As warmer weather approaches, so does the wedding and prom season and the hunt for your special outfits and dresses. These special occasions are exciting and fun, but sometimes shopping for them isn’t. For whatever reason, designers forget that women wear bras when they design their clothes, clearly thinking that most are an A or B cup size. So, what’s a girl to do?
Over the past 24 years in business, we’ve fitted all types of breasts into all types of outfits. Here are a few expert pointers we’d like to pass along to you when you’re considering what to buy and what bra you’ll need to wear to go with it.
Clothes buying goes ten times more smoothly when you already have your properly fitted undergarments beforehand. They truly are the foundation of any outfit. A poorly fitted bra can make even the cutest outfit look a little drab, so our #1 piece of advice is to choose your undergarments first and then find your dress or top. Getting the shape and support you want from your bra will only make your chosen outfit look that much better, and you won’t be left fiddling with your undergarments all event long.
However, we know and understand that some people just see that perfect dress or special top and must have it. The task now is to figure out how to make it work. We’re here to help, with many solutions available to get you ready to showcase your chosen garment. We highly recommend that you bring your dress or outfit with you to try on bras and shapewear. It just takes the guesswork out of the equation, ensuring you get exactly what you need the first time!
Another consideration when shopping is finding dress shapes that suit your body type. For more information on body types, check out the Breast and Body Type page on our website. Here are examples of styles we’ve observed that have worked very well over the years. Mermaid dresses that hug the figure and flare out at the bottom look phenomenal on a pear, hourglass, or inverted triangle-shaped body. If you're more of a rectangle, round, or diamond shape, an A-line dress will look fantastic. It will nip in at the narrowest part of the body, usually under the breast, and really accentuate the bustline, and then the full skirt will accommodate a fuller figure. If you’re an inverted triangle, it will also balance out the shoulders. A slinky figure-hugging dress also looks really great on rectangle, hourglass, or pear-shaped bodies. By choosing a dress that fits your body well and pairing it with a bra that nicely sculpts your bust and offers maximum support, you can create a truly show-stopping look. You’ll be turning heads wherever you go!
Here at Breakout Bras, we have all kinds of solutions for you! We have strapless bras that go up to a UK J cup and several adhesive bra options. But, more importantly, we have some practical advice for what bra options best fit your individual bust size and shape.
So, let’s be real about our boobs.
If your breasts mostly keep their shape once you take your bra off but just sit a little lower, that low-plunge, low-back dress should look great. However, for those of you that weren’t gifted by the perfect boob fairy, that dress will have us worrying about having a Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction at any moment, which is definitely not how you want to spend your time in that one-of-a-kind, show-stopping outfit.
We do have adhesive bras and tape that work great for the low plunge and/or low back dresses and tops (aka the problem children of the bra fitting community, lol). For example, we carry a product called Nood, which is essentially an adhesive cup. The size 4 Nood will easily support up to a UK H cup size, but the shaping won’t be as rounded or uplifted if you have heavier breasts or shallow and soft breast tissue. Here’s a picture for reference of the type of shaping you'd get from Nood if your breasts aren’t naturally perky:
She’s definitely getting more lift and support than if she weren’t wearing a bra at all, but her breasts are not as rounded or lifted as they would be if she were wearing a strapless bra like the Curvy Kate Luxe shown below:
Booby Tape is another adhesive option. This product is great for a variety of low-back or oddly cut styles that would show the bra underneath. However, as with the Nood, you'll be hard-pressed to get a rounded shape if your breasts are heavy or you have softer tissue. Here are some examples of what you can do with Booby Tape:
As you can see in the third picture, if you have larger breasts, the tape will lift them up, but it needs to have that support on the shoulder, which wouldn’t work in a strapless style. You may need to apply the tape as shown in the first picture, but your breasts are going to have a flatter, more smooshed look instead of being round and lifted. We recommend avoiding a low-back strapless or a low-plunge strapless garment all together if you have larger, heavier breasts. The tape is a good solution for most, but again, we want you to be supported like this:
And not to be spilling out, not having your breasts lifted into the cup portion of the dress, or having your tape showing like this:
For people who have heavy breasts or soft or shallow tissue, a strapless bra or a regular bra will be what gives the best support and shape. Dresses that have a sweetheart, square, or straight across neckline will work best with those bras and breast types.
Here are some examples of what those necklines look like:
We have some great strapless options that would work for almost any of those dresses! The only situation where the bras might not work is when the neckline plunges too much. Since 100% of your support is coming from your band, you want to make sure it’s nice and tight, particularly if you have heavier breasts. That firm band is what is going to keep it from sliding down. Likewise, the center wire and cup in a strapless bra are going to need to be taller to help distribute the weight of your breasts and support them since you don’t have straps to help. If your breasts are heavy and you have a plunge-style strapless bra, the weight of your breasts is going to pull the bra down, or your breasts will pop out of the center of the cups without the extra support of the taller center wire. That’s why our plunge strapless bras aren't available in cup sizes larger than a UK H cup.* If you’re in a larger size than that, you really need the extra support to keep everything in place. You want to enjoy your special occasion, be it a cocktail party, prom, wedding, or just because. You don’t want to worry about constantly pulling at your bra.
Here are some great strapless options that we have available that work for heavier breasts or breasts that have soft and shallow tissue:
We hope this blog has included information that you've found helpful for picking out your outfit and bra for your special occasion! Be sure to check our YouTube channel soon for video commentary on this topic!
*Exciting News: Since writing this article, Curvy Kate has come out with a new strapless style that goes to a UK J cup and is plunge. It’s not available for sale yet. It will ship to us within the next few weeks and we will update you on how it fits on the blog and in Melissa's Comments on the website!
**Images of dresses courtesy of David's Bridal and Dillard's
]]>Here at Breakout Bras, we carry one of the largest bra size selections anywhere in the country. We carry 26–56 bands and AA–P cups. Our size range results in one of the best fittings available! So how is it that you sometimes feel like we don’t have much to offer? It could have something to do with your bra requirements and/or preferences.
