Hi All!
I wanted to share with you my new favourite lingerie supply. The France Wire ๐
This is a new style of underwire that has a different shape and fit from the other underwire that I carry, and it’s all part of my goal to make bra-making more accessible for everyone ๐ because we all have different needs.
This underwire actually came about from a friend of mine, who was complaining that she doesn’t fit regular underwires, the round or the bliss. She said that they were too deep, and she needed something more shallow and splayed to fit her comfortably.
So after a little sourcing, fit testing and experimentation, I found these wires ๐
You can see right away that these are quite a different shape from my other wires, they are much more splayed and shallow. I would say that these are almost the opposite of the Bliss wire (which are deep and narrow).
So along with that idea, I think that these wires are generally ideal for smaller cup sizes, especially people who find that they have a more average sized rib cage and band, but smaller cups, where you find that the underwire always feels too small and narrow.
That’s not to say that it is limited to only these body types though. I find that this wire has a lot of potential for many shapes. And is great for lighter lingerie, and bra styles that don’t require as much coverage under the arm, because these wires are shorter at the underarm edge.
Here is an example of a bra with a France wire:
As you can see, this bra is lower on the underarm edge, with a medium height in the front, giving a really nice and relaxed fit, which I find is really comfortable, and pretty sexy too ๐
They are currently available in sizes 30-46
So far I find that sizing is quite similar for these wires to the other style of wires. For example I comfortably wear a 38 in both the France and the Bliss wires.
What style of underwire do you like?
Do you think he France wire would work for you?
xo erin
I would love tho see a side by side ( or on top of one another) comparison of these with your other wires. Keep up the interesting work!
Thanks! That post is coming up this weekend ๐
Erin, it's great to see you expanding what you're offering. I'm sure there will be many bra-makers who are thrilled with those wires.
Michelle
Thanks Michelle! That's the goal, good bras for everybody, one step at a time ๐
Hi Erin,
I'm loving what you're doing, it's great inspiration.
Is there any chance you could put up 100% scale scans of all your wires in all their sizes? I love the look of some of them, but given shipping costs to Australia I'm just not prepared to take a chance on whether they'll fit. With a scan I can lay one of my well fitting wires on top and work out what might work.
Thank you so much Mim, that is so kind ๐ I do plan on putting up 100% scale scans of the wires, I just haven't had the time to figure that out yet! I totally understand wanting a clearer idea of size before you have them shipped so far! I promise I will do that soon!
Great post Erin! I didn't know that this type of wires existed! They seem similar to plunge wires, so can they be used to make plunge bras as well? I love your bra theory posts, they're the greatest way to expand my bra making knowledge! ๐
Thanks Sofia! There are so many different wires out there! And yes, these are similar to plunge wires, just with a few small differences. And you could definitely rotate them and use them as plunge wires! I'm going to be talking all about different wires and the ones that I offer in the theory post tomorrow! ๐
Will the new France wires be available in 48, 50, and 52 at a later date?
I will definitely consider it- for now I think that I will keep to the size range I have, and expand in the future!
Hi Erin, I have some of these wires (where I bought them from called them "Demi" wires, but they are exactly the same shape as yours), I was wondering, do you need to change the pattern much to fit these wires? Or can you use any pattern? Thanks, Sam
Hi Sam! That's great- although you do have to match your wire to your pattern, the overall length and shape of the wire are going to be different and some wires won't work for some bra patterns!
Hi! I'm pretty interested in these wires- they look like a good shape for me. How flexible are they? I can't stand hard wires. I need them to be soft and flexible. Do these fit the bill, or do I keep looking?
Also, do you have the measurements for these wires anywhere? Width and length are primarily what I'm looking for.
Hi! These wires are not very flexible, they are a stronger 24 gauge, so they are probably going to be more firm than you are looking for. I don't currently have a chart for them, but I will be making one sometime. If there's a size you're interested in I can send you the specs ๐
Hey Erin,
I was wondering if you had any recommendations for patterns that would fit this wire. I think the 46 wire’s a good fit and I’m looking forward to trying to make a bra with it (:
Hi Delora, Unfortunately I don’t have any pattern recommendations right now for this wire. If you already have an existing pattern that fits ‘so-so’ except for the wire, you might be able to use the cup pattern with a modified band. But in the future, I can promise that this is high up on the list for my pattern projects ๐
Hi Erin, I know itโs been a few years but have you found a recommended pattern for your France underwire? Thank you!
Hi Janis! I haven’t personally tried it, but there is a pattern that uses them, it’s called the Mรฉsange bra from Hari Ito