Bra shopping. Large band size but small boobs.

[Charsy01]

Sorry wrong place but posting here for traffic.

Where I can find some places that cater for a lady (me) with a large chest measurement (42) and only just filling a B cup!

A lot of places don’t go up to a 42 and when they do it starts at a C - I need a B cup.

Marks and Spencer’s for a few but selection not great.

I like something slightly padded and I also really like plunge style bras as the wiring doesn’t come quite so far up between my boobs - that are also set quite far apart 😂 cannot go for anything to full looking on the cups as it just feels too big and often can be seen peering above t shirts and blouses etc that are lower cut!

I don’t want a sports bra as I do need some support and I do like underwiring to give me a bit of a push up!

Any ideas? Anyone else in the same boat? I feel shops feel curvier ladies will always have bigger boobs but my boobs don’t seem to increase or decrease with weight gain or loss!

It was much easier when I was slimmer and smaller band!

I am working on losing weight so don’t want to spend too much either as may need another soon!

Have you looked at Boob or Bust for measuring? www.booborbust.com/

I just googled it and found some on amazon, 42b. £14.

www.amazon.co.uk/DORINA-Womens-Michelle-T-Shirt-Everyday/dp/B01LZG0KWS/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&psc=1&rnid=1837088031&s=clothing&keywords=42b%2Bbra&th=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1619009477&refinements=p_n_size_three_browse-vebin%3A1946237031%2Cp_n_size_four_browse-vebin%3A1837091031&sr=1-7

Sorry, i meant d :O

Are you doing the M&S style of measuring (eg add inches)?

Definitely try boob or bust. Unless you are massively obese with no boobs there's no way you are a 42b.

I'm a 38a and almost never find my size in shops. I get bras from eBay as there are always some to be found there

Google Sister sizes. And measure with boob or bust as a pp has said!

@OneRingToRuleThemAll

Definitely try boob or bust. Unless you are massively obese with no boobs there's no way you are a 42b.

Maybe she is obese with no boobs? How can you make such a statement? Do you really think all overweight women must carry lots of weight on their breasts? That is simply not the case!

@OneRingToRuleThemAll

Definitely try boob or bust. Unless you are massively obese with no boobs there's no way you are a 42b.

I’m really confused as a 40 band would be too tight and if anything I’m closer to an A cup than a C

I’ve never been professionally measured - shameful I know. I’ve just always gone on how things fit and measuring the band with a tape! 😒😒

@MazekeenSmith

I'm a 38a and almost never find my size in shops. I get bras from eBay as there are always some to be found there

38A is exactly the same as 36B, I think? Google 'sister sizes' and it might give you more options

38A is exactly the same as 36B, I think? Google 'sister sizes' and it might give you more options

No it isn't
36b fit my breasts but are far too tight around the chest. I can only wear a 36b with extenders

If you have boobs that need supporting OP, there's no way that you're an A or a B cup. You need to measure yourself properly before looking at sizes.

What are your rib cage and maximum around boobs measurements?

Thanks all! I am really clueless! My social anxiety has always got the better of me going to get measured and my mother never took me to get measured or anything as a teen! really shameful I know! 😒

@MazekeenSmith

I'm a 38a and almost never find my size in shops. I get bras from eBay as there are always some to be found there

Why would you need a bra if you are an A cup. That means there is only 1” difference between your underbust circumference and the circumference of the fullest part of your boobs.

Definitely measure yourself. I'm a size 16 and wear a 34 band

You don’t need to go and get measured - just grab a measuring tape and do the Boob or Bust thing linked to above. I bet you a million dollars you’re not a 42!

@Charsy01 Definitely measure your underbust pulling the tape measure so it is snug and then measure around the widest part of your boobs. Come back with the measurements and we’ll tell you what sizes to try.

My husband is a C cup by boob or bust. If you're trying to cram your boobs into too small a cup then a band that measures (lightly stretched so it can be supportive) the same as your ribcage will feel tight, just as a sock would feel tight if you tried to shove a rubber ball into it with your foot. If the cup is large enough, then the correctly fitting band will feel different to what you're used to but will fit and support.

I'd bet my boots you're more like a 38DD or even a 36E

42C here and feel your pain!!!

Sainsburys sometimes have some good ones, M and S occasionally. Often I end up with a 42d and chicken fillets to fill the bottom or use extenders

@BarbaraofSeville

If you have boobs that need supporting OP, there's no way that you're an A or a B cup. You need to measure yourself properly before looking at sizes.

What are your rib cage and maximum around boobs measurements?

Why do people constantly come on these threads and tell women they can't be the size they know they are? If every bra apart from one size is uncomfortable then the woman is that size!! Some women can't get their heads around large chests and small boobs but we do exist!!

@MrsPnut
Because if I don't wear one my tits sag and swing around and feel super uncomfortable and people can see them through my clothes
What's it to you whether I feel my tits need a bra or not!

And I'm a 14 and the saggy old bra I'm wearing today is a 32GG but my most supportive and comfortable bra is a (different brand) 30GG.

@MazekeenSmith because a massive amount of women have been measured by M&S, or not measured and are wearing the wrong size
A 36C is seen as an "average" size for a size 10 to wear whereas that's probably not right
Plus a lot of brands still don't offer smaller back and bigger cup sizes
I can tell people my bra size and they think it doesn't even exist

Maz

An A or B cup means virtually no breast tissue at all. But the OP says she needs support, which implies she has something that needs supporting so isn't an A or B cup.

On the matter of bras being comfortable, they don't just have to be the correct size, but the correct shape. Not all brands fit all women and if a bra doesn't fit, it won't be comfortable.

When measured properly, very few women are below a C cup, even those who would say they have quite small boobs.

@BarbaraofSeville

If you have boobs that need supporting OP, there's no way that you're an A or a B cup. You need to measure yourself properly before looking at sizes.

What are your rib cage and maximum around boobs measurements?

They don’t need much support. I just like to feel supported and push them up a little bit. I’ve had two kids and so they are quite as perky as they used to be. For my own sake. They are set quite far apart too - 4 finger width (I have quite small fingers mind)between them!

Truthfully if I went out in public without a bra no one would know but like the support as I’m overweight and my nipples would be noticeable under summer clothes. In the winter I could get away with it for sure.

I used to go running without a bra a few years ago. There isn’t much to support 😂

I’m a size 18-20. I was a size 12 pre pregnancy and I was a 36b then. My boobs have never really changed with weight gain or loss just bigger around the chest. I’m quite broad chested though.

My own mother is similar - larger than me and even smaller boobs.

The 42b bra from M&S which I love is a bit loose so I may try a 40 instead!