Boob or bust - surely that's not right??!!

[HariboLectar]

I've not bought bras in a long time, about 20 years ago I was measured in M&S as 34a... I've not massively changed size over the years (no kids) when I do put on weight it goes around my stomach not my boobs.

Decided I would measure myself using boob or bust method and it has me at 30FF seriously can't see how this can be right? For a start, I can't see how I've lost 4 inches from the band(?) size.

Has anyone else used this method and found their new size to fit well?

[Pineapplemonkey]

@HariboLectar yep I did the bending forward and scooping thing (do this usually anyway) but the cups are ginormous on me, so big I can’t imagine it would be any better in another style to be honest, I think I’m better off with my current DD’s, maybe try an E. Current bras seem to fit okay (middle flat to breast bone, no bulging out of the cups and the back doesn’t ride up) it’s just the damn wires digging into my flesh under my arms. Maybe it’s not the bra and is just because of excess flesh and I’m expecting too much of my underwear

[HariboLectar]

Also worth checking the recommended styles for your boob shape.

[HariboLectar]

pineapple how did you put the bra on?
They recommend bending forward to do it - so the breast tissue goes into the cups.
Also swoop and scoop.
There's videos /explanations on their facebook group.

[Pineapplemonkey]

I don't think it would matter what style this one was (full cup for the record), it was definitely way beyond too big for me despite Boob or Bust telling me this was the size to buy. Maybe I've just got odd boobs, I have often suspected this

[Avelosa]

I recently did this, and trust me it does work. It can take a few goes to find the right style for yourself. I was wearing a 42E but I’m actually a 36HH so I was way out! Bought some bras in that size from M&S and it’s life changing, so much comfier!

@pineapplemonkey if you join the Facebook group they will be able to help you. It may just be that the style you’ve bought isn’t quite right. They’re really helpful on there

[Pineapplemonkey]

So, after reading this tread a while ago, I eventuality got around to measuring myself using boob or bust and then ordered the new size from Brastop which arrived today. I have been wearing a 40DD or E. Boob or Bust has me at 40H. So I had the right band but wrong cup size. I remeasured many many times as per the instructions as it seemed unlikely I was an H but in the end, went with their wisdom. Excitedly tried it on when it arrived today, only to discover not only will my boobs fit in it, so will most of the streets, you could make a new bra from the excess fabric! Needless to say but it will be going back.
Considering how much I've seen on MN about this way of measuring being much better, where did I go wrong???

[MiddlesexGirl]

I did give BoB a go. Ended up with red weals on my rib cage where the band dug in ... and that was a 32 band. I'm a 34B - BoB would say 30D.
The old method worked perfectly well and still does in many ranges. In fact you can't actually buy 30 bands in the shops mostly and I'm far from being small (a 10 dress size).
Oh ... my tape measure measures just fine. 30 underbust 34.5 round boobs.

[Trichinella]

Style also plays a huge part. I have wide set boobs, but with lack of tissue on top, so need wide cups ( Debenhams Gorgeous work well for me, Tesco on the other hand ave very narrow wires) in a balcony style. Full cups look wrong on me.

I was measured as 38B in m&s. I’m actually a 34E.

[TAKESNOSHITSHIRLEY]

ok i did the website,im wearing a 44 J,sometimes a K

i came out as a 44J ,i am trained in measuring though(via ann summers)so i must have been wearing the right size anyway

[Roominmyhouse]

Definitely try it, I always wore a 36 band and thought anything smaller was too tight but with the right cup size it’s so much more comfy.

[Bubblemonkey]

Give it a go. Most are pleasantly surprised

[StatisticallyChallenged]

It's because you are wearing a much smaller cup which makes the band artificially tight.

