Who knows about bra measuring/fitting please?

[TheOriginalFAB]

My bras are all the same size and fitted perfectly when I bought them. They don't all now.

Just measured myself and not sure what size it gives me.

34inches below breasts.
41inches across the middle.

.

Around a 34FF I think. I'd recommend going to Bravissimo and getting fitted there. They don't measure, they go by eye.

I think I am in 34F and 36F.

I will need to google to see where Bravissimo is as I haven't seen a store near me.

Thanks .

Why do they not fit? Cup or back? Wrinkly cups or the 4 boob look?

The cups don't cover all the breast.
Deinitely dion't have the 4 boob look but they are as big as 4 boobs and seem to be getting bigger .
The middle of the bra doesn't sit against the chest wall.

Sounds def like too small in the cup. Worth trying a different brand too - Freya never lie flat on me but panache do. Apparently because I have wider boobs?!

Which is the cup measurement [thicki emoticon]please?

Cup size is the letter and the back/band size is the number
If your band is tight enough and doesn't rise up stick with that but go up a letter

The band is fine. So how do those balcony bras work then as they look like they are designed not to cover all the breast?

They don't basically, but if you turn to the side you should still not bulge over the top. Some people have to go up a size in them due to the way they are cut. Think push up, not over
32J here so plenty of experience!!

I have checked and my bras are 36E, 36F and 36G.

So technically the 36G should be the best but all of them vary slightly so depends if they are all the same brand. I would try a 36GG
ASDA bras I find small, bravissimo more true to size

I think if you are measuring 34 around the back then you should be in a 34 and if is a difference of 7 inches between back and boobs then the cup size should be a FF/G cup. I second the recommendation to go to bravissimo.
If the band doesn't sit on the chest wall then it probably means the cup size is too small. Different styles have different coverage but as brighthair said you should not be bulging over the top.

The 36E definitely makes me look like I should have a different career so that needs to go in the clothes recycling bin .

Thank you for all your help.

I've never understood bra measuring, but know that the +4/5 inches to your band size no longer applies. I'm still baffled though as I measure 31 under the bust and 37 around, but would no way say I was a 32-they are too tight. I tend to wear a 34DD.

It's very confusing-can you go somewhere and get properly measured (not M+S!)

Appus that depends on the bra brand as well and sometimes you might even need different sizes with the same brand. Or even more ridiculous - I bought Freya bikini set with 2 different tops, halterneck and normal. With the normal top, my usual 32 was a good fit. I could not even fasten the halterneck - when I compared them, it was obvious that one size 32 was significantly smaller than the other. so while I usually wear 32, I also have some 34 and even 36 - maybe you just happen to wear brands that come up smaller?

bras CAN fit but don't have to cover all your breast to do so!

You can buy full cup, half cup, quarter cup and balcony style.

I like a half cup, balcony or plunge style with lots of graduated padding as I am a small 32C.

I measure something like 30-31 under my bust and used to buy 34s. I am now wearing 32 and have got used to this- at first it felt tight but not now.

All styles are different mind you- sometimes a 32 will not even fasten across the back so then I do have to go for a 34.

If the centr of the bra does notl lie flat on your ribc age, the cup is too small- this is because your breasts are pushing the bra away from your ribs.

Basically, the cups should be big enough to contain all your breasts, according ot the bra style, at the sides and the front- though if they are a half cup bra they won't. But even with half cup bras you should not have "muffin top breasts"! Your breasts should not literally spill over the cup edge, they should lie flat against it.

The way to find the right fit is to try them all on for size.

The support comes from the band- so if it is too loose you will not gt support. Hoiking up the shoulder straps will just give you sore and red shoulders.

If you measure under the breasts, that is your band size- forget the silly add 4 inches stuff.

Then go up a cup size for each inch across the breast- if it's the same- suchas 34 and 34, then you are an A cup or even AA, etc.

I measure 30-31 under and 34-35 over, so tend to wear a 32C or occasionally a 32 D in a small cupped bra.

It was a lot easier buying bras before I had kids!!