Yet another bra thread.......

[PeteCampbellsRecedingHairline]

So I went to the dreaded M & S a couple of months ago and they fitted me in a 34dd.

I have the back fastened on the tightest hook and I can pull it really far away and my straps are done up as tight as possible. I also have awful shoulder and neck pain.

So what do I need to do? I don't have a Freya or Bravissimo locally and I'm not sure that I trust the high streets stores anymore.

Post your measurements and we will suggest sizes to try - though sounds like you might need to order online if your shop choice isn't huge. Self-measuring instructions here.

I'll put advance money on you being about a 30F by th way, because of the way M&S measure

30F???!!! Surely that would be impossible. I'm not skinny in the back area.

Or any area actually.

I'll read the instructions and get measuring!

So 32 under the bust and when I bent over it was 41 tight and 43 loose.

Help please.

I am a bit out, that would make you something like a 32G, 32GG or 32H. Best way to check band fit is to put the bra on backwards. If a 32 feels good like that, firm and supportive and only letting in a few fingers on the loosest hook, then start working on the cup size which can be a lot more variable - and remember to scoop.

Don't be afraid to go down a band size though if the 32 doesn't give you the right fit - the way you describe your 34 makes it sound much too big rather than just one band size IYSWIM. I reckoned on 30 because M&S usually add four or five inches onto your actual measurement.

I just went to a bra shop who said I couldn't be a 32 back.

I tried on a 32E and it was ok, better than the 34dd but I'm still a bit confused.

It costs £50 though! I was . They said it i want to reserve it ( because I got paid next week) then I'll have to pay a deposit!

Is House of Fraser any good?

*if I

I suspect a 32E will be way too small in the cup - your measurements suggest you need way more cup space than that. Did you scoop?

You also don't need to pay £50. Bravissimo (online) have hundreds of bras in the size you need, I don't think any are over about £33. You can get amazing bargains (£10-15) from brastop, mycurvesandme, amazon, leia, debenhams

You can buy brand new bras on eBay, the same ones that bravissimo sell. I recently brought two panache 30g bras for 14.99 each that are currently going for 25 on bravissimo.

You don't need to be skinny all over to have a small back. I am a 30 back and a dress size 16. I have been properly fitted in bravissimo.

Ditto - I wear a size 16 top and am a 32H (and will soon have loads of 32GG bras on ebay!).

My local House of Fraser has a couple of styles in an H cup, but brastop and bravissimo are good places to start, and ebay once you know your size.

Experiment with different cup styles too - I'm going to have to go for a balconette in the H cup.

I did scoop but I had back fat which I I don't normally have. The girl in the shop said I'll have that until I lose it.

So how do I scoop the extra tissue (?) in?

I might pop to House of Fraser and try on some more sizes and then get on Ebay. Hopefully I'm a 32GG.

Can someone do a quick verification on mine please? I'm pretty good and have been going to bravissimo for about 4 years now so I don't think I'm far out but have been leaping weight recently. Got a wedding next week and no time to go to bravissimo so here goes...

34 around chest. Possibly nearer 35.

41.5 around chest.

I'm currently wearing 34FF but the bands are v loose. That doesn't sound far out to me?

Can anyone help? Thank you!

In a 32E you would not have been able to hold the backfat in properly. Scooping requires a small enough back (to stop it escaping) and a big enough cup (to contain it in the first place) so given that the E was a minimum of 2 cups too small....

Once you have a big enough cup you will be able to scoop that backfat in to the bra. Be vigorous! The girl you spoke to was clearly very clueless

Does anyone have a good link for the scoop method please?

Even though the 32E wasn't the right size I could still see the improvement from the 34DD.

Basically:

Put the bra on, and stand side on to a mirror. Lean forward, take your right hand and put it inside the left cup. Now, reach as far round as you can (towards where the strap is on your back) and pull all the skin/fat/everything that bulges on either back or armpits, forward in to the cup. You might need to do this a couple of times so you get everything that is above and below the band. Repeat on the other side.

I recently measured myself after wearing a 34DD and feeling like my bust was completely unsupported! Using the Bra Guru website I found that my measurements of 30 underbust and 40 when leaning forward put me at a 30GG, but I think I have shallow breasts as my breast tissue thins at the top.I tried on a 32F and a 30F in Debenhams recently and the 32F felt right, so I bought two. But the cup isn't full at the top, I have failed to find balconette bras in shops to try on, which I thought would fit better because of shallow issue. I'm going to return the 32F's tomorrow as obviously they do not fit, is it still worth looking for a 30GG? Or have I got my measurements wrong? Any help would be greatly received!

LousThighBurn It sounds like your boobs are lacking a bit of fullness at the top (they might be shallow too)? Balconette and half cups styles are probably the way to go.

Debenhams Gorgeous range runs very small in the back so it wouldn't surprise me if you did need a 32 in their bras. I'd still try 30 backs in other brands though. I'd try sizes around a 30FF/G/GG but it really is trial and error which bra! I usually try at least three sizes on for each new bra I buy.

Lous I have shallow breasts at the top... try plunge styles, like the panache tango plunge or Freya deco. I can't wear full cup bras as I am always left with empty fabric at the top (I am a 30g).

Hi all I've just measured using the link in the thread and come up with 34 43 any help to what that would make me? Tia.

start with 34g

When I scoop do I bend over to get the breast into the cups correctly or just do it all standing up normally?

i bend forward while putting bra on and scooping, then maybe do a final standing scoop too

Great thanks!

Has anyone tried New Look's bras?

Doubt they will have the size you need unless their range has changed dramatically

Thank you Sorrel, I thought the sizes may have been around there. Just wearing a tighter band size has made an improvement, I was scooping as much as I could and the cup still looked sorry for itself! I purchased from the Debenhams gorgeous range but they were a full cup style rather than half or balconette, I shall have a really good look tomorrow for the others as my chest is an area I dislike but hopefully once they are supported I may be happier. Thank you for your suggestions too Fairy I had been looking at the Panache bras as I was fitted a few years ago with one and it was lovely. They had a small selection of Freya in Debenhams so I shall see if they have the Deco range. I think my problem is fullness rather than having shallow breasts, I found a link in one of the other bra threads and it seems to be the fullness from breast feeding DS, I imagine once we stop BFing they will look completely different!