Struggling to get a first bra for teen DD

[CarrotCakeMuffins]

My teen DD has been wearing cropped tops since starting secondary and has now said she would like a bra.
But due to Coronavirus I'm unable to get her measured anywhere and she'll be unable to try anything on while out shopping as changing rooms are closed.
So, where are the best places to get first bras in small sizes? And what size(s) should I be looking for?
I've measured her at 28.5" band and 31" bust. So I thought 28 B?

I ordered a selection from M&S which are all tiny bands and way too tight for her (the band itself is only 21" un-stretched!). So they obviously still do silly sizing. These will all be going back...

We are near a small city so have a reasonable range of options available, and am also happy to order online, and return as necessary.
I don't want to go in more shops than I need to at the moment...

Where should I be looking for small first bras for teenagers?
And how does sizing work in those places?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

@Sarahlou252 if you were trying a cup size that was too small then the smaller back would feel tight. A C cup on 32 back is smaller than a C cup on a 34 back so if you try a smaller back size you need to increase the cup size to maintain the same cup volume

i used to be a ann summers rep so im trained in measuring
im obviously going on your measurements

im putting her as a 30B or a 28C
you either round up or down but down is usually tight

so round up the 28.5 to a 29 and as that dont exist it would be a 30 then you add a inch for every cup size so 28 would be 29AA,30A 31B

Thank you! You are all really helpful as expected.
The other problem I've found is lots of smaller sizes are out of stock on line in a lot of places. :(

But I'll see what I can find and order a load. We don't have a Matalan nearby but should have all your other suggestions for actual shops as well.

For most people, not adding on inches isn't what's giving them a bra that feels too tight, it's adding on inches but then wearing a cup size that is far too small.

Smaller band plus bigger cup still has pretty much the same inches overall, it's just that the inches are at the front where you need them, not round the back.

I've never seen anyone say a bra should leave red welts but red welts isn't the same as leaving a bit of a mark. My socks leave a pink mark round my ankles and my jeans leave a mark around my waist. But it doesn't mean they are too small. It's just because to actually be tight enough to stay up, they need to touch my skin.

As somebody who does measure about 28 (or did before DC2) in my experience you do need to add inches because they make them miniscule. I can't do up a size 28 band and even with the few brands that I just about can, I can't expand my ribcage to breathe in them, I'm at the very limit of the stretch of the material.

I can see if you're a bit bigger wearing your actual measured size makes sense but if you have no padding on your ribs yourself it doesn't work very well.

Although I'm obsessive about wearing exactly bthe right size myself, I'm much less concerned about my daughter. That's because I'm a 32H and if I were to size up in the band I'd be in agony as the wires would dig in.

My daughter wears a 30D and it's not underwired, and she doesn't need much in the way of support. So even though her measurements are more like a 28DD, it doesn't matter much. I had to buy her a 32 sports bra because she needed one quickly and we didn't have time to order online and I trudged through every shop in town and 32 was the smallest on sale anywhere.

Saying that, when I used to add 4, I raus came out as a negative cup size which was seriously depressing as a teen!

Yeah that's where that measuring system falls down - e.g. if you measure 28 under and 30 over then BOB method would say 28B. The other method would give 32 back and who knows what cup size as 30-32 = -2

For those of you adding inches to your actual ribcage measurement and buying a bigger bra back, do you find the back rides up? It probably does. And that means it's too big. Getting the back size right is crucial; only then can you work out a suitable cup because as others have said the cup is is relative to the back size. A 28D has a massively smaller cup than a 34D, for example. A 28D has the same cup volume as a 30C, or a 32B, or a 30A.

Although they can vary between manufacturers... I can usually get into a 28J with no problems and wouldn't get decent support from a bigger band size, but sports bras in particular seem to fit more tightly in the band and I had to buy a 30HH because otherwise I couldn't breathe! So you do still have to try stuff on. (And remember also that you're supposed to buy it on the loosest hook; it will stretch with wash and wear so if you buy it on the middle or tightest hook it'll be too loose before long.)

Personally I've totally given up on 'normal' bras though! All mine are from Molke now and I don't think I'll ever wear an underwired bra again.

Of course that sort of bra won't appeal to teens, but I would strongly consider the bralette style ones. Comfort level aside, wearing a wired bra that isn't a really good fit can be downright dangerous i.e. if the wiring itself is pressing into the breast tissue. Plenty of time for her to try wired ones when she's older, if she really wants to!

Update - I ordered several in 30B from Sainsburys. The size / fit is good but DD doesn't like them...
At least I know what size to order now though!

I'm going to order some from Next which I think she might like. But they're on a 2-4 week delivery lead time :(
We can also look in a Next store plus Primark.

