Mumsnet Talk

BinAndScones, I think weight changes throw people. Weight gain seems to make people instinctively go up in the back, but weight loss they seem to go down in the cup and leave the back!

Sorrel, glad to see you sharing wisdom again! ;)

Ahh, the scoop! The most useful dressing technique known to womankind

StatisticallyChallenged I know, I just thought I'd try and downsize a couple of cupsizes, totally forgot about the back.

Happy scooping all!

Hey SC, what kept you?

My measurements are 27 and 33. I wear a 32b, am I getting it hopelessly wrong?

Work, so dull!

Cath, try a 28 dd ish. Unfortunately 26s are almost impossible to find but that should be a lot closer.

28dd? Oh I like the sound of that! Much better than a 32b!! Now where do I find a bra in that size??

Try bravissimo if there is one nearby. John Lewis might have some too.ALso debenhams. Once you have tried then ordering online is the way forward for 28s.

Also try a d and an e just to find the best cup. Try a mix of brands too- I think panache tend to be smaller backed than bravissimo, which is smaller than freya.

I rave on about Ewa Michalak as I find her bras fit really well and they come in a huge range of back and cup sizes. She does 26" backs but I think they're special order and non returnable. However, you could order a 28 to try and then if that's too large, return it and then order a 26. My EW bra is actually a 70 (32) which suggests to me that they come up a bit small anyway.

What am I, please? Under bust: 29.5, "fullest part" 32

Try a 30B, a 30C and if you can find one a 28C

In a 28 you might even need a D cup.

WellSorrel armed with your advice I checked out John Lewis and M&S today.

John Lewis had very very few 28" backs, what ones they did have were all the same, simple Tshirt style. I tried the 28G and 28FF but neither was right, but I did feel it was wrong shape more than anything. Certainly the 28" accross the back fitted lovely (still shocked at that!)
They had a Fantasie (elodie) bra in a 30f which was a good fit but I wasn't overly struck on the colours so I decided to leave it.

As for M&S, well that's a no-no. There's nothing in a 28" back at all and scarcely a 30" to be found either. It seems nearly all their ranges that start at a 30" back end on a DD cup and all their DD+ cups start at a 32" back!
Overall, It's frustrating! Why don't these stores sort this out? Surely there must be thousands of women out there wearing less than a 32" back?

Anyway, just wanted to feed back and say thanks again for the advice, I do think you've got my size pretty much spot on, I just need to find the correct style/shape which means a bit more trying on.
I'm planning another trip to Rigby and Peller, definitely worthwhile.

correction - there are thousands of women who should be wearing 32 back or smaller.

But
-they went to M&S for fitting
- they, as you also saw, haven't seen anything smaller on shops
- have read that [insert a really slim bog-boobed celebrity] wears a 32DD and therefore cannot imagine they could need a smaller back/bigger cup. (the celebrity in question is of course in a wildly wrong size as well).

So yes, next time a tiny woman claims to be a 34 bra, you know what to do..

I just want to add that even when you know your correct bra size, finding a good fitting bra isn't easy. My last trip to Bravissimo I must have tried half a dozen before finding the best one for me, and I am a regular there (yo yo dieter).

Excellent post Hazel!

I agree with all the advice but even slimmish people can be tempted to go up a back size because of the overhang of fat across the band at the back and just below the shoulder straps.

I measure about 30-31 under and 35 over and wear a 32 C/D. I am a size 10 but even with a 32 back have overspill on my back !

Countingfriends, are you scooping like a mad lady? I have a fair bit of back fat when I put my bra on - once it is done up, lean forward, put your right hand round inside your left cup, right round to your back and pull everything forward in to the cup. Quite forcefully! Repeat at other side.

(then go down a back size and up a cup as suddenly the back will seem big and the cup small)

Oh yes SC, everyone should scoop like crazy (tis a very sexy look indeed).

Counting. I suspect that a 30DD or E would solve the back fat issue. I had masses in a 34DD and now have none in a 30G.

Brilliant thread.

When did this scooping become the thing to do - I hadn't heard of it until a few weeks ago. I can't believe the difference it makes, but why didn't I know to do it before?

Back is 29" boobs are 32". I've been wearing 32a, please can you tell me what I should try?
If you can help I think you might just change my life a little bit

This site is brilliant for calculating bra size www.85b.org/bra_calc.php. I am pregnant and used this to buy an online bra that fits perfectly.

Panzee. Sorry that didn't work for me at all. It came out as a 34D!! I am a 30G. The calculator is adding inches which is wrong I'm afraid.

Did you add the top measurement? It makes a huge difference.