To ask if anyone is actually comfy in a bra?

[Tinkerbell456]

I am 54 and, having had no kids, have reasonably “perky” boobs. Hey, being childless has to have a little upside, ok. Average cup size. I hate wearing a bra! Obviously need to if inappropriate not to, but find most bras hellishly uncomfortable really. Do I have any ummm..support for this view?

Agree with PP about bralettes. I haven't worn a proper bra since I discovered them. I get them from M&S. I have relatively small boobs though!

I've never been uncomfortable in a bra. I've never had a bra intervention. I'm a traditional 34B and very happy with underwired bras. From reading all these intervention threads it seems to me that bras are manufactured to different patterns but labelled the same size, causing all the drama about "the wrong size". Also it seems to be better endowed women who have most issues.

I'm in my 50's now and since the dc/weight gain, i have boobs, but i now go mostly braless. I've been measured and measured and in the shop, they seem fine, but as soon as i get them home...they constrict me!
I have to wear one for running or horse riding, but take it off as soon as i can.
Obviously i look much better supported with one, but i figure there have to be some perks to getting older and having comfort over style is one i've chosen.

I wonder this too OP! I've been fitted and yes, when they fit they are certainly more comfortable than ill-fitting but nothing beats taking it off in the evening. I do have sensory issues though. Think part of it for me is the uneven distribution of the pressure on that area of my skin - to be a good fit, the band then has to naturally be quite close fitting, but then my tshirt is looser, and the difference annoys me.

Have compromised and wear soft bralet things half the time now.

Marking place to read through for recommendations for brilliantly comfortable bras later.

Also, how long do everyones bras tend to last?

A previously comfortable (and expensive) bra has now become uncomfortable but it's a couple of years old, it seems to be done in.

@ArgyMargy a 34B is actually pretty uncommon these days, when measured properly. That’s only 2 inches difference between rib measurement and bust, you probably wouldn’t need a bra at all. A 34 back would be a 14-16+ dress size making a 2 inch difference even more unlikely (though of course I may be wrong, we’re all different) Do give the boob or bust calculator a go. There are some variations in size between manufacturers though, I’m a 32FF in some bras and a 30FF in one I own. Once you know how they’re meant to fit it’s easy to figure out though. It’s never going to be a huge difference.

OP - Do the boob or bust calculator before you go anywhere. I don’t know about shops in Oz but I do know most standard shops and department stores here and in the US measure wrong and aren’t to be trusted, I’d imagine it’s the same. I’m sure you’ll have a Bravissimo equivalent if you investigate.
UK and AUS sizes seem to be the same except the number is called something different, here’s a converter chart. So get your UK size from BoB and see what it converts to. www.sizeguide.net/bra-sizes.html

30f and find most bras uncomfortable by the end of the day. I'd love something that wasn't so structured, but hard to find in my size.

Mine are fine, and I'm large. So used to them I don't even feel them

I don’t find them comfortable, but that is probably due to being quite overweight with GG cups and then the straps digging in.

I would LOVE to be an A or a B and never have to wear a bra!

Someone posted a chart of how to measure properly on here a while ago, I took a screenshot, I'll try and find it.
When you are measuring you should lean forward and let everything hang down 😂. I was wearing a 34dd, now I'm wearing a 32ff, it fits so much better.

@ buffalo cauliflower. Have been properly measured, though not all that recently. C cup but seems a fraction small lately. Not sure why. No weight gain or anything. Maybe I need to be measured again.

I would go and get measured again, you may have changed shape. About 5years ago having lost weight, but finding the 34DD cups I was wearing still didn’t fit properly I went to John Lewis and told I was 32F.

Here it is

Boob or bust doesn't work for everyone - even adding 2 to my BoB size I get sore red marks on my ribs and saggy cups even after scooping. I accept a tighter band gives better support but that's no good if it's too uncomfortable to wear all day!

I'm a non wired convert. On occasion I recognise my lovely grans cleavage on myself, but what price comfort? Happy to see someone else talk about breaking a bra in. I thought that was my peculiarity.

@UnaOfStormhold BoB is a starting point not gospel. It’s worth going to Bravissimo afterwards as they can account more for the shape and weight of your breasts. I measure at 32G/32GG but fit a 32FF or 30FF better depending on the cut of the bra.

@HorseDoorBolted what band size? A 32GG and a 38GG are completely different. If your straps are digging in you might need a more supportive band

As a general comment - it’s really unhelpful when people say they’re a DD or an F without the band information. A cup is not a defined measurement, the same cup sewn onto different bands. The cup is only in relation to the band. A 30F and a 38F are vastly different in size and volume. I think this use of cup alone as some defining factor contributes to a lot of the misunderstandings on bra sizing.

I love my bra. Putting it on I refer to as plugging my brain in. I think at 34D I'm bordering on flat-chested? Compared to a lot of MNers, anyway. Still love my bra & can't function without.

at comment about perky boobs only if child-free.

Yes. I’m a 28G. My boyfriend looked shocked at that size because a G cup at that back size is completely unremarkably sized boobs. The G sounds impressive alone, but the cup volume is not all that big.

I'm a 28DD, and generally go braless, I rarely wear wired bras unless I want to wear a pretty matching set of undies. I am now a convert to the yoga bra, comfy, stretchy and no wires but really good support. Plus it's the only type of bra that has ever given me visible cleavage, even the highly padded push up bras I wore in my teens didn't achieve this.

42DD. I've never thought about it until recently, but have started going braless on home days. I have a few really soft jumpers with detailing on the front that mean I can go braless outside the house, too. And on occasion, I do.

I was a 28D before DS and am now a DD, I used to go completely bra less but now I’m nursing him I generally have a nursing bra on. I don’t think I’ve ever found bras uncomfortable, as long as I’ve been measured. I used to even sleep in my bra, but wouldn’t do that anymore. I only really get plain bras though, none of this fancy lace stuff for day to day wear, I only wear that on special occasions

32GG and ache, without a bra. It's nice to take it off at night, though.

I’m a 40F and never feel uncomfortable. I wear underwire t shirt style ones.

I find them comfy, provided I'm wearing the correct size. I absolutely hate the feeling of not having one, I could never be one of those people who comes home and takes it off. I'm not even aware of it most of the time.