Big boobs - bras

[ManifestMummy]

Hi all those with big boobs know it’s not always sexy and a ‘big’ inconvenience (no pun).

im 1 year postpartum all my bras are different sizes as my weight is up and down.

i can’t find bras that are minimising, supporting and non-plunging in clothes.

i wear sports bras for support but then the straps and sides hurt after a long day.

then a normal bra makes my boobs feel massive at times.

anyone come across good supportive comfortable minimising bras?

thanks

xx

M&S minimiser bras are great. They are all I’ve worn for almost 20 years. They are not always the prettiest / daintiest, but they do a fabulous job of spreading out your boobs and pushing them to the side, towards your armpits.

What size are you? I’m a 34J and I buy solely from Brastop now. They have lots of discounted bras from bravissimo, panache, scantily ect. But without knowing what size you are it’s hard to say!

I’ve recently got the M&S minimisers and they’re way wayyyyy too small. I fit in every other bra the same size but M&S sizes were tiny on me I was so gutted!

Take a trip to Bravissimo and get fitted properly. I love M&S but never for bras. www.bravissimo.com/

That site has lots of lovely things but nothing that would fit my big boobs! Currently a HH.

TBH I’ve stopped trying to minimise and in the last year have discovered plunge works really well for me and my fears of “falling out” of the cups have not materialised. But some of the big name brands do offer minimiser options.

Get fitted at a bravissimo then look at brastop or belle lingerie for older season items from the same brands. You can save a reasonable amount of money that way.

Did you find anything? I used to get mine from m&s and they don't do the style anymore. I'm a 34h.

I got measured today. I’m 32H! I’ve been trying to lose weight 1.5 years postpartum. I’ve gone from a 34 to a 32 but yet my cup size is bigger!

I just went to Bravissimo to get measured and try on some bras.
the lady measuring me was not very empathetic. Maybe it’s me but it’s a big deal to feel rubbish in your new mum body and my boobs are literally my biggest issues affecting my self confidence on how I look. The lady said they don’t do minimisers and non-wired bras are no good. So that was a crap experience!

I have this one from Amazon (where I’d never normally go looking for bras but someone recommended it online!). It is a plunge style (great as far as I’m concerned cos you can wear low cut tops without problems), and isn’t technically a minimiser but I found in effect it works like that and lots of other people have commented similarly in the reviews. It’s super super comfy. Technically underwired but definitely feels more like a non underwired bra to me because of the way it’s structured, it doesn’t dig in at the underwires the way most underwired bras do. Think the largest cup size is H and they do come up a little small so I’d go for a 34H if I were you.

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B09TCZCFV7?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

If you wear a decently fitting bra from Bravissimo or similar, then it will help you look smaller. She is correct that non underwired are not going to provide the support you need. I am a similar size to you 34HH. You are not going to get a proper bra that will flatten your boob in the same way a sports bra will, and that is not a good look anyway.

Molke.

Mine are bigger and I don't do underwires any more.

As a pp said, I find m&s minimisers don't fit well and it's weirdly difficult to get minimiser bras for larger bra sizes, certainly for a halfway decent price! I live in Next minimisers, this one's great and also seamfree. Sizing is pretty accurate for me at 32G
Buy Black Ultimate Support F-K Lace Minimising Full Cup Bra from the Next UK online shop https://share.google/eI7nGrmdiTEBo0mli

If you have a properly fitting, supportive bra you don't need a minimiser. They just squash you and won't have such a nice shape. The fitter was correct that bigger boobs do need underwire for optimum support... whether you want that is of course your choice, but you need structure if you want proper support.

Different bra shapes suit different boobs - did you try different ones on in Bravissimo? I know for my 38GG boobs I need a side sling and a central gore, I don't get on with push up bras.

Before I got pregnant I went to Bravissimo (as it’s near my work) had a fitting and I took the advice a brought wired bras for support and fit.
but by the end of the day the bras would be so painful and left red marks on my ribs from the wire unfortunately felt like I wasted £80.
now my boobs are so heavy and full after breastfeeding all my clothes terribly and it’s difficult to find a good bra that supportive, comfortable and don’t make my boobs look even bigger!

thanks for the websites I will check them out.

i will go to M&S as they do have more ranges for comfort and non-wired

M&S are terrible for bras though. They can't fit for toffee. Some of their bras are decent, but you need to know your size (properly).

I've had red marks from Bravissimo bras occasionally (been wearing them 20-odd years). They are a bit religious about the tight fit for support! But if you take the bra back and show them the marks they will happily refund and let you pick something else - sometimes you just don't know until you've worn it a few hours. Maybe you need a bigger backsize than your ideal.

If you've only just stopped breastfeeding though, I would just buy something comfy and wait a few months - my shape completely changed when I stopped.

I recently got some triumph minimiser bras and have been quite impressed. Gone right off M&S, all my recent purchases have shrunk and gone funny in the wash.

uk.triumph.com/triumph-signature-sheer/10215906.html?color=0004_Black

I like those! I wear Prima Donna satin and have for years...I'll order a couple of these

I spent a mornng in Bravissimo and not one fitted.

Molke

Hi I ordered this bra and I really like it.
it arrived today and I’ve been wearing it for a few hours. A bit of getting used to as it feel like I’m putting a jacket on and fastening it from the front. However it’s comfy and supportive considering I never wear wired bras because they dig into me not this bras doesn’t and feel supportive. Also surprisingly the plunging bra step helps in support as I’m using always hiding my boobs away and they become stuck together and look like a bulge!
the racer back is supportive too!
Thanks for the recommendation

I go to a really nice independent bra shop - Bra Boudoir in Ledbury.
Suggest ask for localish recommendations to you, and prepare to travel, get measured and buy something pretty that does a good job.
I changed cup size and back size and find Fantasie really suits me and my shape (E cup)

I’m in London so go to Rigby and Peller but I took my mum to this shop in York and was incredibly impressed. The whole experience was wonderful, and the shop looks like Rigby and Peller but my mum came out with wonderfully fitting and reasonably priced bras. I’m going to go there next time I’m up!
https://leialingerie.com

Another vote for Rigby and Peller (but they are pricey). Fantasie has a good chart showing which bras work for which shapes of boob - a transformation for me as my 32FF needed a side support. https://www.fantasie.com/uk/en/advice/bra-styles-for-your-shape/ I think they also have a virtual fitting tool.

I only buy Fantasie and Freya bras now - I’ve found a style that fits and works for me (28HH).

Its true that having a better fitting band can feel rather uncomfortable to start with, but if you play around with sizing and styles (try a band size other size, and go up/down in cup size accordingly), when you find something that fits properly, it really does make you look 100 times better - lots of people commented that I’d lost weight, but actually it was just my bust sitting in the right place at last and not merging into the rest of my body 😂

Sometimes when I get a brand new bra, I use an extender for a bit until the band starts to have a bit more give.