Another boring bra intervention, but I'm praying you're about to change my life forever....

[DakotaFanny]

Found bra intervention whilst looking up boob jobs on mumsnet mumsnet has become my bible did some reading, ran off to find tape measure and.... Well, according to the bra guru, I should (I think) be trying a 36DD..... My back is just under 36 and boobs 41.....but surely not? i have the most pathetic boobs....almost flat but with spaniels ears (sob).....so that if I am on all fours (ahem) they hang down like two saggy, horrible, pale bits of toblerone....

They are very wide set, and even in my hey day I joked that they grew in my arm pits and that if a surgeon could just put them in the right place they'd be okay. Is that what bra intervention could do for me?!?

Please, please tell me this is the case and that, tomorrow, I should rush out and buy big bras which make me look gorgeous and save me many tantrums and thoughts of surgery.

If this is the case, should I be looking for a particular style which works well for pulling them in from the side?

Can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about this! Normal bras? No more 2 size bigger? No more shame???

I await your responses with baited breasts breath.

[CelticPromise]

Sounds like the right place to start. You may also like to try 34E. What size have you been wearing?

I am not very knowledgeable about different styles but I'm sure one of the resident experts Erik be along to recommend something for your shape.

[DakotaFanny]

36A!! But they look awful and leave me with loads of fat at the sides...

[CelticPromise]

What happens if you lean forward and scoop all that into the bra? Major quad boob? Does it stay put or work its way out again?

[StatisticallyChallenged]

It sounds like you're going to need quite a wide, shallow cup. I would maybe look at Curvy Kate (their tease me/thrill me/fleurty and bras with the same cut), half cup bras from bravissimo, and tutti rouge are all good for shallow, wide rooted breasts so would be worth a try. You might also like cleo maddie.

[EarSlaps]

Well if there is boob under the armpit then you aren't in the right size . How is the band? Try putting it on back to front, can you pull it away from your body? If it's nice and tight round the back then stick with a 36, otherwise try going down to a 34 as you say you measure just under. Try the DD to start with, remember to scoop (lean forward when you put the bra on then get your hand and pull all that 'armpit fat' (which is actually boob) into the cup. See how you get on.

I'm not an expert, but I think with spaniel ears you might be best with a balconette as push up bras aren't great for those of us a bit empty on the top of the boob.

[DakotaFanny]

Celticpromise....it would fall out again....sometimes from underneath if I lift my arms up.

Can't believe I might get to buy a bra from Bravissimo! Will have a look at those you suggest sc.

I can get my hand comfortably underneath my current bras.... Guess that can't be right, hey! But if I go for a 34, won't I end up with hideous back fat earslaps?

Thanks for responses so far guys.

[EarSlaps]

There was a blog post about back fat but I can't find it now. Basically a too large band is more likely to give you back fat than a tighter band. It's because the bigger band won't support you properly.

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Basically, when the band is tighter you can scoop the back fat in to the bra and it stays put. When it's too loose it moves around and all falls oot!

the backfat info is on //thebetterbracampaign.blogspot.co.uk

[DakotaFanny]

Reading another intervention thread....with wide set boobage, I should be looking at half cup/balconette NOT plunge....is that right?

Thanks

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Yup -the bras I mentioned all fit that. The curvy Kate tempt me flaunt or wild are wide shallow plunges which just might work though

[HazleNutt]

boobs under armpits are a common problem caused by too big band and too small cup. And don't be surprised when you need even smaller band and bigger cup once you have been in a properly fitting bra for a while, and scooping every time.

[marriednotdead]

Hello

A little out of practice on the threads of late but very much still a bra fitter.

Armpit boob is not always resolvable by scooping if that's where Mother Nature chose to plant them (as opposed to them becoming split by poorly fitting bra cups) but the style solutions above by SC are a good start.

If you're that wide set, the Cleo Maddie may be uncomfortable, but the Freya Patsy half cup, and the Freya Marvel (aka as my new best friend!) are great for side pull in and extremely comfy. The band on the Patsy is a bit on the loose side so you may need a 34, and the cup is slightly padded. The marvel is firmer but the apex is really low and it gives a pretty impressive cleavage for someone who has a tendency to slide into the centre of a Freya Deco like me but likes the shape and oomph

[StatisticallyChallenged]

That's true married re naturally planted under the arms - I meant more when it's escaping like a separate boob over the side of the bra and the bra is still full anyway

(may have been in town today and seen a few too many grim bras!)

I always forget about the Freyas, not tried many lately!

