Hey ladies,

ok, after a lengthy, sometimes giggly, conversation in the dressing room after yesterday morning's practice, I thought I would pose the question here: do most of you wear sports bras or regular bra's during competition??

Here are a few highlites from the conversation, feel free to comment because I would certainly love to here some thoughts or responses:

Practice: most indicated definitely a sports bra, this seemed to be across the board, as warm-ups cover any straps, they are dri-fit for long practices, and the support is needed for so many jumps.

Competition: this is where the primary discussion seemed to land. some girls indicated that they don't wear a bra at all, because their dress doesn't allow it and their dress gives them enough support. others indicated they wear a normal bra, because it is easy to hide, can be bought in nude colours to hide, and gives a nice shape. another indicated that shes wears a super slim nude-colour sports-bra-like running body suit to give support, because it has thin straps and you don't get a seem-line, or have to wear underwear, preventing white-walls as well.

the giggles ensued when the guys weighed in on their opinions, from one guy being shocked that his pairs partner didn't wear a bra in competition, to another who thought that bras were "built in" to dresses. most of them were quite perplexed that this was such an issue.

Actually, while we're discussing bra's - does anyone have a preferred supporting bra, either a sports bra or a normal bra? I am a 34DD, so a lot of support is required... I normally find bra's at LaSenza, and just hunt for sports bra's at a variety of sports places. Is there anywhere other than LaSenza to find a good coverage/supportive bra?

I'm a B-cup but at 46-years old I do wear a bra anytime I step out of the house <g>

I wear a regular "nice" bra, not a sports bra (they squish me too much and make me look like I don't have anything).

Depending on my dress, I will either wear flesh- or clear-colored straps.

__________________
Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Whoa! Don't know nuthin' about no 34DD!! I wear a regular bra (34B) unless the dress requires a low back, and then I wear the largest size bra with a see-through plastic strap across the back and invisible straps. Although I did have one of the backs break once when I was putting on my dress for a competition. Luckily I had a sewing kit with me and it held together. Why do they think a "large" means "large if you are completely flat-chested and wear a 30A"??

__________________
You miss 100% of the shots you never take.--Wayne Gretzky

And I got most of my bras at the Intimacy bra place in Chicago (Water Tower). It was featured on an Oprah Winfrey show and they really did a pretty good job of picking out bras for me.

__________________
You miss 100% of the shots you never take.--Wayne Gretzky

It is possible to have a well-fitting bra sewn into a skating dress.

I used to do only dance, so I just wore a minimizer bra (rather than a "sports bra") under my test/competition dresses. My dresses were custom made (because stock dresses didn't fit), so my dressmaker designed my dresses so that I could wear a proper bra underneath.

However, I also do several intense work-outs at a gym each week, at which I do need to wear sports bras. I find that the Moving Comfort sports bras seem to be the best for me (I wear a 40D). I have seen some Moving Comfort sports bras at sporting goods stores such as Dicks and Modells, but not in my size (they seem to stop at a 38 bra band). So I order them online. Zappos carries them with excellent service, also Title 9 Sports.

Hope this helps.

__________________
American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

I wear a regular bra during competition, often a strapless or backless/halter. I need to wear a bra in everyday life (I'm not that tiny anymore) but probably wouldn't wear one with a costume that fit tight enough to provide support, except for the cold.

During practice I wear a normal bra if I'm in a t-shirt, a racer back bra if I'm wearing a tank top, and a strapless bra if I'm in a dress, it stays up just fine. I don't really like sports bras- they squeeze the back fat, and I find that to be very yucky.

__________________
-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

Given my need for support (36 C -- big front porch, weight lifters back), I can recommend a good source for bras: Herroom.com. They show how the bras will fit under different kinds of necklines, armholes, etc. Also have bras with 'invisible' straps and backs (usually clear plastic).
Maidenform 8819 -- invisible straps and low back option. Lilyette 934 is a variant. Le Mystere Nude Back Convertible Bra 1155 for those with really revealing costumes.
If you are really stuck, try Fredericks of Hollywood. They have the COMBINATION CONVERTIBLE BRA with clear straps and back, and extra clear straps for converting regular bras,.
I don't know a source for body glue. That's used by dancers and beauty contestants to hold their costumes in place, it would seem to be handy.

