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All About Binders


Sammie

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Binder question: Underworks has two shirts - the Concealer FTM Chest Binder and the Cotton Concealer Compression V-neck Binder T-shirt - with the description:

"They see a perfectly fitted soft to the skin regular cotton spandex knit t-shirt, but on the inside are powerful layers of nylon spandex knit binding your chest. Wear it as an undershirt or by itself anywhere and everywhere and only you know the magic the shirt is providing you."

So it sounds like these can be worn without any other shirt over it. Seems perfect for summer!

But.. has anyone here tried it? Does it really look like a regular shirt? Do you wear it without anything else or do you still add a regular t-shirt to be sure?

Also, the sizes are different from the regular binders. I usually get 31-33. If I get this one, should I go for 28-31 or 32-35?

Friends of mine got the cotton concealer, it DOES just look like a normal shirt and feels like one too, but it won't bind you as tight as the regular ones do. They've both tried theirs and it only made their chests slightly smaller, it was still obvious that they had breasts. Might work with smaller chests but I'm not too sure - just to let you know, before you go out and buy it.

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Friends of mine got the cotton concealer, it DOES just look like a normal shirt and feels like one too, but it won't bind you as tight as the regular ones do. They've both tried theirs and it only made their chests slightly smaller, it was still obvious that they had breasts. Might work with smaller chests but I'm not too sure - just to let you know, before you go out and buy it.

That worries me...

If it didn't really bind their chest, was it loose? couldn't they have bought a smaller size? Would that have made their chest seem flat?

My chest is NOT small so I think I might not get the cotton concealer then. :(

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Friends of mine got the cotton concealer, it DOES just look like a normal shirt and feels like one too, but it won't bind you as tight as the regular ones do. They've both tried theirs and it only made their chests slightly smaller, it was still obvious that they had breasts. Might work with smaller chests but I'm not too sure - just to let you know, before you go out and buy it.

That worries me...

If it didn't really bind their chest, was it loose? couldn't they have bought a smaller size? Would that have made their chest seem flat?

My chest is NOT small so I think I might not get the cotton concealer then. :(

It wasn't loose, it was very tight, but just not in a way that compresses you know? Essentially like wearing a tight sportsbra, it will make them smaller but won't get rid of them completely. I think the fabric that its made of just doesn't work as well as the other binders.

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It wasn't loose, it was very tight, but just not in a way that compresses you know? Essentially like wearing a tight sportsbra, it will make them smaller but won't get rid of them completely. I think the fabric that its made of just doesn't work as well as the other binders.

Pity. I need something that really binds well enough to pass.

*scratches of the list*

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I'm currently a gender-queer 18 year old-biologically female; just about to finish high school, and am looking to start transitioning before going into college.

I was looking at some of the binders at Underworks, and found myself interested with the Double Front Compression binder.

I was wondering if anybody has bought one before? How is the quality? Was it worth the cash? Do they run small/large?

I measured around my breasts/nipple area and it measured 46"

while the area under it measured at 42" making the average size 44".

It says for a Large, the maximum size is 44" while XL starts at 45".

I'm really confused on which to get because I want maximum bindage, but the ability to still breathe and be fairly comfortable as well.

Any comments would be great.

Also! I'm going to a "Queer-Prom" with a few friends in our community in two weeks. If the Underworks thing doesn't work out, what's a quick way to bind with my breasts, as large as they are without bruising myself?

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I'm also interested in starting binding. I tried yesterday, and I think it went fine. I just used some Saran wrap covered in duct tape.

My reasons were mostly because I'm tired of being stared at. I inherited my chest from my DD mother, and I hate it. I get unwanted attention a lot, and (as I'm sure you could guess) it mortifies me. Also, it's ruining my posture. So I tried yesterday, and I loved it. I could look down and see my feet with out having to lean over, and I could feel my spine straightening. I was ridiculously happy.

Though we did run out of duct tape, and I'm not looking forward to explaining that.

