Introducing the Galina Bra + Panty

Now a discontinued pattern, the Madalynne X Simplicity 8711 was a staple in my lingerie wardrobe. Monowires have a bad reputation for not being supportive and only used for design purposes. I understand how they got this has happen. During the development of the Galina, I ordered several monowires from different vendors. What I found was that most graded 1/16″-1/8″ per size. A classic underwire grades ½”-⅝”. So this became a huge problem in larger sizes. When we made our sample size and then had it graded for size testing, our fit model tried on the XL E/F cup and used the appropriate monowire that her size. It did not fit!  It barely crossed over her nipple and was sitting on her breast tissue. SO.NOT.CUTE.

What I love about monowires is that they provide lift, anchor a bra to the chest wall, but don’t have the tendency to poke you or me in the ribcage or underarm. Also, one of the hardest things to fit on an underwire bra is the gore (the piece in between the bra cups). The width of the gore varies from person to person, and even a 1/16″ of an inch off can alter the fit of a bra. For people with close set breasts, it’s even harder to maneuver the breast tissue away from each other so they are not touching all the time. When I fit people with close set breasts, I recommend that they find a plunge style that has a gore that sits lower. Basically where a monowire would sit. So my thinking was, if I could have monowires made that grade like a normal underwire, I could resurrect the 8711 and offer a super cute, wearable and supportive design that would work for many people.

Click here to purchase the Galina Bra + Panty PDF pattern.

OVERVIEW

Galina is a monowire bra (View A) and panty (View B).

View A is a monowire bra that has vertical seams on the bra cups, fold over elastic along the edges, boning at side seams, exposed channeling, wide elastic band at the bottom, hook + eye closure at center back, and adjustable shoulder straps.

View B is a high-waisted panty that is finished with fold over elastic along the edges and has a wide elastic band at the waist. Both View A and View B feature cutout and strappy detailing.

SIZING

Bra is availabe in band sizes 26-44 and cup sizes A/B, C/D, E/F and G/H.

Panty is availabe in sizes XS-4X.

FAQS

Does the Galina work on close set breasts? The answer is, YES! Getting the gore to “tack” in between breasts is a common struggle. In any underwire style, the gore, which is the piece/portion of a bra in between bra cups, should lay flat against the chest wall/breastbone with no gaps or spaces. This is called “tacking.” When a gore is tacking, a bra is anchored to the sternum and stays firm, stable and in place all day. For people who have close set breasts (one finger width apart or less) having a low cut or plunge style where the gore sits lower, like on the Galina bra, works really well!

Click here to see Madeline wearing a standard, molded cup RTW bra that she owns. As you can see in the video below, her breasts touch when she’s wearing it, and she says she gets a lot of boob sweat, especially in the summer. When she wears the Galina, her breasts are lifted and separated. She says she feels supported and “didn’t know her boobs could do this.”

What style do you recommend for the opposite? I would recommend the Galina for the opposite too! Since the bra cups are separated, this is a great option for “east west” breasts. For “east west” breasts, the cups are in the perfect position. For close set breasts, the cut of the cups help separate the breast tissue so they are not touching. When the breasts aren’t touching, the gore tacks to the chest wall as is able to do its job – provide stability and support. It’s a win win!

Is the pattern able to be adjusted so the chest is pushed together? Since my cup size is so large (GG) I can’t stand having my breasts sit wide and separate. I want them front and center with touching and away from my sides. The right size and style bra will contain the breast tissue so that they are not touch in the center, but also not spilling out on the side. If you measure a GG but are wearing a bra where you’re spilling out, it might not be the right for your shape.

How do you keep the underwire from digging into the sternum? I have had some RTW bras that rub and create a sore on my chest wall. Since the monowire is one continuous piece, it won’t dig or poke into your chest wall like a regular underwire

DIY KITS

There are five- yes five!- DIY kits available. It’s so important for me to set you up for success and part of that is having the right fabric and supplies. We worked with our elastic vendor to make a special fold over elastic that could be used for the bra for both small and larger sizes. We also had custom monowires made that grade like a normal underwire.

Shop DIY kits for the Galina Bra

Shop DIY kits for the Galina Panty

TUTORIALS

Heck yes! You know how I roll. There will be a full sew along on Madalynne’s YouTube channel as well as tutorials on Madalynne’s Instagram and Tiktok. Be sure to follow!