Comments on: A question of thoracic shaping

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:19:27 +0000

Hi everyone!!

I’m a student studying Contour Fashion (lingerie and corsetry design) and I’m researching into Pectus Excavatum and Carinatum in order to change the inadequate lingerie industry! I and someone I know has PE and understand the problems with bra fitting but need more info if I can make a change! Can anyone please contact me if you’re interested in sharing information? Things like measurements, problems and fitting experiences. There is no industry development for people with PE who don’t want surgery and I really want to change this!

My email is codesinger@hotmail.co.uk if you’re interested.

Thanks

Amy

By: Mand

Mand — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 01:49:58 +0000

I completely agree with this. I have real problems with bra straps digging into the creases between my arm and bust, underwires digging into the breast tissue in the middle, bra straps digging into my shouldres… it is a problem that drives me crazy everyday and I buy bras constantly forever thinking that I have finally found one that fits only for it to annoy me after several hours of wear. I am not a sewer and would love to be able to modify the bras I buy because I can see just by looking at them how the straps are places to far to the sides and there is not enough material in the centre,

Please, let me know as soon as you find/create a stockist that will solve this problem! I am a 30DD and not only is my comfort suffering, but I get so worked up after wearing a bra sitting down for hours that I find it impossible to concentrate on doing work whilst wearing one. And if I don’t wear one I feel like my breasts sag. Catch-22!

By: Adria

Adria — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 04:07:05 +0000

Thank you so much for writing this, I have spent many many hours searching online for a solution to my bra problems and this is the first time I’ve found anything. I am 20 years old, 140 lbs, 5′10″, I have (like a few other posters) and indented sternum (about 2 inches indented) and on top of that I am a 34DD (which is practically impossible to find).

I mostly just wear sports bras because they sit lower down on my body and actually hold all of by bust withing the bra. My problem with traditional bras is that my breasts come to the center and fall out. I think this is because my sternum is indented so the U wire there does not touch it and because of this does not support about 2 inches of my breast. What I generally end up doing is getting an under wire bra with no padding (just stretchy fabric) and bending the wires that sit between my breasts inwards (so they ALMOST touch my sternum). This certainly doesn’t solve the problem, but it seems to at least cover my breasts a bit better.

One other thing that annoys me to no end: why, when they make something “larger” does everything get larger EXCEPT the depth of the bust. It might get a little wider across, but there is generally no extra gathered fabric to allow for the fullness of a breast to push it out.

By: Allen

Allen — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 11:55:41 +0000

Portia,
Hi. Its good all these suggestions help. I hope you find alot here.
Large busted women find two other problems. First the bust projection may fall lower. Instead of being 1/2 the distance from the shoulder to the elbow, the bust breaks (furthest projection forward) lower.
Second, because there is more volume, the base of the cup can be lower. In filling more of the front, the first dart has to occure lower.
This is *all* normal. Chest band has to take 90% of the weight so the bra straps do not. A propperly fitted bra allows for two fingers to be placed under the bra strap. Its snug but not uncomfertable. Many women who are fitted freak out a little to find the are a 38F not a 40DD. There is something about the letters F,G,H,I,J, K that feels “freakish”
Lastly yes – one side is larger than the other. Its normal. Typically its your dominate side. Right handed? Righ side. Left handed? Left one.

Portia you are doing the right thing. Not only do you have a waist but showing helps take the focuse off the bust. Use an item around the neck, item around the waist to help draw the eye there.

Hope this helps.

Hope

By: Portia

Portia — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 21:27:13 +0000

Hi,
I have been struggling with this for awhile. I am a DD cup, but have fond that demi/ balconey bras fit me best. I also find that I can not wear any mass produced clothing with darts because the darts are typically 1 1/2″ – 2″ too high and they are many times off center. I do sew and have modified many patterns to fit me. It had never occurred to me that my body circumference shape was different than the patterns often go on. Thank you for your possible solutions to my fashion issues.

By: Allen

Allen — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 00:10:41 +0000

Jennifer,
Let me try to recap. One side of the sternum is concave, is more inward than the other?
I assume this means the bra moves toward the the other side. If the left breast is on the cocave side you have to re-position thebra to the left for it migrates to the right side.
If this is true then its complex multiple vector physics with a possible simple solution (matrix algebra optional).
All joking aside. Breathing puts strain on the lower bra strap. The void on the left side does not push agaist the bra strap as much as the right side – which makes full contact with the bra. Hence the left side can slip while the right side can not. A right side silky insert should even the tension with the left side keepin the bra in the middle.
Eh, its just a theory. I have not run any tests.

Please let me know what you tink, even if its just a laugh =)

Allen

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 23:03:03 +0000

@Mare & @Steph Another pectus carinatum woman here. My PC is pretty extreme — my sternum juts out on the right and my left rib cage dips way in…I’m very asymmetrical and have a slight scoliosis as well. I am so frustrated! I spend half my day tugging at, adjusting, and moving my bra into different positions but I can’t find comfort. I have a small build (5′5″, 115 pounds, 34A). I would pay $100, even more, if someone could make me a bra that made me look normal and feel comfortable. Argh! Years ago I found that I could wear Natori bras because the cups were a little further apart but I still had discomfort around my ribcage. I gave up completely on real bras in my early 30’s and wore what my husband likes to call “the uniboob bra” but they gave me no support and pretty much completely flattened me. I thought I’d finally found the perfect bra a few years ago (the Victoria’s Secret Ipex) but in recent months I’ve had problems with them as well. Anyway, I’m going insane! Glad to know that there are others like me out there but I’m sad that we’re all suffering through this. My brother has PE and well, at least he doesn’t have to worry about wearing a bra!

By: Allen

Allen — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 11:15:35 +0000

Great article – Here is an MRI showing cross section and proving your point. The link that brought me to your article is from Hidden Feet so the MRI is of a larger chested woman.
URL: http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content-nw/full/90/9/5287/F3

Hope this helps.

By: MJ

MJ — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:59:49 +0000

I have PE and have been wearing Evolution bras by Margarita available on brastraps.com. They are push ‘em up, pad ‘em up underwire bras and because my flared ribs appear to stick out farther than my dismal ptotic breasts (I’m 5′7″, 115 lbs, active, fit and 47) when I’m naked, a 34B gives my body the illusion of ‘normalcy’ when clothed. The front of the bra does not sit flat against the sternum and I accept that. As well, I buy swimwear from Venus swimwear as they have a line of padded, push up bikinis that give the same illusion and yes, I wear them on the beach. Let’s unite, PE sisters, and make the PE figure the new normal!

By: Sairs

Sairs — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:51:25 +0000

YET ANOTHER WITH PECTUS EXCAVATUM!!!

Some of the problems described above with the egg shape fit issues definitely describe me: bras attempt to pull my breasts apart; strapt cut into the front of my shoulders; constantly pulling my shirt down from my neck. And of course all the other fitment issues listed by the other women with Pectus Excavatum sound all too familiar also: underwires hurt my ribs and poke into my breasts where they rub together at the front; protruding lower ribs (called “coastal flarings”); spill out the front from lack of support; push-up bras fit best but still not quite right.

I am gobsmacked to find so many women with this problem. As Mare mentioned above, pectuc carinatum and excavatum is far more common in men. My two brothers have pectus carinatum. my father and grandfather have pectus excavatum. my sisters are “normal”. And i was the unlucky one. I’ve never met another woman with either P.E. or P.C. Official figures is that only 1 in 4 sufferers are female. But i guess that still means there must be a lot of women out there with our bra fit issue.

WELL I AM GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!