comfortable COTTON sports-bra???

MicheleS

I'm sick of synthetic fabrics.  I like the fit of sports-bra style bras.  My favorite bra is this one:

http://ladiesfirst.com/home/lf1/page/314/1

 But, it is microfiber... and it has detailing (lace-like stuff) that rubs on my scar from my port. 

ANy suggestions for a natural fiber, double-pocketed, COMFORTABLE bra???

I'm feeling particularly uncomfortable today.... can you tell?? lol!

Thanks, Michele

justpayton1

I am in total agreement w/ you.

I like the cotton sports bra but havent been able to wear one since my mx.

hope someone has some info on this.

OtraVez

I'm having a heck of a time finding ANY decent sports bra that I can use with my pros.  I haven't seen too many cotton bras of any style, but I think I'm going to try this one out. I'm not sure how much support is there, but it seems to be the most cotton available. . . 

  (I can't get the darned link to paste  .  . . google on luisa luisa sports bra from the womanspersonalthealth.com) 

Erica3681

Michele,

Elita makes the same sports-style mastectomy bra in two fabrics, microfiber and cotton. I agree that microfiber can be irritating. I've tried the Ladies First bra you mentioned and found it oddly uncomfortable, even though it's not very structured. I can't seem to find any current pictures of the Elita, or I'd post them. They changed their design and all the photos have the old (less coverage) style. I have the microfiber version and wear it pretty often. I ordered the cotton version, but it was too tight. Possibly, the next larger size would have worked, but I never tried it.

Here's a link to what the Elita used to look like: http://www.womanspersonalhealth.com/catalog/bras/-elita-bra. It's not a crossover anymore, more straight across with a seam down the middle (and pockets on both sides). I don't know why the picture hasn't been updated anywhere online. I bought my newer-style Elita a year-and-a-half ago, so it's not like they just changed the style.

Barbara

jbau

One thing that works for me with the smaller foam style prostheses are the Haynes sports bras from Walmart. You just look for one that has double fabric over the cups and stitching in the middle so you don't have drift and cut a slit in the side of the inside fabric to slide the prosthesis in. They only cost $7 or 8$ and the fabric is cotton jersey and doesn't unravel so you don't have to sew. Mine have held up quite a long time, through many washings. These are the pullover type. Hope this helps.  I bought 5 or 6 of them a few years ago and haven't worn them out. I hope they still sell them,as I haven't checked lately. Any sports bra that has the double fabric should work but you don't want to spend too much money on something you're going to cut.

Jennifer 

MicheleS

asedge~ I have the luisa one.  It is not cottony at all.  Also, it runs big.  I have a sm and I get wandering foobies in it.

Barbara~ Thanks! I think I'll try it!

sue50

Hi Michelle!!!!

Style 110 by ABC is 93-95% cotton sports bra w/ pockets. Rides up unless you have weighted foobies, otherwise ok. 

Hey Jennifer, do the Haynes sports bras ride up? Are your foobs weighted at all?

Sue 

jbau

Sue,

The Haynes sports bras don't ride up on me. I can actually forget I'm wearing them. I've used the amoena 126 which is not weighted as well as weighted ones foam ones. They'll work with the silicone if they're on the small side. Mine are 3's and 4's.

I looked at your profile and I have saanen goats and play celtic fiddle. Only been playing 3 years but I really love it. We've  traveled to Maine several times and always love it. I'm in north Georgia

Jennifer 

MicheleS

Hi Sue!! How are you doing??

I don't have weighted foobies... and they are small (3's).  Barbara~ Does the elita ride up with unweighted foobies?  Planning on ordering one this weekend.

sue50

Michelle, so glad you are hanging in there! Just think where we were a year ago!

Jennifer, yay, another Celtic music fan!! My son and I just joined a highland bagpipe band, this should be interesting.  I really love the music. It almost doesn't matter what instrument I'm playing, as long as I can learn some more tunes!  Fave fiddler: Alistair Fraser. Fave bands: Old Blind Dogs & Altan. check em out.  : )  Alas, we gave our goaties away to a friend, she is planning to breed & milk the doe. How many Saanens do you have? Are you milking them?

Interesting that you can wear bras & weightless foobs. The riding up drives me Crazy.  Maybe it's my concave chest? My silicone 6's are sitting in the box, I'm wearing Amoena fiberfill puffies all the time, occasionally just going flat.

Attn. Cotton lovers:  JC Penney is having a clearance sale online & in stores on their 95% cotton "a.n.a." camis, they are really soft and hold the puffies nicely in the shelf bra. Couple of teeny safety pins (just for insurance) and we are good to go. Just picked up 2 today, price is right.

 Sue

Erica3681

Michele,

You might remember I tried the cotton Elita but it didn't fit, so I never really wore it enough to know how it would perform. I wear my microfiber Elita bra with my ultra-light silicone form (Silique Comfort Lite) and it's great. I think it would probably be okay with an unweighted form, though I haven't used it that way. The cotton might be even better, because the microfiber is a more slippery fabric.

