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

cornflakegirl Nothing else?

Like many other posters, I had a bad fitting in M&S after breastfeeding my DD. I had been fitted in a lovely independent shop while breastfeeding who measured me for a great nursing bra in 32D; I assumed afterwards I would need 32A or 32B but M&S fitter said I was a 34A. It felt loose and she commented "oh, you like them tight, don't you" !! I ignored her, bought a 32B and it felt much better.

I started out being measured in 'George Henry Lees' the Liverpool branch of John Lewis & all was well

I moved away from Liverpool & it all went wrong; there was a nice shop in Golders Green, but apart from that I went years with poorly fitting bras

It culminated in a visit to another JL branch the fitter couldn't fit any bra to me; she called her supervisor in (who was on a day off I found out later) who also couldn't fit me

More recently I found Freya and one style fits me.....but only one style

Bras are disappointing and uncomfortable

DD (14) is a 28C and looks to follow in my footsteps - she mainly wears sports bras as they don't need fitting

I buy most of my bras from Bravissimo (various brands, including Panache and Freya) and would only use them for fitting, having had numerous disastrous experiences at M&S and one at John Lewis. I seemed to be OK at judging myself pre-children, but after 2 children with the effects of pregnancy and breastfeeding in between, only Bravissimo seemed to get it right. I've been to 3 of their stores and always had a great experience; I've even had a great 'fitting' from those guys over the phone, which I never would have thought possible. It's all about understanding how different brands and styles fit, and I think it helps if they understand your purchase history too. I've even bought a strapless evening gown and gone straight to the store to find the right bra to go with it - and they never let me down. I would go out of my way to be fitted at one of their stores. My DD is still some way off needing a bra, but as someone with a big cup size I know the importance of a good fit, so would aim to get this right from the start.

I am a 36FF/G post kids. When I was a teenager I bought 34B from M&S like all my friends & wondered why I looked & felt weird! I finally went to an independent bra shop with my posh grandma who insisted I get measured properly & came away with 2 beautiful 34DD underwired bras & have never looked back! Rigby & Peller never measure - they feel your ribcage with their hands, look at your breasts & try you in loads of styles & sizes until you find the holy grail - the perfectly fitting bra. Experienced bra fitters tend to do the same. They just know your size by looking at you! Take note M&S!!

Worst: M&S. Went in for maternity bras. The lady clearly couldn't be arsed. She measured me (incorrectly) then just said, 'we don't do that size. You'll have to go somewhere else. Bye.'

Ummm.... Thanks?

Best was probably bravissimo, although I said it was a bit tight and the fitter just said, 'it'll expand as you wear it more.' so I
Was stuck with a slightly too tight maternity bra while very pregnant. Not happy, as you can imagine.

Need to get measured again, and I'm not looking forward to it. I have to go to bravissimo because practically no where does my size (was 30GG according to bravissimo) and I could get them from brastop, but I'd prefer to try them on before buying.

been fitted at john lewis, rigby & peller and Bravissimo and R&P was the worst - I felt like they were trying to get me out of the store as fast as possible. John Lewis was ok but but didn't have a range of bras in my size. Bravissimo was great - they explained things and were always happy to go and find different styles and sizes to try but never felt pressured to buy anything. I have a couple of panache bras and they are the most comfortable for everyday wearing.

It seems i am not alone in having a terrible M&S fitting disaster, but my first fitting was even more galling...having put on 'puppy fat' and the first fluch of womanhood I went to Contessa (do they still exist) for a fitting, where I was scorned for wearing my old itsybitsy bra...isn't that why i'm here?! and told - you'll never be able to wear anything but a full cup. Sold an awful matronly thing and left crying. The best advice was in a small independent shop when I was first told to put on a bra by leaning over into it, also learned a lot by reading this thread tho! Personally I like freya and M&S undies and Panache bras never seem to fir me well tho i love the styles on others - our bosoms are all truly unique!

I had a pants experience (pardon the pun) at M&S. They told me totally the wrong size years ago. I got mine fitted at a Sadie the bra lady shop (they have stores in the north east) and haven't looked back. I think that the older ladies are the best, usually.

fanof - that's pretty much identical to me, at the moment. I've just ordered some 34DDs to try, since my current 34Ds have started overflowing a bit (yes I should really try to lose the weight I've put on, recently, but that could take forever!)

My worst experience by far was when I was pregnant with DD1 (some 14 years ago) and went to a local shop for bras. I am a 30FF normally and pregnancy sent them into orbit (literally they were so big they had their own postcode). The octagenarian who fitted me had no respect for my privacy and told me i shouldnt wear underwired bras during pregnancy. She came back with a choice of exactly one bra - which was so huge and ugly with shoulder straps a mile wide that I came out the shop crying.

