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

i would say my experiences have always been average. i have been sold bras that seem to fit in the changing room but as soon as ive worn them a couple of times start to gap and bag in the cups! the worst bra i own is a freya one purchased from bravissimo, i thought they were supposed to be very good but actually are no better than anywhere else. i usually tend to fit myself now. but actually got measured 2wks ago in a house of fraser store. since id lost weight and hadnt had a bra that fitted well for a while i wanted to get a good one. they measured me as a 30 back and prob still a d cup. tried on several different brands some in which i seemed to need a dd or even e. some were too tight on the back others still huge! i ended up with a wonderbra which is perfect around my back but im not to sure if infact the cups are a little big. the assistant did check the fit, i had her check each bra i tried. i could find nothing perfect. i seem to be very inbetween sizes and since each brand and even style of bra fit differently it was hard to find some thing that fitted then throw in the fact that im a 28/30 back needing anywhere between a c-e cup its near enough impossible as not all bras come in those sizes. for instance i tried on a chantelle bra in a 30 back and it was big she advised me not to buy as would soon have stretched and be no good. why is the sizing so different its no wonder we spend most of our lives in the wrong sized bra.

Eek looking at some of the information on here there can't be a cat in hells chance I'm wearing the right size.

I was measured once in m and s which just involved them measurung me and telling me I was a 38B and the leaving me to it.

I've worn 38B for years though I've had comments about having biggish boobs I've always just laughed as 'I'm a B cup'. I've never thought to get measured in one of the shops specialising in bigger sizes as I didn't think I was.

However! I've just measured myself and I'm 33" underbust and 39" over. What kind of size is that likely to make me as starting point? I'm very confused!

34DD perhaps? 38 is rather a large back size these days, since the adding inches thing doesn't work anymore. As I have said upthread, I am a generous 16 up top and can still get in a 34 although 36 more comfortable in some makes. So unless you are a size 18-20 you are not so likely to be a 38 bra.

I have had a bra fitting a few times. I don't remember my first bra fitting but as my mum used to buy all underwear at Marks and Spencers I would imagine it was there!

I myself have been back to M&S for a bra fitting twice, I also was measured when pregnant with my third child at Mothercare and I went to Bravissimo for a bra fitting a year ago. I had been fitted at M&S six months before and M&S told me I was a size 36 DD. When measured at Bravissimo (weighing about the same) I was told I was a 34 FF! Whilst the bras I bought there in that size were snug they did make me feel more confident as I had more support and my clothes looked better. I have stuck with 34 FF since and find it comfortable, although I have now lost 10 lbs in the last couple of months and think I will need to be measured again soon. I will definitely go to Bravissimo again - aside from the fact that their measurement seemed right, they have more bras in my size for me to choose from, as I found the choice in M&S of D+ bras very poor.

Hmm I admit that I have not been for a proper bra fitting since I was pg with my last DC and the reason is is that It is always wrong!
I know that I am an odd shape but store fitted bra's do not fit and I end up with the double bump where my breasts over hang the cups. I have tried mainstream stores (m&S etc) and private department stores but have currently lost faith.
Home fitting advice still does not seem to translate for me. I end up with a larger back size and smaller cup than I actually need which again I think is down to my shape.
I rely on my own judgement and trying things on, I only buy from two brands that cater for larger cup sizes.
I have recently taken my two DD's for their first bra fitting's and although the wait was long it was worth it. The bra's that they came home with were very well fitted and they have felt comfortable wearing them.

I was really pleased that they were not embarrassed and found the experience positive.
As far as how far to travel I over order on line and return the incorrect size bra's and stick to the two brands that I rely on and will continue to take my two DD's to the store for fittings.

I think perhaps I need a remeasure somewhere other than M&S then. I'm a 14 to 16 and the 16 is generally because I'm self concious if things are too fitted accross my tummy as I suffer from bloating from time to time. Trousers and dresses that aren't fitted round middle are generally a 14.

Don't bother with the "measure" bit - good fitters don't use the tape measure. They try bras on you and see if they fit or not. On bravissimos website they have a guide to how a bra should fit, might be worth a look so you know what a good fit looks like.

fanof
I measure 33.5 and 37.

I've just been measured in debehams at a 34C (i was wearing 36A).

I would say your measurements are 34DD, or possibly 32E. I only base this info on a thread I have recently lurked on. Check the threads I've recently been on and you'll find it.

