Q&A about bra fitting with expert from Bravissimo - ANSWERS BACK

[RachelMumsnet]

This week we're running a Q&A with Lisa Gardner, Customer Service Operations Manager at Bravissimo about bra fitting. Post your questions to Lisa before midday 20th August and we'll upload Lisa's answers on 27th August.

More about Bravissimo
Bravissimo provides a service to women with bigger boobs to inspire them to feel good about themselves, turning what may have been a negative experience of buying lingerie, swimwear and nightwear into a fun, pleasurable one where women with bigger boobs are offered a wide choice of styles and colours. They provide lots of fitting advice in stores, over the phone (01926 459 859) and online //www.bravissimo.com

[Elainey1609]

I have had 3 bra fitting at different places at they all say that find me to be 44 dd
Tried them on and falling out of them I'm no where near that size
I have to guess and try and test and now buy 42c but still not sure if that's right to be honest as its not always comfortable and moves around a lot
How can the professional measurements be so different that's a big size different

[SorrelForbes]

Is that three measurements at three branches of Bravisismo? If they were at other stores (eg M&S) then I'm not surprised they were wrong.

Come over to the bra threads for a quick re-measure

[LastName]

Can we have some properly sexy nightwear please, you know, slightly tarty! It is almost impossible to find sexy styles that provide breast lift.

And yes, could you say 'breast' and not 'boob'. Boob sounds really teenagery.

[SpicedGingerTea]

Why is the returns label often not included in the packs when you send out an order? It's such a faff having to go online and print off the label. A return label should be included as standard.

[Mabelface]

Where is your Manchester branch moving to? If it goes further out, I'll no longer be able to use it as I don't drive.

[RebeccaSMumsnet]

The Q+A is now closed and we'll be sending 20 of your questions over to Lisa at Bravissimo later today. We'll upload her answers next Tuesday.

[RebeccaSMumsnet]

Hi everyone,

We now have the answers back from Lisa at Bravissimo, and I will be posting them up shortly.

[LisaBravissimo]

Thank you all so much for your questions and comments. I?ve really enjoyed reading the feedback and please feel assured it has all been taken on board. I?m sorry I?m not able to reply to all of your questions individually, but I hope that the answers below cover most of your queries. If you do have any other questions you would like answered, you could visit our help and contact section www.bravissimo.com/help/ or contact our customers services on 01926 459 859 or at [email protected]

[LisaBravissimo]

@INeedSomeHelp

I often have a problem with my bra straps falling off my shoulders. Is this a sign of a poor fitting bra and, if so, what needs to change e.g. the style, back size or cup size?
Thanks

Slipping straps can be an indication that the bra you?re wearing isn?t quite the right fit around your body and it?s worth booking a fitting to get your back size checked. It could however also be down to the style not being quite right for your shape. Some women are very narrow across the shoulders and can find that the straps on a balconette style bra are set too wide for their frame. If this is the case then a Full Cup bra or a style that has the straps slightly centred may do the trick. Here?s a couple you might like to have a look at: ow.ly/oc31W ow.ly/oc351

[LisaBravissimo]

@ThedementedPenguin

On bras what hook should you be using?

We always recommend that when you first buy a bra you should wear it on the loosest fastening so that?s the first set of hooks. This way as the bra starts to give a little from being worn and washed you can still get a nice sung fit by moving on to the middle and eventually the third hooks.

[LisaBravissimo]

@mamamidwife

What's the drop forward measuring method?

I?ll be honest and admit this isn?t a method I?m that familiar with as it?s not one we use here at Bravissimo because as you may know we don?t use tape measures to fit a bra. Our experience shows that measuring is not the key to getting a great fit and that two ladies with the same measurements can wear very different bra sizes based on their shape and frame. Keep reading and check out my answer to the questions from VelvetStrider and worldgonecrazy to see how we recommend you make sure you?re getting the right fit and support from your bra.

[LisaBravissimo]

@mignonette

I want a bra that gives a similar cleavage shape to a Balconette but not so hoiked up. I prefer them to be 'separated out' but not pushed up and out.

I hate that Wonderbra lift and separate look and I will not wear padded bras. Any suggestions?

Balconette bras come in many different styles and each has its own individual shape and look. There are those that will give you a nice rounded upfront shape without the ?Wonderbra? look. Check out the Alana by Bravissimo, Gem by Freya or the Elodie by Fantasie (this one has the side sling detail which gives you a great forward fitting shape). You could also try out some of the full cup styles they have the ?side sling? detail look out for the Melrose by Bravissimo or the Jasmine by Panache.

