"Armpit fat" isn't normal over bra?

[Pigflewpast]

Just been to Bravissimo for a long overdue bra fitting and buying session. They don't measure you, just bring out bras to try based on whatever you went in wearing ( in my case a long past its best 36B from Debenhams). She decided I was a 34dd.
Every bra brought to me gave me varying degrees of fat, including double fat with its own cleavage, above the sides, in front of my arm pits. The fitter just said "yeah, some people get that, you just have to choose the best".
So I left with nothing, except embarrassment, and annoyance that I'll have to find somewhere else to put myself through it again.
I'm a size 10-12, and whilst not skinny not so large that I should be accepting armpit boobs above my bra surely??
Any advice anybody? Please? Dreading going anywhere else now.

Over the last year or so their fitting has got shockingly bad. I used to really rate them but each time I’ve been in almost every body I’ve seen being fitted had obviously been handed the wrong size bra.

Obviously to the point that you can look at them then the bra they are holding and think WTF that’s to small.

Also, as PP mentioned, I would expect someone in a 10-12 dress size to be 32/34 back. Do you have a tape measure to hand?

She didn't seem at all interested I have to say, even obviously far too small bras just got a quick "how's that?". So annoyed because I've been meaning to get fitted for months and was looking forward to nice bras again. Everyone else in surrounding cubicles seemed very happy with theirs.
M&S bras have never fitted me well. Think my favourite ever was from Primark but when I replaced it they'd changed.

I'd second Debenhams, they are rubbish for most things but for bras for the large of nork they are very good. I'm a 34 G and don't have any unsightly fat around my bras (shame that can't be said for the rest of me!)

Doesn't sound right. I'm a 14/16, wearing a 32 band and it's fine, no bulges

After having various parts really digging in, flesh oozing out and various other issues.
I got a tape measure. Measure my back and braless boobs.
Went bra shopping (wearing a bra 😂) and a vest top and started with the measured size in n a variety of styles. Then went up and down cups and backs as required.

If you have armpit fat, you need to go up a size in the cup, until there is no overspill anywhere. This way you can get a truly comfortable bra which will lift your boobs up and will look great will clothes on.

I've just measured ( with a very cold tape!) and I'm just under 34 around bra strap. Which I think is about an inch more than I usually am so I've put on quite a bit round there and am now wondering if I'll get in my size 10 Christmas top!

You need to go back and ask for another fitter. It sounds to me as if the cup is much too small for you. Try measuring yourself following this guide: thebetterbracampaign.blogspot.co.uk/p/fitting-advice.html

Basically, OP, you were being given bras that were too tight. Bravissimo seem to have a line in appealing to people's vanity by pretending they have a smaller back size than is actually the case (especially since they can't flog you a bra at all if you aren't at least a D cup...). If you need to shove excess fat into your bra, or worse, can't get all the fat in, then you do not have a well fitted, supportive bra, you have a bra that doesn't actually fit, or a bra corset that is far less about being well supported and healthy and far more about finding ways of manipulating your body fat like Victorian women used to do to their detriment, because they liked the appearance of the hourglass figure. If the bras are not even flattering, you are manipulating your mammary glands to no good purpose whatsoever! Try going up a back size again to see if that helps and shop elsewhere as other places may shape the cups of their bras in a way that better suits the shape of your own breasts, rather than leaving bits behind to have their blood supply cut off!

Cross post! If you measure just under 34" then you don't need to go up to a 36 band. I suspect you need a bigger cup or a different style bra.

Which branch was it?

Thetrout The problem with sizing nowadays (old gimmer alert ) is the bleedin' vanity sizing which some shops have and others don't so no one knows where they with anything esp. bras. I'm a loose 10 vanity size in an M&S sports pant. so the 36D is fine for me , you just have to try them on.

I had the same thing with the insufferably smug Rigby and Peller where the fitter insisted in shoving me into a ridiculously tight bra and told me that was how it was supposed to be. I went back to M&S.

You need a bigger cup with a 34 back. Try E, F and FF and remember to scoop!

Many (if not most!) people do need a D+ cup. Cup volume is relative to band size and a D cup only means that you measure 4" bigger around the fullest part of your bust than around where your bra band sits.

I went there once. 32E and was really disappointed. I have a big size difference and she was recommending one where half my bigger boob was squeezed out of the side.

John Lewis was always the best for me. They never pushed the more expensive brands on to me and the fit was really good from them.

roundaboutthetown Yes exactly

Have a read of this and see what size it suggests: thebetterbracampaign.blogspot.co.uk/p/fitting-advice.html?m=1

white that's interesting because I was wondering if I dare try the very exclusive local shop on the grounds that if I was paying more it might be better. Think you've given me he excuse not to put myself through that.

I'm a size 8-10 and wear a 34B which works for me.

I don't know about vanity sizing but I'd rather be a 34B via the old-fashioned method than a 30DD via the new method.

Even at a size 8 I have armpit fat (I'm far from an 8 now lol)and it's not because the cup is too small either cos it's the same no matter what cup size I wear.

I think most people get it, unless you're very toned or the band of your bra is too loose.

I had exactly the same problem OP with Bravissimo, you have my sympathies.
They fitted me with a bra so tight that I had fat overhangs at the back.
I normally wear a size 36D. They fitted me with a 32F.

I am also 9st , 5'7" and work out regularly at the gym.

I suggested to the fitter that the bra was too tight , and the fat looked awful, she simply sneered and said " it's a fault of your body, not the bra". I felt embarrassed but trusted their judgement and stupidly bought the expensive bra.
I wore it to a day out, breathing was actually difficult and by the end of the day I had weals in my skin where the boning at the sides of the bra had rubbed.
By this time I was angry, took the bra back and was refused a refund because I had worn it. Terrible customer service.

We were fitted at Debenhams this year (me and 2 DDs) and they were amazing. The first thing the lady who fitted us said that she wasn't here to sell us a bra but to find out what size we were - and true to her word she only sold us one bra (for DD1 because it fit perfectly), would not sell us another in the same size because she said that one was badly finished and she was sending it back to the manufacturer and to come back next week when more would. Sold us nothing for DD2 because nothing was right, but told us what to look out for - we found the right ones for her in M&S. I ended up with two Debenhams and two M&S bras, DD1 did get the ones that worked for her when they were back in stock and fitter checked they were properly finished. You just need the right person to do the job.

No armpit or back fat spill on any of us.

TBH, my fittings at R&P haven't been great! However, all my experiences at Bravissimo have been really good. It takes a while to find out your ideal size and shape across different brands though (like jeans!).

When i do the 'scoop' method so often praised on MN i find i need such a big cup size that the wires poke me painfully in the arm pits. I've wasted £25 on this method.

In my humble (34GG) opinion i think you have to try on try on try on find what brands fit you and at the end of the day there's a choice to be made ...

Strike a balance between how much uplift you want (tighter the band the higher you can get your boobs) and how much 'squish' of back flesh/armpit flesh you want to see through your clothes.

It's a bit like spanx. It's all got to go somewhere. If you have tight elastic then the flesh is going to bulge/move. I've found a 34GG in Freya or Curvy Kate lifts them up and i get a little bit of bulge. It's a good compromise. I can get them higher with a tighter band and a bigger cup but then i get a bumpy looking back.