Can anyone who understands bra fittings come and tell me where I'm going wrong.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Quite a few of my bras are past their best. I've also put on a few pounds and think my boobs have got bigger and with some of my bras was getting a bit of a four boob effect which I presume is caused by a too small cup size.

So I went to m&s yesterday, tried some on was told I now needed a 38d rather than usual 38c. Tried some on, they felt fine and looked ok.

But today I've been moving some furniture nd when I bend down my boobs fall out the top. So does that mean the cup size is too big. I tucked them back in and tightened the shoulder straps a bit but then seemed to get a bit of a four boob effect again.

They are a plunge style type bra and the inner, middle sides of my boobs isn't covered up by the cup. So I don't know if I need a bigger cup size or a smaller one. Can your boobs fall out if the cup size is too small? Or might it just be the plunge style which doesn't suit.

you should be in a 34f if your g cup fits in a 32.

I'm another one who can't quite get my head round the fact that I could, in theory, be a 30DD when I've spent my whole life thinking I have small baboobies. I now know the cup size is still only the same as a 34c but it wasn't that long ago that I was wearing a 34a. Most uplifting! I want to tell everyone!

Fayeso, this is why I always get fitted. Every manufacturer is different, as is every style - plus your individuality affects things as well.
Knowing your 'correct' size is just part of it.
I can try on seven or eight bras in 'my' size and come home with only one or two that fit properly.

Exchanged my 40b's for 38b (as per guide) and much better fit, no puckering

I was in M&S (I know, I know) today and decided to try on some bras - I went up a cup size and down a band size, and much to my surprise they weren't too tight, nor did the back fat explode out of the fitting room. I tried on non underwired ones (as a now 36DD but spread out not sticky out I remembered what Hetty said about the wires being the same regardless of size) and they were a lot more comfortable than the wired ones I always thought I needed. Plus the straps were more in the right place (I need straps to come from the top of the cup, not to the sides, otherwise they fall down ALL the time).

But, my one gripe is, that all the non wired bras came up really high in the middle at the front, which isn't especially nice in a V necked Tshirt. Is that just how they have to be to provide the support, or does anyone have any recommendations for a smooth Tshirt-style non-underwired, non scratchy-nylon, straps in the middle of the cup, non crop top lookalike bra? Please [begging]? Oh, and if the price tag could be under £20-25 as well??

Midnight - have a look at this one - I am very very picky about bra comfort and this one is probably the closest I've found to 'comfortable' that isn't a crop top.

It fails on being underwired, but I just cut a small hole in them and rip the bloody things out, it doesn't spoil the shape and they wash fine afterwards.

It would be good if a manufacturer could make a reinforced and slightly shaped version of this one as they are pretty much the only things I find to be wearable on an all day every day basis. I'm a 32D according to Hetty's system and don't find these too unsupportive - my only criticism is that they could do with providing a bit more coverage and shape.

Thanks Bamboo, will venture to Debenhams/JL to try on some Triumph bras and see how they do.

So bra expert people, what exactly does underwiring do in terms of support, and what does a non-underwired bra have to do to match that? If Houseof Bamboo is a 32D, then she has more quantity that I do as a 36DD, yes? So if she's finding enough support just from the "build" of an underwired bra minus the wire, then so should I presumably? Obviously that's dependant on how we each define support and comfort, and how much wobbliness we are prepared to tolerate I suppose.

There is a MNetter who knows about bra design from an "engineering" point of view but I don't know her MN name - if it's you (you were at one of the Asda girls clothing focus groups) please come over here and help me please! I'm conditioned to expect that bigger cup sizes need wires for support, but it would be good to know how right or wrong I am.

Midnight - as I understand it a 32D is a smaller cup size than a 36D. I think a 32D is the same cup size to a 36B, it just has a tighter band. It's a fairly bonkers system to get your head round tbh.

I consider myself to be fairly small busted, but the cup shape I need seems to be wide (as in right round under my arms) rather than sticky-outy from the front of my rib cage in a perfect underwired-C-shape.

But bra engineering is an interesting subject, I watched a programme on it a few years back where a couple of mechanical engineers were saying that bras were on the whole designed very badly for the job they do. They came up with a non-wired prototype that relied much more on a kind of soft seamless all-round moulding to provide wide support around the rib cage, rather than nasty narrow nylony bands and wires. Doesn't seem to have made it to the market though!

um, yeah, it may be that the wine has got me confused with which way round the numbering works .

It is interesting though how many people have badly-fitting uncomfortable bras. Wonder what the feminist perspective on that is? Are we in the territory of foot binding?

