The lean test
- Take your bra off and stand side-on to a mirror.
- Bend forward at the hips until your back is parallel to the floor.
- Look at one breast in the mirror. Find the nipple.
- Compare the tissue on the side nearer your head with the side nearer your feet.
| What you see | You are |
|---|---|
| As much or more tissue on the upper side | Full on top |
| About the same either side | Even |
| Clearly more on the lower side | Full on bottom |
Leaning matters. Standing up, gravity makes nearly everyone look full on bottom. Leaning shows where the tissue actually is.
If you are full on top
What goes wrong
Cups with a firm or inward-curving top edge cut across the upper breast and create a ridge, even in the correct size. You may have been told to keep going up a cup, only to find the bottom of the cup becomes too big.
What to look for
- Stretch lace in the upper cup. It expands over the fullness and lies flat.
- Open top edges. Balconettes with a straight, wide neckline and an upper section that leans outward.
- Full-cup styles with a stretch top panel, which contain everything without a hard edge.
- Vertical seams, which generally give a more open top than a single horizontal seam.
What to be wary of
- Moulded cups with a stiff edge
- Half-cups and low-cut plunges, which may not have enough upper cup to contain you
- Styles described as "closed on top"
If you are full on bottom
What goes wrong
The upper part of the cup has nothing to fill it and stands away from your chest or wrinkles. Sizing down fixes the gap and makes the bottom of the cup too small, so the wire digs in or you spill underneath.
What to look for
- Lower-cut cups. Balconettes, half-cups and demi styles have less upper cup to gape.
- Cups that give lift from below, such as those with a horizontal seam or a side sling, which push tissue upward into the top of the cup.
- Stretch lace uppers. They help here too, because they shrink back against you where they are not filled.
- Plunge styles, which have a short upper cup.
What to be wary of
- Tall, full-coverage moulded cups
- Cups with a rigid upper section
If you are even
Most cup cuts will work, and you can choose by preference and by your other shape features.
Fullness together with projection
Fullness and projection are separate. You can be projected and full on bottom, shallow and full on top, or any other pairing. If changing the top of the cup does not solve your fit, look at depth as well: shallow vs projected breasts.
Fullness changes
Upper fullness is often the first thing to reduce with weight loss, after breastfeeding and with age. A style that fitted well for years can begin to gape at the top without your size changing much. If that has happened, move to a lower-cut or stretch-topped cup before you move to a smaller one. See why your bra cups are gaping.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I am full on top or full on bottom?
Bend forward at 90 degrees and look side-on in a mirror. Compare the amount of tissue above and below the nipple. As much or more above means full on top. Clearly more below means full on bottom.
Is full on bottom more common?
It is generally thought to be the more common pattern, and it becomes more so with age, after breastfeeding and after weight loss, as upper fullness tends to reduce first.
Why do I get quadboob in one bra and gaping in another, in the same size?
Because the two bras have different upper cups. A closed or firm edge cuts into upper fullness, and a tall open one stands empty if you have little. Your size is probably right, and the cut is what needs choosing.
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