Please report back if you try the Elita.

Barbara

OtraVez

Thanks for the updates!  

@MicheleS - Thanks for the update on the Louisa. Doesn't sound nearly as appealing.  

@Barbara - how's the support on the Elita?  I've got a rather substantial silicone pros to match its rather substantial mate on the other side.  I'm using a regular mast bra under a sports bra or sports bra/top most of the time now. 

Erica3681

asedge,

It sounds as if you need a fair amount of support. I think the Elita wouldn't have enough. I use it with size 3 or 4 breast forms, so not very big or heavy.

Barbara

MicheleS

oh... decisions, decisions... I was all set to buy the Elita and then I saw Barbara's thread about the new company.... Opinions?? LOL! I can't afford both.

MicheleS

look at what I found!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FQEB0E/ref=oss_product

Barbara~ Is this the one you have?

Erica3681

Yes, that's it! I notice they don't have a big size selection, though. If you order it from other sites, this is what you will get -- I'm almost certain they don't make the other style anymore, even though some sites still show the picture of the earlier style.

Barbara

concernedsis

Sis got a great cotton sports bra at "Catherine's" its a plus size shop - wore it post TE placement and pre and post radiation burns.

MicheleS

I bought the one from amazon.  at $21, it's not too bad even if I don't like it.

Erica3681

Please let us know what you think.

Barbara

MicheleS

got it in the mail yesterday.  It seems a bit big (or I've lost weight?) but is soft and definately cotton.  I'll post a better review after today.  I'm going to wear it all day (to bball games and grocery shopping) so I can tell you if I get "wandering" foobs with it.  I will say that it rode up some when I wore it yesterday evening but I was wearing it w/ nearly me foam triangles.  I plan to put on my silicone teardrop nearly me's today.  They are heavier so maybe it won't ride up.

Erica3681

The main problem I've had with the Elita (I have the microfiber version) is that the first forms I tried with it were too narrow and slid off toward the side. I put a few stitches in each side and that kept the forms from sliding. But later, I got forms that were wider (my Silique ultra-lightweight Comfort Lites) and now I use those very comfortably (I removed the stitches). I've tried foam forms with the Elita and they haven't worked for me either. They don't really ride up, they just sit higher to begin with and would need a little weight to come down to the proper height.

Hope the silicone forms do the trick!

SusaninSF

It's not cotton but I really love the Janac sports bras.  I wear one every day so I bought five.  It feels really secure even when doing yoga inversions.

http://www.janacsportswear.ca/product-sportsbras.htm 

MicheleS

So here's my review of the Elita (cotton version) bra. 

For starters: I can't figure out the sizing.  I purchased a 34 (the same size as my other bras) and the band seemed big, but the straps short.  It is almost like it sits up high.  So, when I wore it with foam foobs, it rode up and I had a high chest.  It wasn't uncomfortable per se but I was self conscious. 

The next day, I wore it with silicone foobs.  Mine are unweighted but are heavier than foam ones.  They are a tear drop shape and size 3's.  These fit in the bra REALLY well.  The bra didn't ride up and was comfortable.  SOme of the things I did while wearing it: long, brisk walk with the dogs while pushing a stroller; grocery shopping including loading and unloading the car; attended the kids' bball games (climbing up and down bleachers with a 4-yr old tugging on my arm(s)); a trip to home depot for compost, including loading an unloading 50# bags; gardening; and, general house work: vacuuming, mopping, etc.  It stayed put through all of that and was comfy.  I like the fabric.  It gives so I had "normal" movement (jiggling) of the silicone foobs.  It is soft against my skin and scars.  Plus, it breathes. 

What I didn't like: the fact that I have to wear the silicone foobs in it.  I like to wear foam while working out at the gym especially and I don't think that'll work.  I haven't ever worn silicone to the gym.  I may try it later this week, but for today, I have my regular bra + foam foobs in my bag.  I also don't think the band size is really 34.  I'm going to order another one with a 32 band size... I'm hoping that the straps aren't shorter though... I am tempted to dry the 34 one but, I'm worried about the straps. 

So, for $21, it is DEFINITELY worth it. 

Has anyone purchased from the other *new* company?

I'm going to post a new thread about working out. 

janincanada

Try Janac Sportswear.  This company was created by a breast cancer survivor who races Dragonboats. She started the company because she couldn't find anything that she liked. They have sports bras and tanks, plus my personal fav the Been-a boob.  The been a boob is a bean bag made of silicone beads that molds perfectly into a sportsbra and doesn't make you look different on each side.  It wasn't as heavy as my regular prosthesis and you can swim in it.  It only costs $55 Canadian in a store so it was significantly cheaper than a swim prosthesis.