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.

How did your fitting go at the independent shop?

There is no standardisation with bra sizes, a eg 32D cup in one brand isn't the same as another.

They did an interesting report on in in more or less

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000wsf0

Basically it's down to luck and trying on to find one that fits.
M&S might have one that fits, they might not.
Personally the whole tight band boo robust thing doesn't work for me. I can't handle half an hour in a bra that they would say fits me.
Good luck op!

Sorry, hadn't RTFT, see that you have already been to M&S

So a little update on the bra situation! I went to the independent store first. They would only entertain me with a 38B. There were maybe 4 underwired padded bras that I could have bought but thankfully I had a peek at the tags. The first one was £95, the others in the fifties. More than I really wanted to spend. Especially as I have a drawerful of badly fitting 38Bs. I did mention the going down a band size and up a cup size and she was oh yes but then nothing was forthcoming. I measured there I'm pretty sure as a 35 and she did the old add on thing. Anyway I told her I'd go for a coffee and have a think. The lady was lovely and I left encouraged that at least there is a bra in the world that fits me. So off we went to Bravissimo. They were busy and I'd have had a wait for a fitting. I said to the lady please just look at me and tell me if I'm wasting my time here. She looked and she said no not at all. I told her that my boob and bust was coming up at a 34E and asked her if I could maybe see a 34E just to gauge it. So she produced one and said to me go and try it on. Amazingly it was not bad! It wasn't padded however but once I was in the fitting room the poor assistant who was in there brought me a tonne of different bras going up and down in cup sizes and checking each one on me. Everything did feel tight. Probably because I'd gone in there in a 40B which I'd been wearing because of my chest pain. However I bought a plain padded Freya bra in a 34E. They gave me a return label as I said I lived a distance away. Said to try it at home and see how I feel. It's still in the bag but I will show you later in case anyone is invested in the ongoing saga 🤣 but honestly they couldn't have been nicer and helped me more. And a big thank you to everyone here who said do boob or bust, go to Bravissimo, you are bigger than you think. Because I doubted all of you and I was wrong. This has opened up new avenues too as I can now look at the sites like Brastop etc and order a selection and try on at home whereas previously I believed I was too small in the cup to even consider them.

Thanks for the update - I am glad you had a good experience in Bravissimo! I hope your new bra fits well but you can return it if not. I feel the same as you - now I can go on other sites and order some stuff yippee! £95 or even £50 is a lot to pay for a bra! I would have given them a miss also. I can cope with about £35 if I really like the colour (nice and bright for me)!

Yay!!! So glad you went to Bravissimo! You’ll also get points with an account that you can use.

New it! So delighted for you. Now how do we get bravissimo added to the PSHE curriculum to save future generations?'

The 34E from Bravissimo after scooping to within an inch of my life. After all this ladies I think I'm going to have to return it. Goodness it's so tight. It would be tight even if I didn't have the chest inflammation going on. I'm not sure I could even wear it for half an hour. On the plus side I tried my crop tops today that I bought from Amazon when I was trying to find a solution when my chest was at its worst. I couldn't wear them at the time as they were tight too. But I've lost quite a bit of weight and now they are good. They are lightly padded too so hopefully nobody will try to hang their hat up on me 🤣 Maybe I will order some different styles of 34E and see how I go. The 36s that I tried at Bravissimo were puckering under the arms. Almost like when elastic loses its oomph. The fitter said that's because they were too big in the back. But my this 34 😳😳

It looks too small. You’ve still got breast tissue at the side and the front
is too low. I think. Which design is it?

@PancakesWithCheese it's a Freya one. I scooped and scooped until I could scoop no more. I'm not sure if that's breast tissue or fat but I know what you mean. The cups are slightly gaping at the top when it's on but the fitter said it's because of the moulded cups and having less boob higher up. It's so constricting though. I've no idea how people wear them this tight 😔

I find the Freya bras really uncomfortable, I’ve got two that I no longer wear because they dig in so much.

I’ve just bought some Fantasies bras from Bravissimo and they are so comfy.

You’ve got it too low. The wires need to sit right under your breasts tucked right in. Plus your first measurement may be right with an F as a bigger cup will scoop those side bits right in.
Boob or bust was a game changer for me!

Debenhams mail order, Gorgeous range are good and not expensive. They have a nice wide cup shape.
My boobs are shallow on top but wide set so I find styles which are balconette suit better. Full cup doesn’t work because they are always empty up the top.
Tesco bras have a really narrow cup shape which is useless, but I’ve picked up the odd good one in Matalan.
Bras are like jeans, once you find the right style you’ll be sorted!

@Nellsbells173 I'll try it again tomorrow. I'm probably pulling it down lower subconsciously because of my chest issues. I think the F cup would be very gaping at the top though.

@PancakesWithCheese I'll have a look at those ones thank you!

@Sooverthisnow I'll have a look at Debenhams. Annoyingly I just ordered some (non cupped) swimwear from them today. Miss them from the high street.

One of my mates is a size 4/6. Marks put her in a 40b. No words.

First time I tried sizing myself using the B or B method, I found bras that actually fit me properly, but boy did they feel tight! I remember wrestling with a Freya one in Debenhams changing rooms and wondering if I'd ever get out of it alive. I've ended up in the B or B band size with smaller cups than I measured as and, just like when you first wear a bra, you soon get used to them feeling tighter.

Ive never had an issue with their bras.

Did you only try styles with moulded cups? Because unfortunately you have started with the harded bra to fit then as there is so much variation.

Non-moulded are so much easier.

It should be sitting right in the crease under your boobs and in your pic, it looks as if it's in the wrong place.

However my suspicion is that a 36 would have been easier with your chest problems and it's the moulded cups that are ruining it.

The fitter should have been able to work with you to something comfortable, not just 'it's the fit, the end' - I've had great fitters at Bravissimo but also walked out with something like an instrument of torture and sat at home wondering 'Why did I buy this'

@AnnaMagnani I had tried a style with a lace overlay which had seams on the front of it which I preferred in fit but when I put my t-shirt on over it it looked so lumpy and bumpy so I'd never have been able to wear it except under jumpers. The fitter said it was because of the seams so a moulded cup was the only option then. What would be a better style to fit would you say that won't be lumpy under clothes?

I'd say the bra comes first, the clothes come second!

You can always buy a T-shirt with thicker material, a bit looser or just care a bit less about what shows - it always looks worse to you than it actually is.

But bras are difficult, and given your health issues even more difficult. So bra first, everything else later.

I've never bought a moulded cup bra as my boobs are just not shaped the right way! But bras still exist which I can wear under T-shirts, or if not T shirts that work with the bra.

@Poppyseed14 Ive also got the Melrose bra which is really comfy. Cups aren’t as big as the Fantasie bra. I do think the shape and design vary in terms or how it fits.

Rigby and Peller- saved my life. Expensive but worth every penny. That Bravissimo bra is the wrong style for you.

That bra doesn't look right at all OP. Did you try their own Millie bra by any chance? It's stretch lace, so you won't get that gapping at the top. Also you've got the double boob thing going on, so maybe try up a cup size. There's a lot of trial and error involved before finding the right bra - Bravissimo balconette styles are the only ones I can ever wear. Good luck.