M&S bra fitting

[Poppyseed14]

I've taken the plunge (no pun intended) and booked myself in tomorrow to be measured. I don't actually own a bra that fits me well. I was unwell with costochondritis for about 18 months during the pandemic so I didn't even bother wearing a bra unless I was going out as I was just too sore. I've also lost 2.5 stone in the last year though mostly from my bottom half. Anyway M&S is my only local option for fitting but I've heard mixed reviews. Just wondering whether anyone has any experience of them as regards measuring. Do they do that add 4 inches to the band measurement thing? Am I likely to come away with a bra that fits or just another bra to put in my already full to the brim drawer of badly fitting bras. I've never had a fitting before so any advice is most welcome.

I've had a fitting done here recently. Good fit when I tried them on but then when I got home it had somehow grown 😂 I searched the internet to find 'sister sizes ' and ended up going to Matalan to try them and ended up buying from there. I've always had weight fluctuations, breast feeding etc affect my size. I find it so stressful finding a good fit and faffing about going to get measured!

In the 90s M&S would measure you and then assign you 34b or 36c. Those were the only two possibilities. I wore the wrong size for about 15 years.

Tried to get teenage DD into m&s but didn't know they needed booking and only had that day to do it. Knew she was in the wrong size but measuring at home got huge variations. Lady in M&S suggested Ann Summers.......was not convinced at all with young teenager, but asked in there, and they were great! Straight in, and spent loads of time with DD explaining completely what she was doing and what to look for in the future with no pressure to buy at all. They actually had a range of plain white bras that they said lots of teens go for and pointed out how to get them cheaper on their website. DD came out completely reassured, bugger bra and comfy!

Great mistake there 🤣 bigger bra obviously!!

I used to be a bra fitter and was trained to fit by eye the same as they do in Bravissimo, totally possible with enough practice. I did 3 months working with my boss and training before I was allowed to fit unsupervised.

I also regularly used to get customers who had had horrendous experiences in M&S, including a 13 year girl in tears because she had been told they couldn't find a bra to fit her properly because of her strange body shape😡No, she was a perfectly normal teenager and the M&S fitter was useless with both bras and people.

I was pleased to be buying new bras after weight loss.
Went to Bravissimo. Size judged by sight then tried some on. I had to go back the next day to return the bra they sent me home in. I had persisted with it for a few hours but when I took it off it had cut into me around the band, shoulders and cups.
Went to M&S I think I tried every style they had until the fitter and I were both satisfied. I just keep buying the same one now
Think I must be an odd shape 🤷‍♀️

I was mildly scarred by an M&S bra fitter in my teens who remarked how "low hung" my breasts were, which gave me a complex for years about droopy boobs! Turns out they are a perfectly normal shape/size. I second the recommendation for Curvy Kate though!

I got a bra fitting at m and s years ago when I was pregnant. Was a g cup before I fell pregnant and the lady at 32wks pregnant told me I was a 32d.. Not been a d cup since I was 12 😂 needless to day I never went back for another fitting

My mum decided I was a 36b when I was about 15 or 16. I used to buy a lot of bras from la senza, where I was 36c. Then m&s measured me at 34 d. Eventually, over 10 years later, bravissimo put me on 32ff. All those years in the wrong bra.

I think my shoulder width makes people assume I'm quite broad, but armpits down, I'm very narrow.

I find the actual construction of M&S bras wrong for me. There's never enough material encasing the wire. I go to an independent retailer as they don't sell an in house designed bra , just all the major brands. My preference is for Fantasie as their bras don't tend to have cups made of stretch elastic lace because my boobs are heavy!

M and s bras uncomfortable for me too!

However so are the bravissimo own brand ones ( straps and fabric not very nice), the best ones I have found for larger boobs are Freya and curvy Kate, if BOB is coming out at a bigger size I would guess you are somewhere near there maybe order some online in sister sizes and like a previous poster said a balcony style might work for you.

Thank you everyone for all your help.

I could honestly cry right now. I went to the M&S appointment. It's literally the only place near me that does fitting. After trying on probably 20 bras I ended up buying one patterned bra, non wired in a 38B which I might well return. They were trying me with a 38A in anything wired and I wasn't happy with any of them. There was nothing in white or nude that fitted me. I like a bit of padding. There was one non padded bra that did fit but you could have hung your hat on my nipples. They suggested I could get the stick on nipple covers with it. I did use these when my costochondritis was at its worst but I used them with no bra. I don't think they are a great permanent solution. So I'm no better off really.

There is a Bravissimo at around 45 minutes drive from me. But they start at a D cup from what I can make out and if I was in an A cup in M&S I feel it's a waste of time to try there.

I don't look like an odd size but clearly I must be. I had 2 of the ladies on the case in M&S.

I looked at the 34F that BOB had suggested and knew just by looking that it was bonkers to even try it.

Any suggestions as to what to do next more than welcome. I'm truly at a loss.

Go to Bravissimo - the chances are that you will be at least a D cup if that is what you got on Boob or Bust. M&S always put me in a 34B or 36B, and once when I had lost weight they told me that they had nothing to fit me at all, not even their teen range 🙄Both Bravissimo and BoB have me at at 30G, or 28GG, which fit beautifully and are so comfortable. I'd never go to M&S for a fitting again.

I found boob or bust had me at 44F. Ordered 15 bras all different brands and none fitted.

Went to a local speciality shop and they fitted by sight and put me at 40G and the bras they put me in were the most comfortable ever.

I'd previously been in 48H bras that never fitted anyway and then I lost some weight.

I’d say it isn’t a waste of time as the A and B cups didn’t fit.
I wore a 32dd for years thanks to M&S, nothing fitted me properly at all and I felt like a freak.
I’m actually a 28g who balcony bras fit very well.
I fit bras as part of my job and I find people get their bra sizes so so wrong. I love fitting people into their correct sizes.

Go to bravissimo
Even if you aren't a D (which I think you probably are!) they will be able to help and give you some really good advice

An A cup in a 38 or 40 band is much larger in terms of volume than an A cup in a 34 band. Look at the diagram that’s posted above. Honestly, go to Bravissimo!

I am a big fan of Curvy Kate and also Bravissimo. The shape of the bra really matters, I can be falling out of a plunge bra in one size but not fill the cups of a balcony bra in the same size. It’s definitely trial and error. I now stick to Curvy Kate in the one style/size I find best.

This was the first one they tried on me. The assistant was looking at me very encouragingly. I was like what's with all the overhang on the sides, that's surely not right. I'm nowhere near a D cup though by any stretch of the imagination. Sorry for the awful photo.

I think you'll be surprised
See pic attached
A D cup is 4 inches difference between band and boob

And no that bra is awful, the sides are too low
Do you scoop everything in? Use your opposite hand to firmly scoop everything in and forward to the cup and then swoop alone the top of the cup to make sure it's smooth

Your breast tissue goes right up towards your armpit OP, you need to lean over and scoop everything forward into the cup.

No I didn't know about the scooping in thing until several bras down the line. I can't remember what size this one was. I'm going to guess at a 36B. I think every one I tried was either 36B, 38A and 38B. I did ask about a bigger cup size and smaller band size but they seemed reluctant to try that. I just want an underwired padded bra that fits 😥

One of them did say that there isn't anything they can do about the bits hanging over. Didn't do much for my confidence either. Surely a properly fitting bra shouldn't have all the bulges back and front?

@Poppyseed14 That cup size is massively too small for you. I’m a 36b in M&S sizes which works comfortably for me and my boobs are literally non existent compared to yours! Listen to the others and try Bravissimo.