Is it possible to be a 32DD yet have 'small' boobs

[TangerinePuppet]

Hmmmm. Not one of life's most profound questions I'll admit, but it sure is bugging me.

I've been 32A - 34E and everything in between owing to breastfeeding DD.

Been fitted in a few places recently and I'm now apparently a 32DD. Eh? I would consider myself to have small breasts tbh. I realise 32 is a smallish back size, but DD sounds mahoosive!

What's going on here. Have bra sizes really changed that much?

It can be surprising. I measured myself according to the 'new' rules that I read on here, and was to find I was a 30D, as I've always thought of D as massive, and I'm not especially big. However M&S would have had me in a 34AA, which doesn't seem right either! I often now wear a 32C (as you can't always find 30s in the shops) and that fits OK.

I'm a 30DD, but usually wear 32D done up as tight as possible because 30DD is so much harder to find in shops (and I hate order things I have to try on online). I have a short torso and really feel that my boobs are too big and make me look a lot fatter than I actually am. They aren't objectively huge, but they are big on my frame.

I think that the way bras are fitted has changed.
Or perhaps it just that M&S measure differently from everywhere else?

It hasn't as it a inch measurement which directly relates to your actual measurement. Unlike dress sizes they haven't been affected by vanity sizing. Its just that M&S are extraordinarily shit at measuring. It does take getting used to if you have been wearing the wrong size for so long. It will be tighter.

Certain brands have slightly different cup shapes, so it is worth trying a few, but the back size doesn't tend to have the same issues (especially when you can adjust them). It tends to be a slight difference in cup size.

It also gets slightly more complicated depending on where bra is made (some US brands have DDD and some European brands do not have DD)

Fitting guide:

• The strap around your body should be firm but comfortable.
• When you stand side-on at a mirror, the strap that runs around your body should be horizontal and should not ride up at the back at all.
• The wires should lie flat against your rib cage and should not dig in.
• Your breasts should be enclosed in the cups and you should have a smooth line where the fabric at the top meets your bust.
• You shouldn't have any bulging over the top or sides of the cups.
• Your bra band should have enough space to insert two fingers under the back band, and one under the centre front.

I just ordered some new bras from brastop after 3 years of badly fitting nursing bras from Mothercare. 42J and I feel and look like a new woman- they look about 10 sizes smaller!! (which is a good thing BTW!)

Honestly if you hate mail order, don't let it put you off. I hate it too, but since the alternative is not feeling as sexy or just positively uncomfortable its worth it. Pretty much the only thing I do buy mail order When they have all those tv show with likes of gok and trinny feeling up women and saying "get a good bra" they are not wrong. It makes SOOOO much difference to your silhouette and the way you feel about yourself.

Plus I always found that as a big busted girl it restricted what I could wear, especially with strapless clothing. Strapless bras are just a waste of time. Now a good basque on the other hand... (And I've managed to pick one up for a tenner - I'd NEVER manage that on the high street)

uphillbothways - love the idea of "hidden boobs"!

Im 32DD and seem to have fairly small boobs too.

I guess my point is, whilst 32DD is smaller than a 36DD, 32DD is large (but not necessarily out of proportion) for the frame size.

Agree M&S is shockingly bad.

thanks Hazelnutt and quiety afraid.

I felt that the 32 was far too tight to be confortable but I totally agree that it was more that I was just not used to how a bra should fit.

The 34 is too loose as it slips up when I raise my arms and the strap at the back is not horizontal.

I guess I have been used to wearing a loose bra! The other issue I had was the shouler straps kept slipping off even when on the tightest setting so perhaps that has to do with the band size?

Must get myself to bravissimo!

Shoulder straps slipping off could mean the bra is riding up at the back, which it shouldn't if it fits properly. Or else the straps have got over-streched with age, happened to some of my older bras!

I find I only fit certain brands. Other brands are just uncomfortable. It is worth shopping around until you know what suits you best, then its a lot easier to buy for. I think boobs have different shapes hence why certain brands don't fit. There is more than one boob shape! I know people who fit the brands I don't and can't fit in the ones I do!

Gilemore just about that and found this list of possible reasons:

1. Your straps are not tight enough. This may seem obvious, but many women simply don?t adjust their straps. Straps are only supposed to support about 10 percent of your breast?s weight. But they need to be providing some support or they will just fall off your shoulders. Make sure your straps are tight enough to provide support, but not so tight that they pull up your bra back.

1. Your cup size is too big. Many women, with age, lose their breast volume along the tops of their breasts. This loss of volume along the top of your breasts creates an empty space in the top of your cup. Without the cup being completely filled, the straps will tend to slip. Either go down a cup size, or make sure you lift and place your breasts into your cups so that the cup is properly filled.

1. You?re using bra extenders. A bra extender is an accessory that adds more length to the back of your bra. I sell them at HerRoom, but I really don?t like them. They can create additional problems, and shoulder straps falling off is one of them. When you expand the length of the bra back, you move the straps farther apart and closer to the edge of your arms. This increases the chances that your straps will fall off your shoulders. Instead of an extender, consider going up a band size and down a cup size. This will give you two more inches around your chest while keeping your cup volume the same.

1. Your bra back is not in the proper position. I know we?re all in a hurry when we?re getting dressed in the morning. But making sure you put your bra on correctly and getting it in the proper place is critical to your comfort the rest of the day. The final thing you should do after putting your bra on is reach back and pull it down so that it?s under your shoulder blades and even with the front of your bra. When you don?t do this, and your bra is left too high on your back, the front of your bra slumps, and the straps fall off. I can?t tell you how many times suggesting this simple thing to women has solved their strap-slipping problem.

