NOW CLOSED Talk to Panache Lingerie about bra fitting and win a bra set of your choice or a £50 voucher

[KatieBMumsnet]

The folks at Panache Lingerie would love to hear your stories about the best and worst bra fitting advice you've ever been given. Here's what Panache say: "At Panache we know what a huge difference the right fitting bra can make to the way you look and feel. We want to hear your experiences so we can help make it easier for you to find your perfect fit."

We'd love to find out what you know about getting the right bra fit, and the advice you've been given over the years - what's the best (and worst) piece of advice you've been given? Do you have your bras professionally fitted, or do it yourself in store or at home? Do you find fitting/measurement varies between different stores? If you've never been for a bra fitting in a store, why? What would encourage you to go?

What about your first bra fitting - do you remember it as a positive or negative experience? Do you have a DD you might take for a fitting soon? If so, where do you think you'll take her?
Also, how easy or difficult do you find shopping for bras? Where are your favourite places to shop? Is your size readily available, or do you have to travel far and wide to find the right bra? How confident are you that you're wearing the right size?

If you'd like to find out if you're wearing the right sized bra you can join the 'bra fit challenge' or discover how to fit your bra at home with the at home videos from Panache and Caryn Franklin:

Everyone who adds their comments to this thread will be entered into a prize draw where 3 lucky winners will have the choice of a (D+) bra set from Panache Lingerie or a £50 Amazon voucher.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

[aJumpedUpPantryBoy]

The best experience I have had was in Selfridges in London. The fitter was lovely, made me feel very at ease and explained that different brands would fit me in different sizes.
She didn't make me feel bad about the tatty, ill fitting bra I was wearing.
I must have tried on more than 50 bras and she was very patient and also didn't make me feel pressured to buy lots of them.
She also encouraged me to try lots of styles, some of them were things I would never have picked myself.
Another bonus was the spacious changing room, so I didn't feel cramped and awkward - she also made me feel as if there was all the time in the worls.
I ended up buying 4 bras and the difference in my shape/posture is incredible.

The worst experience I had was in M&S where they told me I was 34B (I am 34E/32F depending on brand) and then didn't give me any advice on styles etc.

[Rosebud05]

Another M & S sob story here. First bra fitting in my yoof, and I was told in hushed tones that "I'm afraid you're a 28AA". I was very slight in those days, so possibly true, but really, really didn't need any pathos added to the situation.

A few decades and three babies later, I noticed that my front profile was decidedly droopy a few months ago. A friend - whose catch phrase is 'Bravo for Bravissimo' - showed me the light and I threw away 13 (yes 13) bras that I had had for up to 20 years ranging from 30AA to 34A and went bra shopping. Couldn't quite face the whole fitting thing, but did a bit of internet research and bought a couple of Freya 28D from Debenhams in the sale which have transformed my silhouette. It's not easy to get 28 backs from the likes of M & S (and I think i couldn't probably do with a 26 to be honest, but even harder to get), though specialist stockists no problem. It's much nearer the right size than before, though a trip to a specialist fitter is on my 'to do' list.

[Paintyourbox]

I used to buy all of my bras at a well known high street lingerie chain- ALL of their styles were padded which I didn't really need given that I was a 34E!

I have been fitted at M and S, La Senza and Mothercare and a local independent shop.

The best experience was at the local, independent shop. The owner did all fittings herself and she could tell just by sight what size I was (I didn't believe her at first until she got the tape measure out). She made bra shopping a really enjoyable experience and would even order in items that she didn't normally stock if a customer requested them.

My worst experience was at M and S, the bras they gave me were so obviously the wrong size and my boobs were spilling out over the top. I am surprised the thing didn't fly off like the scene in that Carry On film!


My main gripes about underwear shopping are that every brand varies in terms of size so it's not as simple as just picking what you want from the shelf! I also find that it's hard to get nice underwear sets if you are a certain size- lots of companies which make so called "plus size" lingerie start their knickers at a size 12-14, not much help when your bottom half is a size 8!

