BSL

[constructamane]

Here's a biggy....literally! How do you determine BSL! I wear one of those "Grandma" bras with 4 hooks! Is BSL for me the same as someone who wears less artillary (1-2 hook bras)!:cheese:

[BeckyAH]

I wear huge, wide-banded bras, too.

I just went with 'line around from under my breasts'. Like put a towel there after a shower, or a string or belt there, added an inch and looked at the back. Yeah, it's not perfect, but bands vary size, anyway. Even within my closet.

...as point of related interest: I never realized how WEIRDLY I am built until I started looking at pictures of me from behind. I have no neck, and very little torso in general. And my hips are crooked. Determining anything is a PINTA.

[Kelikea]

I would assume its taken from the bottom of the bra strap--that should be the same regardless. But, since we aren't all the same size, it doesn't mean our hair is the same length anyway.

[Cinnamoon]

This has sort of always confused me as well - I don't know if my bra strap just sits really low or I have a really high waist, but there's only 2-3 inches for me between BSL and waist. But, like Kelikea said, we're all different sizes so it doesn't really matter that much anyway.

[LuckyH]

ooh don't worry about it! BSL is a "state of mind" :D

[BeckyAH]

there's only 2-3 inches for me between BSL and waist.

Perfectly straightened? My hair is waist length. On my curlier days, it's barely BSL.

Because yeah, 2-3 inches between the bottom of my bra and my waist.

[Micayla47]

constructamane this is funny! i'm in the same boat as you and the way you phrased it tickled me :happydance:

[constructamane]

Micayla47
Thanks....this "towel "under "the girls' could be tricky too!

[Mononoke]

All of my everyday bras are of the same type (they have a thin band, though), so I don't have much choice. My hair is a few inches under BSL already, so I guess it would count as BSL with any regular bra.

[jojo]

BSL is whatever you decide it is! I have a large bust and wear the thick strapped backs too but I determined BSL as when I reached the bottom of the strap. It did make waist only 3" away from here so it worked out good!

Lots say above the strap, which I would call apl but its irrelevant really whatever you want as BSL is fine, theres no rules!

[torrilin]

Eh. Whether I wear a 34G or a 32E or a 34C (all sizes I've worn) my bra bands don't sit particularly differently on my body. The bottom of the band is in a pretty consistent place. The top of the band might vary a bit. But since I measure BSL as starting once the band is covered... it won't really vary even if my bra does.

It's actually a good thing that BSL varies too. Quite a few ladies have found that wearing a bra that fits properly puts them at BSL faster and is more comfortable besides.

[fayeelizibeth]

;) I just mentioned this in my intro thread! I think my hair is about an inch, away from hitting the bottom of my bra strap, but it's getting there!

[lapushka]

Try and pull an imaginary line from the bottom of your boobs to the back, that's where your bra band supposedly sits, and that is BSL. That's why the trick with the towel is so great.

[Ligeia_13]

Surely no matter how thick the strap is, the bottom of it should line up with the bottom of your boobs right?

Unless its one of those where the fabric extends under the cups as well. In which case (and any case, really, as far as I'm concerned :p) I draw an imaginary line from the bottom of the bra cups.




I don't know if my bra strap just sits really low or I have a really high waist, but there's only 2-3 inches for me between BSL and waist.

Me too! I have a long torso but a high waist. Hip is very far down :p

[mzBANGBANG]

I was so happy when I finally reached BSL! Then one day I looked while wearing a different bra and found I was barely there. I think as long as you use the same bra to help type, it doesn't really matter. I consider hair that is touching the top of the strap, and about an inch below the bottom of the strap to be BSL on me. Now, MBL... that's the difficult one to determine!

[Tabitha]

I consider BSL to be at best pretty much a generalisation (most people know roughly where you mean) and at worst, meaningless (and exclusionary of men).

[jacqueline101]

I'd say where your hair is to the bottom of your arm pit. Its around your rid cage.

[constructamane]

So if BSL is only 2-3 inches from waist, what is mid back length? I thought it's APL, BSL, MBL, and waist. Just a question!

[torrilin]

Well, BSL *isn't* always 2-3" from waist. Depending on your build it can be quite close or much further. You have to measure on yourself, preferably with another person helping.

I personally use BSL for myself, since it's a concrete term as I'm female. On me, I don't find MBL a useful or meaningful term. I'd be more inclined to call BSLish hair on a guy mid-back tho, since BSL is such a gendered term.

I also don't count a milestone until a body marker is covered by the bulk of your hair. Thus my info claiming "elbow" rather than waist. I'm an hourglass figure shape, but my torso is quite long and there isn't one narrowest point. Instead, it's a narrowest 2-3". So for me to claim waist, ALL the narrow bit needs to be covered by hair, and the longest bits of my hair might be edging into high hip territory by the time that happens. Elbows tho are nice and definite :D.

You can make different calls. Your body is different. Your aesthetic sense of what's "enough" will be different. The point of having terms for this is so we can communicate, and we're not just trying to communicate absolute length.

[LadyHazel]

You are all so lucky as BSL to Waist for me is 5/6 inches. I've got it easy to hip from there though :D