I got this request in my inbox and I need your help answering it:
"I just found your blog which I’m so happy about! I am five foot 1 and I have properly sized myself to be a 28E. For years I have struggled with the shallow breasts that I have as I just can't really find a bra that fits and also doesn't make my boobs stand out / end up too projected. At the moment I only wear sports bras. I am quite small (97 pounds) but I do have quite a large ribcage so T-shirts look funny if my breasts stick out too far -- it's as if I have a hump at the front beneath my neck maybe because my breast tissue starts high up? Do you have any ideas about bras that may fit me or any suggestions that may help me? "
Both being petite and having a shallow breast shape has its challenges when it comes to bra fitting. I have written a bit about which bras I recommend for each, but
For finding out whether your breasts are placed extra high (or extra low) on your ribcage, here is a video that tells you how to measure your proportions. Remember that if you are petite even if your breast placement is perfectly proportional for you, it will still be shorter that of the "average" woman clothes and lingerie is designed for.
If you are a petite and you have breasts that are high on your ribcage, that means that the area that a bra covers (nape of the neck to below the ribcage) will be quite short, as compared to the "average" figure most bras are made for. Low-cut cups will work best, as any fuller cups will go almost up to your neck. True balconette cuts (with horizontal top edges) usually work because they are low-cut, plus they are more likely to not be projected. Bra straps should be able to be shortened all the way, otherwise you might have to cut them shorter and sew them back on.
So, some bra recommendations:
Jelliefishie recommends Natori bras. Litte Bra Company seems to work for many petite shallow-boobed women, here are a couple of reviews; the cups usually run small. I think that Wiesmann bras would work too, but they are not easy to find. You should also browse through the OfLambsAndLace blog and read her reviews. The shallow-breasted ladies of Bratabase have compiled an amazing list of bras that fit shallow breasts, however you'ĺl need to check the reviews of each of them to see whether they'll work on a petite frame.
If you do stumble on a great bra that works for a petite frame with shallow breasts, you can use Bratabase to compare and find cups of a similar width and depth.
So now I need your recommendations. I'd like to ask shallow-breasted petites out there: which bras could work for this breast type? Do let me know in the comments!