Most people are used to the bras that department stores and bigger retailers offer, which consist of mostly seamless, t-shirt-type bras that only go to DD or DDD in the cups, so they come in asking for what’s familiar. We also completely understand that most women want a smooth look under their clothes, but what they don’t realize is that this limits their access to over 90% of the other bras that we offer, most of which would give them a significantly better fit. That’s right, 90 percent!
Seams are not there to irritatingly show through your favorite outfits. Seams are there for shaping, supporting, and lifting your breasts—something a seamless bra just doesn’t offer. The seams will bring your breast in and up, whereas a seamless bra cannot shape your breast more than what your natural breast shape already is or what the pre-formed molded cups of the bra dictate. In seamed, cut-and-sown bras, the seams allow for the shaping of the entire cup and, therefore, the entire bust. It also ensures there’s no empty space at the top of the cups, which often happens with molded styles, even the size is correct.
There’s also the customer’s bra size to consider. In a correct fit, the most common size is around a 34 H or HH. I know that sounds large, but most women who come into our store currently wearing a D or DD cup size are in that range when correctly fitted.
Most smooth, seamless bras stop at around a G cup. There are very few styles that go up to an H, even one of two that go to the HH. Even if the customer is in a smaller cup size, seamless bras only make up about 25% of the bras that are available in their size. So, I would encourage every customer to consider trying something outside of their comfort zone. We can provide many options for almost everyone that provide great support and shaping for their specific body, size, and breast shape. Take a chance on something new, and you’ll be amazed at the results!
“But I’m worried that the lines will show in my clothes” or “I’m worried that my nipples will show through.”
In terms of the seams showing, a good number of our suppliers have moved to “flat seams," so most newer releases show a lot less than some of the older legacy styles. Even those with more prominent seams will still smooth over time. You can also wear those with patterns or thicker shirts, regardless. Don’t take our word for it; here's a picture comparing a seamed bra and a seamless bra in a 28G, a 34H, and a 34J.
And this is with a brand-new seamed bra on! Also, notice the difference in the shaping. The seamless bra is wider-set and sits a little lower than the seamed bra. When you’re properly lifted and supported, it also provides a slimming effect, as you can see in the pictures.
Now, we’re not saying you shouldn’t buy a seamless bra ever; they’re a good addition to your bra wardrobe, just like a sports bra, a strapless bra, or any other specialty or occasion bra. In the correct size, any bra will look better than an ill-fitting bra. We just want you to have access to ALL the options that are available and not just limit yourself to one type of bra, just because that is the only type of bra you have experience with.
Now, to address the second question of, “Won’t my nipples show in a seamless bra?” Most of the time, if you place the nipple directly underneath the cross-seam in a seamed style, it keeps the nipples in the correct place and completely flattened, without padding or extra "petals." A seamless bra, especially spacer and lightly molded styles, usually won’t prevent them from showing any more than a seamed bra would, though a heavier padded or harder-molded bra would. Padded styles are also available with seams, like bras by the Polish brand Comexim, for example. So, you don’t have to limit yourself to just seamless to provide nipple coverage. However, if you are very concerned about nipple coverage, we also carry reusable nipple covers that can be worn with any style.
Having said all of that, it’s interesting to note that we have twelve fitters, ranging in age from 24 to almost 60, from petite to plus size, with a wide range of bra sizes, and they all almost exclusively wear seamed bras. Through their experience of fitting customers into various styles, all of whom have different body shapes and sizes, and with styles they've tried personally, they all agree that the shaping and support results from the seamed bras are far superior to those of a seamless bra. We want to see you in styles that offer you the best support and shaping possible. We won’t suggest something that won’t make you look and feel great! Give seamed bras a try today!
]]>Whether it is a voluntary surgery, be it a reduction, augmentation, or fat transfer, or if it is a non-voluntary surgery, like a partial mastectomy, mastectomy, or lumpectomy, no matter what your circumstance, it’s still uncharted territory. It can be hard to understand what to do. Unfortunately, the doctor’s office oftentimes does not give a lot of information when it comes to how your bra can affect your healing process. They often just recommend a compression sports bra. Well, that can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. That also doesn’t consider the accessibility of the bra. Many common compression sports bra options pull over the head. Someone who is recovering from surgery may not be able to lift their arms over their head immediately after surgery or have limited movement throughout the duration of their healing. The beauty of having post-op bras is that they open from the straps and from the center. You don’t have to worry about mobility issues as much because the front closure style makes it much easier to do on your own.
We highly recommend getting your bra before you have your surgery. We have seen several customers come to the store immediately after their surgery to get a bra, and we can’t fit them because they might reopen their recent incisions by moving around too much.
A post-op bra is a range-size fit, something that would go from a small to a 3X, so a variety of sizes can fit within each bra. Mary and Ava by Carefix are great examples of this style of bra. Post-op bras are designed to flex with you when you have swelling, as opposed to a cheap sports bra, which won’t be as comfortable, accessible, or contain your breast tissue properly. The adjustability of the straps and the front closure allow you to accommodate different levels of fluctuation throughout your healing process as well. A properly fitted post-op bra will have a wider band and better side cup coverage that will keep liquid and blood from pooling in incorrect areas and will keep it circulating properly. This helps prevent issues like lymphoedema. Lymphoedema is the excessive swelling of the lymph nodes. The swelling can stretch the skin, and much like during pregnancy or when you’ve lost a lot of weight, it can leave a permanent excess of loose skin behind. That’s why a properly fitted post-op bra is so important. You don’t want to spend thousands on surgery, to only spend twenty or so dollars on a sports bra, which would cause lasting issues in your healing process. We want to make sure you have the product that will properly support your surgery.
There are also compression-style post-op bras. Sophia by Carefix is a good example. These are typically recommended well after the surgery by your doctor because the patient is having swelling issues or lymphoedema. They need compression to alleviate the swelling. This applies more to people who have had a mastectomy. However, sometimes people who have implants need a compression post-op bra to make sure their implants stay in a certain shape.
