Guest MissInga Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 Sorry gentlemen, this one is for my fellow female adult dancers! Does anyone have suggestions of leotard styles for those of us with larger bosoms? Camisoles seem to emphasize too much...I don't want to be dowdy but I could do without the smirks of some of my younger male barre neighbors........ The mirella with with the thicker elastic straps is quite flattering, but the underwire hits me 1 1/2" below my chest....I'm long waisted. Any suggestions would be appreciated! Quote Link to comment
Jaana Heino Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 In my classes many of the more ample-built ladies (and many of us slimmer ones, too) wear a short-sleeved leotard instead of a camisole one, and some wear a sports bra under that. It seems to work, and in my opinion looks very nice. (Most wear local brands probably not available where you are, though, so I can't help with a specific model.) Quote Link to comment
koshka Posted August 25, 2003 Report Share Posted August 25, 2003 The short answer is that, if you want sleeveless, look for tanks rather than camisoles. I believe that some of the tank leotards in the Discount Dance catalog are specifically described as having a back cut high enough to cover a bra under the leotard. Then you can just wear whatever bra works best for you. If in addition you are searching for appropriate bras, you might check to see what Discount Dance has in their undergarments section, or try Title 9 Sports. If you are long-waisted and are otherwise a normal-sized (ie anything above "pretty darn tiny") woman, you might have trouble finding leotards that are long enough. I've found, for example, that Mirella and Danskin (some styles) are OK but Capezio is generally too short for me. Thus, my ultimate suggestion is that you find a local shop with a good selection and then ask for a tank or short-sleeved leotard that is cut high in the back. Quote Link to comment
Funny Face Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 I just want to assure you, in case you feel somewhat self conscious, that I've noticed in classes I've taken with adult women, as opposed to my college level classes, that it seems ALL women, even those who might have been smaller chested in their younger years, seem to fill out there later on -- to become more 'womanly' looking later in life. It's just something that seems to happen to women after they've had children, and sometimes not even childbearing has a role. Women just become 'rounder.' In any event, few adult women do not need a bra when taking class. I highly recommend that almost all adult women wear one. You will be glad you did later in life, believe me. I don't consider myself especially 'bosomy,' but I do wear a bra beneath either a camisole or tank top -- even those with a shelf bra built in. I pair that with leggings and a dance skirt. And yes, I do wear underpants beneath the leggings. I am just clarifying all of this because -- heck, somebody has to. Yes, sometimes I do go back to pink or black tights with a leotard and skirt, but it's usually when the weather gets colder and I'm wearing a sleeved leotard. This is because the tank versions of leotards cut the straps too short and they dig into my shoulders. I don't have this problem with sleeved leotards, such as a velvet longsleeved leotard, or the 100% nylon ones. I believe a rule of thumb is that if you even suspect you need to wear a bra with your leotard, go ahead and wear one, for aesthetic reasons, as well as for physical ones. Quote Link to comment
Guest beckster Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 For me, it depends very much on the leotard. I'm not particularly busty but as someone else noted, women tend to be shaped like, well, women! I have one bloch tank low back leo where I don't need a bra because it is good thick fabric and quite well-fitting roudn the chest, but then I have others (such as my exam leotard, which was thin and didn not fit well) where a bra was definitely needed. I hate having cleavage in a dance studio, I find it really inappropritate - so since all camisole leos seem to be very short in the body, I tend to go for the thicker straps where I can go a size up and wear a bra. I can't stand leos with sleeves - I get way too hot after just one plie! Quote Link to comment
Guest karenfixe Posted August 26, 2003 Report Share Posted August 26, 2003 There is some good news to all this... you have two choices. 1. Wear tank leotards with either a sports bra or regular bra. Champion makes a couple of excellent sports bras that are both racer back and cream colored or the typical black. I wear both of them, but my preference is the black one. The last thing I want to do in class is show cleavage or give myself a black eye. It closes in the back and is low cut enough to wear under mid-level low-back leotards. You'll do better with either cap-sleeve or tank leo's and you won't die from overheating. 2. Mirella makes leotards with a long torso, so you can order that from the shop you buy from. Good luck! Quote Link to comment
balletowoman Posted August 27, 2003 Report Share Posted August 27, 2003 I personally love the style of the Capezio with double strap at the back... There is a built in 'bra' (although really it 'squashes' my breast, rather than hold it up) but it's one of the few I can wear on its own. I think the shape is also quite flattering. Capezio leotard Quote Link to comment
Guest MissInga Posted August 27, 2003 Report Share Posted August 27, 2003 Thanks everyone for the input....I appreciate the advice! Quote Link to comment
Guest Terriergirl Posted August 30, 2003 Report Share Posted August 30, 2003 I just wanted to add that I totally agree about wearing a bra to class and swear by the DKNY Sports bra (it's made by Wacoal and come in black and white). I'm kind of a medium in the booby dept. and I love these underwire, yet comfortable bras. One downside is they're really expensive, but I'm still wearing the two I purchase 2.5 years ago and they still look great. I should add that I do handwash or machine wash on lingerie setting after each wearing. Also, I'm long waisted and 5'9 and exclusively wear the cotton Capezio tank leo's in LONG and they're the only ones that really fit me well and don't ride up in the seat and don't dig into my shoulders. I'm kind of boring in wearing the same thing but I'm all about comfort. So if anyone else can suggest any other tank styles which can be worn with a bra by a long-waisted gal, I'll be forever grateful! Quote Link to comment
pleiades Posted August 30, 2003 Report Share Posted August 30, 2003 Two suggestions: Mirella makes a cap sleeve, almost a tank, with diagonal 'ribbings' that meet in the center (if that makes any sense). It's bra friendly and very flattering. Also, Grishko makes a camisole leo that comes up high enough in the back. Both are my mainstays Quote Link to comment
duckie9876 Posted October 4, 2003 Report Share Posted October 4, 2003 Has anybody ever heard of the Angelik support bra? It was designed for dancers and can be worn low in the back for a low cut leo. It is also a mesh-type fabric. I have one and I could kick myself for not buying more because it works so beautifully under a leo even with a low back and the mesh fabric is so thin that you can't tell. I am definitely in the category of "well-endowed" and pretty soon, the breastfeeding will make them even bigger! I can't find that bra anymore. They used to have a website but at one time, the bras were on back-order and they weren't taking orders. Now they're just GONE.... Rochelle Quote Link to comment
Katharyn Posted October 6, 2003 Report Share Posted October 6, 2003 I always wear a bra, and the girls thank me for it later . I'm not worried if if my sports bra shows, so don't limit myself to high backed leotards... It doesn't matter much in class where people are wearing all sorts anyway. We have a very limited range of leotards in my city anyway (basically bloch is all there is), and they run quite short in the body Quote Link to comment
ashatNYU Posted October 6, 2003 Report Share Posted October 6, 2003 Has anybody ever heard of the Angelik support bra? Is this what you are referring to? Quote Link to comment
duckie9876 Posted November 3, 2003 Report Share Posted November 3, 2003 YES! Thank you. This bra is great. everyone who has bra/leotard problems should try it. Rochelle Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.