Bra Problem #16: “Balconette-style bras that don’t suit people whose boobs are full on top! Just because my boobs are full on top doesn’t mean I always want a big ol’ full-coverage bra. I prefer a balconette that keeps my boobs front and center. But I need balconettes with a deep cup shape and a generous top to the cup (or even a stretchy top to the cup, which makes for a great fit, so long as the bottom and sides of the cup are of a supportive fabric). Bras like the Cleo Minnie have been my holy grail, but Cleo seems to have so few bras out any given time that finding one in my size in a color I like is a gamble, and they’re so expensive!” AND “Oh yeah, and the sheer fact that there are exactly two stores in my area that actually stock bras below a 36 band and above a DD cup where I can shop in person–and I live in a major metropolitan area- is ridiculous. I want to be able to go into a store and try on a bunch of bras like a normal person, rather than order a bunch online and have to mail back all the ones that don’t end up fitting and wait for a refund- if I can GET a refund!”

These two problems might not sound like they arise from the same foundation, but they honestly do! There are certain truths about bras and bra fitting that contribute to the challenge of finding an ideal fit, and while these facts are as true for Grail as they are for every other bra retailer, we are better equipped in many ways to help you work through these obstacles. (1) Every body is different. Every. Single. One. Two individuals with the same volume of breast tissue and chest circumference will technically wear the same bra size. However, their actual body shapes may vary widely, and the bra styles that work well for one may be a total mess on the other. (2) Every bra is a unique construction, even different styles made by the same brand. No two styles fit exactly the same, unless they are literally just the same base frame with different ornamentation. (3) The terms that we use to describe bra qualities and attributes can be frustratingly imprecise. Descriptive terminology like “balconette”, “plunge”, “demi-cup”, “minimizer”, etc., tell you a little bit about the form or function of the bra, but there is still so much variation within those categories! As a fitter, I feel like other labels would be far more helpful in assessing fit probability, like “amount of projection or cup slope,” “underwire width,” and “gore height”, but instead the language focuses more on presentation than structure. Ahem… personal gripe.

So anyway, if each body and each bra style is functionally unique, and the label doesn’t tell us anything reliably, what is a would-be bra wearer to do? With full acknowledgment that this is not always as simple as it sounds, you MUST try things on. Sometimes you must try on MANY things before you find the one that checks all of your boxes, whatever those might be. A professional bra fitter can be a huge assistance in this process by narrowing down your field of options to begin with and then troubleshooting the results with you, tweaking sizing or presenting style alternatives based on the results of your trials. Something else to keep in mind, though: a fitter is only as good as the inventory they have to pull from! This is one of the major challenges of running a bra boutique and probably one of the reasons why there aren’t more of us around. The bra size spectrum alone is VAST. Add in a hundred other variables for fit factors and personal preference; there is so SO much ground to cover.

That’s where the power of being a bra specialist comes in. Your department stores, big box stores, and generalist retailers that carry bras will typically only offer what they believe to be the most common sizes with the largest potential customer pool. We only sell bras and related accoutrements, which gives us focus and the ability to do that one thing to the highest level. I never know ahead of time who is going to walk through the door or what their particular needs are going to be. 44B, looking for a black strapless bra. 36K, prefers wire-free styles with a bit of padding and no lace. 30DDD, with very little top volume and extremely close-set breasts; perhaps they like what we carry but wishes it came in a print instead of solid colors. I don’t think there will ever be a time when I don’t wish I had *something* on-hand that we don’t stock, but Grail does its absolute level best to carry the most diverse bra inventory you’ll find anywhere… and we add to it as much and as often as we possibly can! High-quality bras are expensive, even wholesale, and when some styles come in 70+ different sizes, that investment quickly balloons. We love what we do, though, and each new style we add to the shop is another tool in our fitting toolbox. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

To the original poster, consider checking out Serene by Panache or the Sonata balconette from Polish brand Nessa. These styles are among the best bras we’ve found for highly projected breasts, with deep cups, side support, and balconette-level coverage. (Your Cleo bras are actually a subset of Panache already, and that brand is currently absorbing the Cleo line into the Panache label. 🙂)

Note: “Bra Problems” was originally a series of Facebooks posts written in response to follower queries during the Covid shutdown of spring 2020. Our inboxes are still open, though! If you have a Bra Problem you’d like us to troubleshoot here, email your issue to support@grailbras.com.