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

[caulkhead]

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

[serriadh]

They're so stupid. They ruin the line under clothes, and aren't pretty/big/interesting enough to be worth showing off without clothes (if that's something you want to do).

I find wired bras much more comfortable, which I think makes me a unusual, but I'm very glad you've found something that works for you!

[antisoppist]

I find wired bras much more comfortable than bands of fabric sticking round my chest. The M&S ones that fit me comfortably - I think it's due to gap between breasts - are non-padded underwired balcony bras but the current range are mostly called Allure and come in red and pink lace. And what is with the little metal decorative dangly things in the middle? That show through your white shirt. I would almost prefer a bow.

[perennialanna]

Supposedly a hangover from corset lacing (the only corset I have ever had a close encounter with laced up the back, as you may remember).

M&S generally produce something absolutely plain (eg https://www.marksandspencer.com/2-pack-non-padded-full-cup-bras-a-e/p/clp60375741?color=OPALINEMIX ), which I could bring myself to live with stylistically, but basically I don't want a bra, I want to able to blur my outlines more than any bra will do.

Bluntly, I'd rather not have breasts. The problem is I currently don't have a stable enough body shape to invest in anything that will do the job. So I wear these a size too small and with the removable cups removed, and it sort of mostly works. Enough to live with, at any rate, and once the thyroxine kicks in I might stop expanding.

https://tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk/p/White-%26-Black-Seamless-Stretch-Crop-Tops-2-Pack/136480488-White?searchTerm=:newArrivals:style:Crop%20Top&searchProduct=

[caulkhead]

I want mine not to touch, and ideally not to sit on my lower ribs either. Underwires are really the only way I've found to achieve that (even my sports bras are underwired). I tried going without when it was so hot last summer and just. not. comfortable.

[white_hart]

Yes, being in the "would really rather not have breasts" camp makes a difference, but fortunately I have a stable enough body shape to invest time and elastic in making these. (I suspect a proper binder would flatten them more, but they definitely flatten a bit and blur the outlines, and I can still breathe in them.)

[perennialanna]

I have put on a stone since Christmas. Underactive thyroid will do that. I'm also cross because I physically can't wear my shirts buttoned right up at the moment, because of the swelling in my neck. I don't just feel wretched, I can't even dress to feel myself. And breathing is an issue all the time, so that rules binding right out.

This time next year hopefully I will have settled onto a suitable thyroxine dosage, at which point throwing money at the problem would make far more sense (I have a mental block about sewing at the moment. I'm struggling with oversewing embroidery fabric, which is the most basic task there is). Meanwhile, I got the clippers out tonight and at least my hair is transmasc again.

[white_hart]

I'm sorry, that's miserable. I hope the thyroxine starts to work quickly.