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The bra Interventions continued....

999 replies

StatisticallyChallenged · 28/02/2013 22:34

We filled a thread, so here's another!

OP posts:
CelticPromise · 28/02/2013 22:36

Checking in. Back in the morning. Night!

QuickLookBusy · 28/02/2013 22:38

Celtic thank you. I've decided to have a bra shopping day next Thusday. Really excited about trying new sizes.

SorrelForbes · 28/02/2013 22:39

Thanks SC. Sterling work fellow bra fanatics enthusiasts.

SorrelForbes · 28/02/2013 22:43

Oh, SC meant to say that my Hoola bikini arrived today. It's absolutely lovely. Great quality and beautiful colours. The pants are great. The 30G top is really well made and very flattering. The 30 back is a good fit, however, the centre gore doesn't lie quite flat (and that would bug me!) amd once I'd scooped there was some quadraboob/odd shape going on. DH said it looked fine (pre-scoop) so I'm going to exchange it for a 30GG.

StatisticallyChallenged · 28/02/2013 22:45

Going to stick a post up here about measuring and recognizing a good bra. Thanks to Sorrel, HAzle, Celtic, marriednotdead and other contributors!

How to measure yourself:

Standing up - measure firmly under your bust in inches.
Then measure your overbust as shown in this diagram

Post the measurements for sizing help

HOW TO RECOGNIZE A GOOD BRA

Testing the band and cup
To test the band size, put the bra on back to front on the loosest hooks. If you can breathe but if feels tight and you can only fit two fingers underneath the wire at the front, then that's the correct back size for you. If it's so tight it's unbearable then go up a size.

The cup will differ much more between brands and styles than the back. Put the bra round the correct way and pop the shoulder straps up, lean forward then take your right hand and put it inside your left cup. Reach right round under your armpit/towards your back and scoop all the backfat/escapage forward in to the cup of the bra. This may require vigour!

Repeat on the other side.

Then put the shoulder straps up and adjust as necessary (not too tight as it's the back that should be doing most of the supporting work). If after scooping you find that you have some bulging over the cup and four-boobage going on, this means you need to go up one or more cup sizes. Keep going up through the cup sizes until all your breast tissue is firmly in place. Once you have put your bra straps up you may well need to repeat the scooping described above but with the straps in place. Breast tissue goes surprisingly far round under the arms which most people don't realise so often their wires are actually sitting on breast tissue.

A good fitting bra?
If your bra is a good fit after doing this it should:

?Be worn on the loosest hook (when new). If you can fasten it on the tightest hook then try a back size lower.

?The band should be completely horizontal

?You should only be able to fit a couple of fingers under the front of the bra. If you can get more than that, or you can pull it more than an inch or so away from your body at the back, it is TOO BIG!

?If you raise your arms, the back should not really move - no riding up

?The wires should be entirely encasing your breast tissue - breast tissue goes surprisingly far back and a lot of people don't realise this. If you feel where the wire is sitting under your arm then it should be sitting on a fairly firm surface.

?The central gore (where the wires meet) should sit flat between your boobs. if it is being pushed away, then the cup is probably too small (and the back possibly too big as well)

?There should be absolutely no lumps over the top of the cup. Take a fitted t shirt with you to put over the top of the bra and stand side on to a mirror and watch as you breathe in. If you have a bit of a bulge only when you breathe in, you probably need to go up 1 cup. If it is visible when breathing out then it's probably more like two cups or more.

?The cup shouldn't gape. If it does, it may be too big or it may be the wrong shape of bra for you. Moulded cups are particularly bad for this as they don't adapt to your shape.

?The shoulder straps shouldn't be painful and digging in. Most of the support should come from the back. If you find that you can't get enough support without the straps being so short they hurt the bra isn't for you. Most likely it's too big in the back but it may also just be a bra that doesn't suit you.

?and on that note; not every brand works for every person. There are quite distinct differences in shape between brands which mean a particular brand may just not suit the shape of your breasts.

OP posts:
SorrelForbes · 28/02/2013 22:46

Bugger, just checked their site and it only goes up to a 30G.

Only three weeks until my holiday so I'll have to keep it. It'll be a good incentive to try and lose a few pounds Grin

missmakesstuff · 28/02/2013 22:48

Marking my place till I find a measuring tape. So I lean over, measure the droopy nipples bit closest to the floor and then my band is the narrowest bit under my boobs?

