AIBU to think I'm not a 40A bra??

[HollyLondoner]

Just been measured in M&S and they said 40A and they do seem to fit. I've measured myself at home and I'm a 37 around the ribs and 41 chest which would be a 38D?

That's what I'm currently wearing but there's too much room in the cup. Now my boobs have shrunk and sagged since my baby is no longer a little baby I am really struggling to find a bra that fits.

I'm broad and bigger on the top. I'm a size 14 bottom 16 top.

AIBU - just buy the 40A

YANBU - go somewhere else!

In M & S, I was a 40b, which looked awful. In Bravissimo, I was 36F, which fitted a lot better. They also suggested going for bras with side support as I have boobs which tend to head to my under my armpits.

Why do some people spout the same shite about it doesn't matter what the numbers are, as if the OP is just worried what the label says? If you're going to answer what a good fitting bra should be, then you should have at least looked at what a bra calculator (not m&s!) says, or looked at what a good fitting bra should look like when on.

This is wrong.

But regardless of what you imagined, surely this:

Just been measured in M&S and they said 40A and they do seem to fit.

is all that matters?

40A sounds very wrong!!

Try this calculator, very accurate in my experience.

https://www.abrathatfits.org/calculator.php

If a bra fits, it fits. Who cares what the label says. Different styles fit differently. So long as the bra gives you a good shape it's the one for you.

I think they expect the band to loosen fairly quickly after a few wears and washes, so they factor in that it might feel snug at first, but you get a bit longer out of your bra. Is it worth looking for a back extender until they loosen?

It depends whether she would like a bra that actually fits, supports her bust and puts her boobs where she would like them, or is simply seeing a bra as a layer of covering so it doesn't matter if they are supported or not.

I used to work in bra fitting and I wish M&S fittings would close down. They are absolutely appalling and out dated. If you measure 37 back then you don’t need to be wearing a 40.

The volume of a 40A cup is the same volume as a 32DD. If you picked up a 30A and a 40A you would see that the cups are completely different sizes. A 40A would swallow a 30A.

The issue is people hear a bigger size and refuse to believe that they are that. A 28H for example sounds huge as it’s a H cup but it’s really not loads of boob. The cup size literally just means the amount of inches your breasts go out from your chest. That’s it. I’m a G cup and my Mum is an E cup. My breasts are quite a bit smaller than hers. That’s because my breasts measure at 38 inches, where as my Mums measure at 42. My under bust is just much smaller than hers, meaning there’s a bigger difference.

As PP say please go to bravissimo. They are much more up to date with your bra size. If you’ve been wearing an ill fitting bra for years it might feel tight a first but will feel comfortable eventually. A 36B not fitting you doesn’t mean you aren’t a 36 back. Try a 36D instead; and so forth.

Another vote for Bravissimo.

I lost a lot of weight a few years back and none of my bras fitted, M&S measured me as a 42F which seemed wrong when I had been a 40G before I lost weight. I tried one on and it felt wrong so went to Bravissimo and they said a 36GG/H which fits beautifully.

I would add though that back size doesn’t always correlate with dress size as it depends on your rib cage. My mum is a 38A and a size 12, I’m definitely bigger than her in dress sizes - she just has a v broad back!

She has literally said herself that the 40A bra does fit.

Thanks, I’ve had my current ones for over a year! My chest measures 32.5inches, and I’m wearing a 34B at the moment, but it’s still digging in. I’m wondering if it’s sitting too high up under my boobs and is digging in from underneath. Even though the shoulder straps don’t feel tight. Ugh. Hate bras. Always have.

I'd also suggest Bravissimo.

Many years ago M&S measured me at a 36D. I lost 3st in weight, went back for a bra fitting at M&S because it was obvious the size had changed...they measured me at a 36D(!) I'd gone from a size 16-18 to a 10, so heaven only knows how my bra measurement hadn't changed.

I'm a size 20 now and I'm wearing a 38 back. Bra is comfortable and supportive (I hardly know I'm wearing it).

I mean yes most women think their bra fits. It’s something like 90% don’t

Well there's fitting, which in this case it's fastening around her, with plenty of room to spare.
Or there's fitting which means your bust is being supported, is in the place where it should be, you're reducing potential shoulder and back pain, and hopefully your boobs look attractive too.

I suspect you need a bigger cup on either a 32" or 34" band, if you measure 32.5".

Sounds daft, but if you turn the bra upside down, place it round under your boobs and do it up at the front, does the band still feel tight? How far can you pull it away from your body? It should pull out between1/2-1". If that works fine, you need a bigger cup.

The problem with a bra that’s too big in the back and too small in the cup is that it may feel ok when you first try it on in the shop, but when you start properly wearing it as you go about your day, the back will gradually ride up and the weight of your breasts will pull the cups down. It may still feel comfortable enough to wear, and may still feel like it ‘fits’ because your breasts aren’t hanging out of the cups or there isn’t lots of loose fabric on the cups, but it means your breasts aren’t getting the support they need and it won’t be doing your figure and posture any favours.

A bra that correctly fits around the ribcage won’t ride up during the day, and will hold your breasts in place and take the pressure off your shoulders.

I always used to wear a 36DD and thought they fitted fine because they felt comfortable and I didn’t have excess fabric or breast around the cups. However once I got properly fitted I ended up in something like a 32F or 32G and the difference was incredible - my boobs were where they should be instead of hanging down and my shoulders felt much better as they weren’t bearing all the weight any more.

It sounds like you need a small boob specialist, opposite of bravissimo. I kept being erroneously advertised Pepper, maybe that would work for you? In searching for a link, the very first one criticised them though who knows... other options in the list here: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/clothing/bra-reviews/g253/best-bras-for-small-busts/.

You could also just wear bralettes if you don't much need the bra anyway? They would be comfier.

Are you sure you measured correctly? Usually with boob or bust you'd expect a smaller back measurement and a bigger cup.

I went from m&s 36B to a 32F with boob or bust measurements, confirmed in an independent bra shop that doesn't plus 4 the band. I was extremely doubtful but the fit is so much better!

Fitwise though, once you've got a size to work with a lot of it is to do with the style of the bra, though I'm sure you know that.

A 40a?? That means you have a small chest and large back? What were you before. The number is back size and letter is cup size.