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Have fun. :)

Be careful about health risks though! If you plan to wear a binder often, make sure it's comfortable and possibly ask your doctor to see whether your binder could do any damage. Feeling your spine straightening sounds good, but I'm no doctor.

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Condemned Valour

I'm also interested in starting binding. I tried yesterday, and I think it went fine. I just used some Saran wrap covered in duct tape.

My reasons were mostly because I'm tired of being stared at. I inherited my chest from my DD mother, and I hate it. I get unwanted attention a lot, and (as I'm sure you could guess) it mortifies me. Also, it's ruining my posture. So I tried yesterday, and I loved it. I could look down and see my feet with out having to lean over, and I could feel my spine straightening. I was ridiculously happy.

Though we did run out of duct tape, and I'm not looking forward to explaining that.

Don't use duct tape! If you get that on your skin by accident, you could end up doing some serious damage..!

There are numerous alternatives out there. Research.

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Condemned Valour

Thoughts about binder sizes:

My measurements are 29-31

My Tri-top binder is 31-33 and fits quite well. It defenitely shouldn't get any smaller.

The binder I want to buy has sizes xs:28-31 or s:32-35

Which do I get? Why isn't there a size in between? <_<

When it comes to things that might alter or damage your bone structure if they're too tight, always try the larger size first.

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In response to a post from ages ago about sleeping in a binder -

I've slept in mine a few times while crashing at a friend's house, and it is definitely NOT a comfortable experience. I can't even wear it the next day, the fabric starts hurting my skin, my chest hurts, and it's just generally very unpleasant.

I never think to take it off before I fall asleep though, I'm usually in a not-sober state when it happens. :rolleyes:

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Elliott Ford

This is a pretty obscure question and it's okay is no one here can answer it:

Has anyone found a safe, easy way to bind that leaves shoulders uncovered? I'm looking for a very temporary solution, not an every day binder.

You see, I'm a trans man and I'm into drag. I want to be a drag queen and dress up like a (man failing to look like a) woman but I refuse to use the chest I was born with as a part of that. I want to wear strappy/strapless/sleeveless dresses over a flat chest with or without padded breasts.

My Underworks binder is great for my day to day needs but isn't compatible with the kind of dress I want to wear.

Any ideas?

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This is a pretty obscure question and it's okay is no one here can answer it:

Has anyone found a safe, easy way to bind that leaves shoulders uncovered? I'm looking for a very temporary solution, not an every day binder.

You see, I'm a trans man and I'm into drag. I want to be a drag queen and dress up like a (man failing to look like a) woman but I refuse to use the chest I was born with as a part of that. I want to wear strappy/strapless/sleeveless dresses over a flat chest with or without padded breasts.

My Underworks binder is great for my day to day needs but isn't compatible with the kind of dress I want to wear.

Any ideas?

Making a binder out of bandage or fabric is always an option. Other then that, not sure.

I do know one more every day solution:

Danae sells a strapless binder here: http://www.danae.info/eng/trans-mission/webshop/products/woman-to-man/trans-vormer-top/trans-vormer-107

strapless.png

I should have mentioned Danae here before.

They're a Dutch company run by an FtM and his sister. Their binders are much like Underworks binders and are generally really good. They're quite expensive but shipping within europe is cheap and the best thing is they also make tailored binders to size.

I love their discription of their shop. After describing that most of their products are for transsexuals, they add:

There can many reasons aside from gender dysforia to dress outside of the standard gender norm. Such reasons can be serious or playful, occasions day-to-day or decadent. If you are LARP’er, transgender, cross gender, drag king or-queen, you just want to dress up for a party or do you need compression garments after surgery? Danaë enjoys to support your style whenever you cross that line, for whatever reason, and to help you across in the most convincing and comfortable manner.
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My own personal list of things not to do while wearing a binder:

- Push ups and lifting weight.

- Long bicycle rides or extensive running.

