Where to get bras made for sleeping in? And should I?

May 24, 2007 4:36 AM

Should I wear a bra to bed? As it is now I tend to sleep on my stomach which is playing havoc with my neck. Will sleeping in a non-underwired bra actually be more comfortable, and enable me to lie on my side in supported comfort? If so... where can I get such a bra?

The only companies I'm aware of that cater to my bra size (28FF/G aka 60FF/G) don't seem to make non-underwired bras. Shopping locally isn't an option, so what are my best on-line options for finding a non-underwired bra in my size that doesn't look like I stole it from my granny?

posted by esilenna to clothing, beauty, & fashion (20 comments total)

Have you tried googling for "sleep bra" 28ff ? I'm getting quite a few results here in the UK, Figleaves, Marks & Spencer and so on all seem to sell them.

As to whether or not you should, I'd give it a try and see if helps your neck problems (although I found switching to a single very flat pillow cured mine). Good luck!
posted by ceri richard at 4:48 AM on May 24, 2007

(Sorry, meant to add that the google search above brings up many companies that sell online.)
posted by ceri richard at 4:49 AM on May 24, 2007

Wow, that's an awkward size. I think maybe your best bet apart from having one custom-made would be to buy a comfy wired bra and remove the wires.

Other than that you could perhaps get in touch with the ladies at Bravissimo who are super helpful and might be able to put you in touch with a supplier.
posted by corvine at 4:51 AM on May 24, 2007

I did try that, but got disheartened after a lot of clicking brought up pages that included 28FF and sleep bra on the same page but sadly not in the same bra :(

The Bravissimo ladies are super helpful, (it's where I get most of my bras now) and though they don't actually sell non-underwired ones in my size, it never occurred to me to call them and ask if they know of a supplier. Great idea corvine!
posted by esilenna at 4:56 AM on May 24, 2007

you might be able to just work the underwire out of a bra, too. do you have an old one you're thinking of tossing sometime soon? practice on that.

you might also try title nine sports for a sports bra, although i think they may only go up to an F.
posted by thinkingwoman at 5:33 AM on May 24, 2007

I find a tank top with built-in shelf bra to be best for sleeping - it has enough support that I can rest comfortably on my side, but no poky underwire.
posted by nkknkk at 6:14 AM on May 24, 2007

Ah, the taking the underwire out is a great idea. I've a pretty soft white cotton bra that was quite cheap and after a few handwashes the wires started poking out - rather than risk injury I completely removed them and can still wear it around the house. Definitely worth a go although corvine's idea of contacting Bravissimo is a good one too, if anyone can help, they can!
posted by ceri richard at 6:14 AM on May 24, 2007

What about a cotton sports bra type? Unfortunately, I don't know where to find one in your size, but it might be a good option to try.
posted by KAS at 7:04 AM on May 24, 2007

Thanks for all the good suggestions. Taking out the underwire is a great idea, but I have to find a soft cotton bra in my size first... probably easier than looking for a non-underwired one though.

Sports bras are a great idea too, and I've been looking for one but had no luck finding anything smaller than a 32 band size, so if anyone knows where narrow backed women can find good bras please chime in!
posted by esilenna at 7:11 AM on May 24, 2007

You are my sister in weird bra sizes! I'm a 28G or a 30FF, depending on the day.

I think that, for these purposes, it isn't that important that you get a perfect fit. Can you find anything in a 30F or a 32E? (There's that thing where every time you go up a band size, you go down a cup size. I can further explain it if you need it, but my hunch is that anyone with a freaky bra size is an expert on matters of bra sizing!) It won't be as supportive as a bra in your correct size, but that's probably ok for sleeping. This one from Bravissimo seems like a good bet, and it goes down to a 30 and up to a J.

For sports bras, Enell makes custom bras for women who don't fit into any of their sizes. Enell bras are notoriously a little constricting, and I doubt you'd want to sleep in one. They're probably your best bet for actual sports, though.
posted by craichead at 7:27 AM on May 24, 2007

Decent Exposures - the UnBra.

I wear one around the house when my regular one becomes uncomfortable (I'm pretty close to your size), and it seems like it would be pretty comfortable to sleep in.
posted by timepiece at 7:27 AM on May 24, 2007

Maternity shops sell sleep bras in all sorts of sizes. Have you tried that avenue?
posted by The corpse in the library at 7:45 AM on May 24, 2007

You may also try a jogbra or similar setup. I am 36DD and like the all cotton ones with the wide elastic at the bottom and the racer back feature. Holds the girls in place with adequate support, no poky underwires, and no grooves in the shoulders, either.