I'm kind of curious, of the male skaters how many confessed to wearing a dance belt?

__________________
Great forum quotes:
On Falling: '...it doesn't matter, it's what you do AFTER you fall that's more important' ISK8NYC

At a 34 barely B, I hardly need the support -

but, those skating dresses REALLY flatten everything out.

I swear by the Victoria's Secret stick on strapless bra. Keeps me from looking like a 9 year old, and though pricy, lasts quite a while

__________________
Revised Official 2010 Goals checklist
Skate __
New boots __
(lowering the bar for 2010 as I haven't skated in a year)

I wear VS "Very Sexy" strapless (or clear strap) bras. They have these gel inserts, so I can get some extra boobs, since w/o them my paunch would definitely be more obvious. (i.e. I have a bigger tummy than my boos... )

And yes, I do wear Spanx now too, so I get more slimming around the tummy too! Works. (I tried the Target's cheapo version of it and it just doesn't hold the tummy in as well as the more expensive and authentic Spanx. You really get what you paid for.

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

I'm small up top, so I have my dressmaker build in shelf bras and I use those stick-on tulip things to avoid any headlight action. I prefer tops with sheer fabric, and even nude-colored straps show. Plus, this allows for a smooth line (I also cut the waistband off my competition tights and pin them to my dress). I've worn regular bras under dresses that aren't sheer on top and they work fine.

DD has a shelf bra (swimsuit bra) built into her costumes ... when she went from a 36C to a 34B this year, I was able to take it in neatly without disturbing the line of the dress. Just pulled it tighter and tacked it down along the seam. Her dad makes her bounce up and down to make sure that the "girls" aren't swinging around and stay neatly under control ... he hates seeing it when girls have things whipping around in various directions due to failure of underpinnings

As for working out - UnderArmour sports bras all the way, pricey, but they last and last and last ... and you can get them in a range of styles, colours and support.

Many otherwise very good sports bras do not seem to come in sizes larger than a 38 band.

Excuse me, but there are "larger women" who like to work out.

<enter complaint mode>
Okay, so there's the frequent comment "well, if you're overweight, go work out", but then it can be difficult to find proper fitting workout wear for larger-sized females (not all of us want to wear baggy men's sweats and oversized t-shirts, not to mention the challenge of finding supportive undergarments).

<exit complaint mode>

__________________
American Waltz... Once, Twice, ???? ...

Q: How many coaches does it take to fix Jen's Dance Intro-3 Problems
A: 5 and counting...

I have horrible problems finding sports bras to fit me. They don't seem to make a cup size bigger than a D, and I need (gulp) a G.

Ditto for athletic wear.....because I've got a bigger bust, most women's athletic wear tops just plain don't fit me. Completely frustrating. And if I happen to find plus size athletic tops, they fit in the bust but are absolutely swimming on me everywhere else.

I also have issues because I am just big enough that I can't go without or with a shelf bra (38C/36D depending on the day...and that will probably continue to go down as I lose more weight), but can't find a bra that works with the majority of the dresses...I have a synchro dress that is a halter that is going to be very interesting....

I have lost a lot of weight in the last year (to the tune of 30+ pounds), so in many ways I still operate as if I have a larger bust (I went from a 38DD down to the C). When I was bigger I always wore 2 sports bras to make sure everything stayed where it was supposed to be, and I still do that out of habit (a habit that I may try to break soon...but I still feel as if I am bouncing all over the place if I don't!)...

For practice, it's a sports bra and a t-shirt. For tests and whatnot, I've gotten very good at pinning a regular bra to my dress to keep straps and such from showing. I never feel quite as secure in a regular bra (probably because most of my bras are too big...another issues I should probably take care of!), but it works. Now, if anyone has any suggestions for that halter dress I need to wear, I would be all for it!