- Donating blood (seriously! Don't!!! Take that thing off of you're in for heart-racing, fainting and days of chestpain.)

- Airport security visits. Unless you speak the language and are ready to explain calmly that you're not a terrorist, about 10 times.

- Long days behind a computer that is not well adjusted. (which is never a good idea, but a binder seems to multiply chances of neckpain and RSI.)

Things that are actually easier in a binder:

- Balancing excercizes

- Shopping for clothing. If you bind regularly, wearing your binder when you shop is the only sensible thing to do.

- Living

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KayleeSaeihr

Question... I know someone who has DD cup breasts (DD australian)... Would a binder be at all effective in that case? And if so which would be best?

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pawprint prettysure

This might be a stupid question but I was checking out the T-Kingdom binders and I was wondering why does it matter how much I weight? :unsure:

I was looking at the models 801 and 790.

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My own personal list of things not to do while wearing a binder:

- Airport security visits. Unless you speak the language and are ready to explain calmly that you're not a terrorist, about 10 times.

Really? I've gone through many airport security checks while wearing mine and have never gotten a raised brow in my direction. I guess that would depend on which one you're wearing though; the zipper on mine is the same as any clothing zipper so it doesn't set off alarms.

Now I'm curious which ones WOULD set off alarms through security.

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Professor T. Pollution

About the airport security, I recently had a strange experience with that. I was coming back into the US from Mexico, and their metal detector was broken (it was a very small airport). They seperated people out into lines by sex to pat everything down for "weapons" and suchlike. Needless to say, I was annoyed, but as my passport lists me as female I had to stand in the women's line. When I got to the front of the line, the woman working there was convinced that I was in the wrong line and kept trying to explain to me (in Spanish, of course) that I was mistaken. I replied that I thought I should be in the other line just as much as she did! ;)

(My Spanish vocabulary is limited, but I managed to get the message across eventually, and I boarded without further incident.)

I have donated blood without issues while wearing a binder, but then again I have high levels of iron and I'm quite healthy in general (not to imply that you aren't, Sammie, I'm just putting forward hypotheses as to why nothing bad happened to me). Everyone's body reacts differently.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I bought a binder at Danae yesterday and since I have now tried both Danae and Underworks, here's a comparisson:

Location:

Danae is based in Amsterdam, has a website and can occasionally be found on trans-events in surrounding countries.

Underworks is US based and I've only ever heared of them as an online website.

Choices:

Both have a few basic binders and swimsuits. Danae also has strapless binders and binders with a zipper in front. Underworks has more longer binders.

What makes Danae awesome is that they make stuff to size at request and you can try binders on before you buy.

Prices:

Danea is slightly more expensive, but if you live in Europe, shipping rates for Danae are much cheaper than Underworks.

Quality:

Danae binders use lighter, softer materials with make them far more comfortable but also less effective then Underworks.

For small sizes, I would defenitely recomment the soft comfortable fit of Danae.

For larger sizes, the rough material of Underworks binders may be painful, but at least it will truly flatter things out.

Personally, I use my Danae binder at home, in the gym and on hot days. Times when I want to breath properly. I use my Underworks binder when I want to look absolutely flat no matter what.

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My own personal list of things not to do while wearing a binder:

- Airport security visits. Unless you speak the language and are ready to explain calmly that you're not a terrorist, about 10 times.

Really? I've gone through many airport security checks while wearing mine and have never gotten a raised brow in my direction. I guess that would depend on which one you're wearing though; the zipper on mine is the same as any clothing zipper so it doesn't set off alarms.

It probably depends on the scanner. I've had trouble getting frisked and also with scanners that project a human silhouet on a scanner.

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pawprint prettysure

I bought a binder at Danae yesterday and since I have now tried both Danae and Underworks, here's a comparisson

Thank you :) I have a binder from Danae but since it doesn't completely flatten me out, I've been considering getting one from Underworks.

One question tho. Are all Underworks binders longer than the basic Danae binder? Coz if they are, then I'll forget about it, since even the Danae binder I have is a bit too long.

