Should you worry about bending your wires? (A response to Bare Essentials)
For those who are unfamiliar," Bare Essentials: Bras " is a book by Jennifer Lynne Fairbanks, which is most known for its unique bra drafting techniques which allow you to make a custom bra draft based on your measurements. I won't be talking about those in this post - the book is expansive and also covers bra construction, pattern alterations, and information for developing your custom pattern into a few different styles. When I was writing Part 3 of the Bra Physics series (which is primarily about the physics of underwires), I recalled a passage from the Bare Essentials book which discussed underwires, stress and strain and fatigue, and upon rereading I found it draws some conclusions that I don't agree with from a materials/engineering point of view. I think these issues stem from a minor (but common) misunderstanding of stress and strain, so I hope this post helps clear up these issues for some of you as well, as well as to potentially allay any fears you may ...