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Bras!

Messages
71
I wear an underwire bra without padding... my band size is a 28, so I have a really hard time finding bras that fit and I don't have much of a choice.

If you do experience pain from the under wire or straps 1. make sure you are wearing the proper size and style of bra -- get professionally fit. I was wearing a 32 band size because that's the smallest most American stores carry, then I went to a professional shop that measured me and said I'm actually a 28 (no wonder the 32 never fit right). :D
2. If you still find it a problem and have a heavy or out of proportion to your body chest, reductions are sometimes necessary to relieve the pain. For some reason, people are experiencing excessive chest growth (even in really skinny or underweight people).

If you're flat and can go braless, or smaller busted (AA, A, or B cup) and can wear the soft cup bras or bralettes, it's pretty easy to find a comfortable bra.

About the pajama/comfy clothes discussion -- as an undergraduate, like everyone wears sweats and stylish sneakers, Uggs, or boat shoes, and sometimes pajamas to really early classes. There are some pretty stylish pajamas out there, so I wouldn't say they're all something to be ashamed of wearing. :D I find everyone dresses for comfort; I like to wear that kind of stuff, but I also feel when I get dressed up (like in jeggings or leggings, boots, a tunic and a sweater) I feel more energetic and confident. Some of the sweatsuits can be really stylish... actually any athletic wear. I think that's definitely the way to go for a comfortable and more presentable outfit (like if you want to go shopping or have to go to a doctor appointment and don't want people to see you in pajamas). :)
 

Sallysblooms

P.O.T.S. now SO MUCH BETTER!
Messages
1,768
Location
Southern USA
I still don't get the going in public in pj's. When I was in college, we loved to get dressed up. Even now, I do. I think everyone is different, but people forget comfort can also look good now. Lots of cute comfy clothes. I love maxi dresses. Comfy and so cute.
 
Messages
1
I am 51 years old. I have had CFS for 21 years. During that time, I actually met a man, married, had two kids, and divorced. It was a major thing for me that my kids not grow up seeing their mother as an invalid. Therefore, I determined to get dressed each and every day, even on days when I spent virtually the entire day in bed. My solution: leggings and t-shirts. They are easy to pull on, comfortable to move around in, and feel just like PJs during my many naps. It may not be the most elegant solution, but at least it's neither PJs nor sweatsuits!

A friend commented to me a year or two back that I must be very happy that leggings were back in style. She knew that I'd been wearing leggings since their first go around back in the 80s! :) Like I said, I may not be the most fashionable mom on the block, but at least I'm dressed!
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
Lilac.. thanks for sharing that some undergraduates are going to their early classes in their PJs. Im in Australia and last year saw an upper high school kid out shopping in her PJs so ever since then had wondered if that was becoming a normal kind of thing among young ones..
...

What Im about to say is probably going to shock some from the posts here seems some cant imagine this. Im a F size in my bra and actually do "comfortably" often go braless with just a loose t-shirt on my top half (I think it all depends often on what a person is used to). Yeah its not a pretty sight thou lol.. but its comfortable. Due to this illness, nowdays its comfort I think of the most.

Buying comfortable Bras for me.. isnt easy as many shops dont even stock bras of F size and there is only a few brands who do F and G cup bras. (Im lucky thou as Im smaller then the rest of my family.. I have a K cup bra sister who cant even buy her bras in Australia of that size so has to order then from England).

I used to always find underwire bras uncomfortable.. that was until I once had a bra fitting and found out I was buying the wrong size. Ive also found it isnt just size that matters either.. bras can be the right size but have a wrong cut for you on them eg some I find the shoulder straps are too far apart so will struggle to stay on shoulders.. others are cut too high under the arms so dig in or there can be other issues in the bra cuts. At LEAST half the bras that are actually right size.... I find have not suitable cuts. Also underwires can at times be shaped differently.. some with wider curve then others and the curve if not right can also cause discomfort.

Being big busted I also need very broad shoulder straps so they dont go digging in from the weight of myself. (I weighed my breasts one time and to my shock found they together weigh 2-3 kg depending on time of the month.. crazy amount of weight to be carrying on ones chest). I would NEVER mail order bras unless I'd worn that size and that brand before otherwise it would be far too likely they wouldnt be right for me and be uncomfortable for me. I also keep 4 different size bras (different either in size or cut) as my bodies fluid volume really varies at times and even the size of my cup can change. I do really like some sport bras (but they are very hard to find them wireless when you get to an F size bra. Hard to find any kind of wireless bra at this size).

I feel claustaphobic with sleeping with a bra on.. hate anything wrapped around my chest while trying to sleep. So just are in the habit of rearranging my bosoms for comfort whenever I roll over during the night