To suggest that M&S should train their staff to measure bra sizes correctly?

[quietlyafraid]

It would seem that rather a lot of women on here think M&S are rubbish at measuring bra size and that they are responsible for making many women walk around wearing the wrong size bra. Especially since they do not seem capable of stocking a full range of sizes, like other department stores. M&S always had the reputation of being the place to go for underwear, and its SCANDALOUS that they are not not leading the way in proper boobs loving support. If I search my size on their website, I am even directed to bras in the wrong size!

Being told to shove your cleveage into the wrong size has created a situation where women think they are a bigger back size than they actually are. They are responsible for making the lives of women a living hell and suffering in constant strap sliding, wire poking, saggy tits, four boob syndrome, falling out at inappropriate times or other such hardships.

I blame M&S and their terrible measuring. AIBU?! Have you been a victim of the M&S "just shove your bras into the wrong size it'll do" mafia? Have you got measured there only to find out you are a completely different size elsewhere?

Worse still an underclass of unrepresented women are being persecuted for daring to be little. The high street does not seem to recognise that 30 backs are a real size and thinks there is no demand for them. This is despite the fact that a size 8 loosely equates to a 30 inch rib cage. Most places start clothes at size 8, so why do most bras, only start at size 32? And just cos we are small back size does not mean we are all flat chested. We are real people too!

We are fed up of having to hide away and use mail order rather than shop on the high street which stocks next to nothing or is totally sold out anyway. We are fed up of being asked whether a 30 back is even a real size and we are fed up of having a choice of deeply unsexy black or white only by other stores.

And AIBU to ask you all people who got measured at M&S to go and get yourself remeasured at House of Fraser or Debenhams (Especially if you are size 8 or below to see if you are one of us and to join the 30 Back club, to increase demand so we can be better represented on the high street) and force M&S to change their policy on boob shoving and fudging?

First AIBU thread of my own. Hope it is silly and hysterical enough to do MN proud. Seriously though, is M&S bra dept rather shit or not?

Do M&S still use tape measures? Someone who can fit bras correctly should be able to tell what size you are just by looking, like in Bravissimo. I'm a 30F and last time I looked M&S had 30 back bras - have they stopped? I am a 30F in every style of any brand I have tried. 30F is not widely available though. I think even Agent Provocateur has only just started selling 30 back sizes.

M&S is useless is you have big boobs! I'm a rav38H, so its a no go area for me! Independent shops are good but Bravissimo is best.

YANBU

I had always gone to M&S as my mother and grandmother had. I learnt about Bravissimo on here and googled what a proper fit should look like. I then had the mother of all rows trying to return my (unworn) bras that they had measured at 36B. They even marched me over to the fitting room to be a) re-measured and b) fitted into the bras, which they said were perfect even though I was clearly unsupported and hanging over the cups. Eventually got my money back and took it to Bravissimo where I fitted a 30F/32E depending on the bra.

I am far more comfortable that I used to be and I no longer go to bed with backache every night. I cannot help but think that this is due to having a fully supported chest and I'm so cross that the ladies in M&S were so insistent that I was wrong.

Nope sorry, got to disagree! M&S have been fab for me (34G).

Went to Bravissimo when I'd just had DD on two seperate occasions (being a bravissimo believer in those days) both times they told me completely the wrong size, I don't think they had a friggin clue. Both (expensive) bras far too small in the cup and large in the back. Fully believe this contributed to my mastitis (along with an undiagnosed tongue tie )

M&S fitters on the other hand always seem to spend ages with me getting it right. After the mastitis fiasco I went there for some advice after becoming disaloutioned (sp?) with Bravissimo. Fitter was really knowledgable, and even though she couldn't find anything really suitable from their stock, she gave me loads of advice and tips about what to look out for and where else to look. I always use M&S now.

I agree. It is a huge shame.

M&S cant fit bras and they dont have the size choice at all.

I am a 32 F at the moment but have previously been a 30 E and it was Bravissimo that measured me properly. Bravissimo have their own range but also only stock those makes that provide a good range of sizes, 28-38 back size and cups D - GG or maybe more.

I had a bad experience at M&S with a fitting, it was so, so very wrong so I went all the way to London Bravissimo to get fitted. Well worth it.

YANBU - they've always given me the wrong size becuase I'm a 30DD. they don't stock this so have always told me I'm a 32D and tried to get me to buy them.

Never tried M&S for a fitting, first time I had one was only about 18 months ago at Debenhams.

36C felt tight but never did I dream I was more than a C cup, they just don't seem big enough to me. Turns out I'm a 34 DD. The money wasted on me trying anything from a 36C to a 38D...

So, good experience, apart from her leaving the cubicle and as she did so exposing my boobage to the entire fitting room

They are appalling. A lady measured me when I was 38 weeks pregnant for feeding bras. I told her I'd been a 38DD for as long as I could remember. She tried to convince me to buy feeding bras in a 38D. When I questioned her as to surely my breasts would be bigger when full of milk she said no, a 38D would be just right. Needless to say I didn't trust her at all. Went to an independent retailer in town and measured a 40F!!!

I did call the store to complain but they couldn't really have cared less.

They were spot on with me the other day. Friendly, helpful, attentive lady, measured me, brought about 10 bras to try on, and I ended up buying 2 that fitted beautifully.

Sizes vary between designs, as well as between shops and brands. That doesn't make the bra-lady wrong.

Why is it meant to be a good thing if they look at you and guess your size, rather than measuring with the appropriate tool for the job?

