Over the past week or so, I have been breaking in a new plunge bra. The straps have slipped a couple of times, but I have adjusted them and then re-washed the bra.
I wore the bra again yesterday, and everything was snug and comfortable.
This morning, I was horrified to see deep bra strap grooves on my shoulders. I hooked back into my new bra and the straps slipped straight into the grooves.
My straps are now stable and comfortable, the bra has been comforable all day, so perhaps I should accept the grooves?
Anybody else with bra strap shoulder grooves?
You don't want bra strap grooves if you can avoid them. The constant pressure on a narrow stretch of your shoulder can cause a lot of pain. You can sometimes find bras with wider straps, which are less likely to leave grooves. Failing that, you can get some of these things: https://www.dhgate.com/product/1-pair-2pcs-silicone-shoulder-pad-bra-strap/425986025.html (https://www.dhgate.com/product/1-pair-2pcs-silicone-shoulder-pad-bra-strap/425986025.html). I used to have a very heavy chest, and bra strap shoulder pads were a lifesaver.
@valerie anne The next event that could happen in the "horrified" discovery department....
If during the summer you wear a sports bra and/or a bikini top and bottom out in the privacy of your back yard, you may discover "distinctive female"
tan lines that may take a month or so to disappear.
If one is Full-time is it not an issue but if not full time it will be difficult to go to the men's gym locker room to shower and change or to go swimming in male mode....
....just giving you a heads up. Lots of fun for sure!!!
Hugs,
Danielle
Haha Danielle,
Definitely some bad memories associated with non gender conforming tanlines. My experience was that they last waaaayyy longer than a month once the fall came around. Just forced me to come clean to my laser technician earlier than planned. ;) Heck, I can still see faint bikini bottom* tanlines and we're well into the winter.
Previous advice was dead on though... avoid a bra with narrow straps digging into your shoulders in the long run. Maybe for a fun night out, but not daily wear.
-Kate
* R.I.P Stephen Hillenburg
Your main problem is you're wearing an ill-fitting bra. A well fitting one shouldn't make grooves like that with most people. Shopping for a bra isn't really like shopping for anything else. In spite of the huge variety of bras available, your body may only be suited for a few of them. Buying online or without trying them on first is a very trial an error way to shop. You may need to throw out 4-5 before you have one that's right for you. The best thing is to go to a good bra dealer for a professional fitting (that doesn't mean Vicky's Secrets, BTW).
That said, there are things you can try. If the shoulder straps are tight, you can replace them with longer straps. Bra strapping can be purchased on eBay very cheaply and it just takes a few little stitches to replace one (though hand stitches are not always too pretty). Building a bit of sewing skill is something you'll never regret.
Chest band sizing is trickier than meets the eye. I've heard estimates than most women wear the wrong size. And, here too is an area where fine tuned sizing is often not available.
If you are having grooves the next morning you need to give your body some time to recover. If you don't have very large breasts you should be able to go braless with many clothing styles. You might want to save bra wearing for more special occasions if that is the case. Many women do just that.
Thanks for the brassiere advice, but I have tried a number of bra combinations, and I still get tight strap marks if I want my bra to be snug, lifting and supportive and no dropped straps.
I think I am going for the grooved shoulder strap option. It's so comfortable, and I won't lack support.