[GW297]

How funny! I was going to start a thread myself to ask advice as to where the best place to go is, as I am intending to get re-measured soon.

My worst experience has also been at M&S. I went in October to get measured. I had to wait for ages and then the lady measured me as fast as she could and then shoved a couple of huge, unsightly bras in my hand. I have absolutely hated wearing them ever since. They are too tight and the cups are far too big. It is uncomfortable and worst of all it looks terrible under tops. I didn't think I was an F cup at the time, but didn't feel I could question it. I will be very interested to find out what I really am in a different shop. I will probably email M & S after I get sorted at John Lewis or similar to inform them of this.

I think I had to ask my mum to take me to get a bra when I was about 12 or 13, as I was still in crop tops and all my friends were wearing bras. I think she just guessed which size I might be (a B cup), as I don't remember being measured or anything. I can remember getting measured as La Senza a long time ago and then I've been to M & S twice.

I think bras can be expensive (including sports bras) and I've never found a brand I love. I liked Wonderbra and Gossard when I was younger and thinner but since I've been bigger and big boobed I've struggled to find bras that look good and are comfortable and supportive.

[mistlethrush]

I go to Bravissimo after years of struggling to find any range in my size. I have turned up with DS when he was a baby - he's woken up and I've been offered a roomy changing room so that I could feed him before getting fitted - OK I was rather lopsided but DS was content which was more important at the time! I have once had a problem with some of their bras, went in and explained the problems I'd been having and they were all replaced for a style that was more suitable even though I'd had them for 4 months by then. I've also got a great sports bra from them which enables me to work out at the gym without worrying about surplus movement where its not wanted!

I have recently found bras with straps attached (at the back) closer to the centre which is wonderful for those of us with large cup sizes but narrow, sloping shoulders.

[ScorpionQueen]

Best advice was to always buy bras in person, never on-line, as like most clothes, sizing isn't always accurate and returning is a faff.

I haven't had any bad advice but would like to be professionally measured and treat myself to some good quality bras. I haven't done that in ages as when money is a bit tight, things like bras get left until they fall apart.

DD will need fitting soon, she is almost ready for the transition from crop tops but when I suggested it, she looked at me like I was bonkers. Maybe a few more months then...

[PineappleBed]

The frustrating thing I find is that the good measuring services seem to be in shops specializing in big boobs so with my smaller boobs I'm stuck with the halfwits in m&s.

I was measured in rigby and peller which was great but now I'm up north that's not an option and I'm post pregnant now so probably wearing the wrong size.

My problem is that bra makers seem to think boobs are all the same shape. The weight of mine is to the outside and bottom so balcony bras don't fit and even with D boobs whilst pregnant I had little cleavage.

A comfy, flattering bra - the holy grail!

[thisthreadwilloutme]

My first fitting was terrible. It was in Marks and Spencer and I was given an ugly grey 36DD bra. Not what a girly 14 year old wanted at all.

When I got to university I went to an independent shop and was given a beautiful Panache bra in a 32E. The fit was perfect, the bra was beautiful and I instantly went from hating my breasts to embracing my shape. I looked better, felt better and haven't looked back since!

[iwantavuvezela]

Well my first fitting was receiving my friends bras thatcshevhad finished with! Granted they were more for modesty.
Only real bra fitting was at M and S when pregnant, and wanted to get some nursing bras. They were quite helpful, but seeing my husbands face as he saw the ginormous beige bras they were bringing was priceless!
I have asked my husband that one of my upcoming birthday suggestionsciscto buy me a bra fitting and bra. I would love to know my proper size by a trained fitter. I usually just try on a range of sizes, make sure there is no breast squeezing out the side, the back fits and I usually put my top on over it to see how it looks with clothing.
My DD is only 5 but I am sure I will come up with a little ritual for getting her her first bra!
I must also add that as a 34C I often find (in marks) that they have very few of these sizes and I often cannot get the ones I like.

