Pref dress help?

[ADqtPiMel]

I don't understand people freaking out about strapless dresses. I have a big chest and I've never ever had an issue keeping a strapless dress up.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by nittanygirl

^^^
didn't really think about that. I feel like bigger chested girls have issues keeping strapless where it's supposed to be as well as very small chested girls. i think that in b/w is usually okay.
they also have fashion tape that you stick inside the top of the dress & then to your skin that really helps. i've used them for homecoming/prom/ social mixers before

Yeah I've just watched people go through prom, formal, semi formal, etc. all doing the "hitch-wiggle." Or even if the dress actually didn't need it, they felt compelled to try the hitch just to be sure. Probably related to the fact that if you have cleavage it looks so much more exposed from your point of view looking down than it does for people looking at you from the front.

PNMs should just test out the dress and know whether they're a hitcher or the dress is going to make them one

Originally Posted by ADqtPiMel

I don't understand people freaking out about strapless dresses. I have a big chest and I've never ever had an issue keeping a strapless dress up.

Well, I don't know you cup size, obviously, but for me, even things with thin straps need hitching now and then. I'm sure it also depends on the cut of the rest of the dress, how heavy it is, insecurity about hitching even when not needed etc. Nittanygirl is right though, I think they're usually designed for people in the B-C cup range and outside of that you struggle.

I also tend to think that strapless dresses are more likely to lean towards the "sexy party" type and less the "classy pref night" type, but that could just be my own bias.

As for not understanding, some people have trouble, though I'm not sure who's "freaking out" so some people raise that point.

[ADqtPiMel]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Well, I don't know you cup size, obviously, but for me, even things with thin straps need hitching now and then. I'm sure it also depends on the cut of the rest of the dress, how heavy it is, insecurity about hitching even when not needed etc. Nittanygirl is right though, I think they're usually designed for people in the B-C cup range and outside of that you struggle.

I also tend to think that strapless dresses are more likely to lean towards the "sexy party" type and less the "classy pref night" type, but that could just be my own bias.

As for not understanding, some people have trouble, though I'm not sure who's "freaking out" so some people raise that point.

I'm a 32F...so pretty big chested. A lot of it has to do with buying the right kind of strapless dress -- there are of course some that don't come up high enough on the chest and those would sag down. And having a good strapless bra.

I didn't mean to single out your post as "freaking out" -- I've just seen it on multiple threads here that everyone should avoid strapless dresses since they always fall down (pref dress threads, wedding threads, general fashion threads...) Halter dresses look awful on me, but I don't automatically tell everyone they shouldn't buy a halter dress.

[33girl]

I think it all depends on how the strapless dress fits and what sort of bra you're wearing under it. Those things are so iffy, especially if you're shopping online, that I think most people are just erring on the side of caution.

Although heaven knows strapless bras have come a LONG way, even the less expensive ones.

[ree-Xi]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I think it all depends on how the strapless dress fits and what sort of bra you're wearing under it. Those things are so iffy, especially if you're shopping online, that I think most people are just erring on the side of caution.

Although heaven knows strapless bras have come a LONG way, even the less expensive ones.

I have never met a strapless bra I liked, and I have tried a bunch of different ones, even the all-one-piece deals that have the built-in slip (I thought that having more fabric to "hold onto" or anchor the garment would help, but they don't). My drawer is full of uselessness.

And yes, I have been fitted; three different places and they all gave me the same exact bra size (yay!). However, I usually have at least one of these problems:

- If the band tight enough to stay up, it's very constricting on my chest and affects my breathing (I have lung problems and my rib cage is a bit bigger).
- The cups are either too unstructured to feel "shaped" and the girls just kind of "rest" there, or too molded/thick under the dress and add bulk, making it just a smidgen too tight.

[Alumiyum]

Originally Posted by ree-Xi

I have never met a strapless bra I liked, and I have tried a bunch of different ones, even the all-one-piece deals that have the built-in slip (I thought that having more fabric to "hold onto" or anchor the garment would help, but they don't). My drawer is full of uselessness.

And yes, I have been fitted; three different places and they all gave me the same exact bra size (yay!). However, I usually have at least one of these problems:

- If the band tight enough to stay up, it's very constricting on my chest and affects my breathing (I have lung problems and my rib cage is a bit bigger).
- The cups are either too unstructured to feel "shaped" and the girls just kind of "rest" there, or too molded/thick under the dress and add bulk, making it just a smidgen too tight.

I have the exact same problems! So frustrating...

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by ADqtPiMel

I'm a 32F...so pretty big chested. A lot of it has to do with buying the right kind of strapless dress -- there are of course some that don't come up high enough on the chest and those would sag down. And having a good strapless bra.

I didn't mean to single out your post as "freaking out" -- I've just seen it on multiple threads here that everyone should avoid strapless dresses since they always fall down (pref dress threads, wedding threads, general fashion threads...) Halter dresses look awful on me, but I don't automatically tell everyone they shouldn't buy a halter dress.

I agree, I just think that most PNMs aren't spending their money on a good long lasting strapless bra that fits right and the dress too. True for college students as well. I'm at least a 40DD atm, though I need to get resized, and I wonder if a smaller band size makes the fit 'better' even though the larger cup size is probably harder to find.

(Side note, know anything about Bravissima? I've hear their good and intend to order from them soon, just getting opinions.)

It's not so much about me with the strapless dresses, it's that 90% of the girls I've seen wearing them look uncomfortable because of the constant hitching, and if there's a time to NOT make that mistake, it's pref.

[honeychile]

Question - and I realize I may be showing my age here: Does a PNM want to look more formal than the sisters at Pref?

[ADqtPiMel]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

(Side note, know anything about Bravissima? I've hear their good and intend to order from them soon, just getting opinions.)

I tried a few when I got sized, I think -- they didn't work for me but I know a lot of people who rave about them. All of my bras are from Chantelle -- super expensive but they fit me perfectly.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by ADqtPiMel

I tried a few when I got sized, I think -- they didn't work for me but I know a lot of people who rave about them. All of my bras are from Chantelle -- super expensive but they fit me perfectly.

Ooh ok. My only hesitation is sizing myself since I'm rubbish with a tape measure, but my friend's fitting me for a bridesmaid dress today and I might get her to measure me while I do that. I'm fairly certain the current ones only fit because VS sized me for VS bras and they're old and wearing out.


/hijack

[ADqtPiMel]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Ooh ok. My only hesitation is sizing myself since I'm rubbish with a tape measure, but my friend's fitting me for a bridesmaid dress today and I might get her to measure me while I do that. I'm fairly certain the current ones only fit because VS sized me for VS bras and they're old and wearing out.


/hijack

Continuing the hijack...if you haven't been professionally fit you totally should. I measured myself to the best of my ability and got 34D...then finally got fitted and found out I was a 32F. It made a HUGE HUGE difference.