I am wearing a bra with holes in because I hate trying to find what size fits in bravissimo. Think I am a 32HH at the moment, but all bras dig in under my arms..

StatisticallyChallenged · 28/02/2013 22:49

Yup, got it in one missmakesstuff

OP posts:
marriednotdead · 28/02/2013 22:50

Good evening all.
I go to work for a few hours and you fill up a thread!

That looks nice Sorrel, I've only tried one Hoola bikini before but it wasn't a great shape on me. What cup does it go up to?

marriednotdead · 28/02/2013 22:51

Oops, cross post.

itsblackoveryonderhill · 28/02/2013 22:55

After my 95% reasonable shop today in Debenhams I've since been on the mycurvesandme website and ordered £84 worth of bras. Some 32GG's 32G's and 34G's along with a 32 & 34G sports bra.

I'm determined to get my boobies sorted out again. I hate the over-roll in the armpit area and I think once trained back into being forward facing rather than spread under the armpit I'll find it much more easy to find a bra.

However, I will hold DH to the agreement that I can have day to myself to go to Bravissimo to try on and get sized to my hearts content

all hail the bra interventioners!!!!! Grin

flumperoo · 28/02/2013 22:55

Thanks for the advice. Does anyone know of any shops I can go into to try 28D size bras rather than order online?

missmakesstuff · 28/02/2013 22:56

Ok, 33 under bust, but not massively tight and 44 bust but was very cold in the bathroom so call it 43

what does that make me?

Womenandchickensfirst · 28/02/2013 22:57

Well, if you're sure you don't mind....I was going to hunt through the other thread to see if anyone was the same as me. 36 under and 43 hanging down please. I think I'm in a 36D at the moment.

MrsBW · 28/02/2013 22:57

So, I'm 32.5 inches under bust and 43 inches over.

Any help on my size would be greatly appreciated... I've worn a 36D or 36DD depending on brand as long as I can remember!

ScrambledSmegs · 28/02/2013 22:58

I love these threads. MNers are going to be the best supported forum members on the internet, in so many ways Grin

It's a bra revolution!

januaryjojo · 28/02/2013 22:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

StatisticallyChallenged · 28/02/2013 23:00

MissMakesStuff, given the 33 is not massively tight you probably need a 32. Start with a 32H/HH and go from there.

Women&chickends...start with a 36F

MrsBW - start with a 32H

OP posts:
FrameyMcFrame · 28/02/2013 23:00

What if you have very LONG boobs?

I don't have a tape measure, I'll have to buy one tomorrow...

MimsyBorogroves · 28/02/2013 23:01

Marking my place - thank you for putting up the diagram. I wasn't sure exactly what 90 degree bending would look like - turns out I was, for once, correct.

Should really have listened in maths lessons.

missmakesstuff · 28/02/2013 23:01

Ahh, MrsBW I think we might be a similar size -

I used to be a 36 something when I still went to rubbish M and S, but I do think I am wearing mostly the right size - just that I get the wires sticking in the sides and sometimes the front, some bras are obscene as I end up with a cleavage with a mind of its own and some just make me look like my mum, with a shelf of boobage.

Also, Mine get bigger/smaller depending on the time of the month. At the moment, massive and painful. So am either due on or pregnant. Not sure which.

StatisticallyChallenged · 28/02/2013 23:01

JanuaryJoJo, start with a 38FF, however you may need to try a smaller back size as sometimes those of us who are "squishy of torso" need a back which is smaller than the measured size in order to get adequate support. If you go further down in the back, remember to try 102 back size up to compensate

OP posts:

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NewYearsEvelyn · 28/02/2013 23:02

Watching this cos I need new bras and am sure my boobs have grown again!

StatisticallyChallenged · 28/02/2013 23:03

FrameyMcFrame, measure that way anyway as the cup size is only ever a starting point, and make sure you know what a good bra should look like when you are trying on. I would suggest trying at least a cup either side of your "measurement" size as a rule of thumb for everyone

OP posts:
missmakesstuff · 28/02/2013 23:04

Missed that - thanks! I am wearing the right size. whoopee!

Now why do they stick in under my arms? If you don't mind...

How do you work out cup size? Just so's I know, for when I lose this extra stone I am carrying or put on more weight

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