[Pastabee]

I adore Panache bras. I bought M&S bras for years before going to Bravissimo for a proper fitting and being sold a Panache. The lady in the shop asked me if I knew how to put a bra on which seemed like a weird question as I was about 28 but she went onto explain the importance of 'arranging' your breasts once the bra was on and I've done this ever since. Fantastic tip.

The same lady also explained that you should always put your top back on when trying a bra on. This allows you to see properly the support offered. The difference with the Panache bras was amazing. Even my husband noticed the difference!

I didn't have a bra fitting until I was quite old as it wasn't something my mother 'believed in'. I was probably about 21 before I realised there was a benefit and visited M&S. I realise now their bras aren't great but the lady was nice and put me at my ease. I just don't understand why they pick such horrid, plain cotton bras to fit you in. Yuk!

I have a DD and I will want her to have a bra professionally fitted. She is only 9 months so I have years and years to think about it and hope the market catches up as at the moment I only rate Bravissimo and obviously they are DD+ so I wouldn't know where to take her.

[domesticslattern]

I remember as a teenager being told by a bra fitter that I needed to get my bras made specially by a woman in the Midlands "specialising in outsizes". I am size 34F or G . I will never forget those words, nor the M&S bra fitter who flogged me a minimiser bra when all my sixth form mates had wonderbras. Basically, when Bravissimo opened and I was no longer considered a weird size, I was thrilled to bits. I am still very loyal to the chain, and forays to Rigby and Peller, John Lewis and (shudder) Mothercare have not changed my mind. My biggest disappointment is the lack of decent nursing bras, especially underwired ones- this seems to me like a massive business opportunity- imagine a company who would fit nursing bras at home, bringing them in a van to new mothers! I do get fitted at least twice a year, usually coming out with a couple of bras by Panache or Freya; it's expensive but essential to avoid back ache.

[JugglingWithFiveRings]

Seems there's possibly a gap in the market for the smaller breasted woman - and for good bra fitting in general !

[wizzler]

I go to an independent little shop, run by two ladies who have a tendency to fling open the fitting room curtain and crow " isn't that a lovely fit on her, Maude?"... it took me a lot of courage to be fitted there but now I don't go anywhere else. They simply refuse to sell you anything that doesn't fit properly!

Worst experience was in M&S... cowering in the changing room waiting for there staff to finish a conversation and come and fit me, and feeling i was interupting her ... gave up in the end and went back to Maude!

[JugglingWithFiveRings]

Maude - and sister ?! - sound priceless

[kaz0223]

I always went to M&S for bra fitting until some one recommended me to a small shop in a local town. The women asked me what size bra is was wearing and without even measuring me she said I was wearing the totally wrong size. I went from wearing a 36C to a 34F. You can imagine my husbands joy when I said I was actually wearing an F cup even though my breasts hadn't got any bigger than they were just the mention of an F cup made him smile!!!!

The lady in the shop never measured my properly until she had tried on various bras on. She was more concerned on how it fitted on my body rather than what size it was. I must say my bras are far more comfortable now.

Another tip I have been given is when putting your bra on bend over slightly and scoop your breast into the cup.

[CelticOlympian]

WasLike many on this thread I have been badly fitted at M&S, was years back though. I used to wear a 36DD and be spilling out of the cups and the back would ride up. A family member works for M&S and once guesstimated me as a 38C.

Then, before my wedding, I went to Rigby and Peller, and came out a 32G! I usually wear 32-34 FF-G. I didn't even buy anything on that visit to R&P as they wanted me to carefully measure my wedding dress first, no hard sell at all. spent lots of time andshowed how to put a bra on properly- I think this is very important with bra fitting!

I've had a reasonable experience at Bravissimo too, had to go to buy emergency feeding bras after DS was born at 27 weeks. Fitter was very nice to me in my emotional state, but the stock was so limited. I was wearing a 32K and had a choice of one bra.

