"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.

Fortunately for me, my breasts are not so large and heavy that I need a particularly supportive bra. The less I can feel my bra, the better! And I would have to be breathing incredibly shallowly if I only ever needed to expand my chest by two fingers' worth to breathe. Or is the two fingers under the band for when you have a full lungful of air?

www.brastop.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrbPn37PK1wIVRj8bCh1ptghxEAAYASAAEgKaePD_BwE

Try this site once you've measured properly.

And I would have to be breathing incredibly shallowly if I only ever needed to expand my chest by two fingers' worth to breathe

Again, no. Your chest doesn't expand that much when breathing. All of us wearing bras in the right size breathe just fine.

You really should try it, with the right cup size. Then let us know what it feels like.

roundaboutown Thinking about what a bra does, it needs to fit snugly. How can it support your bust loosely. I'm wearing a 32DD right now, I'm breathing and everything! i've just been out for a brisk, hour long dog walk, colour in my cheeks, a mild sweat on, no breathing difficulties and my bra straps didn't fall down and my breasts didn't jiggle.

Just for the record, an increase in diameter of 2 fingers is, in area, an increase in
3,14 x 1 finger x 1 finger
Which leaves plenty of breathing space.

I'd go somewhere else.

When I last got fitted at John Lewis the woman was able to suggest styles etc that would fit better, and also suggested brands that I'd need to try a different size in due to differences. It just seemed that they were more about getting a bra that fitted well rather than you are X size and off you go! At JL they fitted me based on no bra at all- she (correctly) guessed my size by looking at my boobs and then measured! It was worth the embrassment of baring my wonky tits to get a bra that fits right.

Well, a 30in underbust measurement should equate to a 34 bra. Yes, if we are living in 1950.

With today’s bras and materials, a 30 inch under bust measurement equates to a 30 inch band bra!

I am size 14, fairly large boned and measure just under 34, I wear a 34d bra from M&S or Next. I just take them in and try them on and buy what fits me best. I am fairly flat chested though.

Well according to the better bra campaign I should be wearing a 32DD or 34DD! I’m currently wearing anything from 36B to 38C depending on style and shop! I think I might head to M&S tomorrow and try the new size out. Just tried on a couple of my current bras and they look bloody awful. It’s one of those things though - you pop it on, yank your boobs into place then cover the whole thing up and forget about it!

One of my bras, 36C, I can get both hands under the strap but the cup is too big at the top so it gapes. I have masses of armpit fat too!

You do have to think about the shape of your breasts though. I have worked out that I can only wear two types of bra - balconetter is the absolute best and then full coverage Doreen type bra.
At 56 if I wear a plunge my boobs escape though the middle and anything not underwired makes them look like a bag full of porridge

purple I did the same. I didn't believe I could be 32 DD. i went to m&s and took a few bras in to try. A 32D and 32DD. I couldn't believe it when the 32DD was perfect. I actually got a fitter to have a look, not measure me. she checked around me and said it was spot on but I bet if she'd measured me using their method I'd have been a 34 b/c. my bra looks big when it's off but on it's perfect. The underwire ends run the side of my ribs so encases all the soft tissue.

Sorry , silly keyboard. *round the side not run.

I think if you have some flab around your ribs it can make you think you need a bigger size but the bra should hug your ribs, not encircle the flab, for want of a better word. Flab can be moved, ribs can't iyswim.

MrsHarry, what do we then do with the extra flab? Haul it up and into the bra? Or leave it under the bra?

Speaking of flab, I discovered I have very fat knees. I tried on a pair of knee high boots and I had a serious case of muffin top. Awful.

Sorry, that should be MsHarry! 😀

Well, I'm thinking of the bra as a bust support so the chest band needs to support firmly. Any flab would be squeezed out, so if it's a smooth look that you need then I'm guessing you would look at an all in one/spanx type thing or you have to lose the flab. Easier said than done!

Measure using the bra gurus method. It works.

thebetterbracampaign.blogspot.co.uk/p/fitting-advice.html

I was wearing 34B, with the bra guru went to a 30D. My bras now fit properly. You probably will be shocked but try it.

MrsHarry, what do we then do with the extra flab? Haul it up and into the bra? Or leave it under the bra?

The band should go across the flab, not push it up, which is what happens when the band is too wide and rides up the back.

A well known MN bra guru posted some photos a few years ago, but I can't find them now. And I hardly have any fat around the ribcage, so I can't show it up on me.

If you have extra tissue around the cup, then you probably need a bigger cup. My guideline is to put a snug (not tight) t-shirt on and the cup is a good fit if the boobs look smooth and not bumpy.

By squeezed out, I am talking about back flab. The bra's job is to encapsulate and support the bust. It can't be a miracle garment and deal with any back fat too.

Statistically, the penny has finally dropped about my armpit fat, thank you! I can’t bear bras that come up high in the armpit (Panache bras are the work of the devil) so I go for something lower. The Panache would probably hold the flab in place whereas the lower cut Satine doesn’t. I’ll stick with comfort and a bit of flab!

As sad as it sounds a good fitting bra will change your life. It did mine

I was working in a lingerie shop and was told that I had to wear the right size in order to work there. WAs in a 34b, it was comfortable as in it didn’t dig in but I didn’t look good. They put me in a 30f. It took weeks to get used to and I used to run home to haul it off. I looked so much better though.

My boobs didn’t get any bigger, the distance between my breast bone and the side part where the wire should sit is large. That’s the measurement not the ‘fullness’

My boobs were very saggy before and they are much better now as they don’t weigh down into a bra they are supported.

Lweji I think the photos you seek might be on the better bra campaign website.

Thanks everybody. I'll force myself to go tomorrow or I'll end up leaving it for months again. I'll try Debenhams then John Lewis if I need to.
It sounds like 34DD is the right place to start then, but try different makes and styles and maybe bigger cup size. I've always worn an A or B so very different.
gambers I think that's why I was so annoyed, I'd expected a whole new figure from this fitting, just came away feeling fat instead.
purple I just spat out my tea laughing at knee muffin top!

It's worth having a look at some photos of well fitting bras too before you go - if you've been wearing As and Bs and old style fitting then you're probably not used to how much of your breast should be actually covered by/in the bra. It's always a bit of a surprise!