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!

More helpful stuff

My bra size is 30E. I have small breasts (ie don’t need to wear a bra). 32D would be a similar amount of breast tissue so again not massive.

@Charsy01 where did you measure? Your band is supposed to sit in the crease of your bust, sitting flat, and is meant to be really snug- if a bra fits properly, and you put it on backwards, you should only be able to pull it out 1 inch.

Bear in mind different shape boobs like different bras- I can't fill plunge or t-shirt bras as my boobs are wide, so they always look too big for me. Put me in a balconette bra, and they look great in the right size!

If you check out boob or bust on Facebook, they have proper instructions and trained bra fitters, and will give good advice on bras that might complement your shape.

My daughter has this issue she is broad for her size 38 and an A in one cup and a C the other (which thankfully she is bothered about).
I am sorry I can't offer any help but she has to wear sports bra's. But thankfully again doesn't mind.
I have to wear post surgery bra's because I have muscle pain and can't wear underwire. M&S now do some patterned ones so maybe these might be a option for you. I don't know how broad they go up to.
Sorry I can't help as DD has settled with the limited choices available.
Maybe something from abroad but I appreciate this is a gamble and p&p might be very expensive.

That should read isn't. She isn't bothered by her odd sizes.

@traveller11

If you have a tape measure, try out this website.

www.abrathatfits.org/calculator.php

It's got rave reviews for accurate and supportive suggestions. It will also tell you which size you are and which size you might find comfortable in a sister size

Thank you. I give my partner a good laugh when he come in from work with me attempting to do this. I think I need more practise though as somehow I’ve measured myself a 42d. 42b is the bra I have and boobs don’t feel it up at all! Quite a lot of room inside the cups and has been similar with other bread too. I don’t fill them up. I give up 😂

[quote QueenPaw]@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 [/quote]
36C is an average bra size for a size 10? Wow that doesn't seem right at all. I'm a size 12 and I wear a 28 or 30 back.

@MazekeenSmith nobody is saying what you are, because we've seen lots of the same on other groups and on the Facebook boob or bust group that shows 99% of the time, a woman wearing an A cup is in the wrong size. There are pictures. There are countless posts saying the calculator says 36dd but I'm wearing a 42b, absolutely no chance, and refusing to believe it. They are convinced to try on several bras to find their right shape as well as size- and what do you know, the new size fits 🤷‍♀️ why don't you believe that the case for a majority of women, is that due to old measuring techniques they are wearing a band 4 inches too big?

In fact, I don't think you'll do this, but I hope you will. Tonight, when you go to bed, put your bra on backwards for a minute, so your clasp is on the front. See how far you can pull it out. If its more than an inch, then the band size under would be more supportive to your breast tissue.

It impacts noone but yourself wearing the wrong size bra, but I feel much better with my back fat boobs encased in a cup 😂 that's where my tiny 34 a boobs started, that are actually a 30dd.

@StuntNun god no, that's my point! I'm saying in general public, someone of a size 10 says they're a 36C or a glamour model says they're a 38dd and people go "oh ok" and it's totally wrong!!!

Have you scooped?

If you bend forward and pull your boobs into the bra properly. The wires if there are any or the seams around the edge of the cup if not, and the bit between your boobs should sit flat on your ribs, with all boobs inside the cup, not under the edge of it.

Try measuring yourself using the boob or bust technique.

Then if you still need bigger bands try Yours (online and highstreet)

OP I'm a 42b too. I bought recent bras from ASOS, and figleaves sell that size too.

And yes, I am obese with small boobs, each boob is about a handful and they don't grow with weight gain or pregnancy.

@Charsy01

This is the one I’m currently wearing... in a 42b. My breasts don’t even fill it out completely... I’m so confused. But feels a good size around the band. Maybe a little loose but I’ve had it a while and has probably lost its full shape...

Padded plunge bras are one of the worst type to get a good fit in. They regularly fit badly because of the plunge and the padding. If you have wide spaced breasts then you need to look for a style that suits that. An experienced bra fitter can point you in the right direction.

See what they have in Matalan OP I bought some there yesterday and they have a wide range of sizes. I am an E cup which is hard to find

OP when you measured your band size, did you pull the tape measure as tight as it would go?

[quote QueenPaw]@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 [/quote]
36 band for a size ten

I used to be a bra fitter and obviously a lot of body shapes are different but I would have started with a 32 band for a size ten. We had a lot of men coming in around Christmas looking for underwear for partners very proud that they knew their partners cup size and not band. If they knew their clothing size we would always try and recommend something based off of that (although not always right and sometimes they would return), 32 band would always be recommended for size ten.

OP are you absolutely sure it’s a 42 B? That would mean that you hardly have any difference in size at all between your under and over bust. You would be so surprised at how many women are wearing huge back sizes and small cup sizes and then come in and get fitted at something like a 34 E instead and refuse to believe it.

I'm an size 14-16. I've always had a narrow ribcage. I measure a 32e. My boobs are tiny.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

OP when you measured your band size, did you pull the tape measure as tight as it would go?

No I did it so it’s just sitting on my skin. Not loose but not tight!

@HowWeAre that's why I said not right!!
My point was
Ask an average M&S shopper for a bra size for a size 10 and they might say a 36C BECAUSE they have been measured wrongly Which is why so many of us are saying "are you sure you're a 42?"

Ok. Go back and follow the Boob or Bust method. They ask for a snug fitting (tight as you can get), and a standing one (I think).

Oh and if you do get measured don’t go to M&S! I have worked at two underwear shops and we would always insist on a remeasure if they knew their M&S size. I have measured myself and have been measured by multiple shops and I am a 32 H. M&S fitted me in a 36 DD???? And insisted it fitted even though i can assure you it absolutely did not. Also I am a size 8-10 so absolutely not a 36 inch back!

@MrsPnut thank you. I’ve always liked plunge bras as like that the underwiring doesn’t come too far up and find it comfier but I’ll have a look into other options!

@QueenPaw oh yes I wasn’t having a go at you, M&S sizing just makes me laugh because it’s absolute bollocks! I’m sure they don’t receive any training at all cause they always get it so wrong

@HowWeAre they measured me as a 40H, I'm a 34K

@QueenPaw where on earth do you get bras? I'm currently measuring at a 26K or 28JJ and struggling...