It can be hard to judge what size you will be after the surgery because sizes vary between plastic surgeons. They might tell you you’ll be a full D. But what does that mean? It’s not a standard size; you could go to any store and get a full D cup and find something that would work. That doesn’t consider breast shape, UK sizes versus US sizes, etc. You also want to consider that you’ll want something that is more flexible than your usual bra to accommodate post-surgery swelling. Many of these fitting considerations vary from person to person. That’s why we recommend getting fitted, because there isn’t a universal post-op bra that will work for every single person. We are happy to find what is going to help you the most and be the best option for your surgery. If you’re local to Greenville, SC, you can make an in-person appointment at https://www.breakoutbras.com/pages/in-store-appointment-2 . If you’re an online customer, we recommend that you make an appointment at https://www.breakoutbras.com/pages/find-my-fit-appointment .
Breakout Bras doesn't process health insurance, but you can file the purchase yourself to be reimbursed. The post-op products that we offer are often eligible for reimbursement.
]]>There are many reasons why someone could have physical challenges putting on a typical bra -- arthritis, disabilities that hinder range of motion in your arms and/or hands, broken wrists, hands, or arms, or multiple types of surgical recovery -- just to name a few. Depending on your range of motion, there are several different styles that we recommend for these issues. Several of these bra styles are technically labelled as post-op bras, however, don't let that fool you. These bras provide great support and are very accessible for those with other physical limitations.
For someone who has limited shoulder rotation, fastening your bras behind your back may prove to be difficult. The solution we recommend is to opt for front-closure styles. The Leading Lady 110 is an excellent bra that hooks in the front instead of the back, as well as Anita's Salvia. If the customer is a fuller cup size, the Enell Lite bra is a great front closure option and a long-time bestseller. There’s also the Lynn, by Anita, that front fastens with a zipper, and Savona Cathy, by Cosabella, that front fastens with Velcro, if hooks are too hard to manage.
If you have a wider range of motion with your shoulders but not in your hands or fingers, a pull over style, like an Evelyn and Bobbie or a Cosabella bralette, would be ideal. We also carry multiple post-op bras by Anita and CareFix, that are designed for recovering from breast surgery. (More details on post-op bra fitting coming soon.) You can also always schedule an in-person or virtual fitting appointment if you have any further questions.
The author, Kelly Gaines, has worked 12 years in the special needs field, providing Occupational Therapy training as an Early Interventionist, and as a personal aide for a person who has Cerebral Palsy. She also has four years of experience as a Breakout Bras bra fitter.
]]>I first found out about Breakout Bras from a friend, who told me that they offered swimwear in bigger cup sizes. I had never been able to wear a bikini before in my life. I have been a DD cup since 7th grade. I could usually only find boring beige bras, and if I was lucky, black. Imagine my surprise when I found out that I wasn’t a 36DD but a 30H! I found not just one or two bras, but multiples, in so many colors, and a wide variety of swimwear! I was able to wear a swimsuit that fit for the first time since elementary school. I noticed they had a help wanted sign in the front. I asked a lot of questions about how they size and asked about working there, and the rest is history. I worked at Breakout Bras as a fitter for four years, and now I’m the Digital Design and Marketing Director.
I cannot tell you how invaluable Breakout Bras has been to my life. Growing up, I struggled with a negative body image. I was very self-conscious about having big breasts and was teased about it. I would hunch my shoulders over to try to hide how big my boobs were. I would seek out minimizer styles to try and look as small as possible. It was through working at Breakout Bras that I began to feel comfortable in my own skin and more confident. Having a correctly fitted bra made my clothes fit better, helped ease my back pain, and made me look smaller. I didn’t feel like what defined me was being "the girl with huge boobs". Through fitting customers, I realized that the average body type isn’t what’s portrayed in the media; it's not average at all. Over time, it didn’t matter to me anymore if I looked small or not. I accepted that I looked the way I do, and it was beautiful.
]]>We’re back with the second part of our What to Expect with Maternity and Nursing Bra Fittings! We’ll pick up where we left off in our interview with BOB's sizing expert, Arielle.
Arielle, in the previous blog, you mentioned not getting a cup and band size-specific nursing bra during your pregnancy. When would you recommend that women get fitted for a nursing bra to wear AFTER they deliver?
Ideally, four to six weeks after delivery. By then, they’ll know what their milk supply is like, their ribcage size will be more settled, and if they are even able to or want to nurse. Their rib cage might be the same size as it was pre-pregnancy or bigger. I normally wear a 32 band, but I was a solid 34 after delivery. Eventually I got back down to a 32, but it took a while. Your organs are being pushed upward to make room for the baby while it grows. That’s why the ribcage expands so much during pregnancy—to make room for your organs and the baby. It took 9 months for your body to change, and it will take a while to go back to your new normal. Don’t expect to be back to your pre-pregnancy size in a 6-week period.
Also, by four to six weeks, they’ll be able to better predict their milk flow, so they’re less likely to leak unexpectedly. Speaking of leaking unexpectedly, you’ll want to wear disposable breast pads or reusable silicone pads, such as LilyPadz, when you're trying on nursing bras in the store to prevent any damage to the bras. We provide disposable pads free of charge to moms trying on nursing bras.
What’s the next step once a nursing mom comes in for a fitting?
"Their next step is to decide if they want underwire or softcup. Did you know that it’s a common misconception that you shouldn’t wear an underwire bra if you are breastfeeding? You CAN wear underwire if you are properly fitted! It's not about the bra having a wire or not. It's about the overall fit. You can also get clogged ducts and mastitis with a wireless bra.
Milk ducts actually reach all the way to your underarm area. The fitter will make sure that the wire placement extends past that and doesn’t put pressure on your ducts. Your breast should be fully contained, and the cup should not be pressing into breast tissue anywhere. In general, customers will need to opt for a bigger cup size to allow fluctuation room for when their breasts are full, as well as avoid clogged ducts."
If you want to prevent clogged ducts, which you do, getting properly sized will ensure you have the best nursing experience possible. Some people are more prone to mastitis than others, so please let your fitter know if this has been an issue for you in the past.
That’s some great advice! What are some of your favorite nursing bras or nursing products, not only as a fitter but also from your personal experience?
