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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:
Bue · 12/02/2015 16:47

Emwithme 48A?!?!?! It should be illegal to even make a bra in that size! No vaguely woman-shaped person could possibly be a 48A!

SweetBabyJebus · 12/02/2015 16:53

OMG I so need an intervention. Marking my place to get back to this thread later, as I don't think whipping out my breasts would be appropriate in the middle of work!

ouryve · 12/02/2015 17:01

It's probably the same as a 34D in M&S, shamp

Measuring gives a starting point. In various styles, I'm currently wearing a mixture of Curvy Kate 32G and Triumph 34F (similar sizing to M&S - I have a 32G that fits, but it's a bit too snug and I hate the shape it gives me, while the one with the looser band is nice at the time of the month when my boobs are more tender and I need either no wires or slightly different shaped wires. (Currently wearing an old 36DD cotton soft cup, which merely stops me from tripping over them, when I'm not feeling up to any proper scaffolding at all)

ouryve · 12/02/2015 17:02

I doubt if any man shaped person is, either, bue!

WyldChyld · 12/02/2015 17:02

Oooooh, me please! 40.5 underbust, and a staggering 57.5 in the round the boobage... I'm currently in 48E as measured by SimplyBe which is bloody uncomfortable, rides up my back and pokes under the arm (hence why I bought a 44F as a "compromise")

ZebraLovesKnitting · 12/02/2015 17:03

If it's not too much bother I'd love some advice too!

Under bust I measure 38.5", over I measure 53". Currently in a 42DD and it's not really working out very well.

ouryve · 12/02/2015 17:04

This is the biggest, flattest one they sell. I suspect 46C is probably too small in the cup for a lot of moobs!
www.marksandspencer.com/total-support-all-over-fleur-lace-non-wired-b-g-bra/p/p22220849

ouryve · 12/02/2015 17:05

That's because you're more like 38K, Zebra I suspect if you scooped you'd have a lot more than quad boob going on.

ZebraLovesKnitting · 12/02/2015 17:07

I kind of just push it in and around as best I can Blush

Thankyou, I shall try & find some in that size. Bit different from my DDs!

ouryve · 12/02/2015 17:08

And Wyld, you should only need a 40 band, or thereabouts, but unless there's a lot of nipple in that measurement, a K would be 2 cup sizes too small!

ouryve · 12/02/2015 17:11

Bravissimo says it goes up to an L, so that might be your best bet!

OhMjh · 12/02/2015 17:12

It cost my £80 for a maternity bra as I had to get it handmade, thanks to the size my knockers grew to.
Fucking thing didn't even fit after my milk came in.

On a less rant-y note, £40 really isn't a lot. It's not like you need a new one every month! You're paying for the support, and that to me is invaluable.

WyldChyld · 12/02/2015 17:12

Wow, that's a scary amount of boob. Very little nippleage, if any in that measurement, (hope that's not tmi)... No wonder none of my bras fit!

WyldChyld · 12/02/2015 17:13

Thank you very much, by the way, that was an eye opener!

SorrelForbes · 12/02/2015 17:13

WyldChyld Your measurements suggest a starting point around 40L/M. However, at the larger cup sizes it gets trickier to estimate from measurements alone. I suspect you probably need a 36/38 band and possibly a bigger cup. There are websites out there that stock M cups but I'd recommend starting with a few L cups from Bravissimo and working it out from there (or going in for a fitting if possible).

Your 48E has the same cup volume as a 38H. Have you got any overspill/bulge?

DontDrinkandFacebook · 12/02/2015 17:14

Quite honestly I am so sick of uncomfortable and unflattering bras that I'd pay a hundred and forty pounds for one if it felt right and looked nice. Let's face it, we wear them constantly, they are such an important part of our wardrobe and how we feel/look that it's worth paying for a good one. They last ages too, if you wash them carefully. In the scheme of things they are not expensive.

Two or three decent, comfortable, well flitted, flattering bras is probably all you need. One black, one white, one neutral. Job done for a year or two.

SorrelForbes · 12/02/2015 17:15

I'd even go as far as to say, don't bother with a white one, buy a red or pink one instead. White tends to show up under light clothes whereas nude/pink/red doesn't so is more useful.

WyldChyld · 12/02/2015 17:16

Sorrel, some overspill but not as bad as before. 42H seems to just about cut it.

Damnit, why can't I have smaller boobs and easier bras?! Haha

Original poster
PomBearWithAnOFRS · 12/02/2015 17:19

I take the wires out so they can't dig in. I have never ever had a bra that was comfortable with the wires in, no matter who measured me and fitted it Confused And I can't say I've ever noticed much difference afterwards - perhaps I'm a weird shape or something Grin With the wires in, I tend to have two separate Norks, each proudly pointing straight out and they enter the room ten minutes before me. Without the wires I just have a Bosom, and cleavage if I want to wear something lower cut neck.
I've never found one that is comfy enough to wear in another brand or that fits as well - I stick with a Fantasie one, then I can order it from anywhere I can find one in the right size and not have to worry about having to return it.
There are no shops round here that sell them big enough, we used to have a lovely specialist bra fitter lady with a bridal shop, but since she retired there is nowhere. Even Evans don't do the cup size in store.
The knickers aren't matching, they're a multipack of plain black ginormous Sloggi ones. They are comfy and last a long time and don't go out of shape or saggy in the wash, which is why I buy them.
This is interesting though, seeing what other people do and spend and like.
I've always been slightly envious of my friends who can just nip into any shop and get loads of pretty underwear for a fiver and have matching sets for every day.

OP posts:
MillyMoo1113 · 12/02/2015 17:19

Ok I keep reading these threads and I know I need a BI. Please can someone advise, measurements are 35 and 42. Am I right in thinking 36F??

SorrelForbes · 12/02/2015 17:21

WyldChyld, Ok it might be that your someone who needs a smaller cup than they measure. Some overspill suggests going up at least two cups so I'd try some sizes around 40JJ/38K.

SorrelForbes · 12/02/2015 17:22

MillyMoo1113 Try 34F/FF and 36E/F. The 34s will probably be the best fit.

SorrelForbes · 12/02/2015 17:24

PomBearWithAnOFRS The thing is, if everyone was wearing the correct size bra, then hardly anyone would be able to pop out and buy somehting for £5 Grin.

Have you tried measureing and working out your size? Fantasie are a good brand but they don't suit everyone (me included).

sosix · 12/02/2015 17:24

It is annoying. I invested in 6 freya brs last year as they fit me well.