Good luck :)
posted by Carnage Asada at 8:55 AM on May 24, 2007

Try Snares of Venus. They make custom bras.
posted by elle.jeezy at 9:40 AM on May 24, 2007

Another possibility: get a bra that fits you in the cup but has a too-big band, and then get the band altered down. Before I found Bravissimo, that's what I did.
posted by craichead at 9:59 AM on May 24, 2007

Not even remotely relevent but I just wanted to say I love that you live on a park bench according to Google Maps!
posted by dance at 10:54 AM on May 24, 2007

It seems hoping there were manufacturers out there making sexy comfortable bras in my size was somewhat naive. The main challenge with awkward sizes is the lack of choice I guess.

There are solutions suggested in this thread that I wasn't aware of though. Take Snares of Venus for instance; I'd never heard of them before and and they look like a great idea, but a custom bra from them is just too pricey for me.

I'd seen the Unbra before, but since finding bras with an actual band size of 28 I'd hoped to find something that would fit without needing alteration. So far though, the suggestion to have a 30F altered is probably the easiest and most feasible option.

I can't believe it never occurred to me to pull out the underwire of a bra that fits... Does anyone know if it makes a difference as to which style of bra I could pull one out of? Will I collapse a balconette by pulling out the wire, or could it handle it as well as a full cup bra could?

Thanks everyone for the great ideas, but if anyone else out there has any tips, please keep them coming!

craichead, I love you (in a non-creepy, bra size sharing way) for your weird bra size. It's so good to know there are others out there!

dance, it happens to be a very nice park bench, thank you very much! Thanks for pointing it out, I got a good giggle out of it and it seems I shall have to live on said park bench until I can figure out the co-ordinates of where I actually live :)
posted by esilenna at 12:40 PM on May 24, 2007

I don't have much advice to offer on which particular brands of bra might be good options (I chose breast reduction surgery) but I'm going to second the suggestion of finding a good sports bra. They're pretty stretchy so you might be able to find one that will accommodate your chest while not being too wide around the band. Also, you might want to look into some of those comfy built in bra workout tank tops, you won't get as much support but since you're planning on sleeping in them, and not running a marathon, they might be a good compromise.

Post surgery I was told to sleep in a sports bra and it's super comfortable. I also found, right after my surgery that if I wanted to sleep on my side I needed to hug a good squishy pillow to keep my breasts in place, even with the sports bra. It wasn't too hard to get used to, so you might also want to give that a try.

Lastly, I was a 34F for a long time and a stomach sleeper as well. My neck and back gave me a lot of problems (in general and from sleeping) until I tried out my sister's memory foam bed while house sitting for two weeks. Mattresses make a huge difference and memory foam is so much more forgiving in instances like this. It's certainly not a cheap solution (my queen size foam mattress was approx. $500) it's something you might want to think about.
posted by nerdcore at 1:06 PM on May 24, 2007

While there have not been any medical fact to confirm or deny this, but when I went with my mother for her mammogram, the doctor suggested not to sleep with a bra because it may actual lead to medical problems. He stated that the bra constrains tissue and while sleeping, we need to let our boobs, for lack of a better word, "breathe." While I am skeptical in believing that sleeping with a bra can be a cause of breast cancer, I do agree on letting your boobs relax for the night when you are sleeping. Bras are merely for vertical support and since you are laying down, there really is no need for the support.
posted by dnthomps at 6:23 PM on June 3, 2007

So far my hunt for a well(enough) fitting bra suitable for sleeping in has been fruitless, but I shall persevere. I already do the stuff and tuck of duvet/pillow hugging tactics you suggested nerdcore, and was hoping the sleep bra would eliminate the need for them but it seems I was wrong...
The memory foam mattress is a great idea, I'll see if I can finagle a way to try one, and see if it helps my neck.


dnthomps, thanks for sharing that a doctor suggested to you not to sleep in bras. I'm definitely going to research that, because I certainly don't want to do anything potentially detrimental to my boobs.

However, I do have to disagree with you, that support isn't really needed when horizontal. While it may not be needed physiologically, I find I need it for comfort. When I had a normal (common?) back/chest ratio I didn't need any extra support at all, but now it's the reason why I end up on my stomach/side with huggy-pillow every night.
posted by esilenna at 4:17 AM on June 6, 2007