"My favorites are Molly by Elomi, Katherine by Panache, and any Bravado bras. My favorite while I was nursing was the Bravado Original. It's soft, comfy, secure, and feels like a real bra. A nursing bra gets a lot more wear and tear than a regular bra because you’re pulling on it and washing it three times more than a regular bra. On average, nursing bras will last about six to eight months if cared for properly. The customer will want to have two to four nursing bras in rotation to make things easier and ensure a good overall experience.
One life-saving product for me was the Clip and Pump by Bravado. I tried to breastfeed, but my son had some latching issues that resulted in it not working out like I wanted. I ended up using a breast pump exclusively for 13 months. The Clip and Pump held the nursing shields in place while I pumped. The Pumpkin bra by Cake also has zippers that will hold the shields in place.
Those are great recommendations! Thanks so much again for taking the time to give us this valuable information. I’m sure it will be a big help to our nursing customers! Is there anything you’d like to close with?
"If you can’t come to the retail store to get fitted, go to Breakout Bras’ Comprehensive Sizing Guide at www.breakoutbras.com/pages/fitting-guide. That will give you an idea of what size you need to start with. You can always call us toll-free at 866-870-8911 or email us at service@breakoutbras.com. We’re happy to give style recommendations and sizing advice."
]]>We interviewed our maternity and nursing bra sizing expert and a recent mother herself, Arielle, to give you the scoop on "What to Expect When Maternity Bra Fitting".
Arielle has been with Breakout Bras since 2005! So, she definitely knows her stuff when it comes to bra sizing. She's received extensive and thorough bra-fitting training from Breakout Bras’ owner, Melissa Thomason. In addition to her training and years before becoming a mom herself, she even read "What to Expect When Expecting", to give her a better understanding of how to explain the changes that happen during pregnancy to her customers. Talk about dedication! Even with all that knowledge, Arielle’s own pregnancy and motherhood journey has surprised her with new information and provided her with even more insight to help out our customers.
So, Arielle, when would you recommend getting fitted for a maternity bra?
"I recommend coming in to get sized for a maternity bra whenever you start to feel uncomfortable in your current bra. I see a lot of women trying to make their old bras work for as long as possible, but why would you want to be uncomfortable? Get one that feels good throughout your pregnancy. You'll be glad you did.
Maternity bras are non-nursing, stretchy bras with light to moderate support. However, most of those styles aren’t going to give you the same level of support you're used to. So, keep an open mind for trying different, non-maternity options. In fact, we fit the majority of our customers in regular bras for their pregnancy. They provide better support, containment, and shaping." Not all regular bras will work, though. We choose styles that are flexible, and almost all of them will have stretch lace to accommodate your changing body.
So how would you size a customer for a maternity bra?
"Well, I would have the bra band on a tighter setting, so they can make it looser as their ribcage expands throughout the pregnancy. If their ribcage expands more than expected, we also offer extenders. I find that most women end up not needing them, though. I would also fit the bra to be bigger in the cup size. Generally, one to two cup sizes up, depending on their current size and if this is their first kid. For most women we've helped over the years, we've found that during their first pregnancies, their breasts tend to get much bigger and much earlier compared to subsequent pregnancies. Women who have multiple pregnancies close together tend not to change much after the first one."
That’s some pretty interesting information! What about getting a nursing bra while you’re pregnant?
"I don’t usually suggest getting nursing bras until later in pregnancy. Their bodies are going to change so much, and the bra will stretch with them too. So, when it’s time to deliver, they likely won’t be able to use that nursing bra because it’s too stretched out. They're going to get a much better fit if they get a regular bra sized for maternity use. They can get the nursing bra when it's actually time to start breastfeeding.
However, if they really want a nursing option during pregnancy, they can choose to wear a soft-cup nursing bra that's stretchy and has light support. Then, after delivery, they can use that bra as a sleep bra. I would recommend the ‘Blossom’ by Royce and the ‘Body Silk’ by Bravado. Being fitted for a soft-cup nursing bra during pregnancy usually works better for customers who have a petite frame and are smaller in the bust. A regular bra will generally serve most women best, but especially if the customer is larger in the bust and has a smaller band size."
You mentioned getting a nursing bra later in pregnancy. How late should they get one?
"A month or so before their due date is when I would recommend a transitional nursing bra. A transitional nursing bra is one that comes in a size range and isn’t cup size specific. They’ll need this style because there isn’t a way to anticipate how much milk they're going to make or how much their breast or band size is going to fluctuate. On average, four to six weeks after delivery is when things have settled down enough to get a size-specific style, but you'll need a good transitional bra in the meantime. These styles work great for the last month of pregnancy when things are getting pretty uncomfortable, at the hospital when you need something to nurse your newborn in, and then afterwards as a sleep bra at night or when hanging around the house. Transitional bras are an investment well worth making.
Bravado Body Silk and Bravado Body Silk Full Cup are great bras that come in different size ranges. ‘Kiera ’by Goddess works really well for women with large breasts and a larger band size. The ‘Blossom’ by Royce is ideal for women with large breasts who have a smaller band size. If you’re opting for an underwired nursing bra, make sure the wire goes far back enough, past your underarm, so there's no wire pressure on their breast tissue. It's also best to choose styles made with stretch lace, so there will be room for growth and fluctuation."
That’s some very helpful information, Arielle! One last question: what if the customer can’t come into the retail store to get fitted?
Not a problem at all. Breakout Bras has helped women all over the country for over 20 years get fitted for their nursing bras via phone and email. I would recommend starting on the website with Breakout Bras’ Comprehensive Sizing Guide at www.breakoutbras.com/pages/fitting-guide. Then call or email Customer Service at 866-870-8911 or service@breakoutbras.com. We’re always happy to give style recommendations and sizing advice."
Great! Thanks again, Arielle, for passing along your knowledge on maternity bras! I look forward to hearing from you in Part II, "What to Expect When Nursing Bra Fitting"!
]]>1999/2000: Melissa formulated a plan to stay at home with Alexander but work at the same time. Online was really the only way to do that.
