I replaced a whole bunch of underwires with significantly narrower ones. Every photo shows the Bra Makers Vertical size 40 replacement wire inside the original wire from the bra. All photos show centre gore at right and wing at left. I have lain a clear rule on top of the wires mostly for comparative scale than for measurement values. In replacing them, I put two new wires back to front in each cup's channel to make up both wing and gore height, and for strength. Next I have shown the side view of me wearing the bra as originally fit and then as altered. All shots are of my larger side. The general trend seems to be a tilt forward pulling the straps on my back wider. I found some surprises in both positive and negative ways, but it was over all fairly successful. A dart to take out the extra space in the oustside of the cup in some and and extender on the band for others, and I might finally be able to wear underwires for more than five hours at a time!
I have included some photos on how I pulled the wires out at the bottom. I am still experimenting with how to sew the new wires in permanently. I want to wear each for a while before I decide whether to make the swap permanent. I have discovered that the outside wire tip moves around as I move without some kind of dart and creates a rub spot. I wanted to be sure that it was skin and not breast tissue that it was rubbing to see if I needed slightly wider wires, but it genuinely seems to be skin because when I pin it, the only discomfort I have is sticking myself on the pins! So ... some more sewing for me! Even on the bras that don't obviously look like they need a dart, the wire channel and elastic will rub as I move and stop when the tension is corrected. * My apologies for my hairy pits!
Original wires were severely warped, unfortunately, so I had to push the wire flat. I in-cup quad in the 30GG, but the 30H is a little big. Also, the wire angles out towards the centre gore from the bottom.
Original - Plus a couple alteration seams of my own. This vertical seam pulls the strap attachment away from my arm pit and takes in the extra cup size fabric for shape correction.
Swapped. Almost identical photos (yeah!) and shows how whole band tilts forward from the top edge and rides up. 3 cm were removed from the width of each cup and the band measure 2 cm shorter unstretched.
This very U-shaped wire is almost as wide at the bottom as it is at the top tips. I find Miss Mandalay bands tight and their cups three quarters of a size small so I band and cup up.
Swapped - I will need to take a dart out between the strap and the wire in the outside of the cup, but you can see the dramatic band tilt, even though only 1.5 cms were removed from the width of each cup. Band measures the same unstetched as before.
This wire has a distinct outward angle to the outside wing. It also has, like the Freya, a "splayed" shaped centre gore. What I mean by this is that unlike the new replacement wire which is very U shaped, this wire angles at the centre gore. The centre gore on the Sunflower is pretty A-shaped - broader at the base than at the top. Where are the new wires make a centre gore that is more I shaped - the width of the gore near the bottom is the same as the width of the gore at the top. I call this "splayed" because it is what splayed roots do - the Nike swoosh where the bowl is on the outside under the arm pit and the long arm reaches to the breast bone. I found that this splay shaped gore, even if only slight, is what played the most havoc with the band length and cup shape with the new wires.
Swapped - this may need a dart in the top outside edge of the cup, but the elastic might cover it. In spite of removing 2.5 cm from each cup's width, this band seems to have shifted only a little - and the band measures the same length unstretched.
This was almost the same size and shape as Sunflower, except the wing- side angle outwards is less in Charente. This is my standard size this particular band is a bit short compared to other Avas I have tried
Swapped - again, the band and cup edge elastic seem to be coping fairly well. However, this is on two extenders as it needed almost a full one to begin with. 2.5 cms were removed from each cup's width and the band measures 1.5 cm shorter unstretched.
This wire angles outward toward the wing from the bottom of the cup, rather than from the midpoint as it does in the Avas. Gaia runs tight, generally, like most Polish brands, and the straps were not too wide set in this sister size as they are in some other Gaia models. Again, a slight splay to the centre gore side.
Original - I have a small dart in the top edge of the cup just inside the straps to pull the strap set width a touch narrower and to eliminate the gaping at the strap attachment my centre fullness often forms.
Swapped - you can see the tension in the top band and the wrinkling in the to cup edge. However, like the Avas, this band seems to sit fairly well. 3.5 cms were removed from each cup ad the band unstreched measures 3 cm shorter. Obviously, I needed to add an extender, but now this 32 and the Annika 30 fit exactly the same in the band. I think the dramatic band shortening is due to the combination of the angle out from the bottom on the wing and the slight splay at the gore.
I have found that with a dart in the fabric of the outside of the cup that does not interfere with the elastic cup edge corrects most of the fit issues. And by taking out more on my smaller side, I even get a slightly narrower cup to suit my smaller side perfectly.
