Where can I buy a bra?

Do you know how intolerant you sound? (yes, I expect you probably do).

Would you say that you didn't want to chance entering a changing room because a black person or a Jewish person might be in there or waiting to serve you? No, of course you wouldn't. That's discrimination.

The chances of going for a bra fitting and finding a transwoman either working in or openly using the changing rooms are incredibly slim. And if by that very tiny chance, there is someone in there who causes you concern - (woman, transwoman, man, transman), all the doors in every dedicated lingerie shop I've ever been into (eg Bravissimo) are proper doors with locks rather than curtains, so I think you'll be safe from any "advance" they might decide to make. If you don't feel comfortable, put your clothes back on and leave.

I too have grave concerns about the erasure of women's rights by the trans-lobby - but the threat to your personal wellbeing from any individual transperson is almost zero. Don't spread hate.

Oh bloody hell. I’m broadly speaking gender critical but posts like this really do take the biscuit. Do you get this paranoid about everything? There are plenty of tits on the internet for free, no one is bothered about middle aged women trying on beige bras ffs.

I can highly recommend Just Jane in Salisbury. Lovely ladies who do fitting by eye.

I would also be happy with any female regardless of how they identified. This about biological sex, nothing to do with gender identity. I think people are free to express themselves however they like and that everyone should be respected.

@passwordnotsecure

I don’t want to be fitted by a male and I don’t want my DD12 to be fitted by a male.

I also don’t want any hidden cameras in the changing rooms (I have read about how to detect them and will do a quick search and hand any I find over to the police).

I don’t want any male wanking in the cubicle next to me or my DD. I have seen enough internet posts of males doing this to believe there is a risk. Anyone doing this, I will photograph (without them seeing) and report to the police, with the additional information that it was next to a 12 year old girl. I have found the police very protective of children in the past.

Finally, and suspicious, leering male will also be photographed (without them seeing) and the photo added to my letter of complaint and potentially social media after I have taken legal advice.

Increased risk of hidden cameras pass amd we don't want men/males to overhear private conversations about out young dds and our own fir that matter, bodies.

[quote Doubletoilandtrouble]@VelvetChairGirl I think that is a really good idea to buy loads and return those you don’t like.

Personally I have so bad experiences with strange fitting bras (and not the finances to wait for the refunds) so I cannot join you sadly.

I will bring my camera. Personally I wouldn’t care if a transwoman (dysphoric) timidly was trying on bras in another cubicle. However, I refuse to give consent for other women. Any woman needing a single sex space in these circumstances should have one.

But I will bring a camera. Any inappropriate, leering male will be photographed and the photo added to my letter of complaint. I will also investigate the legality of putting the pictures on social media to warn other women about the store and that specific male.[/quote]
Bravissimo gave me the old we accept everyone BS and when I replied asking what they do about making sure there are no hidden cameras in the fitting rooms they ignored me.

shame because thats where I always went they were the only place I got a properly fitted bra (30FF or 28F in sports bra).

I may go speak to them next time I go to westfield and basically say whats the returns policy like because I have no intention of using a unisex changing room.

I normally go there every 1 to 2 years and spend over £100, thats overdue now because of pandemic but I still do have a black bra I've hardly warn that should be fine for 6 months or so. may wait it out to see if the tide turns.

Bravissimo are excellent. Didn't even measure me but did it by eye/experience. Best move I ever made. Suddenly I had a rack! The bra made the girls look amazing

Sorry if I'm being thick here but what are you concerned might happen? You would be in an individual cubicle so only the fitter would see you. Are you concerned the fitter might be a trans female?

I really hope that someone from the shops is reading this thread. It's so disturbing we have literally no where we can go to get a bra fitted.

Have had previously really good experiences with John Lewis and Victoria secret. But I also have dd2 who's 11 and will soon be requiring their services . I guess its a good job I kept all dd1s old ones as I guess that's gonna be the only safe option

@VelvetChairGirl I think that is a really good idea to buy loads and return those you don’t like.

Personally I have so bad experiences with strange fitting bras (and not the finances to wait for the refunds) so I cannot join you sadly.

I will bring my camera. Personally I wouldn’t care if a transwoman (dysphoric) timidly was trying on bras in another cubicle. However, I refuse to give consent for other women. Any woman needing a single sex space in these circumstances should have one.

But I will bring a camera. Any inappropriate, leering male will be photographed and the photo added to my letter of complaint. I will also investigate the legality of putting the pictures on social media to warn other women about the store and that specific male.

That's a real shame about John Lewis and Bravissimo. As someone who's ranged from a 30GG to 30J over the years (drastic size changes due to eating disorders), they really did transform my life with decent bras that actually fit.

Yes, I'm a normal 10 by chest measurement too, not tiny. I often wear an 8 in stretchy tops as I'm an 8 waist (6 hips) but definitely need a 10 in jackets.

I find that supermarkets don't tend to have inclusive sizing.

of course that doesnt stop you buying a load to try on at home and then taking the rest back and pestering them for a refund, if we all do that citing we will not use unisex changing rooms they will sit up and take notice because returns are a PITA for them too.

I emailed Bravissimo and didnt like the reply so I have not set foot in there since, which is a shame as my bra has a hole in it and I really need a new one but maybe I can go buy 3 or so of different designs and see which one fits best then take the others back and get a refund

Measuring works for me as well. I am 72 cm and use 70 around, on a the end hook initially, then moving hooks as the bands expands slightly from wear. A 75 is too big around, at least after some wear, and tends to move upwards on my back.

But I think that you cannot tell properly until you actually are wearing the bra. Some are just cut the wrong way for me and end up fitting badly even though they are the right size. If I bring 6 bras into the changing room (all my size) I am lucky if 2 fits properly.

Works for me, too. I’ve never been above a 28 back except in pregnancy (and am a normal 10, not tiny / petite). It makes buying bras for my teen dd (who is genuinely petite) really, really hard.

This gives you a clue to the fact that the bra intervention method quoted above just doesn't work, at least for smaller sizes.
It does for me, a 30 back isn't too small on me at all, I start at the middle hooks with a new bra. I last measured at 29.5 underbust. A 32B doesn't fit nearly as well.

Just checked Asda, they don't have any 30 C bras at all. When are supermarkets going to start making smaller back sizes?!

This gives you a clue to the fact that the bra intervention method quoted above just doesn't work, at least for smaller sizes.
I'm a 29" underbust and not especially petite .... in fact I have quite a pronounced rib cage. But there's no way I can fit into anything less than a 32" 'back size' ... which makes it more like an old fashioned across the boob measurement.

Have you tried Perfect Fit in Keynsham?
I shopped there many moons ago and they were pretty good

Rigby & Peller if you can get to London. The best fitting I ever have come across.

DD is still growing so we want cheaper bras for now. And I am pretty confident that we can do it ourselves as I can help her.

I would go to a bravissimo and then leave if there are any men in there. Think that would make the staff better aware of the issue than just not going at all. I think it’s pretty unlikely there’d be any men in there, despite their policy - although I know it has happened, I’ve never come across it myself.

Well it's well worth being properly fitted by somebody who knows what they are doing @GoldenGorilla.

Maybe give us an idea of suitable locations so we can give you useful . There is a fantastic bra shop in Westerham Kent, called Entre Nous. But this is useless info if you don't live or travel to that area.