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.
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.
