Underdressed

What Makes a Sports Bra Actually Work? A conversation with Nicola, senior researcher in bra and breast biomechanics at the University of Portsmouth In this episode, I speak with Nicola about the science behind sports bras, breast movement, and what actually contributes to support during activity. Nicola works in breast and bra biomechanics, a field that looks at how breast tissue moves, how that movement changes during different activities, and how bras can help control that movement. We talk about why sports bras are much more than a comfort item: they are an important piece of equipment that can affect whether women feel able to run, train, compete, and stay physically active. A major focus of the conversation is a University of Portsmouth study looking at how different sports bra design features affect performance. The study tested 98 sports bras on 77 women in 34B and 34D sizes to understand which design features reduced breast movement during running. The paper identified five key sports bra characteristics linked to performance: Bra style: Encapsulation and combination styles performed better than compression-only styles. Material: Bras made primarily from nylon performed better than those made primarily from polyester. Underband adjustability: Adjustable underbands were linked with better support than pullover styles. Padding: Padding appeared to contribute to movement reduction, not just modesty. Neckline height: Higher necklines were associated with better support than lower necklines. One of the most interesting parts of the episode is the idea that sports bra performance is not just about making a bra tighter. Breast tissue moves forward and back, side to side, and up and down, and different sports create different movement patterns. This means a bra that works well for running may not be the same bra someone wants for weightlifting, rowing, golf, or other sports. Nicola also explains why compression bras are not always enough, especially for larger cup sizes. Compression styles hold the breasts against the chest wall, while encapsulation styles support each breast individually. Combination styles can offer both the structure of encapsulation and the familiar “held in” feeling of compression. We also discuss how much is still unknown. Even after identifying several design features that contribute to sports bra performance, a large portion of what makes a sports bra work remains unexplained. That leaves room for more research into fit, materials, movement, comfort, breathing, and sport-specific design. Sports bras are often treated as a simple clothing purchase, but this conversation frames them as a health and participation issue. A poorly fitting or poorly performing sports bra can affect comfort, confidence, posture, breathing, and whether someone wants to keep participating in sport or exercise. Nicola also talks about the importance of getting this information to the people who need it, including athletes, school girls, and everyday consumers. The goal is not just better products, but better education, so women and girls know they do not have to accept pain, discomfort, or lack of support as normal. Referenced paper: Norris, M., Blackmore, T., Horler, B., & Wakefield-Scurr, J. (2021). “How the characteristics of sports bras affect their performance.” Ergonomics, 64(3), 410–425. doi: 10.1080/00140139.2020.1829090

For her brand Bumboo, Elizabeth uses a new sustainable fabric which utilizes bamboo applied a lyocell process. It's more sustainable than the previous way to process bamboo, which Elizabeth thoroughly explains.

Grab yourself a sewing project and settle in! This podcast goes deep into the history of Beverly Johnson who shares stories from over 40 years of experience in bra making! Check out our sponsor wayfinder3d.com

Grab yourself a sewing project and settle in! This podcast goes deep into the history of Beverly Johnson who shares stories from over 40 years of experience in bra making! Check out our sponsor wayfinder3d.com

Yearly catch up with one of my favourite people, Sofia Luzon!

It was a pleasure to welcome Eleanor Mooney Co-Founder of Verdant a NYC based lingerie brand. We had a great conversation about starting a lingerie brand in NY and how the vision came to life. https://verdant-nyc.com/

Another fantastic episode sharing the story of Laetitia Dupuich's evolution as a lingerie designer. Laetitia found her calling while in Business School when she created a lingerie brand for an entrepreneurship course. Through a lot of hard work and grit Laetitia launched a brand, taught courses, freelanced and gained the skills which she applied to learning and using 3D and now continues to trail blaze applying her technical and creative knowledge in the advancement of AI. Here is Laetitia's portfolio; https://dandvconcept.com/

I could listen to this woman talk about bras all day! Kimberly Hamilton is basically a walking encyclopedia of bra knowledge, especially when we're talking about the full bust size range. Besides all that, Kim's story is incredibly inspiring, she has an uncanny breadth and depth of knowledge and experience garnered from decades of working in the industry in Canada and Europe. She's worked with both small retailers and large corporations like Lululemon, she's battled breast cancer, and she is now running her own boutique bra store providing individual bra fitting and access to great products in her store Kimtimates in Red Deer, Alberta. Make sure you stay tuned until the end, Kim gave us an extra special bonus in helping me identify fit issues of a couple of sports bras I was testing out. I'm happy to get to share her beautiful mind filled with juicy bra knowledge. https://www.kimtimates.com/

In this episode of Underdressed , I sit down with custom bra maker and teacher Linda Crawford . Linda shares her incredible journey from scuba diving instructor to becoming one of the most respected voices in bra making in Canada. We talk about her early days working alongside Beverly Johnson at Bra-Makers Supply, the birth of a bra making community, and what she’s learned from decades of fitting every kind of body. We also dive into why custom bra making is such a rare skill, how teaching has shaped her expertise, and how cultural shifts continue to influence lingerie design today. Other episodes mentioned: E42 Monica of Bravo Bellas on Learning as Empowerment https://open.spotify.com/episode/2cPrcrE7V6ZU8q52KlwfmX?si=311107c8e00a4c4a E5 Ruhee Rajan on The Value of Custom Bras https://open.spotify.com/episode/5cSmfMa9vHWia3tbSLLw2I?si=dd34437556984ea5