However now me and DD1 (who has exactly the same sized boobs as me) get all our bras, sports bras and swimwear from Bravissimo. The changing rooms are large, the staff knowledgeable and they know how to fit you properly.

M&S - terrible, measuring tape algorithms nonsense. Ok when you are young and perky but I realised later when older and post bf-ing that my bras had never really supported me, it was natural youthful uplift.

Fitter in House of Fraser Croydon (post dd1) was a magician. she didn't measure anything, didn't ask me to take my clothes off, just looked at me, asked me to turn around and looked at my back, and brought me 4 bras and I bought 3 of them. all perfect, all changed my post-partum shape beyond recognition.

Best tip: she told me how to sort of scoop my breasts into the cup for best effect

Missing terribly in bra-land: bfing bras which provide a decent uplift, rather than sad soft mono-boob;good underwired bras in 30ff which can be worn with non-matronly evening wear (and if any of you lot know of any please let me know)

I always went to M&S, bar some cheap forays into H&M that resulted in pretty bras but no real support. I came to expect that bras should hurt, that there should be saggy fabric and that my breasts would, no matter what I did, bounce around on my chest like a Baywatch lifeguard. I have a petite figure and never, even when I had overhang, thought of myself as a big-chested woman.

The last straw was going into M&S and spending a considerable sum on bras that just were no good - I could hold the strap away from my back like a comedy slingshot. I am fairly young and shy and although I tentatively questioned whether or not the fitting had worked, the woman insisted that the bras were fine. I came home, got on Mumsnet for advice and promptly booked myself a Bravissimo appointment.

It was a revelation, particularly the sports bra, and I went from a 36B to a 30F/32E. The bras I wear every day are Panache and they are so bloody comfortable, I don't bounce around and I don't pop out. I won't go anywhere else now as the staff are so friendly as well - I have never been made to feel embarrassed.

Of course I then had to go through the rigmarole of returning the unworn M&S stuff. I even started a thread about it. I was made to feel like I was being very rude and difficult (I wasn't, I was just refusing to admit they were right and I was wrong... Surely I, as the person wearing the bras, should be able to tell if they were right or not?). If I hadn't had the experience of comfortable Bravissimo bras I might have backed down, especially when they insisted I get remeasured before they would refund anything. They eventually gave me my money back, after more than half an hour and them insisting until the last minute that I was wrong as the 'measuring expert' continued to insist that adding 4 inches was correct. I think I could carry on ranting for a while In short, especially considering the expense and the discomfort that bad fittings can induce, I think it absolutely should be made clearer to women and teenagers what a good bra should do and feel like.

Before I had my son last year my bust was a 32B and that was that. I decided to get myself measured properly before I started wedding dress shopping so I could have an idea of what would fit me best.

I went to M&S and they promptly told me I was a 36D. Now say what you will, but there is a hell of a difference between a 32B and a 36D. I actually tried on the size they'd recommended to prove to the woman that she was being ridiculous- when I bent forward you could see down to my navel it was so big!!

2 weeks after I'd had my son I went to Mothercare to get fitted with some proper nursing bras and she told me I was a 36E (that was a shock to the system!) and she asked if I was planning to carry on nursing my son. She said when I stopped, wait a month, go back and ask for her and she'd organise another fitting and a new bra half price. Couldn't believe it- such brilliant service and the bra actually fitted!

I'm now back to a 36C (fitted at Bravissimo) and absolutely love being able to pretty them up with lovely lingerie!

Whilst at Uni I worked in a lingerie shop and was "trained" as a bra fitter - goodness knows if the method we used was correct as everywhere seems to do it differently and I always found it was only accurate on smaller busts...larger sizes I more or less guessed and adjusted according to how the bras the women tried on fitted.

I have noticed different styles of bras can result in variations in size sometimes too.

I have a small bust and find bras easy to buy although I favour heavily gel filled ones too give me a boost!

I found decent fitting nursing bras the hardest to find as my bust size fluctuated throughout the day. Also no underwires gave me a horrible shape but the nursing bras with wires were too uncomfortable. That was really my worst time when finding bras, I didn't bother getting professionally measured though as I felt I could judge my size quite well myself.

I am 43! I think I still do not have correct bra size.Have measured myself,have been to M and S ...BUT still have double breast effect.
My dream is to go to Rigby and Peller and get properly fitted.
IME you can be measued in one shop but be a different measurement in another....Nightmare.
I want padded cups so my nipples do not show but would prefer not to have wire,Have never found suitable bra that is not underwired.

I grew up thinking that M&S were the best for underwear but then discovered it really wasn't once you find a good fitting bra elsewhere. THere is a local department store that I have been happy with for bra fitting generally and then for maternity / nursing bra fitting i found a super online company called Boobiemilk and as they are local to me they came out to my house for bra fitting which was fab as i have three little ones which makes it hard to get out and about at the moment for things like bra fittings!