I'm a 32jj or thereabouts. If I try to put on a 32g it probably wouldn't close. A 34G would appear too tight too. There needs to be enough space in the cup for the right band to fit

[DelphiniumBlue]

Well, I've just measured on BoB, come out at 36GG. It's strange, I can only just tolerate a 38 band, and sometimes go to a 40 for comfort. I usually wear M&S 38/40 E, and recently, supermarket soft bras in XXL, I'm finding any band uncomfortable these days. Gave up wires a few years ago as menopausal hotness made them unbearable.
I don't think I could tolerate a 36 band at all.

[HariboLectar]

These might be better than me trying to explain it

[HariboLectar]

hopeyousteponalego

the way I saw it explained - if you a non-stretchy tape measure goes around at 32" then why wouldn't a stretchy piece of material. I'll see if I can find the pic that explained it.

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Hopeyousteponalego try those 34 on back to front. The bands should be snug - back to front is so you can evaluate the band with cups which might be too small distorting the fit.

[proudownerofplants]

you're right, Delphinium I remember at school (age 16 or so) everyone was a 34B or C, except some of the very busty girls. Some of us were very petite and some a lot more 'well built' like me, all squeezing into the same sized bras! there is such a better range available these days.

[HopeYouStepOnALego]

I wear a 36 band (I'm a bit overweight) but BOB reckons I should be wearing a 32! No way! I've got some 34 band bras here that are incredibly uncomfortable. I hate the feeling of a very tight bra and the idea of going two sizes smaller means I'd barely be able to breathe, if I was even to get them done up to start with.

[StatisticallyChallenged]

There's also a lot of bollocks published about bra sizing in terms of celebs especially which doesn't help. I've seen slim celebs like Victoria Beckham being detailed as wearing a 36. And at her biggest the press often claimed Katie price was a 34ff. Balls she was

[DelphiniumBlue]

I just wanted to mention that for years bras only used to come in A, B or C cup. B was medium, 34B was the standard size for a young woman who would be a size 10/12. It was practically impossible to find a bra smaller than a 32, or bigger than 38.
AA cups were introduced for girls wearing their first bra. I don't think I ever saw a D cup bra on sale until the early 80's - if you were bigger breasted you just went for more stretchy! My mum had real issues finding bras to fit, at a UK size 18/20, and there was never a choice of anything pretty.
This is relevant because bra sizes just don't mean the same thing now. A 34B-cup is probably not medium any more, it's probably quite a small bosomed size, and 30E probably doesn't mean massive boobs either. I think people's idea of what a bra size means is, like oprices, based on what the case was when they were in their early 20's. Hence proudownerofplants being gobsmacked that she has been measured as a 36E. It just doesn't mean the same as it used to.

[proudownerofplants]

I have a wide, shallow bust and a broad back. M&S measured me at a 38B and bras looked ridiculous, spilling out at the sides which I put down to being fat, even when I wasn't.

BOB makes me a 36E-F which I was gobsmacked at. To me that's a properly big size but bras fit so much better. I still have very widely separated boobs so no cleavage but they look a million times better and more proportiononal in clothes.

[HariboLectar]

Remember you need to stretch the band before measuring! An unstretched 32 won't measure 32. And measuring a stretched band is harder than you'd think

It's something I'm going to try and master before lockdown is over

[Wannabegreenfingers]

I also measured myself this way. Was convinced I was a 36C. Gave up with M&S years ago as there fitting, never felt right on me.

Turns out I'm a 34DD. Its amazing. Took a while to get used the tighter band, but no more spilling boobs. Its a revelation!

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Remember you need to stretch the band before measuring! An unstretched 32 won't measure 32. And measuring a stretched band is harder than you'd think

[HariboLectar]

With not being able to go in shops and try on I've ordered a few different bras as a starting point, as I've heard that different brands (and styles) differ.

To be honest in the middle of lockdown probably wasn't the best time to start looking into this

To those saying how can I be 36 and now coming out at 32, I thought the same - as it was explained to me "if you can get a tape measure around you, then a stretchy piece of fabric measuring the same will fit".

Although as some brands come up smaller/larger it is worth checking them against a tape measure.
Also apparently some tape measures, aren't accurate depending on their country of manufacture.