[LisaBravissimo]

@worldgonecrazy

I have had my boobs measured in shops (M&S, Bravissimo, etc.) and always been told I'm a 34 or 36C (depending on how fat I am at the time). Now I have done the "drop forward" measurements as given in many Mumsnet posts, and that tells me I'm a 32DD.

Why are the shops so wrong with measurements? Are the measurers not being trained properly or are Mumsnet wrong?

@VelvetStrider

I'd just like to echo hellymelly and others, what is the truth about bra fitting and sizing? Is the adding 4 inches method now completely obsolete or do some manufacturers and shops still size that way?

My ribcage measures 26", yet the last time I tried on 30" bras (at Debenhams) I couldn't do them up! Others upthread have said they need smaller sizes than their measurements suggest.

Also I usually find that the bit of the band that goes up slightly between the breasts doesn't sit flat against my chest. I've tried different cup sizes and styles but there's always a gap. Is it just down to my shape or is there a solution?

Unfortunately fitting bra?s is not an exact science and as per my previous answers, different bras can fit differently depending on your shape and frame. Different bra styles and even brands might fit differently to so the best way to know if you?re wearing the right size is to check these 3 things when you actually try the bra on and adjust the back and cup sizes to get the perfect fit:

1. The band around your body provides most of the support so it should be firm but comfortable when fastened on the loosest hook. It should be horizontal and not ride up at the back at all.
   

1. The wires at the front should lie against your breast bone between your boobs ? if they don?t you should try reducing your back size (but remember if you drop a back size, you?ll need to go up a cup size to compensate).
   

1. Your boobs should be completely enclosed in the cups and you should have a smooth line where the fabric at the top of the cup meets your bust. If your boobs are spilling over the top or sides of your cup, you should go up a cup size.
   

If the bra you?re trying ticks all these boxes you?ve got the right fit! It?s also worth remembering that like clothes, the fit of a bra can be different style to style and brand to brand so you may not always be the same size.

[LisaBravissimo]

@nextphase

Lots of advice on how to fit back size, and cup size. How should the shoulder straps be adjusted?
Revelation for me getting properly fitted, rather than M&S fitted.

Most of the support you get from your bra comes from having the right back size and the straps are really there just to add a little extra support and keep everything in place! If the straps are leaving dents and red marks on your shoulders they are probably too tight and if they are slipping off it?s likely they need tightening a little. Ideally, you should check and adjust your straps every time you put the bra on to give you the shape and look you?re after.

[LisaBravissimo]

@HotCrossPun

I have breast asymmetry. I end up having to buy a bra that fits my bigger breast, and then I stuff the other side. Is there an alternative to this (aside from surgery!)

We regularly have women come to see us for a fitting who have different size boobs. Sometimes the difference is minimal and it doesn?t really cause a problem but for other ladies it?s definitely something they have to contend with when finding the best fit. You?re doing the right thing in buying a bra to fit your larger side and we would always advise that you do this. A couple of things you could try; padded or moulded bras can sometimes be a good option as they are preformed and even though you boob may not fill the cup the bra will still give you an even shape and size. Alternatively you could consider having your bras made to measure; this can be quite expensive though so you may only want to do this for something you would wear on special occasions.

[LisaBravissimo]

@Sparkeleigh

Any recommendations on good bra's for pregnancy/breastfeeding? My Bravissimo fitting was fantastic, but now I'm pregnant I ordered a lot of sizes based on my pre-pregnancy size but none seem to fit well and I can't get to a store for a fitting.

Please open a store in Northern Ireland!

One thing you can be sure of is that your boobs will change during your pregnancy, the difficulty is no one can predict how and when. So the most important thing is that your bra fits you and supports you well for the size of your boobs as they are now. The same principles apply so as long as you check the fit of your bra regularly you should be able to spot the signs that your bra no longer fits you well and that?s when you should consider buying a different size ? see my answers to worldgonecrazy and Velvetstrider for the 3 steps to checking you?ve for the perfect fit.

One of the questions we regularly get asked is ?Can I continue to wear underwired bras during my pregnancy?? and our answer is very simple ? It?s perfectly OK to continue to wear an underwired style as long as you ensure it fits you well. There are also lots of soft cup and nursing bra?s available from Bravissimo and other retailers all of which give a good fit whilst offering you comfort and support, the key thing is to get the right size.

Don?t forget until the time we do manage to find the right location for a store in Northern Ireland our customer service team are always at hand. They?re all trained fitters and would be happy to help you by carrying out a fitting with you over the phone.

[LisaBravissimo]

@NotjustaMummy

Nursing bras. When should we be fitted? Does drop down method still apply here?