1. Your bra band is too large. Similar to the back extender problem, if your band size is too large, your straps will be further apart. This too can cause your straps to fall off your shoulders. A loose band also causes the back of your bra to hike up. If you are experiencing both these symptoms, try going down a band size and up a cup size. This will tighten your band size while keeping your cup volume the same.

1. Wrong bra style for you. Not all bra styles are for everyone. Women with very square shoulders can wear the popular bras with wide-set straps. Women with slopping shoulders will have trouble. Women with narrow shoulders need to carefully look at the strap placement to make sure they are not too far apart for her frame. The bottom line is to know your body style and what styles do and do not work well.

Hope that helps. Does sound like you are wearing too big a back though.

trouble with M&S is that they measure you correctly, but then for some reason add 4 inches and claim that while you measure 32, you should have size 36 bra.

and gilmore, the bra has to be tight to be comfortable. It's the band that should carry most of the weight, not the straps. It can't do its job properly if it's too loose and riding up.

Damsel I think you will be able to find 30dd in certain shops. Debenhams, Marks, John Lewis and bravissimo.

I found Chantelle, Panache and Elle McPherson good except she only goes down to 32. I have one Freya bra. I used to love triumph but no 30s. Marks have weird bra sizing but I have a couple in a particular style.

How long should you keep bras for and how often do you change them?

The woman in M&S did measure me correctly, but then couldn't find any bras in the correct size so I had to make do with a 32D.

When I was a teenager (and my back was even smaller than now), the morons in M&S insisted that I was a 34B. I think that was just the default bra size they gave to all teenage girls, as all my friends had the same (despite us being visible different sizes and shapes).

I have had these bras for less than a year now. They're the ones I bought post breastfeeding. The backs were ok (done up as tight as they go) when they were new but I think they're too big now.

I always find it very difficult to find 30DD in the shops. Even if they (theoretically) do them, they are rarely in stock. And those that are don't actually fit me properly (due to style and cut). I find balconette style incredibly uncomfortable, for example. Ideally, I'd like a bra that is comfortable and makes my boobs look much, much smaller on me.

I went from 34A to 30D after a rigby and peller fitting. Felt tight for about a week then fine. I get a selection from figleaves, try on then return the ones that don't fit (free returns). Freya is a winner for me.

Elle McPherson used to do a lot of 30s, and they randomly do them on some lines, with no consistancy. I have got a few old ones, which were some of the best fitting I've had which is very annoying.

Thats one of the things that annoys me most about M&S - they make to do with the wrong size. I think I was measured as a 34B too. No way did that fit! They have this reputation for underwear and its total bollocks.

The department stores (HOF, Debenhams, Selfridges, JL) and Bravissimo are the only shops that seem to have their act together. And even that generally depends on the size of the branch. They will often order in size from other branches if they haven't got it in stock though. ASK!

Its really helped me to know which brands do a good range when I'm shopping on high street, but it is difficult to get bargins as they never have certain sizes still in during sales. Thats where mail order does win.

30 back specialists for D+ Cup (there are others but they tend to be more limited in range) All of the below do good 32D+ range too:
Panache Brands (each aimed at slightly different market)

• Superbra
• Cleo
• Masquerade Eveden Brands (each aimed at slightly different market)
• Rigby and Peller
• Fantasie
• Freya
• Fauve Curvy Kate - Brastop's own brand (now being stocked by bravissimo too though) Debenham's Gorgeous range MissMandalay Bravissimo's Own Range Aubade Chantelle Lepel Lejaby (watch out for the sizing! Its french and slightly different to other brands)

I think figleaves have their own brand now too. I think there were only about 3 or 4 brands doing 30 D+ around 2000ish, so theres been a BIG change in the market especially with own brands popping up in the last two years. You can easily get bras for £10 - 15 now, when it always used to be £20+.

So yeah, in answer to OP question, have bras changed that much? Nope, but the market has and women are much more able to get the size they really are rather than being shoved into the wrong size.

I think I have the Panache cleo one and I will look out for 30 in elle Mcpherson as they seemed to fit well. I am quite good with balconette styles.

I also found Triumph Miss Cosima and the amourette ones really fitted me except they are not 30's

Until very recently I think the styles stopped at 32. My dd wears a 28 as she is narrow across the back but bigger than me in the cup.

But it's incredibly annoying to have to order in bras to a shop just to try them on (and discover that you don't like them/they don't fit) or to order things online (and then have to send them back). I want to go into a shop, try on a selection of bras and buy one at my own convenience. Damn it.

I agree Damsel, but they won't stock more in your area if they don't think the demand is there. If you do order in, they know the demand is there, and they are more likely to stock more.

Vicious annoying circle.

agree Damsel - it just doesn't seem like 30 DD should be so unusual, but it is, there is v. little in the way of choice

It reminds my of children's shoes, it is so difficult to get them in narrow or wide fittings, surely there is a business opportunity!

There would also be loads more demand if people were generally measured correctly for bras. I am not unusually small by any stretch of the imagination, so there must be loads of people who should be wearing a 30DD but aren't.

Thanks for your responses - it seems I'm not bonkers after all

DD clearly sounds more impressive than it is!

I was recently measured as as 32D (now pregnant so who knows what now!) but I considered myself small busted. Most female friends guessed me as an A or B cup. I have no cleavage at all, my boobs don't droop but seem to be really erm, far apart? Maybe that's why?

Another one here who thought she was a 34 B until she went to Rigby and Peller and was told she was in fact a 30 D.

In some makes of bra 30 feels much too tight however (Calvin Klein for example) so then I go for a 32 C.

And I would say I had small breasts, definitely.