2000 (June): Breakout Bras was launched out of the Thomason living room/garage in Simpsonville, SC. Started with three brands: Leading Lady, Bravado, & Fancee Free. Leading Lad& Bravado are still sold on the site today.
2002 (April): Melissa's husband Jim quit his job to join the company full time after a key business decision increased sales exponentially and Melissa could no longer handle it all on her own, having just given birth to their second child, Elizabeth.
2002 (September): Our first brick-and-mortar retail location is opened in Simpsonville, SC, called Mother's Milk. Breakout Bras was still just online.
2004: We brought in our first UK-sized brands, Fantasie of England and Freya (This is when Stephanie joined the staff).
2006 (January): Incorporated the business
2006 (August): Opened the first Breakout Bras location on Haywood Road in Greenville, SC. (This is when Arielle joined the staff.)
2007: Started selling the UK brand Panache, maker of the first bra to ever fit me, their famous Tango style, in a UK size 36K.
2007 (October): Took another huge leap forward in both sales and online visibility by starting to sell on the Amazon platform.
2008 (November): Expanded our retail location into an almost 5000 square foot space on Haywood Road.
2009–2012: We worked hard, traveled the globe, and homeschooled our kids.
2013 (September): Moved to a 10,000-square-foot warehouse and retail location on Woodruff Road in Greenville, SC.
2016: First Best of Intima Awards Nomination
2017: Introduced Polish Brand Comexim to many as the first US retailer
2018: First ever Best of Intima Award win: Best Maternity Bra Retailer
2020: Celebrated 20 amazing years in business
2022: Second Best of Intima Award win: Lifetime Achievement Award
2023 (August): An amazing new website is launched along with a move to a bigger and better warehouse and retail location back on Haywood Road.
]]>July 5, 2006
Here's the earliest record we have of the Breakout Bras website! Sometimes you forget, in the moment, to capture important events on film, which is unfortunate. While not the first, it’s still a good example of an early internet website. Melissa switched up the backgrounds and themes for every season and holiday back then. Our motto was "Truth in Sizing" at that time.
September 4, 2013
In 2013, the site was updated with a more sophisticated look. Here we introduced better categories and search filters, and Melissa’s infamous patterned backgrounds were phased out and our signature Breakout Bras' teal and butterfly were introduced. Our motto was also updated at this time to "Sizing Does Matter".
February 2, 2016
2016 brought about an amazing transformation with the debut of our current BOB butterfly logo. So beautiful and definitely a keeper! We also introduced our social media accounts as a way to stay connected with our customers. We started using more product-specific images and branding as well. This iteration of our site was more information-heavy than our other websites had been up to that point. Our motto at this time was changed to what it currently is: "Fitter Approved Intimates".
September 23, 2018
Another updated version of the website was launched in 2018! We had a customized theme developed for Shopify, and our Breakout Bras' teal was used as the primary color scheme. We introduced our blog and the Bobbie Awards around this time too. Though not perfect, this version served us well for five years.
August 2023
We've indeed come a long way since 2000, but it was definitely time for another upgrade. Introducing the newest version of breakoutbras.com! We’re incredibly excited that the new site features increased speed, better functionality, and ease of use, plus there have been so many more images, updates, and additions made to our informational pages. We can’t wait for you to try it, and once you do, let us know what you think! We’d love your feedback!
Check your moles! Skin cancer is one that you should periodically be checking for. In the United States, more skin cancer diagnoses are made each year than all other cancers combined, including breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancer. While this may be diagnosed more frequently, it is still not as deadly as lung cancer.
Unfortunately, many health issues can arise over time. Cancer is one illness that is developing at an alarming rate. Lung cancer is the most deadly of all, killing more women than any other cancer. The chance that a woman will develop lung cancer in her lifetime is 1 in 17; for a man, the risk is 1 in 15.
While October and Breast Cancer Awareness are important, every month should be spent making people aware of deadly diseases that impact not just women, but everyone. Becoming educated about these top killers and others like Stroke, Diabetes, COPD, Alzheimer's, etc. should be at the forefront of people's minds every day of the year.
False. Underwires aren't the culprit when it comes to uncomfortable bras. The discomfort you experience stems from the size of the bra itself. When you go into the average bra store, you will be measured and sold an ill-fitting item. This results in an unfortunate fit that causes the wires to poke into your side tissue, rather than encapsulating your breasts entirely within the cup, in front of the wire. Luckily, Breakout Bras is anything but average. With 22 years of experience, we'll ensure that you leave with a bright new outlook on underwire bras.
This is another common misconception we run into here. There are many different styles available to you, some of which create an incredibly lifted, pulled together look. Comexim is one of the best brands for achieving this. (Fun fact: we are the ONLY authorized retailer for Comexim in the United States.) You don't need a push-up bra to have cleavage.
Exhibit A:
There are so many different body shapes and sizes, it would be hard to find a true average size. I see this statistic floating around on the internet and can't help but wonder where it comes from. With the bras we carry, there are over 150 size options. No two bodies are the same!
White bras show under white shirts more than most other colors. If you are looking for an option that will be completely camouflaged under white clothing, you will be better off reaching for a bra that resembles your skin tone. Surprisingly enough, red shades don't show under white shirts either!
This one may be true for a majority of our styles however, there are a few bras that fit differently. Some styles have stretchier bands, while some run more on the firm side. With these differences, you may need to tweak the size on new styles. No worries! Melissa's comments are here to guide you to the proper fit every time.
]]>This month we'd like to highlight some of the health issues that affect women globally. As you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. With pretty pink ribbons everywhere, it's hard to miss. This awareness is extremely important, as it encourages women to get screenings. This allows for early detection of breast cancer. However, we would like to shine some light on other fatal diseases that women face.
Unfortunately, many health issues can arise over time. Cancer is one illness that is developing at an alarming rate. Lung cancer is the most deadly of all, killing more women than any other cancer. The chance that a woman will develop lung cancer in her lifetime is 1 in 17; for a man, the risk is 1 in 15.
Check your moles! Skin cancer is one that you should periodically be checking for. In the United States, more skin cancer diagnoses are made each year than all other cancers combined, including breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancer. While this may be diagnosed more frequently, it is still not as deadly as lung cancer.