I have a Panache sports bra which I like very much but I find it comes up big, and I also need to do the racer back straps to get enough support. I like the Enell for support but it ain't pretty!

I think there is a serious lack of bra size SPORTY swimwear, have recently forked out for the Freya Active but would have liked more choice.

I buy my bras mainly online when I'm confident about size, but sizes do vary between brands and even styles. I'm losing weight at the moment, and when I finish I'm looking forward to getting professionally measured again, probably at Bravissimo as there is one close by and they have a good range. I have a lot of Freya because I love the bright colours but I'd like to branch out and try different brands.

I don't recall my first bra fitting but I do remember dreading fitting as a teenager. I think it's important to be very clear about what to expect- as a teen you need to know whether you'll be required to take your top off, I know some places don't ask you to and some do. I wouldn't bat an eyelid now but at 14 it's so embarrassing. It might be useful for teen magazines to do the occasional piece about it- maybe something to put in an advert?

I agree with what some posters have said about old fashioned ideas that DD is huge, and celebrity size dishonesty!
And you see so many pics of women in badly fitting bras! Showing those pics might be a good way to educate women at a fitting session. Or what about before and after pics? I know I looked about two stone lighter when I got a decent bra!

[Reggiee]

If there is one item in my wardbobe I spend money on, it's my bra. I'm fitted by a local (independent) who knows your size just by looking at you, then insists you try on. Fabulous place, and was great throughout pregnancy and whilst bf.
Very, very different to fittings in my youth at the usual high street stores - M&S and Debenhams were always the worst. They seemed determined to measure me at 36C/D when infact was around 30/32 FF/G.
I will always recommend anyone to get fitted at a specialist not on the high street.
Don't remember my first bra. Suspect it was a hand me down from my flat chested sister

[KeemaNaanAndCurryOn]

The worst bra fitting I ever had was at Mothercare. They got me to take off my bra and measured me over my clothes. They measured me up as a 44 C. I asked if they were joking - I was wearing a 36F at the time, but the woman was really snotty and said she would get me a 42 as that was the largest back she had.

Not surprisingly when I tried on a 42 C it was loose around my body and my boobs didn't fit in at all. What a waste of time.

I've been fitted in M&S, but never found their Bras to be very good at supporting larger cups sizes.

The second best ever fitting was at a factory shop in Desborough, where the fitters did a really good job at helping you find the right bra to fit you, but they still relied a bit on using a tape measure.

The best ever fitting involved no tape measures whatsoever and was with the most amazing bra-fitter I've ever had. It was at Debenhams in the Trafford Centre in Manchester. Sadly when I went back the bra dept seemed to have gone, but its still worth mentioning.

She took a look at me and went to get a load of bras. She had me try a lot of them on and made sure that the back was very firm and didn't move and the cup sizes were just right. She took her time - and in the end it was worth it as I spent over £100 on bras - and finally found that in full cup styles I was a 36H and in balcony styles I was a 38G. I came away with a selection of Bras in the right sizes and they've lasted me very well - two years and counting!

The only problem I have is that finding H cup bras is a sodding nightmare and cheap bras that you can buy in ASDA and Tesco for example just don't have the quality of materials to support the larger cup sizes. Because of this I'm always happy to pay for a good quality, good make of bra, as I've found it a false economy to do anything else. It is a pain that I can't go into a high street store and easily get a 36H as it means I have to rely on the odd trip to a bigger city or mail order, which doesn't really work either as you need to try a bra on to really find out whether it looks good on you or not.

[BombusBombus]

[TooImmatureTurtleDoves]

La Senza sucked - just as well they've gone bust, they deserved to.

M&S kept me waiting for ages but did (I think) eventually fit me in the right size of sports bra.

Jenners in Edinburgh kindly fitted me for a Shock Absorber sports bra and weren't even miffed when they turned out not to have the right size in store and I decided to order it online instead.

