheerful colours. I've not worn underwired I years, they just dont fit (apart from some amazing short wires when I was c. 25), and at the o end am living happily in various Triumph non wired options, which are blissfully lace free. Though as a year, the last 12 months have certainly been more bra off than normal, even as a person who dodsnt always wear one.

[mrs_redboots]

I don't think I've ever worn an underwired bra in my life! I usually buy non-wired bras from M&S or Tesco, but just this last week have bought some pull-on bralette type things, rather like yours, which are incredibly comfortable, although not desperately supportive (now I no longer skate, that doesn't matter - when you are jumping, you need support or it hurts!). Incidentally, should you tire of making your own, or need a bra for a special occasion, the place to go is John Lewis, who I've always found have been incredibly helpful, and you can specify that you won't wear an underwire, and they respect that.

[ankaret]

Ooh, those look good! I would like to have more matching sets that tick the 'colourful / fun / utilitarian / comfortable' boxes. I rely on Molke for bras and it has changed my life to the point that I smile whenever I peg them up to dry or put them away in a drawer (no more underwires, yay!!!) It's a combination of knowing my bra will not actively hurt me and knowing that I have enough of them that I don't have to be hypervigilant about which ones are in the wash at any given time (ask me about being a teenage girl with a large bust and exactly *two* bras, one to wear and one for in the wash, because they were expensive) But your bralettes look like they have more front coverage, which I could do with.

As far as pants go Molke's 3xs are a bit small on me, which is annoying, so I am mostly reliant on M & S who annoyingly only seem to do bright colours in combination with fabrics I don't like the feel of.

WRT clothing in general I want comfort and freedom of movement along with looking aesthetically interesting (but not either 'sexy' or as if I am dressing to appease people who come up with a lot of bullshit rules about how to be as inoffensive as possible while fat). It is annoying how much active effort this requires.

[lokifan]

That's so cool!!