Heart disease is the number one killer in both women and men. An estimated 17.9 million lives are taken worldwide each year from this disease.
While October and Breast Cancer Awareness are important, every month should be spent making people aware of deadly diseases that impact not just women, but everyone. Becoming educated about these top killers and others like Stroke, Diabetes, COPD, Alzheimer's, etc. should be at the forefront of people's minds every day of the year.
]]>You may have seen this viral tweet before. It was retweeted over one hundred thousand times, and racked up nearly three times that number of likes.
To paraphrase, it goes like this: "In case you've ever wondered why women get so frustrated with our clothing sizes––every pair of jeans pictured is a size 12."
The tweet in question references women’s clothing specifically, but it’s true for men’s clothing too. In fact, since manufacturers abandoned US standard clothing sizes as a universal guideline in 1983, there has been no official sizing standard for pants or shirts. For the most part, each clothing manufacturer designs their clothes to fit certain body types. It makes sense from a business perspective–if you know that Brand A jeans fit you better than Brand B jeans, for example, you are more likely to purchase jeans from Brand A in the future–but it can be incredibly frustrating for the consumer.
For better or worse, the same holds true for bra brands. There is no universal sizing system, and that’s why a 32G Panache bra will almost certainly fit you differently than a 32G Elomi bra. Although they may be the same size on paper, they are designed for different body and breast shapes, so they won’t fit exactly the same.
These discrepancies can really suck when you’re still trying to find the styles that work best for you, but as the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. When it comes to your bra, the secret is to start with style instead of size. Some styles work better for heavy breasts, some for full breasts, some for shallow ones, and so on. Some underwires are firmer than others because some women need or prefer that extra structure. Some styles have more side coverage because some women need or prefer the extra containment. Once you figure out your size in a style that works, you can expand your horizons into different styles as necessary.
That’s where bra fitters come in. Although we can’t control how our various vendor brands size their products, we can take the work out of it for our customers. Our fitters are trained on the fit of our many different bras, from the general brand fit to the more specific features of each style. We know which styles run true to size and which ones might need some adjustment, which cups are deep and which are shallow, which bands are firm and which are stretchy. We also know which styles are based on other styles–like Keira and Kayla from Goddess, or Elomi’s Caitlyn and Cate. Just tell us what you’re looking for in a fit, and odds are, we will be able to help you find it.
Our whole purpose is to help women navigate through the often overcomplicated world of lingerie. We work hard to provide constructive criticism to our manufacturers so they can improve the way their products fit on different bodies. We wear test the products ourselves, and we use our customers’ feedback–both positive and negative–to make suggestions on how to tweak current styles and make future ones even better. We do all this for one reason: to earn the trust of our customers. Whether you’re a 34J or a 48FF, you can count on us to help you find your fit.
]]>This blog was originally posted on March 30th, 2016.
––
“I’m naturally a very confident person,” says Melissa Thomason, owner and founder of Breakout Bras. If you’ve ever met her in person, you know she means it. “I was very confident when I was fat. I’m intelligent, I’m successful. I was like, ‘Whatever,’ I couldn’t care less about being fat.”
You may already know part of Melissa’s story. She started Breakout Bras out of her living room in 2000 to help women find bras that actually fit, and the rest is history. What you may not know is that Melissa recently lost about 150 pounds, and she had to find bras that fit her all over again.
Today, Melissa sat down to talk about weight loss: the benefits, the troubles that go along with it, how it can affect a person’s confidence, and, of course, what it does to your bra size.
“I want to talk about my experience because a lot of women go through it,” she says. “Any kind of gain or loss can change the consistency of your breast tissue and the way your bra is going to fit. We get customers in the store every week who have gone through really drastic weight change.”
Today, Melissa weighs right at 200 pounds. Five years ago, at her heaviest, she weighed 352 pounds. Then, in her late thirties, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. She immediately changed her diet, got her blood sugar under control, and lost seventy pounds over the course of a year. After that, she couldn’t lose any more weight, no matter what she did.
“For two and a half years, I was stuck at the exact same weight, give or take a pound or two. I felt like I was broken,” says Melissa. “My doctor felt I was a perfect candidate for surgery because I had lost the weight, I had changed my eating habits, and I just couldn’t lose any more. I was really adamant about doing it myself, and I did as much as I could, but my body totally refused to keep going. I had to make the hard decision to go forward with the surgery.”
Melissa was presented with three options for weight loss surgery: a gastric bypass, a lap band, or a gastric sleeve. She and her doctor decided on the sleeve because it’s a minimally invasive procedure with a high success rate and a lower risk of complications.
Since the surgery, Melissa has dropped an additional eighty pounds, for a total of 150. That’s more, she points out, than her teenage daughter weighs. Such extreme weight loss has its perks, but Melissa is more interested in discussing the aspects no one mentions.
“Of course there are obvious positives,” she says. “I can fit into so many clothes now. I buy clothes all the time. I’ve gained better health, a better body, and I do feel much better. There are downsides, however. There are things people struggle with. I don’t feel like that part gets talked about enough.”
Something as simple as going out to dinner with friends can become a stressful situation that can make people feel self-conscious or isolated. “There’s a social aspect to eating,” says Melissa. “I couldn’t go out to a restaurant and do the same thing my friends were doing. After the surgery my stomach could only handle very small portions. It makes going out with friends a very different experience.”
Weight loss can affect sexual health too. People often find they feel more sexual after radical weight loss, partly because they feel better about their bodies and partly because of changing hormones. The opposite happened to Melissa, and she points to the dramatic changes in her breasts as the reason.
“I’ve always had pretty big boobs, even when I was young and thin,” she says. “Now they’re mostly skin. I’ve had problems with sex since the surgery because I’m not confident about my boobs anymore. I don’t like for my husband to really even touch them now.”
Her husband, she says, has been incredibly supportive from the beginning.
“Jim met me when I was young, tall and hot. He’s been with me the whole time,” she says. “He was there through the weight gain and he was very patient through the process of losing it. He never made me feel less attractive. He’s been an awesome support system for me.”