The best time to be fitted would be at the time when you actually need a nursing bra, but we realise that?s not always practical as you might have a lot on your plate! We recommend you have a fitting as close to the end of your pregnancy as possible. Even then, getting fitted will be a ?best guess? as no one can predict by how much your boobs will grow once your milk production sets in and how much your body shape might change as your bump goes down. If you?re having a fitting towards the end of your pregnancy, we?d advise that you leave a little room for your boobs to grow ? perhaps 1 or 2 cup sizes - and for breast pads to fit in your bra. When you are breastfeeding it?s likely that there will be times when your bra does not fit you as well ? for example when you have just finished feeding and your boobs are at their smallest your bra may be too big. Once you have produced more milk, ready for the next feed, your boobs will grow in size again and it?s this size that we recommend you fit your bra to. When your boobs are at their biggest, your bra should still feel comfortable and supportive ? but check it?s not digging in, feels too tight, or that your boobs are bulging out of the cups. Most of all make sure it?s comfortable!

[LisaBravissimo]

@yourcruisedirector

Why don't companies have a wider range of nursing bras? Plenty of women (still a minority, but plenty) breastfeed for well over a year. I have been stuck with some seriously ugly bras which show off their ugliness through my clothes or at the neckline - if only there was more choice in a wider range of sizes, I'd be happy (I'm a 30F/32E so not particularly unusual going on Bravissimo style measuring).

@BaronessBomburst

Underwired Nursing Bras: The Bravissimo website says that underwired bras are not recommended and talks about the risks of mastitus as the breasts change size and shape throughout the day. However, the milk supply settles after a few months whereas the WHO recommends BF for 2 years and beyond. Nursing bras are ugly, unflattering and extremely unsupportive for big-boobed women. We NEED the support that wire gives. Would it not be better to drop the 'nanny-state' approach and offer underwired nursing bras, and then provide more information/ links to BF sites/ helplines so that people could make their own informed decisions? It may also go some way to help with the appallingly low BF rates in the UK - Bravissimo pride themselves on helping women be comfortable and confident in their bodies and yet how many of us have sobbed in despair when presented with a nursing bra and the realisation that, if you wanted to BF, this was the future....? :(

Soft cup bras, often with drop down cups, can offer a little more flexibility around the changes your boobs will go through from hour to hour and day to day when you are breastfeeding. However we appreciate that soft cup nursing bra?s aren?t for everyone and some new mums do choose to go back to underwired bras whilst still breastfeeding. As you know Bravissimo isn?t a specialist maternity and nursing bra retailer so we are limited in the number of products we are able to offer. There are however retailers who do solely supply nursing bras and they do include underwired options in their ranges. Have a look at the following websites for more information:
ow.ly/oa9Nb ow.ly/oabiw
ow.ly/oaaKL ow.ly/oaaW7

[LisaBravissimo]

@KosherBacon

How long should you wait after stopping breast feeding before buying new bras?

When you stop feeding, your body will eventually realise that it is no longer required to produce milk and your boobs will settle in size ? but it?s impossible to say how long this will take. It?s also impossible to predict whether your boobs will eventually return to their original size ? for some women this happens quite quickly, other women may never return to their original size, settling instead at a size that may be larger or smaller than before. Likewise some women may carry some extra ?baby weight? which they may or may not lose once they?ve had the baby ? this too can affect your bra size and whether or not you are able to return to your pre-pregnancy size. I?d definitely suggest that once you feel your boobs are starting to settle you arrange to have a fitting to help you determine what size you need to buy to give you great support and fit.

[LisaBravissimo]

@Spirael

It was, admittedly, a while ago now... But when I was BFing DD I needed to wear some manner of bra overnight, mostly to hold breast pads in place so I didn't soak the bed! I didn't want to be constrained by a daytime bra overnight, I didn't need that level of support and/or want straps digging in to me.

I found it really difficult to acquire an elasticated, crop-top style, nursing bra that would fit me as I have a small back but (especially when my milk came in!) relatively large breasts. Either they fitted my breasts but would ride up as the elastic was too loose for my ribcage, or they stayed in place but squished me down.

Are nighttime, nursing, crop-top bras designed for busty women something that Bravissimo stocks or would consider stocking?

As we?re not a retailer who specialise in Maternity Lingerie the range of products we are able to offer is limited. We do however have a range of nightwear/loungewear tops that are designed for women with big boobs. Whilst not specifically designed for breastfeeding, they do provide comfort and support. They have wire free integral support built in and a bra back fastening to ensure great support and fit. The bra back fastening is covered for extra comfort the tops come in a variety of styles some of which are offered up to a J cup.

www.bravissimo.com/products/nightwear/

[LisaBravissimo]

@teabagpleb

I love your bras and many of the clothes, though the most recent bra collection was mostly in lurid colours I didn't like.
Would it be possible to put more detail about the fabrics and stretch etc of your clothes in the catalogue? Maybe a close-up photo? In your last catalogue I wanted to buy some tops, similar to the navy t-shirt with diagonal white stripes you did a few months ago, but honestly couldn't tell whether tops were stretchy, shiny, thin overpriced cotton or stylish quality.
I've never tried your trousers but if they are high waisted then I should.

