Where best to get DD measured for a bra?

[MrsMeow]

Shes been wearing crop tops or basic 'first' bras for the past year or so, but I think it's about time to get her properly measured as they seem to be a bit small now.

She's almost 12, and quite apprehensive about having to take her top off in front of a stranger, bless her, she's at that bashful age I think.

We're going to Chester so plenty of shops to choose from, but I wondered if there are any that are good with pre-teens? I seem to remember going to M&S, maybe that will be the best bet?

Thank you.

NOT M&S!

John Lewis are good.

If she is going to be really upset/embarrassed at being measured by a stranger could you do it?

What ever you do, don't take her to M&S! They are renowned for being totally incapable of fitting bras properly.

A local independent shop is your best bet, they tend to really know their stuff and often fit by eye rather than measurement.

measure her yourself if shes shy. Avoid m&S. Debenhams or a proper lingerie store would be better.

To measure yourself the correct way, measure around the underbust/ribcage. This is your band size. If its an odd number add 1inch (forget the old way of adding 4 or 5, it doesnt work for modern bras) Then measure around the fullest part while wearing her croptop/non padded bra. Calculate the difference in the 2 numbers.
If its the same, its an AA cup. 1inch bigger = an A cup, 2in = B cup. 3 = C. 4 = D etc etc going A,B,C,D,DD,E,F,FF,G,GG etc

but your measurement is only ever a guide. You always need to try every bra on, and usually take the sizes either side of your actual size into the changing room as they vary from style to style, let alone brand to brand

There's some good info on checking the fit here:

www.figleaves.com/us/fitting_room.asp?cat=187&cookied=02/05/2012%20161306

yy, you can measure her your self and fit a bra on the basis of that. Will be fine as long as you don't take the measurements as gospel - bra sizing varies just as much between brands and models as any other item of clothing.

IME rounding down the under bust measurement usually gives the best fit, but go by how any given bra sits rather than the numbers. I measure 36 but need to wear a 32 to get a decent fit - it shouldn't be right (or even possible) but it is.

...and if a fitter tries to add 4 to the under bust measurement run for the hills!

MrsLettuce - you're not adding inches onto your underbust measurement are you?

Xposts - that answers that question...

Hell no! I'd be measuring a 40 if I did that

And the bra should fit properly on the slackest fitting at the back.

very good sequence of x posts

Yes, always fit on the loosest set of hooks, if you do a new bra up on it's tightest setting you are effectively wearing a band size smaller.

Mind you, chances are she'll measure 26 or 28 at that age, those sizes can be hard to find. So, it may well be more cost effective to fit a 30 as a 28 and replace more often than to shell out for a 28...

Oh, and if she insists on underwires you must be very careful of their fit, just like in pregnancy.

La Senza were very good with DD2 but they didn't really have a great selection of sizes, especially the smaller ones.

DD would have died rather than get fitted, so I measured her myself, like Dinah's mum said.
If she is petite, a 28 will be plenty big enough - DD (nearly 13) has been wearing a bra for well over 2 years now and is a 28B. I buy her non-underwired M&S bra's - they have a range called Angel, or something!

Oh, but, if you do end up having to fit a 30 as a 28 bear in mind that you'll probably need to adjust the cup size too. The same wire is used in a 28B as a 30A.

Young girls don't need underwired bras!

And don't go a size bigger (like 30 rather than 28) - DD says the 30 I bought her one time is really uncomfortable and moves about!

Oh wow, thank you for all the great advice. It never even occurred to me to measure her myself, I suppose I was just thinking of getting it done "properly" in a shop. I'll have a read properly now and figure it out :)

I'm sure she'd prefer me to do it, then we can go and pick some nice bras out ourselves, I suppose there won't be the pressure to buy then, either.

bigTillyMint, thanks for the recc. I'll have a look online at those! I definitely can't see her being more than a 28 but think her cup size may have gone up. I'll check!

Thanks again everyone,you've all been really helpful.

MrsMeow, there's always more choice online - the stores never seem to stock a 28" bra

I would suggest ordering some online and sending back the ones she loathes if she is really shy.

Personally I bare all at Bravissimo and they just stare and mutter darkly about 32FF's being hard to source.

My dd is 12 and has been wearing proper bras for a couple of years now. We go to a decent independent shop, she's a 30 D She has really inherited her mother's shape poor soul.

No, you're right tilly!

They don't need them and they really shouldn't wear them either. But, teenagers tend to have minds of their own. No? If she did insist on a wire it would need to fit totally and utterly perfectly (as well as the fit being checked very regularly). Just like in pregnancy, as I said before.

Tilly, I've just had a look and they do have some lovely ones online. She's just looking herself now. I think I'll take her to try some on and then order more online once we know they fit ok

Whomoved, I need to go to Bravissimo myself, I've got Right Said Fred squeezed into a 3/4 year old C cup at the minute

Do they do the hard sell though? I hate feeling like I have to buy things under duress!!!

Thanks about the underwire tips :) I'd rather her not until she needs to, but you know what it's like - if EVERYONE wears underwires and EVERYONE'S parents let them buy them....

(she's just shouted downstairs can she have some that she's seen on M&S and a gorgeous one that she's spotted from Jack Wills. I think not!)