I will read through again to check for other suggested stores. I've looked at New Look and Debenhams but nothing suitable in the right size in either.

Thanks again for your help

I got some Lonsdale Sports Bras from Sports Direct for my daughter, she loves them. They have adjustable straps and a hook fastening at the back. They are currently 2 for £13. A few different colours too.

www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-partners-willow-non-wired-bra/almond/p5039080?size=30b John Lewis?

@OooglyBoogly

For those of you adding inches to your actual ribcage measurement and buying a bigger bra back, do you find the back rides up? It probably does. And that means it's too big. Getting the back size right is crucial; only then can you work out a suitable cup because as others have said the cup is is relative to the back size. A 28D has a massively smaller cup than a 34D, for example. A 28D has the same cup volume as a 30C, or a 32B, or a 30A.

Although they can vary between manufacturers... I can usually get into a 28J with no problems and wouldn't get decent support from a bigger band size, but sports bras in particular seem to fit more tightly in the band and I had to buy a 30HH because otherwise I couldn't breathe! So you do still have to try stuff on. (And remember also that you're supposed to buy it on the loosest hook; it will stretch with wash and wear so if you buy it on the middle or tightest hook it'll be too loose before long.)

Personally I've totally given up on 'normal' bras though! All mine are from Molke now and I don't think I'll ever wear an underwired bra again.

Of course that sort of bra won't appeal to teens, but I would strongly consider the bralette style ones. Comfort level aside, wearing a wired bra that isn't a really good fit can be downright dangerous i.e. if the wiring itself is pressing into the breast tissue. Plenty of time for her to try wired ones when she's older, if she really wants to!

I measure 28 under bust and wear a 30 back, I couldn't wear a 28 or it would be painful. I've tried putting the bra on backwards to try so the cup doesn't come into it, it's too small. My bras don't ride up and I wear them on the middle hooks.

It depends on how much padding you have too. I can wear a tighter back as my fat bits are squishy. The measurements give a guide for you to work with and you may have to adjust cup and/or back to get a good fit

plus they were talking about adding 4 or 5 inches to the back size rather than just going up 1 back size to get good fit

Theres no point trying to get a young girl with small boobs into a tight fitting bra. They dont need all that support and its not comfy for them.
I use the boob or bust method for myself but for my dd I would go up one or two band sizes or get a bralette

Tu at Sainsbury's do a nice white bralet for older girls, but no padding, they fasten and adjust just like a bra. I got my DD an unwired lightly padded bra from M+S, she measured 30 underneath and then 33 around the bust which I think is a 30c but I went for a more conservative 30b which fitted perfectly and looks lovely. I find unwired bras have less give in the band so the sizing needs to be 👌I'd have gone with a 30 band for your DD as she's on the cusp of 29 in which you'd size up to 30". Go with the advice of others, order a few different sizes to try on at home.

Brastop often have 28 or 30 back sizes in the sale, so worth checking for some inexpensive things to try on. Boux avenue have small sizes but might be a bit grown up (not sure how old your DD is?)
And yes, the adding 4 inches method definitely doesn't work for small frames. I used to always be stuck in a 32A by m&s (possibly because it's the smallest size they had) and they were so uncomfortable. Got myself measured at Debenhams a few years back and they put me in Freya 28D or 28DD. I still have tiny boobs, not what people might think of as a D cup, but I'm finally comfortable!

I got measured at christmas in boux avenue as a 29 back

They said try 28 and 30 back, we decided 28 best. I have bought a few 30 but the problem is they stretch and so at first fit but after a year or so are too loose.

Id probably have a couple 28 backs and a couple of 30 backs as there are days when we are bigger than others. Primark or new look are good for teens, and h an m often do some really pretty bras but have limited range of small sizes.

Lots of teens shop at places like victoria secrets or calvin klein but they seem so expensive for a bra you will grow out of quickly.

www.peacocks.co.uk/lds-seamfree-thin-strap-ace8c1.html Theses are fab (they look much more like a bra than the picture shows) They have them in lots of colours and they are very very stretch so fit very well indeed as there is so much give. My 17 year old wears them as she hates the feel of the clasps on bras (also the seams etc)

Bust 32" and band 27" - 32B fits perfectly (32A on charts though). George bras are best here, Primark comes up a little small.

You are probably more like 28D @Rhubarblin

You’re more likely to be a 28DD @Rhubarblin.

All this adding inches to the band size is very old fashioned advice.

Boob or Bust is the correct way to measure. I’m a 28D, marks and Spencer’s would put me in a 34AA and I’d spend all day honking the straps up.

Ooh yes, 28D. Your my size then.

Boux Avenue are great for small sizes.
I measure as 28 C and there’s loads of choice on there in my size, usually sales on too.
Delivery has always been very fast.