I measure 31 and 41, given that I'm wearing a 36G which feels alright, I suspect Boux Avenue add 4/5 inches to the chest measurement. I don't want to buy any new bras until I'm finished losing weight though (lost 1 1/2 stone already, about the same still to go), but may have to get some interim bras unless I need somewhere to keep cash/keys etc.

Hey well done SpareTime - I'm not a massive fan of women dieting as it's so over-done IYKWIM - But ... 1.5 stone lost towards a 2+ stone target loss sounds like it deserves some flowers ... or wine

I just stopped snacking and eating all the cake. I got a bit of a shock from the "global fat scale" thread when I found out my BMI was 38, I have it down to 34, aiming for under 30, but over a decent period of time so it stays off.
I wouldn't say I'm "dieting", just eating better, and changing my attitude to food.

Thanks for the advice KatandKit and Haunted. I think I shall investigate new bras!

Sounds like you have absolutely the right attitude SpareTime - well done to you !

A tape measure has never been near me during a bra fitting. I go to Bravissimo and think they're fantastic. I'm now very confident in what constitutes a well fitting bra thanks to it being drummed in explained well over the years.
~ The band should sit flat all the way around, should not be raised at the back and not gape at the front, you should be able to slide two fingers underneath. The cups should not gape or give you four boobs. The straps should not cut in. etc!

First bra fitting was fine, was with my mum. The woman who fitted me was lovely, respected my shy, lest's get this over with attitude

I only shop in Bravissimo, always Panache bras too!

I've never been fitted - the thought of undressing for some random shop worker with a measuring tape seems completely unnecessary. i just either go into a shop i know does bras in a size and shape that fit me well (i like h and m), or i grab a few different sizes and see which one fits best.

when my daughter is old enough to need some support i will make sure we have a measuring tape and hope she'll let me help if she is unable to do it herself. but it's pretty straightforward isn't it?!

i hope i will have the presence of mind at the time to give her tips like use the widest hook when fitting so that if the fabric stretches you can tighten it up, that you can be one size in one style of bra but a different size in another...

i imagine it's like shoe fitting - they tell you your child's size but then you still need to try on a few pairs to find the one that fits the foot just right. so you might as well skip the professional measuring bit.

the one thing that would encourage me to get professionally fitted would be massive weight gain, a knowledgable, experienced fitter and a selection of bras in which the sizes had been standardised.

I used to always have bra fittings from the age of about 14 when my breasts started to become larger. I stopped at the age of 16. My Nan had come into Marks and Spencers with me and treated me to over £100 worth of bras. I was over the moon with them and started to wear them the day after we got them but they began to dig into me in between my boobs and under my arm so much i was left with deep red marks which lasted for a couple of hours after i had taken the bras off. I took them back to the shop only a few days after i had brought them and as i was told i couldn't return them as they are underwear i had to prove they were faulty and what i was claiming happened was true. The manager took me into the changing room to prove to her what they done to me and so she could also check it was a fault with the bras and that i hadn't purchased the wrong sizes (even though i had had them fitted when we brought them.) The lady used the tape measure to measure me-even around my arms! She stayed in there throughout every bra change and made me feel really intimidated, she make my feel like i was a liar. She was very abrupt and wouldn't talk to me unless she was ordering me to do something. As the marks didn't appear until a couple of minutes of wearing the bra she make me stand there and wait until they came and it started to get sore. Eventually, she refunded them and unwillingly agreed they were faulty. I left the store crying due to how rude she was to me and how she made me feel so belittled. Since that day i haven't had a bra fitting. I would like to have one now out of interest to see what size i am but i dont really shop much in the stores which offer them anymore as i tend to shop out of the city nowadays. I agree that bra sizes come up differently with different brands and i dont like to purchase a bra without trying it on unless i have bras from the same brand already and i know i can rely on them. I have seen online guides to bra fitting on you tube which you can do your self and on lingerie websites there are guides but i dont know how much you can trust them! I just stick to my 34 or 36d/dd's whichever are in stock if i am buying online, if not i try them on in store!

