M&S bra fitting never again

[Chrystalll]

At the appointment the assistant asked me to take my top off and what size bra I was wearing, I explained I am considering one without wires. She brought the size I currently have and stood in front of me and said right with a nod that told me she wanted me to strip, I was so embarrassed having had breast cancer surgery in the past and turned my back to try on the bra she brought. It didn't fit so she brought a smaller size then undid the bra I had on and took it. The new bra was so tight I looked like I had another boob under each armpit, she said it was the right size for me. I am annoyed with myself for not speaking up and asking her to leave. This wasn't at my local store where I have seen the assistant step out of the cubicle for others and had expected the same. The last time I was measured in a local small independent store the assistant only ever came in to check how it fit after asking my permission.

This. Once and never again.
Bravissimo are excellent.

A good bra fitter will you bring you different bras to try on.
They will stand outside and hand your bras, then come in when you are ready.
Debenhams used to be good at this.
A bra fitting is important.
All Bras come up differently too.

Me too. ‘Fitted’ me for my wedding underwear. Bloody straps were falling down all day 😭 £95 worth of bra. A very expensive mistake but I wanted to get it right…

M&S were ok…. I still buy their bras but not absolutely convinced I have the right fit. I went to Braviasimo heavily pregnant during covid so they were just doing fittings by looking at you in the bra- I really wasn’t convinced but those maternity bras were the most comfortable I’ve ever had..

But it was the woman’s own tits! It’s really not obvious at all, it barely makes any sense and definitely doesn’t follow logic.
There is no view of other tits, there is no groping of tits and there’s certainly nothing extra sexual happening at M&S to make the happiness specific to having them measured at M&S

Everyone raves about Bravissimo fittings but I think they're shit (and it's the only place on the high street that sell my size so I have to go to them if I don't want to wait for delivery). I went last year for new bras, she kept trying to convince me to buy their own brand bras, even though they gave me naff all support, in the end I asked for my usual panache bra (which she didn't even bring out).

If I hadn't trained as a bra fitter when I was at university I would probably still be in the wrong size because bravissimo are obsessed with putting people in the wrong size bra(I am amazed that they think fat people are anywhere near a 32 or 34 for instance).

Surely the sensible thing is to ask. You know, the fitter ask if your ok being semi undressed while they are in there with you. Not assume itll all be fine cos girls together or something.

But you saying its daft to be coy, well there are better ways of putting it.

And what dress size is "fat"?

Feel like I’m the only person who walks into
a changing room with several bras and just tries them on myself to see what fits!

@TheLizardQueen Is Ann Summers even still around?

Not sure how hygienic that is. Never thought to try on undergarments apart from vests tbh. Just assumed it wouldn’t be permitted.

Rigby and Peller don’t do anything to make you uncomfortable and don’t ask that you take your bra off. They will look at you in the bra and bring samples to try. They tell you how to adjust and may help with the straps if you permit it. Last time I was there they shooed away a husband who was fussing around his wife.

What is it about fabric touching your breasts that you find more unhygienic than fabric touching your stomach, or back, arms, thighs?

Are there any larger ribcage women had this 4-5 inches added to the measurement for band size because it seems to be from this thread that it is all smaller sized band widths that have this happen, maybe because the small band, large cup sizes are not in stock. I have been fitted a couple of times but haven't had this happen but I am an easy to purchase 36C

Some say you shouldn't be coy, shy, embarrassed when having a bra fitting but when you have had breast cancer and lost a chunk of one breast with one nipple going south and the other in the north and lots of scaring then the trauma of the deformity you feel steps in and its a little kindness and understanding needs to be displayed by the assistant especially when she had been previously notified of the situation.

I wonder if the 5” add on has been something that has been misinterpreted by some of the bra fitters in their training

measure round the rib cage is your number size. 30” round the rib cage is 30

Then measure round the breasts and for the cup size which is found by taking the rib cage measurement + 5”. Away from the breast measurement and whatever the difference indicates the cup size

eg 30” rib cage 35”breast is an A cup

32” rib cage 38” breast is a B etc

The 5” was never meant to be added to the actual rib cage measurement to get the size

Yep. They have a tendency to give you a bra with too large a back size and too small a cup size.

You assumed wrong. I'd buy a jumper without trying it on - or indeed a vest - but not a bra, which needs to fit precisely.

Why is trying on a bra more unhygienic than trying on a vest, anyway? They touch the same parts of the body.

Of course you should be entitled to courtesy and consideration when having a bra fitting. The idea that all women should just suck up this kind of treatment because some don't care about it is ridiculous. At the very least its bad customer service.

M&S are famously bad for bra fittings - they are the one company where I know nobody with a good experience. I would never have taken a DC there for fitting. Do you have a friend who can recommend a local shop/branch from their own experience?

@MsBouquet it is in s Scotland anyway

eg 30” rib cage 35”breast is an A cup

that's exactly the +5 people are talking about and would put you in 34A or thereabouts. 30 ribcage 35 over boobs is 30DD.

I think a part of the problem is that people think they are a particular bra size and stay in it, when, just like with other clothes, you'll be a different size in different manufacturers' bras, and even the same manufacturer, but a different style/material.

It's best to take a look at the Bravissimo guide (needs no measuring!) to see how to fit your own bra, and then you can adapt accordingly. So I'm a Freya 32GG/H 'in general', but in a more elasticated style I'm 30GG. The Curvy Kate bra I have is a 34H, and my Fantasie swimming costume is a 34F. It's annoying, but for the best fit you have to check out each bra.

The vast majority of women are though.

A 32D is pretty much only a handful!

I’m going to be that poster… have you actually measured yourself?

This is wrong - your 30” example would be a 30DD.

And (sorry), your theory is wrong too - it was always the band size that was historically added to.

And (sorry), your theory is wrong too - it was always the band size that was historically added to

??

Exactly what I put