Swapped - The band does rise a little, but it seems more or less ok. 3 cm were removed from each cup, but the unstretched band is only 1 cm shorter. I do need a hook on the extender, but it is brand new so that should relax soon. I do not know why there is such a discrepancy between this and Maggie except that Virginia is brand new and I've had my Maggie for a while. But then I would then expect this band to be tighter...... I love my Gaias but they are so inconsistent!
This is my best fitting bra in general and I may revert back to the original wires if this improvement is not successful. The original wires are a bit wider, but most significant is the outward angle of the outside tip.
Swapped - Not a lot of change except one extra hook on the extender. 1 cm removed from each cup and less than a cm from the unstretched band. Like the Maggie, I have found that if I take out a little of the outside cup fabric with a dart that does not impede the elastic edge, the fit works well.
Swapped - I only put one wire in each cup for this because the channel is only big enough for one. The wires do feel less firm, but not too bad - I will have to wear it for a day to see. 1.5 cm removed from each cup and no noticeable band change. I think having this dart already in the cup has made the transition pretty smooth.
Original - I put the same dart into the outside of the cup as the Donna to correct the shape for the strap alteration. I also have a raised centre gore in this model.
Swapped - Only one wire per cup again. 1.5 cm removed from each cup, and the band measures and feels identical. You can see that this swap makes the top elastic edge cut into my tail of Spence, slightly. I will have to wear it for a day to see if this bothers me. This is also one of the best shots to show just how narrow my roots reall are. This is totally at my root edge.
Comexim wires seem fairly consistent across sizes. This is one of those bands than feels fine at first, but by the middle of the day is too tight. So, the 32K would be my ideal Comexim padded.
Original - I have moved the straps inward on this myself - some what messily - and I have not yet sewn the elastic back on the top edge in anticipation of this wire swap.
Swapped - you can see the band tilt, but the band seems to cope well enough I was able to get two wires in these channels. I removed 3 cm from each cup and the band is unchanged. Because it is padded, I will need to figure out how to take the excess out of the outside of the cup.
This padded half cup surprised me by how well it adapted as it was originally so wide, but it is also a much taller half cup than the Comexims and so allows two replacement wires. My standard CK size - one cup up from my "standard."
Swapped - 3.5 cms removed from each cup and the unstretched band measured 2 cm smaller. I needed to add an extender, but it other wise fits so much better than ever before.
This wire is built for a more splayed shape with a centre gore much wider at its base than at its top. Consequently, the new wire pulls at the middle of the bridge and leaves the bottom gaping at the centre gore. This distorts the shape of the rest of the entire frame.
Original - the ruffles at the top outside edge of the cup tends to dig into my armpit somewhat and I primarily kept this model because it was one of the first almost fits I found.
Swapped - this may need a dart and the band rises up. I also get gaping just inside the strap attachment. You can see some of the cup shape distortion in the faux satin frame. 2.5 cms were removed from each cup and the unstretched band measures 4 cm shorter - in spite of being six months old. I am not sure that I will keep this wire replacement as the shape is so mangled.
Daydreamers wires seem to have a slightly less splayed centre gore than the Bardot above. They are also half a cm narrower than Bardot. Daydreamer really feels like a Cleo Lily.
Swapped - This band angle downwards like Bardot and I probably need a dart. 2 cm from each cup and 3.5 cm from unstretched band. I think this swap works better than Bardot because I don't get nearly the same shape distortion at the straps or the centre gore.
This wire shows Flirtelle's relationship to CK. It is more splayed and the same width as the Bardot. The difference between this and Bardot and the two Gaias (Maggie and Virginia) is at the outside wing "corner." The Gaias have a narrower base and distinctly angle outwards on the side. This and Bardot are just wider at the bottom to begin with and the shape of the wing arm is actually pretty U shaped.
Swapped - dart maybe? but the band tilt and the shape distortion create an in-cup quad and may not work out. 2.5 cms were removed from each cup and the band is 3 cm shorter unstretched. Again, like the Bardot, not sure I'll keep the swap.
This is the only plunge I own and while it does in-cup quad a touch, the lower centre coverage lets me wear the slightly smaller cup size. I don't like plunges generally because my soft tissue falls out.
Swapped - Like the Comexim half cups, this plunge wire channel was only long enough for one wire each. Almost 2 cm were removed from each cup and the band is 1 cm shorter, unstretched. This band seems sit well, but the top edge of the band is clearly shortened. If I can figure out a way to close the wire channels at the centre around the slightly too long wires, I will probably keep the swap.
This is one of the narrower wires in my size except for the distinct angle outwards at the wing. I find Impimi bands loose and this one is about three quarter of the way to what I associate with a 32. I have tried their 60s and could probably sister size down in general ... if they ever exist again.