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Ah man, I so need one of those swim tops. I would LOVE to be able to go out in public in my swimsuit.

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I bought a binder at Danae yesterday and since I have now tried both Danae and Underworks, here's a comparisson

Thank you :) I have a binder from Danae but since it doesn't completely flatten me out, I've been considering getting one from Underworks.

One question tho. Are all Underworks binders longer than the basic Danae binder? Coz if they are, then I'll forget about it, since even the Danae binder I have is a bit too long.

All the Underworks binders other then the Tritop are longer then the basic Danae model.

But why is that a problem? Personally, I find a long binder more comfortable, as the tri-top presses against my ribs in a way that longer models don't.

I've got the Danae transtop 101, the shortest model. But that's really only good for very small sizer or as a control top for none-binding days.

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This is a pretty obscure question and it's okay is no one here can answer it:

Has anyone found a safe, easy way to bind that leaves shoulders uncovered? I'm looking for a very temporary solution, not an every day binder.

You see, I'm a trans man and I'm into drag. I want to be a drag queen and dress up like a (man failing to look like a) woman but I refuse to use the chest I was born with as a part of that. I want to wear strappy/strapless/sleeveless dresses over a flat chest with or without padded breasts.

My Underworks binder is great for my day to day needs but isn't compatible with the kind of dress I want to wear.

Any ideas?

Well actually I wear a binder I did for myself out of an broad (6 inch) elastic band with thin transparent straps and six button hooks. Fits fine under any clothing but it is too warm to wear in the summer and stretches over time. I don't have much choice, where I live there isn't (and won't be - in the nearest 20 years) a shop where one could buy such a thing. The best chance I have is a gynekomastia belt but they seem to come in very large sizes or a sports bra - haven't tried yet neither. I am willing to try a smaller-than-my-size sports bra but I am afraid that the straps will be too tight on my shoulders (which are naturally a bit wider than your regular woman's shoulders). Any pointers?

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I never had any luck with the sportsbra. I don't know how othe rpeople manage to bind with that.

The control-top-method had some effect for me but required something like 5 layers. No good for summer.

So with hot weather, the only solution I have found is to save money for a binder and order it. It's ***** expensive but nothing else ever worked as well for me.

A solution for anything that stretches: washing it a little warmer than you're supposed to. Not too hot though, or you might not be able to get into it again.

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I never had any luck with the sportsbra. I don't know how othe rpeople manage to bind with that.

The control-top-method had some effect for me but required something like 5 layers. No good for summer.

So with hot weather, the only solution I have found is to save money for a binder and order it. It's ***** expensive but nothing else ever worked as well for me.

A solution for anything that stretches: washing it a little warmer than you're supposed to. Not too hot though, or you might not be able to get into it again.

Thanks Sammie. I'm really lucky, I suppose, as I don't have much to bind. I think I can afford a binder but there are none where I live and I don't know how to order from abroad - must do some research. Though, come to think about it, I have a friend who lives in Amsterdam, she might buy a Danae product for me. Still, I have to learn how to send money safely. I really detest the idea of not being able to bind properly come summer.

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Lord Dandylion

Okay. So that I won't be making my own thread, here's my question:

How do larger chested people pull this off? I mean, I've never had an official binder of any sort, but I cosplayed a guy at an anime convention once, and I wanted to be as flat as possible. It hurt so bad, especially when taking it off.

Besides anime conventions, I have considered binding for two reasons

1) I've always hated my boobs and wanted them smaller/gone (though still identify as female and dislike the idea of cosmetic surgery)

2) When I did it at the anime convention, I loved the effect and wanted to do it more...

So here's the problem...