The feminist perspective is interesting I think. People seem to tolerate a lot more discomfort from bras than they would from any other item of clothing, apart from stilettos maybe. It does seem to hark back to whalebone corsets a bit.

Just found this thread and have to agree that Hetty has been amazing ! It is scary how many women wear the wrong size ... but it is confusing and there is tons of misleading information.
Did a talk for a girls school a while back on how to fit, what was a good fit, why you must wear a sports bra etc. it was so fab to have all these young girls/women actually lose a lot of the embarassment about their boobs, though I did refrain from scaring them with my own spongebob square boobs and settled instead on repeating that boobs do not all look like the ones you see in the media !
Did have a look at the bralady thing and nearly fell off my chair - they charge £400 for a days training in fitting !!!!! That is just an insane rip off and the 30% off RRP is more than any shop would buy their stock in at - please don't anyone think of doing it.
I love the fitting business - best job I ever had - women come in feeling sad and uncomfortable and go out standing straight and proud - although I did have to remind one woman not to keep stroking her 'new' boobs when she left the shop !
Happy days .....

In reference to the underwiring or not, I have never found that non-underwired bras will sit against my ribcage between my boobs-they look more like a sling. However, I find that the underwires go too far round the side under my arms. At the moment, it's a good thing as the wires are nowhere near my milk ducts, but it's still annoying. I also find that because the wires are so far out, the straps are too far across too and cut in a bit under my arm. There aren't many manufacturers for me to choose from and all the ones I've tried are the same.

Re non-underwiring, I have had a bit of success with removing wires from underwired bras, but I've only done it with bras which are quite moulded and structured in the first place like this one

I remove them because they always seem to either dig into my ribs under my bust when I sit down, or they dig in towards the armpits.

I think my ideal bra would be a sort of bandeau shape that could fit snugly around the ribs. It would have to be made of soft smooth material, nothing nylony or lacy. It would be very wide all the way round so it didn't dig into fat bits and rub. Slightly moulded under the bust to provide support, but not too thick and chunky. Definitely no underwires. And nice thin straps that don't look dreadful if they slip out from under a top. Can somebody make one please?!

All all must have cracking figures 32/34/36 how come I measure nearly 40 yet my size 16 about 2 stone overweight. Yet lots of women are much bigger than me and they dont have this problem? You cant find many bras on the high street 40. 38 is the max and they strangle me. I need a B cup as always been tiny never changed when pregnant either and failed to produce milk - I assume I have faulty boobs.

bacon - I measure 33 round the ribs but have a size 18 arse, I think it has all just slipped south! It's the fat distribution, apples and pears and all that.

bacon it is harder to get bras for back of about 40 and the b/c cups. wish manufacturers would wise up.

i'm 34 back, but like bamboo, am size 16, ie pear/hourglass/everything has gone south type figure!!

Help

I'm confused I've always worn a 34b, however, just measured myself and I'm 31' under bust and 37' over... So, what does that make me??? (cannot think I can be larger than a b cup as have very small boobs)

I've been looking for this thread for a week (not easy on stupid iPhone) Hetty, I've got to say a big thank you, I finally have a bra that fits. I've currently got bras from 36c to 40E, but after measuring (and even then I was convinced it was wrong - no way was I an F cup!) I'm a very comfortable and perky 36F. It came as La Senza are having a half price sale.

Thanks Hetty.

chocamoca, I have a similar problem - I usually wear 34A, but when I measured myself, I was 32 under and 35 over. I have teenyweeny (now sadly droopy as well) fried eggs!

I bought a 32B bra which is cripplingly tight under, so I think I'll stick with my old favourite!

Chocamochalatte - Your measurements make you a 30F / 32E as a starting size. In terms of size the only reference point I can give is this - a 30 / 32 back an E/F cup breast is usually one good handful and a wee bit over.

All I can say is go and try some bras - I hear La Senza are having a half price sale...

Ambi - that's excellent! Congratulations

30F/32E??? Omg! They are about a handful... No La Senza here, will have to be M&S or maybe Ann Summers, unexpectedly very excited! Thanks Hetty!

Bigtilly, have you tried balconette styles? I find they are the best for giving shape!

My colleague, who is very skinny, weighs 45 kilos soaking wet, just said that she wears 34 band. Oh dear. There is absolutely no way this is her correct size but does she listen..

Choca, so how did it go? Must be quite a diference going from B to E or F?

marking my place till i can read thread tomorrow. Ive not been fitted since i started to reduce breast feeding a yr ago and bra sizing was way off ive been uncomfy for a year, this needs sorting this week

I got my Mum to measure herself at last. She's gone from a four-boobed, nipple-exposing 38D to a normal looking 36F! And I was right so I'm doubly happy.