Original - I wish the side boning went all the way to the bottom of the band! Plus I have a small dart in the top edge of the cup just inside the strap just like my Maggie.
Swapped - the band seems to cope well and does not require an extender. However, only 1.5 cms were removed from each cup. The unstretched band measures the same as before. The immediate projection deficit is pretty much the same and I will put a dart in outside fabric of the cup like the Maggie to prevent the loose wire tip rubbing.
Here is proof that Gorsenia makes a fairly narrow cup width if anyone wanted it. I find their bands looser by about a quarter of the way to a 32. Additionally, the cups of this model are about a half a cup size on the larger side - I couldn't fully cup down, but there is some wrinkling.
Swapped - the band has shifted and needs a little extender, but I am most interested in the apparent gaping at the wire. This seems to be the only bra that buckles along the new wire shape. Maybe a dart would fix it? Also, this was one of the hardest one to unpick and one whose materials have stood up to the abuse the best - on those criteria, one of the best made. 2 cms were removed from each cup and the band now measures 1.5 cm shorter in spite of being six months old.
Swapped - I obviously need a dart, but the band tilt is not too bad. 3.5 cm were removed from each cup and 2 cm from the unstretched band length. The cup fabric has some stretch on the bias that neither CK bardot nor Flirtelle Ellie has so that may acount for the better shape and fit.
Swapped. The band tilt is a lot more noticeable than I would have expected. I will need a dart for sure. Only 1 cm was removed from each cup, but the unstretched band lost 3 cm. This is what leads me to suppose that the slight splay shape plays a huge role in band length. The non-stretch lace at the top of Marcie started to gape a bit more than usual, but not badly.
Swapped - Oddly, I started quading, fairly significantly, in this one and you can see the in-cup quading too. I think it is because of my centre fullness. The slight splay in addition to the stretch lace seems to make this wire swap very hard on my centre fullness. I think all the extra space bunches up in my relatively empty outer cup (see wrinkling) so that the band tilt pushes my centre fullness out the middle of the bra. The unstretched band measures a cm longer than fresh out of the box, but I have been wearing it a lot lately. Generally, the band fit is the same, it is the cup shape/volume that has been affected. Almost 2 cm came out of each cup.
It is funny how Marcie lost its length in the band and Hettie lost it in centre projection. The difference between stretch lace and not cannot fully account for it, but as I said, the wires are nearly identical. I'm a little disappointed in this one, actually.
This is my standard EM size. I wear them with an extender because the band down keeps the strap set width narrower. Slight splay on the wire shape, but the wing side is somewhere between the Gaias and the CK/Flirtelle. A lot like the Avas, actually.
Original - I have altered the strap attachment to make them narrower set. The bottom of this alteration seem is seen here as a fold at the top of the cup.
Swapped - removed 2 and a bit cm from each cup and the unstretched band measures 2.5 cm shorter. Again with dramatic difference of the slight splay. I think the dart will solve the cup wrinkling. The interesting thing here is that with the stretch lace I would have thought the BM would have ended more like the Hettie instead of being very much like the Marcie in terms of the wire swap.
Original - Vivienne, like Empreinte Melody, has a firm edging all the way around the top edges of the cups so I had to open the wire channels from the outside rather than the centre, but it seems to have worked out just fine.
Swapped - Removed 3 cm from each cup and 1.5 cm from the unstretched band. The whole fit feels like it was made for these smaller wires - probably because the wire shapes match so closely.
Swapped - a little more than 1 cm was removed from each cup and the unstretched band measures 2 cm shorter. The dart in the outside top edge of the cup is what fixes the shape problem in the first place and with one here, I think this will fit well.
Back side of the zig zag top stich. Wire channel materials - fuzzy stuff - frays and gets messy very easily. That's why I liked to start the stitch riping from the front, except where there was delicate lace on the front.
The centre gore stitching is clearly independent of the other seams (unless the wire channels overlap). Once all the stiches are ripped, I pulled away the loose threads and sometimes needed to insert the point of the stitch ripper in the top of the wire channel to help get rid of the last threads.
Then, gently pushing from the far end of the channel, the wire pops right out. In replacing the new wires, I missed the actual padded wire channel sometimes and hit the space between the channel and the bra fabric. Oops! no big problems, though
Then, I put the unprotected inside tip of the second wire in the channel and slid it underneath (skin side) the first wire. I preferred to put the second wire underneath the first because it meant the second wire tip on the gore side was on top and away from my breast bone. The second tip on the wing side does not seem noticeable with the plastic protectant bump scraped off it.
To get both all the way in, I often had to pull the wires a little wider as I was pushing to flatten the curve arc so that the tip of the second wire would slide in and not catch on the stiching on the wire channel without the protectant plastic tip.
