Why is it so hard to get bras in a smaller back size?

[Fink]

Out bra shopping for teen daughter. She'd be best in a 28F, can wear a 30E in some designs but definitely not a 32" or bigger, it's just far too loose. I'm a 30E or F. Even less able to go up a back size because I'm old enough to actually need some support.

I usually shop at Rigby & Peller for myself, love it. But it's blooming expensive for a teenager when what she really wants is something cheap and fashionable and doesn't need anything particularly sturdy.

But I've been traipsing around high street shops and there's literally nothing less than a 32" back that goes above a D cup, and nothing at all in a 28" back. It's 30 A - 30D, 32 A - DD and then loads of choice from 34" upwards, right up to 40". This includes specialist lingerie shops like Victoria Secret, and general women's clothes shops.

The thing is, I'm a former teacher and now a youth worker and I also coach a youth sport. I see dozens of teenage girls every day. Obviously I don't stare at their breasts or ask them what size they are, but my daughter doesn't at all stand out as being an odd shape and size compared to the average. In fact, she's got a naturally larger frame than quite a lot of girls her age, she is in no way petite. And the same for me as an adult. I just look normal, size 8-10 in clothes, can shop pretty much anywhere.

I don't understand how we can be such regular sizes but not be catered for in bras.

I know that reportedly a large proportion of women are in the 'wrong' size bra, but I've honestly tried 32" and 34" bras before, and so has my daughter, and they're just no good at all. So what's going on? Are we actually freakishly uncommon sizes? Do a large number of women walk around with a really loose bra and not care? Are there some market forces that make smaller back sizes not profitable?

AIBU in thinking that 30E is not a really unusual bra size to be, and to be baffled that retailers seem to think it is?

Brastop is really good and they do free returns which is very useful.

I wear a size 14 and am a 32 band. Explains why bras were always a bit uncomfortable when I was much slimmer as I wore a 32 then! I have seen some smaller bands on asos too but not sure how large the cups go up to.

This wasn’t an incorrect way of measuring, just different, and some brands including European brands, still fit to this. It’s just that manufacturers started making their bands more generous - I have a 30 band bra here, the first one that Fantasie made, and it is quite a bit smaller than the 30 bands they make now. It was made to fit a 26” rib, I was 25” at the time and it fitted . It was amazing after many years of cutting bands and sewing them to have a bra that fitted. But gradually many UK bands got bigger, and so those of us with very small ribs had to move to Polish or other brands to get a band small enough. I am fatter now and a modern 28 fits me well, but my 20 year old dd measures 24 around her underbust and nothing fits well, as a modern 28 is roomy. She accepts the roominess, or I alter the bands for her. So personally I feel the older system worked far better.

In theory M and S has those sizes but actually stocking them is a different matter....and different styles fit differently.

My DD is slim but with a decent bust, and, like @Fink DD ideally needed 28F or 30E, after realising they had almost nothing that fitted, the woman at M and S, who was measuring, suggested she needed to eat more cakes!

Try M&S or Freya.

I wear a 30E so only one size off an F cup. I have small breasts. I often go braless in my 40s. I wear a small bralette with spaghetti straps to go running.

An F cup could be small breasts or it could be large. You can’t say they need scaffolding - they might, they might not.

This is all what I was going to say. I'm a broad-shouldered 12 and I'm a 32FF. Nobody would look at me and say I'm busty. They're pretty much an average man handful!

My size 10 mum is in a bra at least 3 band sizes too big, because she refuses to believe me that she's not a 38D.

That's not been my experience. They seem consistent with a couple of Figleaves I have. I always try them on anyway, if they don't fit I adjust up or down as needed.

M&S seem to miss out FF so if you're larger than that you'd need to get a cup size larger than usual.

I often see loads of 28s on the sale rail in M&S outlet. Might be worth a look as they often have Freya which are my go-to. I'm a 30FF but never see any on sale in my size.