Right now I am 32D (which is quite large for my waist size. It's actually quite hard to find this size ANYWHERE except stripper stores). I have a b sized sports bra that is the closest I could get to minimize jiggling without giving me 4 boobs (never looked for binders specifically though. Didn't know they existed)

And when I went to the anime convention, I was even bigger (34DD), and it was hard to breathe. I created what I called a 'reverse corset' which was a tough piece of material that I laced tightly in the back til I had only a slightly raised area, pretty flat though. It was extremely hard to breathe though, and when I took it off, I felt so much pain that I could've screamed (except that I really couldn't). It was like I'd been coughing nonstop for hours and hours and was trying to breathe with raw lungs. It was awful. Also, I already have problems with asthma-like breathing episodes and heart palpitations, so would this not be an option for me? Or is there a less painful one?

So here's the questions:

1) How do you all (especially large chested people) stand it? Is this a problem (that raw-feeling lungs) or was it just the thing I used to do it?

2) What options do I have? Buying offline isn't an option for me because I wouldn't buy it if I couldn't try it on. What options might I have, and are they as bad as I described above?

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pawprint prettysure

All the Underworks binders other then the Tritop are longer then the basic Danae model.

But why is that a problem? Personally, I find a long binder more comfortable, as the tri-top presses against my ribs in a way that longer models don't.

I've got the Danae transtop 101, the shortest model. But that's really only good for very small sizer or as a control top for none-binding days.

I've got a tummy and it'd feel uncomfortable if the binder would go even lower than the Danae binder I have (which is 102). Standing up it's not a problem but sitting down it's quite uncomfortable :unsure:

1) How do you all (especially large chested people) stand it? Is this a problem (that raw-feeling lungs) or was it just the thing I used to do it?

I've a C cup and use Danae's binder. It doesn't completely flatten me out, tho. And I have no trouble breathing.

I haven't tried other binders (yet), so can't say how other binders would affect your breathing.

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Lord Dandylion

Well, I just tried the ace bandage method (over an undershirt to avoid any direct contact because that just hurts). It's a little wider than the ones I've tried before, and I see now how stretchy material is definitely better. It gives way just enough to breathe and doesn't leave that annoying flap at the bottom. The thing I used before was solid material. No stretch, no shape, nothing. Just laces. I see how it's possible to work without dying of suffocation.

I still am unsure where I stand. It's like I'm a secret binder. For the past few years, I've liked to do it by myself sometimes, but I've only done it in public once or twice. I like how it looks and how it feels (aside from the pains), but it's not like I want to do it all the time. It's like... sometimes I want to and sometimes I don't. I've had this problem with how I dress for ages. (One day, pretty skirts and lace, next day baggy cargo pants [<3] and a t shirt. One day bright rainbows, next day black), but somehow I feel that losing and regaining boobs every few days would be pushing that a little far. Oh well. Maybe I'll just keep binding in secret (is that odd? Why bind in secret? Oh well, I need to learn to accept my little strange habits)

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prettyeyes

Well, I just tried the ace bandage method (over an undershirt to avoid any direct contact because that just hurts). It's a little wider than the ones I've tried before, and I see now how stretchy material is definitely better. It gives way just enough to breathe and doesn't leave that annoying flap at the bottom. The thing I used before was solid material. No stretch, no shape, nothing. Just laces. I see how it's possible to work without dying of suffocation.

I still am unsure where I stand. It's like I'm a secret binder. For the past few years, I've liked to do it by myself sometimes, but I've only done it in public once or twice. I like how it looks and how it feels (aside from the pains), but it's not like I want to do it all the time. It's like... sometimes I want to and sometimes I don't. I've had this problem with how I dress for ages. (One day, pretty skirts and lace, next day baggy cargo pants [<3] and a t shirt. One day bright rainbows, next day black), but somehow I feel that losing and regaining boobs every few days would be pushing that a little far. Oh well. Maybe I'll just keep binding in secret (is that odd? Why bind in secret? Oh well, I need to learn to accept my little strange habits)

Confusing people is so much fun though!

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RandomDent

Man I just can't see any of these things working on my notso-funbags. No idea what size I am but they're pretty unmissable :/

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