Along with understanding the difference between a partial band bra and a full band bra, the concept of “point of most strain” was something that took me a long time to wrap my head around, but by reading and rereading Beverly Johnson’s manual, it finally sunk in and and stuck. I spent so much time getting the cup volume and seam lines just right that I neglected the area in between my “girls.” But this area is just as important to perfect – because of the location, which is front and center, the point of most strain (POMS) is an eye sore if it’s not right, even if the cups fit perfectly.
So what is the point of most strain (POMS)? It is the area on the bridge that carries the weight of the breast. If you ever wondered how a partial band bra with a teeny tiny piece connecting the cups supports the breasts, it’s because it has been placed at just the right spot – the point of most strain (POMS). If the piece was placed above the POMS, the cups would ride up, and if the piece was place below the POMS, the cups would tip over. But, if placed in the right location, which is level with the bust point, the bridge will provide maximum support and the cups will be able to handle a very large amount of weight.
So, how do you find the point of most strain? Lay a ruler over the bust points – the line between is exactly the POMS. But the POMS also extends below it for approximately 1″ (if you click here, the area highlighted in pink is the POMS). Consider this 1″ area a “do not touch” zone – you can drop the top of the bridge or raise the bottom of the bridge to the top or the bottom of this zone, but anything more and you won’t have the right amount of support.