My dd used to have Freya or panache Tango as a teenager

I asked this question when M&S tried to put my size 8 teen in a 32B. The lady said they don’t have small back sizes because most teens are overweight and mine was unusually skinny (she’s not, she’s on about 75th centile for weight for her age)!

So we went to Bravissimo, where a 28D was perfect.

Panache Tango is the only bra I can wear. They also do a line called 'Cleo' which has nicer bras which would do for a teenager (bit unsupportive for me).

I despair at the lack of small back size bras. I'm by no means unusually small, size 8-10 top but I am a 28 F and there is virtually no choice at all.

I wear Cleo - I like the foam cups.

I get them on eBay much cheaper than straight from Panache

I'm a 30JJ, but as a teenager I was a 28GG and shopped at Boux Avenue. They actually have a much better range in smaller backs with bigger cups than they did then. If you keep an eye on when they have a sale you can get several bras for £10/£15 instead of the £30/£40 they cost usually.
Bravissimo is good but highly recommend being fitted for certain bra types as they target older boobs.
Or Brastop online but different styles can make a difference, a balconette is going to look/fit different to a plunge.
Both of them do online quizzes to help you get an idea of what style is better.

Are you sure a 30" or 32" back is too loose if you go down a cup size?

I measure 27" under my bust and apparently it means I need a 28" back - but it's horrendously tight on me and leaves red marks. I've always worn a 32" back and a smaller cup size and it's firm, supportive, works fine.

I used to be tiny - around a 25" under bust measurement as a teenager - and I still wore a 30" back size for bras and they were fine.

M& S still do the old sizing where you add 4/5 inches to your under bust size to get your back size - so if you really can't find bras to fit then go there and a 28" back will fit a 32" back bra - and they'll be loads of options in that size.

I also agree it wasn't incorrect, just different.

I prefer the old sizing - it was much better for smaller back sizes as a 30" band was made for someone with 25/26" under bust measurement.

Nowadays someone with a really small back just can't find a bra to fit. The old measurement style was better imo

I was a 30F for years until the middle age spread and remember how awful it was at school when I was an E cup by the age of 15. You can't get better than bravissimo - take her to a shop if you can where she'll have lots of choice, or you can get really good fitting help from them online or over the phone. Once you find the styles she likes you can then shop around for cheaper versions in other colours etc.

I hear you OP! I get all my bras and all DDs (17) bras from Bravissimo, which is great - but so hard to find anything anywhere else. I’m amazed people are saying M&S - I’ve never found anything less than 30 there except in the young teen range, aimed at very small breasts, and even the 30s seem to be limited to the very basic styles. Maybe I’m out of date. Also John Lewis - they do have 28s online but hardly anything in store, and ordering online is such a gamble. It’s absurd!

This is not necessarily true. 36F breasts will be pretty large, but 28F are not. I’m a 28FF and can get away with going braless.

I’m a 30E, M & S or Boux Avenue are my go to’s.

I'm closer to a 26 than a 28 but have resorted to 30. I've bought in Next, M & S and H & M for DD/E so might be worth a try

Boux avenue had sent hundreds of small bras to my local Bernardos charity shop when I went yesterday. 28 and 30s I didn't look close at cup sizes as I'm a 32 GG . I don't know if it's nationwide or not.

I'm anything from a 30E to a 32FF (and all sizes between) depending on the style of bra. Ann Summers do a wide range of sizes (including a 28 back), but sadly they rarely have them in store. You have to order them online. I got some from Next website, picked up in store, tried them on, and returned the ones that didn't fit immediately. So not quite as convenient as just nipping out. But it did mean I didn't have to rummage I suppose. And no going out twice to return the ones I didn't want.

The lack of affordable bras in small back / large cup sizes is infuriating! Having 'big' boobs doesn't automatically mean a bigger back 🙄

A 28 F is not massive 🥴

Edit as quote didn't work

In response to

As an F cup she does need something sturdy

Also I found Boux Avenue to be really small in the back, I'm sure when I bought at 30 the band was only about 29" at full stretch.