__________________
Skating Dreams

"All your life you are told the things you cannot do. All your life they will say you're not good enough or strong enough or talented enough; they will say you're the wrong height or the wrong weight or the wrong type to play this or be this or achieve this. THEY WILL TELL YOU NO, a thousand times no, until all the no's become meaningless. All your life they will tell you no, quite firmly and very quickly. AND YOU WILL TELL THEM YES." --Nike

I've never found sports bras supportive enough - my test for a bra, when I am trying them on, is that I can do bunny hops or jog up and down on the spot without it hurting, and I can never do either of those things in a sports bra. So I wear an ordinary one for training, and a strapless one (with clear plastic straps) for competitions.

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

At the moment i just wear my normal bra but im becoming increasingly aware that it just isnt supportive enough!

I'm a 28E (could really do with a 26) I want to get a sports bra, but i cant find them anywhere in my size, any ideas?

Firstly before saying what type of bra I use for practice or for competition, I must tell you about my dilema. I used to be heavier and was at one time a 38C. But now that I've lost weight, the C cup is too big with the 38 but if I wear a 36C, I seem to jump out. Does anyone make a 38B? The 36 is just too tight around my ribs and back.

For training/practice I wear either my underwire sports bra or one of my adjustable bras that let me crisscross the straps on my back. I just hate it when the bra straps fall off my shoulders. Don't want to be thinking whether or not they are going to slip.

For competition I bought a clear back and strap bra from La Senza but wish that they would make a clear strapped and backed underwired sports bra in real sizes for everyone from size 26AA to 44EEE. I'd buy a 38B.

__________________
"It's not age that determines but the heart." "Skating is not just a sport for the young but it's a passion for the soul of the young at heart." Brigitte Laskowski

I am a nomadic adult skater who is a member of Windsor FSC (Skate Windsor) WOS SC again since Sept. 1st, 2008.

http://eastcastlemusic.tripod.com

Singerskates Sports Music Editing

I'm in the IBTC (34B) myself so I usually wear a sports bra for practice just because they are comfortable and then for testing (as of right now I don't compete), I just go without.

__________________
Happily defying the laws of physics when I skate...and not in a good way

If I could meet ole Axel Paulsen, I would kick him in the teeth

President and Founding member of the I hate Toe-Loops Club

Still a member, but trying to get out of the Pre-bronze peanut gallery.

Visit my skating journal

I believe Hanes makes them. You can find them in KMart, Target, etc.

Same here, though not the same size. On the rare occasions when I need to wear a skating dress or costume, I've been able to get away with an ordinary strapless bra.

__________________

Well, I am on the small side 34B, but all my practice clothes have a sports bra built in and that works well. LuluLemon and Athleta tops. All my dresses have a shelf bra built into them or have enough support so I never wear a bra when I compete.

__________________
Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

IBTC? Not with a B! Until I gained my "married" weight, I was a "half A" and now I'm just about a full A cup since I'm overweight. A B would be some major cleavage compared to this!

__________________
-Jessi
What I need is a montage...
Visit my skating journal or my Youtube videos (updated with 2 new videos Sept 26, 2009)

I got you beat on that one!!! The only reason I wear bras is to keep the "high beams" down, KWIM? (Of course, since the guys are probably reading this and out of modesty on my part, I will NOT share what my size is... )

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

I don't have anything to add to this thread. I felt an uncontrollable urge to post


Kander

Okay then.........

In Australia is Berlei Sports Bras. They come underwire and non. Mind you, their straps a heavy-duty too, though I have had nude mesh fabric that covers them easily. I am a (very) large lady, but pear shaped, and I wear a 16F for skating.
Berlei make their sports bras up to a G cup. Yes, that's right, G cup!
(starting to wonder whether Oz is getting like Texas, where everything is bigger!) I find them very supportive.

http://www.berlei.com.au/GetFittedOn...ndYourBra.aspx

__________________
Katz

Saved by Synchro!
I was over it, now I'm into it again !

And THAT, my friends, is Reason #1 I would NOT post my bra size!!! (I KNEW he would be reading this thread!!! I KNEW IT!!! )

kander, get yourself to the jock strap thread where YOU belong!!!

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!