I have large breasts that have changed size a great deal over the years due to weight gain/loss, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and (once) a boob reduction. For years and years as a teenager and into my 20s I suffered humiliation after humiliation in bra shops - the 1st time I plucked up courage to be fitted in John Lewis I ended up in tears because they said, "Oh we don't stock THAT size in here!" M&S were hopeless too and I wore the wrong size for ages. It didn't help that my mum is also quite large chested and she had never been fitted correctly either so she couldn't help. eventually, when I was 30 or so I discovered Bravissimo. The 1st fitting I had there was revolutionary - they were lovely, didn't treat me like a freak and had lots and lots of pretty styles to choose from. I felt confident for the 1st time ever (and that was after the boob reduction - I was still a 30F). I have since found a few other independent bra shops that cater for my size (I am now 34HH) but Bravissimo is still my favourite and I often go in or order on-line for all my bras and swimwear. I have worn Panache bras in the past and I liked the shape. I think I am now confident enough to fit myself at home. I still see lots and lots of women in the wrong size bras and I have to fight the urge to approach them and tell them how to get properly fitted! It really annoys me that you can't buy large-sized bras easily e.g. in M&S.

There seems to be a lot of negative feeling towards M&S but I think they vary depending on the fitter (I know that's not good and it should be accurate across the board but I'm just saying some of them do know what they're talking about). I grew a lot in size after having DD2 and went from a pre-pregnancy 32B to 32E. However I was measured at John Lewis as a 34C and went around for years with a sagging chest. Finally I was measured by M&S and discovered I was a 32E (have since had this confirmed by an independent) and bras began to make more sense again!

I got my first bra in France whilst I was on an exchange. I think my mother was a bit awkward about broaching the subject so she hadn't done (even though I needed one), and whilst I was away my host mother was sorting some washing one morning and declared a couple of bras too small for her daughter and about the right size for me! It was such a lovely subtle thing to do and I'm very grateful to her when I look back (we're still in touch and she's been like a second mum to me in lots of ways, she even came with me to buy my wedding dress!)

Best experience: Fraser's - a wonderful, experienced fitter, who just guessed my size by looking at me. She knew which brands & styles were more/less generous in size & found me the perfect fit. Even now, I still go there - plus Debenhams & Bravissimo - as the fit you properly -ie bending forward into a bra, adjusting straps, checking the middle bit & suggesting different styles. Well worth a proper fitting.

Worst: M&S. Measuring you over clothing/bra - WTF?! Means you end up a size bigger at the back. Perhaps the fitters are trained to avoid physical contact, or to minimise discomfort for ladies being "exposed" - however, you just end up with a duff, ill-fitting bra. Haven't bought a bra there for nearly 20 years, for that reason

I get fitted at bravissimo - M&S bras dont fit me as a 36HH :) Well probably more now as I'm 6 months pregnant but as its an hour each way to my closest branch I don't got as ofter as I should. I wish there were good independant shops/fitters near me. I have tried debenhams but it seems a bit hit and miss and I feel I have to buy a bra even if I'm not sure of the fit after I've been through a fitting. Am also a fan of the panache and fantasie brands as they seem to fit very nicely

I was originally fitted in M&s- living in the middle east as a teenager I had to wait to come back for summer holidays to get it done over here so it was a treat, but as an early developer I was shy and embarrassed anyway!
One of my favourite shops is Victorias Secret- they make underwear shopping a real luxury, yet affordable, with a lot of fun, adventurous, bright options, fabrics and patterns- with the focus being on it all being for the woman (as opposed to a lot of UK stores where it seems its all about nice undies for the blokes sake...) bravissimo is great, but its a shame that it seems like a 'specialist' shop for bigger sizes when in fact a lot of women fit that size category.
I think the difference in sized across stores is ridiculous in this country- there should be a joint effort to make a size standard, for better bra/boob health, and to encourage women to wear the right size no matter where they purchase. Stocking 'bigger' sizes without making you feel like a freak too would be nice. I barely know anyone who is a B or C anymore- and so many places have the teenage boy idea that a DD is huge and anything above is verging on alien!!
I was massively disappointed during both pregnancies/breadtfeeding the lack of choice by mainstream providers of ante/post natal bras (feeding and non). At a time when you need most support and would be delighted with something remotely womanly , so many are cheap, boring, super-stretchy... Not good. On that note there should be more encouragement for women to get measured during and after birth as everything changes so much and so many just plod on wearing their pre-preg sizes...
What annoys me most in stores is all the lingo on shape etc... It really means so little as often the shape of one bra in a style is entirely different to the sane bra in a different colour... Goodness knows why! But as a result I tend to try every single bra on, which puts me off actually, instead of just knowing that 'x' bra is fine from trying one on and then grabbing it in different colourways.
One of my pet peeves is bras in 'bigger' sizes (anything anove a D in most shops) having inappropriate matching undies! Often the sexy, smaller attractive pants options are reserved for the little sizes and 14/16/18 are the equivalent of granny pants only!
Best tip: the right bra can makr or break an outfit. Sooo true!

