Archive for April, 2009

The T-Shirt Bra – Do you have one?

April 28th, 2009 by Carissa Rose
An anonymous commenter (Rainee) on the BH blog reminded me that I haven’t posted about t-shirt bras for the full bust. I am so sorry, I really thought I had already done that.
A t-shirt bra is rather an American phenomenon (especially the molded version) and in general are better suited for the smaller bust-line – and aren’t even available past a G cup (save the Prima Donna which goes to an H), but I know there are those of you out there who really want to wear a seamless bra underneath your snug fitting knit tops.

  • The best selling seamless (sans molding) t-shirt bra for the full bust is Fantasie’s Smoothing Balcony. This bra also comes in a full cup version, but we have greater luck in fitting the balcony style. If you are full on the top of the breast, firm, or have been augmented, then the full cup is a good solution.
  • Chantelle also has some t-shirt options, as does
  • Wacoal, but when one gets into the voluminous cups of FF/G, they aren’t as good fitting as the aforementioned.
  • We have clients who swear by Prima Donna’s t-shirt bra; it also is the most expensive one in the list.
I confess I do not own a t-shirt bra. I used to, but ceased wearing clingy knits so I no longer have a need for a t-shirt bra. On the positive side, usually these bras are less expensive than their more structured (seamed) counterparts that have a more rigid (lace or similar) fabrication. Let’s suffice it to say there is a reason these bras usually don’t come past a G, a breast with more than a G cup worth of tissue needs more support than the t-shirt bra offers.

Contact Bratique Helene if you have any questions on bras, we are here to help.

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Mother’s Day

April 22nd, 2009 by Carissa Rose

This blog entry is not about solutions for the full bust, rather it is about Mother’s Day. The picture below is my mom on the beach in Galveston TX on her honeymoon, circa 1962.


This next picture is her on the same beach on my college graduation trip, circa 1994. When I see these pictures I see the same pose, thirty years later: The knees are at similar angles, the hip cocked, arms bent, sunglasses on, even the same blousy overshirt. The wind was blowing in the second picture so she had to hold the hat on her head. Accept your Mom the way she is right now, please don’t wait or require her to change.

After mom’s memorial service, one of her Home Depot co-workers, Jose, came up to me with a vase full of roses. He said, “I want to give you this, there are seven roses, one rose for every year I knew your Mom. Everyday when Helene saw me she would give me a kiss on the cheek and a hug. That was the bright spot in my day”. I never liked it when she did those kinds of things, they embarrassed me and I didn’t think they were always appropriate. But it sure made Jose feel good. So what you don’t like about your mom may have a positive impact on somebody else.

Finally, please love your Mom, even if she’s crotchety, hard to connect with, or out of touch. She is still your Momma.

Although this post is not about solutions for the full-bust figure, if you have any questions about bras please contact Bratique Helene, we will give you a great answer!

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They come in All Shapes and Sizes

April 21st, 2009 by Carissa Rose
This post is along the same lines as last week’s post: debunking the myth that boobs have universal sizes and shapes.* image courtesy of http://www.breastandbaby.com


Certain bra brands fit a particular breast shape better, and likewise certain types of bras (balcony, full-cup, plunge, etc.) fit a particular breast shape better as well. I know we all want the grapefruit, madonna shape, narrow set boobs, but alas reality sets in.


In addition to breast shape affecting one’s optimal bra choice, so does breast placement and body proportion. We often hear, “when looking at a side view, the bust-line should hit halfway on the arm between the shoulder and elbow”. However this is not always the case. We have clients who are long torsoed – which means the breast would be lower on the chest – and short limbed. Bless her heart if she tried to hike her bust-line so artificially high.


Panache is a good brand for breasts that tend to have fuller sides. And a full-cup works better if the breast is fuller on the top, as opposed to the bottom. If a woman has shorter upper body proportions – short neck, short under the arms, short waist, then a plunge bra – lower center gore – works better.


So study your breast shape and its placement on your body. All the style books and experts encourage us to know our body’s length proportions to dress it best, likewise I encourage you to know your breast proportions so you can dress your breast best!


Contact Bratique Helene if you have any questions on bras, we are here to help.

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Bratique Helene Live on Good Morning Texas

April 13th, 2009 by Carissa Rose


Watch video

Carissa and the make-over capabilities of Bratique Helene clothing were featured Friday, April 10th on Good Morning Texas.


A special thanks to our awesome models Kimberly, Crystal, Yuddie and Wendy. My BH Angels rock, look out Charlie!

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Posted in big breast clothing | 4 Comments »

Proportion is in the Eye of the Beholder

April 12th, 2009 by Carissa Rose
  • I got a phone call this week (I think it was this week) with this request, “I’m looking for a custom made swimsuit”. As I inquired why she needed custom made the answer was, “I’m a 38G and I need an underwire”. Of course those swimsuits exist.
  • Also this week I heard a client exclaim, “I have such a strange size”. She is a 30H/32GG, and while that is a tough size to find nice bras for, they are also available.
  • And finally, while conversating with another local (very successful) Dallas designer she commented, “I have a couple of girlfriends that are just so disproportionate, they could really benefit from your line”.
This mindset breaks my heart. Have you ever seen two faces that are the same (save for the rare identical twins)? Similarly boobs – sometimes I just like to say that word – come in all shapes and sizes. If a woman has a size six waist, who’s to say her bust-line can only be six inches bigger than that?


You know my story, I grew up with a mom who cursed her more than ample bosom, then grew indifferent towards it (the ultimate surrender). And while I have always been blessed with a nice bust-line, my passion is to empower women who feel burdened by their large breasts.

At Bratique Helene, we encourage you to embrace your endowment and see it as a blessing and not a curse.

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