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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be bitter that M&S are charging more for bigger bras?

80 replies

bustylarue · 06/05/2009 11:21

its a DM article

M&S are charging £2 extra on bras that are a DD or bigger. Am I right to be bitter about this? I don't get a discount on my shortarse trousers that use less fabric than longer length. They don't charge extra for clothes that are a size 16 or over. I am a 30E, I am sure that my bras will use less fabric than a 40C but I will be charged extra. It just seems a bit inconsistent.

OP posts:
DontCallMeBaby · 06/05/2009 18:39

Great quote: 'We aren't changing prices, especially in this climate.'

Yes, because that's the thing to do in the face of a recession! Keep your prices high! That'll work.

I haven't bought a bra in M&S since I discovered Bravissimo (and Figleaves, and Brastop, and Ample Bosom ...)

pointydog · 06/05/2009 18:54

dh was just pondering the other day, why don't large size of clothes cost more

pointydog · 06/05/2009 18:56

maybe m&s have a point when they talk about more design input and comfort features. Doesn't seem to be about the quantity of material

FluffyBunnyGoneBad · 06/05/2009 18:59

I'm tiny so buy petite. I don't get money off for buying smaller clothes, they use less fabric. It's not right that ladies with larger norks should have to pay more, they have to put up with back ache, shoulder pain etc, they shouldn't have to pay for what mother nature has given them.

Tidey · 06/05/2009 19:30

I've never had an M&S bra, because despite trying on several different sizes, none of them fit. I think it's unfair for them to charge more for bigger sizes though.

Why is it that everytime I look for bras nowadays, they all have those huge padded cups, even in an E cup? I really don't want any more padding.

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 06/05/2009 19:39

YABU- they should cost more because there is more material and more labour going into making them and by complaining about it they are just going to up the price of their smaller bras to cover costs rather than bring the price down, so for smaller busted women everywhere who don't want to pay more then they should yes YABU.

frannikin · 06/05/2009 20:02

That's just discrimination against the naturally well-endowed though. Fine, it takes more material, although I don't agree that there's more labour, but on that footing each additional cup size should cost, say, 20p extra. I don't understand the vendetta against people who are larger than a D or DD. My diamond bearing chest (NHS reduced to a 32F, although I really wished I'd asked for a D cup now) shouldn't have me incur extra costs! It's just a financial penalty for those who a cursed blessed with larger breasts because we take up more space, or maybe M&S feel we have a higher earning potential/richer men buying our undies (sort of like milk cows) and can therefore charge us more?

I wouldn't buy a bra in M&S anyway. Aubade all the way...gorgeous and supportive!

LadyAga · 06/05/2009 20:12

Even more motivation to lose weight, I have just downsized from an 36E to 36DD... finger crossed I'll be a 34C soon.

Has anyone noticed that they also do this with the childrens clothes? I was considering buying a child's dress for 18-24mths and noticed that it was £2 more thatn the 12-18mths!!!

QueentessentialShadow · 06/05/2009 20:16

It is not that unusual. Many clothes shops charge more for larger sizes.

You find this even in childrens clothes. Vertbaudet, Next, Gap, M&S, Mothercare, they all do this....

Horton · 06/05/2009 20:25

"That's just discrimination against the naturally well-endowed though."

But what about discrimination against the skinny? Aren't all the size 8s subsidising the size 20s? I don't think I hear them complaining.

I do think this is all a bit of a storm in a teacup. I'm a 30DD so if M&S ever made a nice bra in my size I suppose I'd be paying the premium but I wouldn't object any more than I've ever asked for my size 8 clothes to cost less. Though that would be nice. Maybe I should write to them and point out the discrepancy.

frannikin · 06/05/2009 20:35

Well the AAs are technically subsidising the Ds under this new scheme. I guess the thing with clothes is it just evens out across the range

I'm a size 10 on top and a 6 on the bottom and yes my clothes cost the same as a size 24 but M&S haven't cut put a cut off saying anyone about the national average size, whatever it is now, has to pay a surcharge because that would be fat-ist. No, it's just for people with big boobs who don't have ANY choice at all the matter because you need to wear a bra and no matter how hard I try the weight there just won't shift.

Tidey · 06/05/2009 20:38

George at Asda have bras up to an F cup and they're about a third of the price of M&S ones. Some are actually even quite pretty.

edam · 06/05/2009 20:46

M&S bras for DD+ are rubbish anyway - don't fit properly IME. Go to Bravissimo or Debenhams (stocks Freya and some of the other ranges sold by Bravissimo).

SkaterGrrrrl · 06/05/2009 20:51

Thank god for Bravissimo. As a 30F no one else makes bras that fit me.

I heart Bravissimo.

Horton · 06/05/2009 21:45

Well, people need to wear clothes, too, frannikin. And there are other places to buy bras or clothes, should anyone be seriously upset by the pricing policy. I can't help being a size 8 any more than anyone else can help having big breasts. Should I subsidise others' clothing? Should we all pay for our own? Should we maybe not be getting so worried about two quid? Take your pick!

How do the clothes even out across the range? I can't see how a size 20 can ever take less material than a size 8.

butterscotch · 06/05/2009 21:51

I love bravissimo as well but they are pricey if you know your size in the various brands it pays to shop around...

i.e. Freya and Panache are available in Debenhams in bigger sizes and often have the 20% on their discount days!

SimplyBe has no support just like M&S...

Also checkout Brastop.com again you need to know your size in the various brands, returns service is as good as Bravissimo! they are generally cheaper and do upto size K!!!

MrsMuddle · 06/05/2009 22:36

I'm a 34E and consider my bras to be amazing feats of engineering, and I'm quite happy to pay what it takes to have a shapely silhouette

DaniellaC · 06/05/2009 23:00

It's not only the price it's the range they stocl as well. Got measured as a 30G on saturday and they had one bra in that size in the whole shop and it looked vile.

Flamesparrow · 07/05/2009 08:01

Bigger norks are already ripped off - there is much less range, you can't get the insanely cheap bras in new look etc.

The smaller bras aren't subsidising the bigger bras - they get the benefits by having more range, decent colours etc.

eilidhsmum · 07/05/2009 10:54

As a 36FF I am happy to pay whatever it takes to engineer some quality scaffolding.
IME M+S bigger bras have not had anywhere near as much support as other brands like Freya and Panache. If the price increase reflects better design and materials then I think it is worth it

louii · 07/05/2009 13:18

The M&S bras are awful for big boobs, not enough scaffoldingsupport in them. Absolutely useless. Freya are the best I have found.

EBenes · 07/05/2009 14:09

I'm a 30DD, so M&S dont do my size, but if they did, it would be more expensive. I think the later letters of bra size tend to be a different shape, there are more seams and things in them, so I suppose this is the reasoning, it needs totally different engineering. As noted above, bra sizes like mine use a lot less fabric than a 40A, so it's not about fabric used. I'm okay with paying more, just as I'd think it normal for them to charge more for a padded bra than a plain unstuffed one, although probably they don't. It's not really quite the same as size/fattism.

voyagerfan · 07/05/2009 21:02

Figleaves too - quite a bit of choice last time I looked

frannikin · 07/05/2009 21:11

It's more the arbitrary cut off that annoys me. But as I said I don't buy M&S bras anyway....

Numberfour · 08/05/2009 08:21

i have heard on Radio 1 news this morning that M&S are now going to sell the bras at the same price.