Sponsor: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clo3D Foundations For Intimate Apparel Online Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code: Underdressed for 20% off Find Monica here https://bravobella.teachable.com/ https://www.instagram.com/bravobellabras/ In this episode of Underdressed , we speak with Monica O’Rourke, founder of Bravo Bella and creator of the Bra Making Mentorship — a 10-month program designed to meet sewists where they are and guide them through the technical, creative, and often emotional journey of bra making. Monica shares how her upbringing in a family-owned fabric store shaped her maker mindset from an early age, and how she later combined her background in teaching math and science with her deep knowledge of bra construction to develop a unique and empowering approach to lingerie education. The conversation explores the complexity of bra making, from the technical nuances of fit and pattern alteration to the psychological barriers many people face when trying to make garments that work for their bodies. Monica emphasizes the importance of learning in community and reframing “mistakes” as discoveries — moments that move us forward in our craft and in our confidence. We also discuss the limitations of ready-to-wear sizing, the underrepresentation of custom bra makers in our communities, and how Monica’s mentorship aims to shift that narrative by equipping more people to design, fit, and create intimate apparel that truly works. This episode is a powerful reflection on skill-building, self-trust, and the radical act of making garments that support us — literally and emotionally.

Sponsor: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clo3D Foundations For Intimate Apparel Online Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code: Underdressed for 20% off Find Chloe here: https://www.instagram.com/createdbychloegrant/ https://www.instagram.com/peopleoverproductmagazine/ In this episode of Underdressed, we speak with Chloe Grant, an intimate apparel designer dedicated to sustainability and ethical fashion practices. Chloe shares her journey from studying contour fashion at De Montfort University to launching her freelance career focused on environmentally-conscious ethically produced garments. The conversation explores the delicate balance designers face between making structured, supportive intimate apparel and minimizing long-term environmental impact. Chloe discusses her approach to sustainability, highlighting innovative materials like bio-based elastane and seaweed-derived fabrics. She emphasizes the importance of accessibility and transparency in sustainability practices and introduces her new project aimed at building a digital community and platform for intimate apparel creatives to easily access sustainability information. The episode also touches on broader industry challenges, such as reconciling consumerism with sustainability, the role of legislation in ethical production, and the potential for digital solutions like CLO 3D to reduce environmental footprints. Join us for an insightful discussion that sheds light on making sustainability achievable and attractive in intimate apparel design.

Sponsor: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clo3D Foundations For Intimate Apparel Online Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code: Underdressed for 20% off So inspired by our guest Maya Omrani. Maya is the founder of Wear Lab offering product development and manufacturing based out of Vancouver, Canada. This was a refreshing and inspiring conversation which is so needed in these uncertain times.

Sponsor: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clo3D Foundations For Intimate Apparel Online Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code: Underdressed for 20% off In this episode of Underdressed , I chat with Suhani Pandya, a lingerie innovator with a Master of Science in Intimate Apparel Design. Suhani shares her research on underwire innovation, 3D scanning, and behavioural science to improve bra fit, particularly for full-bust women. We discuss the limitations of traditional grading, the role of SolidWorks and 3D printing in lingerie design and the future of 3D scanning for the consumer.

This is my favourite episode of the year to make, and it gets more special as the years go by. Sofia, thank you for asking the right questions to help me find clarity and sharing this incredible journey. Happy 2025 to all my amazing listeners—thank you for your time, attention, and connection. I love you all!

Sponsor: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clo3D Foundations For Intimate Apparel Online Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code: Underdressed for 20% off Where to find Ella; https://www.instagram.com/thefashionfreelancecoach/ https://www.thefashionfreelancecoach.com/ Links Mentioned; You’re A Badass At Making Money, Jen Sincrco (affiliate link) https://amzn.to/3NRKyUX

Sponsor: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clo3D Foundations For Intimate Apparel Online Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code: Underdressed for 20% off Renata’s story illustrates the intersection of fashion, empowerment, and technology. Through perseverance, smart business decisions, and innovative design, she has built a company that supports women physically, emotionally and financially. Find out more about Eby here and check out some incredible 3D design here; https://shop.join-eby.com/

Sponsor: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clo3D Foundations For Intimate Apparel Online Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code: Underdressed for 20% off Where to find Dorelle; https://www.youtube.com/c/TheFashionTech https://www.instagram.com/thefashionindie/

Sponsor: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clo3D Foundations For Intimate Apparel Online Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code: Underdressed for 20% off Check out the models I show in the episode here; https://www.embodee.app/u/1dXSi6 Embodee platform https://www.embodee.com/

Sponsor: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clo3D Foundations For Intimate Apparel Online Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code: Underdressed for 20% off Sofia's Course https://atelier.sofia-luzon.com/online-courses-lingerie-design/ E14 Natalie Graham A Career in Lingerie Design From South Africa To New Zealand https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/trudy-gardner/episodes/E14-Natalie-Graham-A-Career-in-Lingerie-Design-From-South-Africa-to-New-Zealand-e26n4em Sew Heidi https://successfulfashiondesigner.com/ Sofia’s YT Vid about avatars https://youtu.be/j22oh65_cVw?si=GGdhS0vBLEMty58o

Sponsor: ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Clo3D Foundations For Intimate Apparel Online Course⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Use code: Underdressed for 20% off This episode features Ryan Amore, a brilliant pattern engineer and apparel developer with extensive experience across various garment types, including intimates! I had the pleasure of chatting with Ryan about his impressive career, the secrets behind honing his craft, how he's integrating new technologies, and his insights on the future of fashion. https://ryanamoreinc.com/