One of the biggest challenges Melissa faced was finding a bra that fit her new body shape. She started Breakout Bras because she had trouble finding her correct size in department stores. In order to feel better about her breasts, she once again needed to find a bra that fit. She had worn the Panache Tango II almost exclusively for years, but after she lost the weight, the Tango didn’t work for her anymore.
“Before I had the surgery, my cup size was technically bigger than a K, and the Tango was the only bra that could really accommodate me,” she explains. “Afterwards, I had no mass left in my breasts, and the Tango was just too full at the top. It didn’t have enough support on the bottom of the cup. I needed a bra that really jacked me up.”
What came next was a period of trial-and-error. Even though Melissa has been a professional bra fitter for the better part of two decades, it took her quite a while to figure out what worked for her new body shape.
“I’ve been in the bra industry for seventeen years. This is what I do. If it was a challenge for me to figure out what was going on with my body, I can only imagine how hard it might be for someone who isn’t quite as familiar with the fitting process.”
Her advice to women struggling to find a bra after extreme weight change—be it loss or gain—is to think outside the box.
“What you were doing in the past is not necessarily going to work for you now,” she says. “You might have to go for a style that hasn’t worked before, or something completely different from what you’re used to. ”
It’s a lesson she learned the hard way. At first, Melissa was determined to stick with her trusty Tango. She tried moving to a smaller cup, hoping to fill it up better, but still wasn’t getting the results she wanted. Then she tried changing band sizes with little success. Even in the correct band size, the Tango was no longer doing a good job of supporting Melissa’s breasts. She was forced to try other styles.
“I ended up in a Panache Jasmine, which had always been painful for me before. It just wasn’t a good everyday bra for me before the surgery. Now it works. It’s all about the shape. The Tango spreads me out and makes my chest look bigger, but not in a flattering way. The Jasmine gives me the lift I need, and it’s containing enough on the sides.”
And what does Melissa want people to learn from her experience?
“Start from scratch. Seriously,” she says. “I was convinced I should stick with what had worked for me before, and it took me forever to find something that worked. Don’t try to adjust your old measurements. Get new ones.”
Moreover, Melissa wants people to know that numerical measurements are not the ultimate indicator of a good fit. Because the shape and consistency of a woman’s breasts is so intrinsically linked to her weight, it’s often a question of style.
“Roughly every 30 pounds lost is a band size,” says Melissa. “Women who experience rapid weight loss—say 60 or 90 pounds within a few months—usually don’t lower their band size enough. At my heaviest, I wore a 36. When I started losing weight, that number dropped way faster than I expected. I tried a 34 and a 32 when I really needed a 30. Even then, the Tango didn’t work because my boobs were different than before.”
Melissa wore a 36K before her procedure. She is currently in a 28JJ or 28K depending on the style (though the Jasmine stops at a 30 band), but says she’ll need a much smaller cup in the future.
“I’ll eventually have my breasts done,” she says. “I don’t want implants or enhancements, I just want to get them lifted and have the excess skin removed. Right now, I’m filling maybe five cup sizes with nothing but skin. After corrective surgery, they’ll be significantly smaller, probably in the GG area.”
“I have a lot of excess skin,” she continues, holding up her arms to demonstrate. “It’s here, it’s on my legs, it’s on my stomach. Being 5’11” helps me carry it pretty well, but I’m going to get a lot of it removed. People who have that follow-up done are more successful long-term with keeping the weight off.”
Melissa has been off diabetes medication for a year and a half, and she hopes to see a change in the way physicians diagnose diabetes.
“They could have told me I was diabetic twenty years earlier if there were different criteria for diagnosing it,” she says. “My blood sugar was normal, but my body was producing huge amounts of insulin to keep it that way. That’s a red flag.”
Unusually high insulin levels may indicate insulin resistance, a symptom of prediabetes, but only a handful of specialized physicians diagnose this way. If it’s caught early, prediabetes can be reversed before it develops into type 2 diabetes. Had Melissa known she was at risk, she could have implemented lifestyle changes sooner and avoided a diagnosis altogether.
“I got past the point where I could heal myself,” she says. “In the future, I’d like to start some sort of campaign so other people don’t get to that point.”
In the meantime, Melissa and her team will continue helping women everywhere figure out their fit, no matter how their bodies change. “I had to get out of my comfort zone to find something that worked,” she says. “That’s what I want to help other people do.”
]]>"Why are your bras so snug in the band compared to my regular bras?"
We get some variation of this question a lot–more often than just about any other, in fact. To answer that question, let's do a quick thought experiment.
]]>"Why are your bras so snug in the band compared to my regular bras?"
We get some variation of this question a lot–more often than just about any other, in fact. To answer that question, let's start this blog off with a short thought experiment.
Imagine that you're standing at the edge of a magical canyon. You need to get across, but how? What would be the best way to get from point A to point B without falling down? Because this is a magical canyon, whatever method you think of will suddenly appear for you to test out.
The first thing that pops into your head is a set of monkey bars. You don't know why that's the first thing you thought of, but you decide to go with it. The magical canyon hears your thoughts, and a set of monkey bars appears in front of you.
They might technically get the job done, but it doesn't seem like the best option. Just think–the weight of your body, hanging over a deep canyon, supported only by your grip on the bars above your head? There's probably a better way.
You decide it would be more reasonable to use a bridge instead. The canyon hears your thoughts, poofs away the monkey bars, and then a simple wooden bridge appears. The construction is nice and sturdy, and your weight is supported from the bottom instead of dangling from a much weaker support above your head. You successfully cross the magical canyon, think to yourself, "That was weird," and carry on about your day.
So, in this thought experiment, we learned that it's better to support a weight from the bottom than to let it dangle from a support at the top. Now, let's apply this same logic to bra shopping! Breasts, depending on their size, can be very heavy. For example, a pair of 34HH breasts–one of the most common sizes we see in our store–can weigh approximately eight pounds. If your band isn't tight enough to support your breasts from below, then you essentially have two weights slung over your shoulders by ropes. No wonder so many busty women have back, neck, and shoulder pain! This philosophy is the one we use with our bra fittings–your support should come primarily from the band, supporting the breasts from below, and the straps should offer supplemental, secondary support from above.
