Bra Fit Tips for Side Heavy Breasts

A huge number of women find that their breasts are heaviest and fullest at the side of their breasts (the side nearest your armpit). This is a completely normal distribution of breast tissue that women of all breasts sizes experience. For women with large breasts this side heavy breast tissue can cause a couple of bra fit issues:

1) The breasts can look very spread out and chafe against your arms.
2) You can find that you get empty cup near the center of your bra.

Why Your Breasts Spread Out in Bras
You may think that big boobs always look spread out and this is due in part to some bad fitting techniques. Lots of stores and boutiques default to putting large busted women into Minimizing Bras which spread out the bust. The shape of these bras moves the tissue even further under the armpit to lessen the forward projection of the bust. This might sound like it will make you look smaller but in fact the added width to your upper body can draw more attention to your bust and make it look bigger than it is.

Side heavy breasts don't need to be pushed farther apart, in fact they benefit from being firmly supported at the sides.  A tall and firm side panel in a bra will narrow the profile of your bust and stop your breasts spreading out which can cause excessive chafing against your arms as you walk.

Bras that spread out the breasts can cause the empty tissue near the center of your bra. With the majority of the weight being pushed sideways it skews the shape of the cup so that you end up with cup that has no breast tissue in it. 

What to Avoid and What to Look For
Avoid bras with a horizontal seam that goes right from the outer edge of the bra to the center gore. This kind of shape is great for full or wide breasts but doesn't offer enough support to side heavy breasts. Molded cups (bras without seams) can also cause your breasts to spread out. Remember, it's seams that give shape to a bra. Molded cups have lots of uses but if you're trying to stop your breasts spreading out you need the help of seams.

Look for bras with a tall side panel that runs directly down from the strap. This reinforcing panel scoops the breast tissue away from the sides and cushions the tissue. By bringing the side breast tissue closer in on the body you will most likely find that you don't get empty cup at the center. This is because the distribution of breast tissue is being spread out more evenly throughout the cup. If you have very soft breast tissue you can still get gaping at the center. To stop this look for bras with a wide, tall gore and/or a bra with a stretch fabric upper cup.

Here are some of our favourite bras for supporting side heavy breasts:

Gem by Freya has a supportive side panel and is shaped well for women with short torsos and/or narrow shoulders

Jasmine by Panache Superbra is a 4-part bra that has a side panel dedicated to moving breast tissue away from the armpit. This bra is also good for soft breasts as it has a stretch lace upper cup

Envy by Panache Superbra is based on the success of Jasmine. The tall side panel gives firm support. The stretch lace upper cup rounds the shape of the bust.

Lucy by Cleo is one of our best-sellers for supporting side heavy breasts. The rounded side seam gives a beautiful shape.