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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To object to paying £40 for a new bra?

397 replies

PomBearWithAnOFRS · 12/02/2015 03:09

Just cos I have Norks! (with a capital N Grin )
There is one style and brand of bra that I have ever found, that I can just buy "off the shelf" that I know will fit me -as long as I take the bloody instrument of torture wires out - but the damn thing is at least £40 :(
I have tried others over the years, but they just don't fit, even in supposedly bigger sizes Confused
I tend to have one really tatty one, one with no wires in that is on the road to being tatty, and one newish one for "best".
Last time I bought one I got lucky and found one in my size on eBay for £25, but today I had to fork out forty quid :( and to add insult to injury my new knickers were a ridiculous price as well Confused
£48 for six pairs of giant pants!
I give up, I am becoming a hippy and wandering the streets commando, with my Mighty Norks swinging free in the breeze round my knees from now on!

OP posts:
AnythingNotEverything · 12/02/2015 12:51

£40?! Over the last few years I've Ben around the GG/H/J size and have never spent more then £30.

You can't really complain about the cost of matching knickers.

It is a pain that some can get away with cheap bras, but I still think I'd rather have boobs Smile

MrsTawdry · 12/02/2015 12:54

YANBU! And here I was today miserable because it costs ten pounds for a couple of pairs of tights for DD! TEN POUNDS!!!

I think I'm still in the 80s when they were about a pound!

ouryve · 12/02/2015 12:57

32G (Not massive norks, but nor am I a small woman - I've got a 41" bust!) and lucky to rarely need to pay more than £20 for a bra. Brastop and Amazon are great.

It is a bit much that I'm a snug size 14 and so many manufacturers don't go down smaller than a 32" band. When I'm a few pounds lighter, I wear a few 30GG. In fact, I've noticed that many of the large cup bras linked to here don't go below a 36" band.

Feminine · 12/02/2015 12:59

I've forgotten what is wrong with my bra if the middle isn't sitting flat between my breasts... And it is cutting in under my shoulder blades.
I have measured the 'correct' way... But l think l have still got it wrong...

ouryve · 12/02/2015 12:59

And agreeing about the knickers. Inexpensive plain cotton knickers (better for your crotch health, anyhow) and save the money for another bra.

ouryve · 12/02/2015 13:01

The cups are too small, Feminine. you probably need to go up in the cup and down in the band size.

Though, if you wear a soft cup bra, the central gore never sits flat.

SorrelForbes · 12/02/2015 13:03

Feminine The centre gore not lying flay means that the cup is too small and/or too shallow for your shape.

Feminine · 12/02/2015 13:08

Oh thank you our and sorrel
That really helps.
I ordered a new measure to do it again.
It is interesting to learn that the digging in means l need a smaller back size.

MonkeySeeMonkeyDooo · 12/02/2015 13:10

I can't believe the difference in my old M&S bras and the ones I got from Bravissimo. It's amazing, I'll never go back to M&S.

MonkeySeeMonkeyDooo · 12/02/2015 13:10

This is after being measures properly, forgot to say.

Peepants78 · 12/02/2015 13:23

Please do me...
I am 108 (.5cm) fat under boob and 143cm bent over as described above
I currently wear 42dd supermarket specials as I hate shopping. I would like (and need) more support.
Thank you!

Plonkysaurus · 12/02/2015 13:27

You take the wires out? Oh dear! I practically swooned reading that.

Thanks to the BI ladies of MN I ditched all of my M&S bras last year. I now buy a new bra only as a really special treat, and aim to spend between £25 and £40. I was wearing a 36C, and have actually found I'm a 32F, which I think sounds far sexier and real.

However I cannot convince my mum. She's still wearing 38B. She's a size 16. It's just not right.

Seriously OP, spend an afternoon treating yourself in Bravissimo. You'll never look back!

InMySpareTime · 12/02/2015 13:34

Peepants, I make that a starting size of 42J (took a while to convert to inchesBlush). At that end there's a fair scope for size differential in terms of back squidginessBlush, Breast tissue migration and style, so not the be-all and ends all, just a place to start from.

SorrelForbes · 12/02/2015 13:35

Peepants78 Your measurements (roughly) equate to 42/56 which suggests a starting size of 42JJ. Obviously that is a much, much bigger cup than what you're currently wearing! What happens if you 'scoop' whilst wearing your usual bra? I would expect there to be a lot of overspill.

You mention wanting more support and might like to know that it's not unusual for thiose of us with squidgier torsos to be wear a smaller band than measurements indicate. I've know ladies with similar udnerbust measurments, wear a 36/38 band.

Feminine · 12/02/2015 13:50

When measuring, say you get an odd number, am l right in thinking you just try the next size that exists?
27=28?
When l scooped, it made my beasts puff out the front and the wire rise up, that can't be right :)

InMySpareTime · 12/02/2015 13:54

Small sizes tend to round up, larger sizes round down. Skinny ribcages have less "give" than more generously sized torsos.
You've more choice with 28s than 26s anyway (which isn't much choice either way)

cookietrue22 · 12/02/2015 13:55

Would you mind doing me please?

I have a variety of bras in different sizes but none seem to fit properly.

Under bust measures 29 inches
Dangly boobs measure 39 inches

If it matters, I'm 5' and a clothes size 10.

Thank you lovely ladies, I'm really intrigued.

ThatBloodyWoman · 12/02/2015 13:55

I have an average norkelage and buy my bras in a pound shop.

troubleinstore · 12/02/2015 13:57

would you pay £40 for a pair of decent shoes? If the answer if yes, then a bra is going next to your skin so gotta be worth it!

MrsFionaCharming · 12/02/2015 13:58

When measuring around the full part of the bust, how tightly should I pull?

At the moment, I'm measuring 30inches around the ribs, and 36 around the bust, but a 30E seems very large for my very small breasts!

Blacksquirrel · 12/02/2015 14:04

Me please!!!

35 inches & 44 inches.

Wearing a 38e today which I know is wrong as spilling out all over the place!

Thank you in advance Flowers

Yoruba · 12/02/2015 14:05

Also wondering how to measure dangly boobs? Do you do it around the back and the boobs I.e. Like normal but bent over? And yes how tightly do you pull it?

Aberchips · 12/02/2015 14:06

£40 is not that much IMO but I would personally pay around £25-30. OP yiu definitely need BI - fionacharming I didn't believe my measurement at first either. I was in 34c & now I'm wearing (a very comfy) 32e Shock

DixieNormas · 12/02/2015 14:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Peepants78 · 12/02/2015 14:12

Thank you in
Sorry for the extra work, I measured in both and only wrote one! Grin
I think I might need a trip to the shops this weekend!

sorrel
My current bras don't sit flat against my chest, but unless I scoop/lift them (or bend!) I am usually contained. I do wear the straps and band at loosest points usually. I'm terribly paranoid about having that pulled in flesh look. Support would be great. secretly would love to have a push-up 'look at these' bra too!

Could either of you recommend a brand that caters to these sizes? Or shall I just commision a scaffold project now?