So, yes–if you've never shopped with us before, you'll find that our bras are more snug around the middle than the bras you are probably used to, but it's for good reason! Your bra should not be uncomfortable, but it should be snug enough to give you support from below. The firmer band may take some getting used to at first, but we promise, it's worth it in the end!
]]>Fit matters; come into our store and get a bra fitting by our trained fitters today!
]]>
Summer is here! To celebrate, Breakout Bras and Cosabella are sharing a free gift with you along with double loyalty points on any Cosabella purchase.
These bralettes are made with beautiful Italian lace and other high-quality fabrics, and believe it or not, they're as supportive as they are pretty.
Check out this video of the BOB team cooling off in their favorite Cosabella bralettes, then click here to get one for yourself.
]]>The Panache Envy #7285 is one of our bestsellers for a reason. A lot of reasons, actually. Learn all about them in this video, where Kelsey sits down to sing the praises of her personal favorite.
]]>But wait, I already have a Breakout Bras account! What do you mean my loyalty account isn’t active?
In January 2019, when we launched our customer loyalty program, we integrated all of our active customer accounts into our customer loyalty database. This integration included very basic information about each customer: first name, last name, and email address. That means that if you have shopped with us before, the name and/or email address you entered at checkout is associated with a loyalty account. This means that every customer hasa loyalty account, but not every loyalty account is active. If you have not shopped with us since January of 2019, your loyalty account has probably not been activated.
Okay, so how do I fix it?
To activate your customer loyalty account, click the “Check Rewards” tab in the bottom left corner of your screen. It looks like this:
Clicking the “Check Rewards” box will take you to a popup box. From there, click “Create a store account.”
On the next screen, enter the email address you used at checkout the last time you shopped with us, and create a password.
Now your account is active! You may earn and spend loyalty points, and you’ll be able to cash in on surprise sales and deals whenever we have them.
Wait a second, I got an error! It said, “This email address is already associated with an account. If this account is yours, you can reset your password.”
If you received this error message, it means your loyalty account is already active, and you just need to enter your password. If you think you know your password, go back to the “Check Rewards” tab, but click “Login” instead of “Create an account.”
If you don’t remember your password, just click the reset your password link in the error message and follow the instructions.
I've followed all these steps and I still can't figure out what's wrong. What do I do now?
If you're still having trouble, don't fret! It's possible you're having a different issue than the ones discussed in this post. Our customer service team will be happy to help you get to the bottom of the problem so you can log into your account and access your points. Send us a live chat or give us a call at 1-866-870-8911 to speak with a representative during regular business hours (9AM-5PM on Monday through Friday). You can also email service@breakoutbras.com and we will get back to you on the next business day.
]]>Arielle talks Soak, proper lingerie care, and how to get rid of those pesky deodorant stains!
]]>
Breakout Bras dressed 16 models for Scout Night 2019 at Greenville Fashion Week. We showcased gorgeous lingerie, athleisure, swimsuits, and even nursings brasfrom great brands like Panache, Freya, Fantasie, Body Glove, Cosabella, Comexim, ProjectMe by Hotmilk, Leonisa, Anita, Belly Bandit, Hanky Panky, and more. Shop the looks here.
]]>Check out the swimsuit Breakout Bras calls the "first bandeau one-piece to get it right in years!" The "Wrapsody" one-piece bathing suit from Curvy Kate can be worn AT LEAST six different ways. Show us how you wear yours!
You can grab this swimsuit here.
Welcome to Episode 2 of Ask Breakout Bras, where we answer your questions and tell you a little more about our business! Check out the video to get started.
Nobody in the business of bras knows the ins and outs of a perfect fit better than our team. Our fitters undergo a months-long training process before they are allowed to size customers on their own.
It starts with the official Breakout Bras Sizing Guide¬, a written manual that details, step by step, how to guide a customer through the fitting process. Every new fitter receives a copy of this guide on day one of their employment. They take some time at the start of the day to read over the manual on their own, then they review it with a manager or trainer to clear up any questions they might have.
Next, they look through the Breakout Bras website. They review our online sizing tools, our About Us page, and our Frequently Asked Questions page to build a strong foundation for assisting our customers with basic questions. They also browse through our inventory to get an idea of the lines we sell, taking care to read Melissa’s Comments on key styles.
While the Sizing Guide and the website are crucial to the training process, neither should be considered rulebooks for a great fitting. They’re more like guidelines, building the foundation and pointing the fitter in the right direction. Because no two women are exactly alike, no two fittings can be exactly alike. That’s why the next part of the training process is so important. Once the trainees have finished these first two steps, they are ready to begin shadowing a senior fitter.
During the shadowing process, the trainee will follow along with a number of different staff members as they perform fittings. This allows the trainee to develop a well-rounded view of how to best serve our customers. This hands-on training approach teaches them how to identify and solve problematic fits, as well as how to educate women about their bras and their breasts. It also helps them get familiar with the many styles we carry and the body and breast types each style accommodates best.
After a few weeks of shadowing, the trainee is ready to take on a more active role in the fitting process. They switch roles with their trainer and act as the primary fitter, handling the bulk of the fitting process from start to finish, from greeting the customer, to assessing the bra they came in with, to choosing styles and sizes for them to try on, to explaining the finer details of each style’s unique fit. The trainer shadows them and offers assistance, style suggestions, and corrections, but only as needed. This part of the process may last anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months, depending on how quickly the trainee becomes completely comfortable answering questions and giving advice. Then, and only then, the trainees are designated full-fledged fitters, ready to take rooms on their own.
While the official training process only lasts for a few months, the learning never truly ends. New styles are always coming in, which means new inventory to memorize and new fit quirks to note. Our fitters are always refining their approach, and they get better and better at helping customers every single day.
Visit our store to meet our expert team and find your perfect fit. We promise your boobs will thank you!
]]>
Rebekah tells us all about her favorite sports bra, the Panache 5021. Watch the video, learn all about this amazing style, and then head here to get your very own!
]]>