Your experience of best place to go for a first bra, please...

[resipsa]

Just that, really - thanks

M&S

Not M&S, they don't measure properly.

If you have a department store near you they often have really good fitters.

Meant to say, M&S are great if you know your correct size, but I wouldn't trust their measuring service.

Measure using Boob or Bust, then go to M and S. Their measuring "service" is dreadful, but they have an excellent choice of bras.

M&S. I've never ever had an issue there. Always had great fitting bras.. Except one maternity one. And it rubbed so bad I bled. I was at work and went in linchbreak to buy the other style and the lady recognised me. Told me to go take it off and handed me the other style and swapped it there and then.
Have gone there since I was 16. Prior to that was contessas but they shut down.

For a first bra why not take her to a shop for young girls like h&m, Topshop (does it still exist?!) or Primark? I remember my mum took me to m&s for a "first bra" and it was really awkward, the bras were all ugly and the fitting service was so embarrassing. I guess it depends how much support her breasts need but as a teenager I got everything from H&M, new look etc.

Kinsters it's the measuring though

John Lewis took my 3 teenagers yesterday one for first bras and other two for new bras and size checking, they are brilliant with teen girls they let them wear a crop top while they measure them, staff are very experienced and know what they are doing

I took dd2 to bravissimo and it was a great experience but obviously a lot of girls won't be big enough for their bras on a first fitting. I'm planning to try Fenwicks fitting service for dd1 as she is much smaller. Would be interested if anyone has experience of their fitting service.

If your DD is like mine, she will be happy for you to measure her at home but wouldn’t even contemplate being measured by a stranger in a shop. Therefore measure at home, follow Boob or Bust method and go somewhere with good choice and not too expensive (as will probably grow to next size fairly quickly). So we went to M&S. Just don’t be surprised if she is bigger using B&B method than you expect - I’m sure DD was similar size to me when got first bra but I wore AA and she wore B which fitted perfectly. And note that you’ll almost certainly end up buying padded bra as DD wanted completely smooth lines so bra wouldn’t show and that’s basically only possible by buying T-shirt bra style which all have some padding to smooth everything out.

Definitely don't be surprised if they are bigger than you think they could be, dd only had first fitting yesterday thanks to lockdown and she measured in at 32E I was trying to get her bras over lockdown without luck as honestly thought she couldn't be that size at 13 so we ended up with supporting crop tops for last year

Thank you everyone. Will measure at home then try M&S and JL as we have big local ones. Not sure I am quite ready for it myself but needs must!

M & S for my dd
no issues.
bravissimo didnt have small enough choice

@lazylockdowner

John Lewis took my 3 teenagers yesterday one for first bras and other two for new bras and size checking, they are brilliant with teen girls they let them wear a crop top while they measure them, staff are very experienced and know what they are doing

John Lewis all the way.

JL was great - dd measured at home using the Boob or Bust method so we knew roughly where to start. The lady was lovely, and although they didn’t have any 26Cs, they did have one 28B (oddly only one style in this size, even online) and a CK bralette that fitted well.

As a PP said, it does all seem to be padded, t-shirt style in the small sizes. But dd prefers that.

I just got my DD some first bra’s from Primark today. She’s tried them on and they fit great.

Depends how much support she actually needs.

My DDs wanted crop top/“my first bra” type things for a while before they really had any breasts at all, and I found M&S really good for those.

Once they have a bit more need of support I agree that getting measured properly is more important.

George at ASDA do small sizes.