Worst advice from mothercare telling me that a bra only has a useful life of 6 months (i think with gentle washing a good bra should last much longer as long as it still fits well).

Best advice - comfort over how it looks is most important but obviously a nice looking bra helps us mums feel good so it is important to have both.

I always struggle when trying to work out my own size as so much conflicting advice so i like the sound of the online help to get the right fit.

My first bra fitting was my mother taking me to a small department store and choosing me two bras, one beige and one pale blue - apparently white would go grey in the wash so wasn't allowed.

When I first came to England, I heard M&S were the place to go (probably one of those magazine articles that says 'according to M&S 90% of women wear the wrong sized bra'. They measured me, told me I was a C cup, I was so excited as had been up to a DD and they were harder to find. I chose a selection of bras in the size I'd been told I was, went off to the changing room, joining the long queue, only to get to the cubicle and discover there was no way I could fit a boob of mine in a C cup. There was no help in the changing rooms and I was so disappointed with the queuing I went elsewhere.

For a long time I went to John Lewis for fitting, I would choose some pretty bras in styles I liked and bright colours, go to the fitter and say 'I like these but need to check my size', they would check my size and bring me black or white bras in my size. I was never a pretty, coloured bra size for a long while until I one day came in at something like a 34DD and could actually find cheap High St bras in my size.

After having a child and breastfeeding, my boobs just got bigger and back size went down. I am now a 30GG and have been for a few years now.

Worst advice, those shops that answer 'do you have a 30GG' with an insistence that I be measured in case that is not the size that I need, then finally once I've been fitted, concede that it is in fact my size and no, they don't have anything in store that size, when in fact they don't ever do anything in a 30GG. A waste of time. I would prefer the honesty of an answer like 'no, but we do a 32G which is worth trying as different bras fit differently'. Likewise with friends telling me of places that do bras with large cup sizes and sell all sizes, yes, lots of large cup sizes these days but not with small backs.

Best bra fitting (Bravissimo) is having my size checked and the straps on my current bra adjusted to give a better fit before I even try more bras. Also the fitters who explain to use the last hooks on a new bra.

Best tip (Midwife) if you have a bra fitted in a store and it doesn't fit right, take it back, even if you have worn it, it is not acceptable for a fitter to sell something you then wear and fall out of. Mothercare were loathe to accept this at first but their bra fitting was dreadfully inaccurate.

La Senza - Barnet Spires, 2009

Asked for a pretty bra in 38D (I am 5'10" and a standard size 16) - cue embarrassed smirks. Was told I was a "plus size" and should therefore enquire at the Evans shop opposite.

A lot of bras are expensive and badly made. M and S bras are the worst. I go to Rigby and Peller or Bravissimo, but I hate the waiting at Bravissimo. I wish you could get your bosom 3d scanned and specify your bra preferences on a touch screen in store somewhere, and then get the perfect bra set to your home. I also wish civil engineers designed bras rather than fashion designers, as then they would hurt less. Finally I want to be able to machine wash and tumble dry bras recklessly with no consequences.

Please make it so.

Boff, 32 or 34FF

BTW Anita do some underwired t-shirt bras for bf that look amazing - I think you cam get them from Figleaves. I was nervous of the underwire but it did not press on the milk ducts at all. So clever of them. I would recommend that to anyone fed up of the notorious lumpy monoboob.

PS Panache bras show through your clothes and cut into your shoulders.

I have quite small breasts and find buying bras a total nightmare, as they are quite wide apart, and quite wide at the base. Bras either fit around the rib cage but gape at the cups/wrinkle, or fit in the cups but are too small in the rib measurement. Every time. My dream also is to go to R and P and have one hand made to my measurements! Everything is geared up for larger breast sizes, but there are lots of ladies with the opposite problem, too.

I'm lucky in that there are 2 lovely independent lingerie shops near me .
My favourite is Bellisimo in llandeilo .
I went in , an uncomfortable M & S 36 c , and came out Fantasie 34 ff .
No tape measure needed , just a few questions , a lovely changing room , and an assortment of bras handed in .
I have a lovely Marie Jo Avera ( I think ) bra , which has the prettiest straps !

When I was pregnant this time I went into la senza to get measured as my boobs had grown lots! The woman there took me into the cubicle, left my current bra on and she looked at me and said oh you are a 36 C... I knew this could not be right as was wearing that already and it obviously didn't fit! So when I asked if she could measure me she got all flustered and didn't measure my cup size just gave me a variety of bras to try! I politely left and went to debenhams where I was measured correctly and was a 36dd!