[marriednotdead]

If you can't cope with the wire heights and narrowness of Cleo/Panache, then Freya and Fantasie can provide some pretty fab solutions.

The Freya Tropical has been a lovely fit on many people, and I have two Marvels as replacements for my half empty Decos! Bravissimo own brands are often a good middle ground, and their latest balconettes have been deeper and more generous than Alana which can't be a bad thing.

[marriednotdead]

Oh, while I'm here. The Panache Rhapsody is a far more comfortable fit for those who have struggled to find a replacement since they discontinued the Harmony and Melody full cup. It's quite generous in the band and if you're struggling past K, it won't cope like Tango does but it's very supportive and a good rounded shape, even on the softest boobs and they've very kindly made it in a 28 back

[StatisticallyChallenged]

"they've very kindly made it in a 28 back"

kneels down and praises the nice person who made that decision ;)

I used to wear a lot of Freya strangely, but I think I've become narrower so now they're mostly too wide for me (although I do have a deco which works...go figure!) I found a virtually unworn one (layla maybe) in my drawer the other day and wore it to work. Rookie mistake! But I know they're ideal for some people who will never get on with Cleo/Panache.

[BirthdayMuppet]

I'm wondering if there's a place for a sticky on this board covering bra brands and models for different types of breasts, or perhaps on the blog? A table to use as a starting point would make shopping so much easier!

[StatisticallyChallenged]

I would like to try and add a blog post on bras for breast shapes but there's quite a lot to put in and it's not really definite IYSWIM? It's something to make a start on though and a table would probably be easiest - with definitions above so people could identify whether they are full on top/bottom, wide or narrow root, etc etc

[DakotaFanny]

I think that would be really useful. Great idea if you have the time.

I went to Bravissimo today and tried a variety of sizes ranging from32 (!!!!) E (!!!!!!!!!!!!) to 34 D- it was a difficult experience. Having spent so many years hating my boobs with a passion, i did not enjoy getting them out for a stranger, but the assistant was just lovely; patient and kind.

I came out with two bras, a boring, all in for work nude t-shirt bra in a 34 D and a Maddie in 34DD.

Being used to bras that push, pad and pretend beyond belief, it perhaps wasn't as mind blowing as I had hoped. I'm used to Next's Wow bras, two sizes bigger, so am accustomed to a fake look I suppose (albeit a small one!). I would say that the Maddie that I have on makes me look smaller than those bras, but sooooo much bigger than I would be in a standard bra. So all in all, really happy, ready to ditch the fake bras and so delighted to be able to say to myself I am a D cup.....

I have ordered a couple of figleaves bras since I got home- bras may become my new hobby!!

Can't say thanks enough to you guys, for your advice and recommendations, you are doing a really wonderful job.

Xxx Dakota-massive-norks-fanny.xxxx

[DakotaFanny]

That's massive norks, not massive fanny....well, that's a whole other thread! X

[StatisticallyChallenged]

There are still more "boosting" bras out there as you're just at the boundary where a lot of them stop - lots of bra ranges do up to D/DD, and the "fuller bust" ranges tend to start there so you should have a huge range available. Ultimo does a D-G range which is quite good if you still want some extra boost.

[SorrelForbes]

I think Gossard do a boost range too that has a D/DD

[pinkflaming0]

Dakota you sound a similar shape to me but I'm a 30DD. I've tried loads of bras and find this Next one the absolute best for me. I have it in almost every colour. The spotted pattern is not as obtrusive as I thought it might be and isn't visible except under the tightest t-shirts (wish they did a totally smooth version). It is described as a plunge but isn't really. Doesn't give cleavage as such but I never get that anyway being wide set. It gives a good shape and keeps everything in all for a bargain price too!

[DakotaFanny]

Last time I was in Next looking for wow, I saw this bra and wished I could buy it because it's so pretty. Thanks pink flamingo, think I might invest.xx

[Onsera3]

I have been suffering with wide boob since bf. I was a C fluctuating to a D before and I couldn't understand why I couldn't fit back into my bras when my boobs seemed so flat. They've spread out!

Bigger width measurements mean I can't do the bra up tight enough so I improvised.

I took a Victoria's Secret convertible bra with moulded but not very padded cups and removed the underwire. Instantly the cups became less deep but much wider. There's enough support for me without the wire.

Trying it on with the wire it looked much too small with double boob.

I've tried it with new bras and it's worked again but it's a bit of informed guesswork when choosing the size in fitting room.

It means I can buy fashionable fun bras if I like. I'm also able to bf in the strapless/ convertible ones by folding down cup or undoing strap for a big feed.

It might work with padded/push up.