I've been measured 3 different sizes in 3 different shops. On the same day (M+S, Debenhams, House of Fraser). This was admittedly 15 years ago when I was shopping for something to go under a rather amazing ivory silk frock !

I have recently had a Bravissimo fitting which I can honestly say has changed my bra buying forever (that and a now rather long-running bra thread on here ).
I went from a 36D (bra-size I've worn most of my adult life, bar pregnancy and BFing) to a 34G Panache Superbra (I am not just saying that because this is a Panache survey, honest!).

I have since invested in some rather nice Fauve bras. And for the first time in my life have matching knickers!!

I'd totally agree that the eyeballing method seems to work better than any amount of measuring. And trying lots of bras on.

Having had large boobs from puberty and a Mother totally indifferent despite having large boobs herself, I spent my school years really embarrassed about having large boobs. We had to wear white school shirts, which I was really self concious of 'gapping'. As a result even now I avoid tops with buttons. Like lots of others my first bras came from M&S and I went with my friend and just tried on until I found ones that seemed to fit. I don't think there was a fitter there then, if there was they certainly didn't put any signs up to let the customers know. The only other place was an independent shop that seemed to be for 'old ladies' by the look of the lingerie in the window.

After years of assorted sized bras, of which anything underwired either hurt my inner arms or under my armpits, I went to be fitted at M&S Cribbs Causeway. The woman there clearly knew her stuff and I came out with an assortment of well fitting bras. So next time I went back to the local M&S in Cheltenham. There I was seen for less than 5 minutes and told I was a certain size and given some bras in that size, of which everyone was too big in the backsize and too small in the cup, but she insisted they fitted. My top tip is if you lift your arms up above your head and the bra rolls up with you, it is too big. Needless to say I bought none. I went from there directly to Contessa, where I was fitted by a lady who knew what she was talking about, spent time with me and I left with 3 new bras, all variations of the Triumph Doreen. I became a loyal customer of Contessa and a convert to Triumph Doreen as a result. Since Contessa closed, I've been a bit lost. I stick with the Triumph Doreen, even though it is an 'old ladies' bra - my Mum wears it! I have bought the odd one or two elsewhere and they are never as good, in fit or longevity (I have Doreens that are nearly 10 years old, but I hand wash and drip dry always, ever since a stray underwire wrote off my washing machine). As a 40H I would love a wider range to choose from, but even bras supposedly in that size, do not have wide enough straps, or are not wide enough under the arm, or have rubbish underwires.

Now my Daughters wear bras I've explained the importance of properly fitting bras. They have both inherited large boobs, so I ensure they have practical bras for work or school and prettier ones for other times. The 'first' bras are definitely an improvement on when I was their age. My 9 year old daughter has just started to develop breasts which was unexpected as she is tall and slender and much earlier than her sisters. Can't get anything with a 26" backsize, so she has some crop tops. I'm cautious about making an issue of it, but she needs something to cover her under her school blouses.

Oh, I forgot my first bra: well, there was no 'fitting'. My mum just came home one day with a bra or 3 - I cannot really remember.
I was quite busy from a young age, a bit of a tom boy and v sporty, so my boobs were nothing but an annoyance tbh.
I wore sports bras for a while in my late teens because the lack of wobble was so comfortable .

My first fitting was the aformentioned disaster before my wedding which left me confused and without underwear (that day). In the end I wore a basque I had found by trial and error on my own; I think from House of Fraser's (too long ago to rmemeber...)

I love Panache Tango bras. I discovered them through Bravissimo and now wear nothing else. When I was breastfeeding I went up to an HH cup, and couldn't find an underwired feeding bra for love or money, so converted a couple of Panache Tangos with feeding clips - worked brilliantly.

I've been fitted in M&S and John Lewis, with the same rubbish experience that a lot of people have, and at Bravissimo, who were brilliant - did it by eye, and sold me bras that left my boobs in a much more flattering place. I buy from them online now because I know what a well-fitting bra feels and looks like.