Mums of older girls please talk to me about starter bras!

[slummymummy36]

My 11yo DD (year 6 at school) is developing quite rapidly.

She has been wearing cropped tops this past year or so but the time has arrived I think to get her some proper young girls starter bras.

I have been to M&S and Debenhams several times over the Xmas holidays and have found hardly anything suitable to my mind.

All the bras seem patterned and not plain - I want her to have plain for under her school blouse. Also they all seem padded and well - kind of sexy (as sexy as bra can be with snoopy, tweety pie on it) - but the cut and the shape seem too old!

Am I completely out of touch? Is this all that is available these days? There seems to be a massive gap from crop tops to a kind of lingerie and at 11yo - lingerie is not what I want for her.

Also the padded thing - she tried some on and put her top over the top and despite the bra fitting quite nicely she suddenly seemed to have a significant bust - I dont want to enhance her chest at this age and she is not keen to draw attention to herself like this as she is actually quite a Tom Boy.

Also - Do you just take a selection of bras in different sizes into the fitting room and see what fits best or should I get her measured properly - or will this be mortifyingly embarrassing for an 11yo.

Any help, info and advice gratefully received from anyone in the know!!

I bought dd's first bras from Tammy Girl (which is now in BHS iirc). Like you I had to wade through loads of crappy padded bras, I just got some normal white unpadded ones (in a tiny size 28A!)

I bought a load of various sizes and let dd try them on at home, and took the unsuitable ones back. Think is too embarassing to ponce about in changing rooms.

I don't know if Tammy still do a good selection of bras - dd has been in adult clothes and bras for a while now - however I think that Primark do a selection of plain white bras in small sizes as well. If you can get them small enough sports bras would be a good idea, as they are non enhancing and generally available in white. Also, if she wears a white shirt to school, and doesn't want a bra to be visible, a flesh coloured one would be a good idea. I have seen a selection of these in Asda of all places, again I do not know how small the sizes go.

Primark don't do small sizes I'm afraid. They only go down to a 32A, and their sizes come up big.

She is I think a 32 chest going by her school blouse. She is not fat by any means but nor is she a dainty wee thing!!

Am I correct in my thinking that an AA cup is smaller than A?

Yes aa cup is smaller than a.

If she is a 32 the sports bras from primark might do the trick, think sizing from Primark is trial and error really.

Debenhams do good ones

and these are cheap

She should be measured properly. When dd was done at M&S, the lady found some very plain basic bras that I hadn't spotted out on the racks.

We got some plain ones too from Mand S, one pink one white in a pack.

What I really don't like is how they have a teen range then in that all the bras are padded. What's that all about?

DD is 12 and really doesn't need a padded bra.

Agree padded bras are crap. DD is an adult size now and it is near impossible to buy ones whcih are not padded.

She is my size now though which means all my nice bras get pinched. But that's a whole other thread

Maryz - yes, aparently it is cool at dd's school too to have brightly coloured bras visible under your shirt. I was horrified. In my day only scrubbers wore bras which you could see.

Does your dd have Diana Vickers hair (i.e. backcombed and birdnest looking, with a wierd combover fringe) and hideous black eyeliner technique which looks like she has put make up on and then rubbed her eyes.

Yes I don't get the miniskirt, tights, uggs combo either. Especially when the uggs are old and crappy and the heels are all walked over

DD asked for some real uggs a couple of years ago - I had no idea what they cost, I had stupidly assumed they were about £40. Soon walked out of the shop when I realised the price.

She makes do with cheap pretend ones which cost a tenner from Primark.

She puts her make up on and immediately we go into 'you're not going out like that', 'ohhh MUUUUUM' cliche teenager territory.

Yes slummy - I am sure your daughter will be the exception!

thanks for the insight of what I have to look forward to.

At the moment I feel particuarly sorry for her. She is such a tomby and puberty seems to have come early and fast (am thinking the periods cannot be far off now either). She is the type of girl that really does not care what she wears. She has no interest in makeup and hair - I have to nag her to brush it and tie it up! Most her friends are boys and they really are just friends which she plays footie and boy stylee PS3 games!!. She really is such a tomboy and all this booby/puberty stuff is just a massive inconvenience and embarrassment to her!!

I imagine when my 8yo gets boobs and needs a bra she will be delighted and will insist on matching pants too - because she is so the opposite an such a girly girl - already even!!

Oh the joys of motherhood and watching your babies grown up!!

Funny how times change. I was mortified when I had my first bra (12 or 13ish) and did all I could to hide it from the bra strap twanging gang of boys at school!!

I got dd some nice plain ones from Matalan recently. Thick white cotton not padded. I agree with the maryz about the padding they at least need to be quite thick if not padded because of the nipple issue

I just checked and you can order 2 pack (one pink one white) of 'plain first bras' which are non-wired non padded and cost £8 for the pack from m&s.com. Look the job to me. I hope this is some help!