Hate them. HATE.

Got fitted yesterday in my local independent shop - she doesn't even measure, just fits, and is wonderful!

I'm a 32F or 34E depending on brand/ style. Nearly everyone I know expresses and says "But I'm a 36/38." But then they don't listen when I say, NO YOU PROBABLY AREN'T, GO AND GET FITTED! Or else they go to M&S and come out in a 48B or something.

It narks me.

M & S told me I was a 42B. Rigby and Peller put me in a 38F and told me to take the M & S bra straight back. M & S also measured DD1 as 36A. Debenhams put her in a 32DD (and fitted her, taking a lot of time with her).

I don't think there is anything wrong with their bras, just the way they measure people, by the way. I've got some 38Fs from there that fitted just fine.

Jeez OP how can you blame M&S because you don't know how to measure your own body?

It's not rocket science. Grab yourself a measuring tape and learn to do it yourself.

YANBU
marks do not make their bras in enough sizes. When I wNted non wire in pregnancy they had plenty of styles, just not in a 32F. If you wanted more than D cup it starts at 34. If you find 32 back, it stops at a D cup.
Ditto feeding bras
They now do some of their more fancy bras in a good range of sizes but they give no support cheap & nasty but I won't buy them as marks make me cross.
Everything in marks is now cheap & nasty. Their tops are only about 20" long to obviously save money in manufacturing. They don't even reach my belly button.

YANBU woman in m&s tried telling me I'm an A cup when I'm C/D

GirlWithALlamaTattoo Why is it meant to be a good thing if they look at you and guess your size, rather than measuring with the appropriate tool for the job?

Yeah I don't get that either. I suppose it means they have some experience/instinct/magic powers re boob sizes.

Reading through all of these there does appear to be a common theme, M&S appear to fit bras significantly wider around the ribs.

You aren't supposed to use a tape measure worraliberty - that method does not work!

And M&S market their apparent 'expertise' in fitting bras ffs. So if they are crap at it then of course they are to blame.

WIth M&S bras you have to add 4-5 inches to your actual measurement under your bust to get your bra back size. So I measure 30 inches, but wear a 34 bra. I'm not sure why this is - it seems totally illogical to me.

I'm not sure other suppliers measure like this - which would explain why you can be a 34 in M&S and 30 in another make. It doesn't mean (necessarily) that they can't measure bras.

Yes I had a bad time with them too. The woman REFUSED to measure me, just said 30ff and shoved one at me to try on, needless to say it was HUGE on me.

Walked out and went to a local lingerie shop who measured me properly, 32dd.

OneHand no you don't, they just claim you should and claim that the bra fits when it obviously doesn't.

Yes, there are differences between the brands, but not that huge ones, a woman measuring 30F does not need 36D in another brand.

worraliberty
Jeez OP how can you blame M&S because you don't know how to measure your own body?
It's not rocket science. Grab yourself a measuring tape and learn to do it yourself.

My tongue is very firmly in my check with this thread. I started it cos I am amused at just how bad the experiences people seem to have with M&S. I wouldn't go near them in a million years, and I when I decided to make this thread I thought I would check their website. I was in stitches when they automatically directed me to the wrong size. I think that speaks volumes for them.

I DO blame M&S for giving other women the wrong idea of what size they are though. And I DO blame M&S for, in part, making it a lot harder for some women to find the correct size bra as their policy distorts the demand out there. A lot of women I know tend to get measured and then never bother to get remeasured for years at a time and simply just buy the size they were always told.

And not to mention how many women, don't actually know how bra sizing actually works. Hence size 8 women ending up with 36 inch backs which is ridiculous. If women knew how bras sizing worked better, they could tell M&S to get lost.

OneHandFlapping
WIth M&S bras you have to add 4-5 inches to your actual measurement under your bust to get your bra back size. So I measure 30 inches, but wear a 34 bra. I'm not sure why this is - it seems totally illogical to me.
I'm pretty damn sure this is purely because of the range of sizes they stock. They do not stock anything over a 30C. I GUARANTEE if you go into somewhere like Bravissimo and go down 2 back sizes to 30 and up two cup sizes you'll find the right fit. Look in the mirror with your bra on. Is it horizontal? If its not, you are a victim of M&S bra shoving.

I am actually very tempted to go to M&S this weekend for a giggle and see what service and comedy sizing I get.

Anyway, it never hurts to try and highlight how dreadful M&S are about this once in a while, in the hope it can make a difference to someone else out there. I know this sounds silly, but the difference you feel when you finally find what size you really are, is amazing.

And so far we have 31 M&S are awful compared to 4 M&S are great. Hmm.

OP - I feel that those of use with wide backs and deep rib cages have an extremely difficult time getting bras to fit. Wherever I go to be measured or if I self-measure and use the advised calculation, I will end up with a bra far too large in the actual cup but cutting into my boobs at the side because the overall dimensions are too narrow. Boobs are no bigger than a b at most but their position is wide on the chest if that makes sense. M&S are no worse than other places for measurement. The worst place I have been to is La Senza.

my dad is a staff trainer for M&S and he would LOVE the chance to train staff on bra fitting

N.B he isn't actually a dirty perv, and has nothing to do with the fitting of any clothes! just incase anyone wants to jump on me for that comment

perceptionreality You aren't supposed to use a tape measure worraliberty - that method does not work!

Of course it works! What an absolutely ridiculous statement! The bras are made to a measurement and low and behold tape measures are a measuring device! "Tape measure don't work" fucking hilarious!