Just one more plea - please could you use the word 'breast' occasionally rather than 'boobs' all the time? I haven't used the word boobs since infant school and it sounds like breasts are something to be embarrassed about.

There?s so much information about each style that it?s hard to know what to include and leave out, likewise it?s really hard to show you the fabric through photographs alone. Something that may help you identify the stretchiness of the fabric is the way the garment is sized. If the sizes are dual sizes i.e. Curvy/Really Curvy and Really Curvy/Super Curvy this means that the fabric has some stretch as will be suitable for either of those sizes. If the fabric is woven and therefore less stretchy the sizes will always show as individual sizes i.e. Curvy, Really Curvy and Super Curvy. We have started to feature some close up shots of fabrics in the magazines and will continue to do this as often as we can and there is a zoom option on the website which can sometimes help to bring the detail of a garment to life. The customer reviews are also a good way to get a sense of the quality and value for money as we ask customers to mark the item on these points.

[LisaBravissimo]

@HoopHopes

Again a huge fan of your fitting and I travel a reasonable distance to go to a store. My question is are you planning on stocking a wider range of other makes as I have been disappointed by the focus on your own make and a more limited range of makes such as Freya etc. it has made me start shopping elsewhere, which is a shame and if the stock continues shrinking in variety I will cease to travel such a distance for only own brand products.

Our aim is to give our customers choice and variety in styles that give them a great fit, great support and that make them feel good about themselves. The introduction of Bravissimo own label bras means we now have more styles to an L cup than ever before and we have even been able to offer a strapless bra up to a J cup and a sports bra up to a K cup. We have not intentionally reduced the number of other brands in favour of our own but we apply the same approach to all the bras we include in our range and that is they must offer great fit and support. Some of the brands we have offered in the past are no longer trading and we are sometimes limited by the products and size ranges the remaining suppliers have on offer. We?re always looking for new opportunities and in recent seasons following some positive customer feedback we have featured other brands such as Curvy Kate and Tutti Rouge to try and increase the variey and choice we offer.

[LisaBravissimo]

@mamamidwife

What's the difference between a measuring/fitting with bravissimo and say M&S or Debs? Do you do it differently?

Like lots of women I have been measured at Debenhams and M&S. The main difference between my experience with them and the way we do fittings here at Bravissimo is that they both used tape measures to work out my size. You won?t find a Bravissimo fitter using a tape measure because our experience shows that measuring is not the key to getting a great fit. We start by establishing what size bra the customer is wearing when they come for their fitting and then by assessing the fit of their own bra we can work out what size they should be wearing. We then try a number of styles and shapes to see what the customer prefers adjusting the size as we go if needed until we find something the customer is happy with. It?s really important that you understand your bra fit so you know what to look out for in the future. Customers also have the option to record all their purchases so that if they need to refer back to check on styles and sizes they?ve had before.

[LisaBravissimo]

@Kaliwhite

Do you have any plans to extend your bra size range? As a 34/36 k/kk my bra supply is becoming very limited and your Alana bra is the wrong shape on top for me. A half cup up to a k would be very much appreciated! Also any plans for more pepperberry clothes in super duper curvy sizes? I know there is a demand for them and would love some more tops and shirts!

Our technical team are always looking for ways to make sure the products we offer reflect what customers need and want from both brands. Our aim is wherever possible to develop all the Bravissimo own brand lingerie styles we produce up to an L cup providing this doesn?t compromise the fit and support. Sometimes, due to complexity of the structure of a bra, it takes us a little bit longer to develop a style through to the higher cup sizes and then we have to take it through all the production and quality checking phases which means it generally takes at least 18 months before the product is available in store or online. Something you may be interested to know is that we have just launched a new range within the Pepperberry brand called ?Perfectly Simple? and this range does have a Super Duper curvy shirt.

[LisaBravissimo]

@WhereBeThatBlackbirdTo

Another request for a store in the South West please, even Bath or Bristol would help.

I had to drive for two hours to Cardiff last week to be fitted.

We are conscious that many of our customers in the UK do not have a store nearby which means they find it hard to get fitted in store and have to order online or over the phone. It's not always easy to find the right location for our stores as we have quite specific requirements. We need more space for our fitting area and stock room compared to the space required on the shop floor. This can make our search far more difficult as it is not the usual specifications for many other retailers.

I can promise you we are continuously searching for the perfect premises in the South West and when we do we?ll be sure to let everyone know.