An independent store was very good at flogging me expensive Hot Milk bras when I was 34 weeks pregnant and just wanted something pretty. 2 of them fitted perfectly and the third went funny in the washing machine, which is not the shop's fault.

Mothercare were beyond crap and I'm still fuming 5 months on. When my daughter was about a month old I went into Mothercare to get some more nursing bras. I spent bloody ages wrestling with the bra display, trying to find a 34FF or G in the colours/styles I liked. Failed. I spent at least 15 minutes trying to find bras, with my husband alternatively helping and walking DD around the shop to keep her quiet. Eventually, much ruffled, I got a couple and tried them on. They didn't fit particularly well but there was absolutely no one about to help. I picked a packet of two that had fitted reasonably well, and went to pay. The woman at the till went 'oh, are you sure you've got the right size? Do you want help with the fitting?' Too little, too late. There was no bloody way I was traipsing back into the fitting room by that time.

I had an interesting experience in Bravissimo. I went in to be fitted at about 4 months pregnant. I explained to the girl that I was pregnant and she fitted me in 2 bras at a 30E, I think. I thought they seemed very tight but she assured me they would be fine. They weren't - they were agonisingly painful and I would get home from work and rip them off and scratch my boobs raw. I mentioned this experience on a Mumsnet thread a few weeks later, and lo and behold, I got a message from Bravissimo Customer Services apologising and asking me to email them elaborating and telling them which store and the name of the fitter. I was impressed by this and did email them, and I wound up with a fitting by the manageress, who replaced my bras free of charge (in a 34FF), even though I had worn and washed the originals. So kudos to Bravissimo customer service. I've been back since and will be going again when I stop breastfeeding and can afford new bras!

[RedKites]

I've not had the best experience with bra fittings, but am reasonably happy to try things on myself. However, my cup size only seems to be going up, and the range available on the high street seems to be going down. I'm expecting DC2 and estimating I'm going to be about a J cup when my milk comes in.... I guess I'm going to have to order online and hope for the best.

[Jux]

My worst bra fitting was when I was in my mid-20s. It was a very long time ago and I'm not sure there were many professional fitters then; I'd never heard of anyone going for one!

This was an elderly woman who was represented as a genius. However, I didn't actually wear a bra very often and went along in a t-shirt and no bra. She was very unhappy about this, didn't want to measure me, didn't really want to have anything to do with me. She pointed me in the direction of some bras, muttering about what sizes I could try, but I was so upset and embarrassed that I left the shop with nothing.

The best was at M&S. This is because I have never had one anywhere else, and only had this one about 6m ago., and only because dd needed to be fitted, so I thought two birds with one stone. The woman was lovely - elderly, experienced, intelligent and very helpful and informative. She told me that I shouldn't really have underwires any more, but their range didn't include bras without, so I should look elsewhere too (I haven't yet).

AFAIK we don't have a Bravissimo, or anything like it in Exeter. We're getting a JL soon though!

[BikeRunSki]

The worst bra fitting I ever had was from JojoMamanBebe for a nursing bra, at 38 weeks pg. Pre pg I was 36D. They told me I was 34C, which would give me room for expansion. It was tiny, it really didn't fit, but in my heavily pg state I beleived the "fitter" and bought it. I didn't wear it for long. Conversely, in my next pg, I called out the NCT bra fitting service, who were excellent and fitt3ed me in the comfort of my own home so I didn't have to go out feeling dreadful, whilst my 2 yo slept.

I just ignore M&S when looking for bras now, as their sizing is so different to the rest of the world and I really can't be bothered to get measured especially by them just to get one of their mediocre bras. They never have any styles I love anyway.

I love John Lewis and their fitters, very discrete and professional. I live in the countryside and so loads of shopping on line, but John Lewis and bra fitting are one of my few reasons for dragging myself and children to our nearest city (Sheffileld ).