Bra sizes discrepancies

[PessimisticMissPiggy]

Today I went into John Lewis and M&S for bra fittings (non wired nursing bras) and JL had me as a 34E and M&S as a 40DD. Neither of them fitted me well and looked rubbish! 34 squashed them down so they looked like plates and 40 they were spread under my armpits like a rubber tyre!

I don't understand how there can be 6 inches difference. I'm only feeding am and pm now so I hadn't inflated in-between stores.

Has anyone else had such a big difference in sizes?

oh there are several threads about it here. M&S is rubbish, as they still measure you based on "add 4-5 inches" theory. Which is no longer correct.
Go to Bravissimo and try different models.

What HazleNutt said. M&S are notoriously terrible for bra measuring and John Lewis not much better. Go to Bravissimo or Rigby and Peller.

M&S measured my Mum as 38C. Rigby and Peller as 32E. It has totally changed her shape to wear a bra that actually fits.

Ignore M&S. As a rough guide, your back size should equate to your dress size more or less, so:
8-10 = 30
10-12 = 32
12-14 = 34
14-16 = 36
16-18 = 38
18-20 = 40
This isn't a strict guide, but if you're a 10 and they're measuring you a 40, you know they've got it wrong!

That's a good point shell.

I was one of those women who had been in a big back size for years- a 34A.

I went into a samll lingerie shop- just browsing at Elle McPherson stuff- and the owner said that no way was I a 34- I am a size 8-10.

That was just by looking at me!

I measure 30-31 under the bust and 35-ish over, though one boob is a cup size bigger almost.

I now buy a 32 C or even a 32D at times, and my Xmas treat to me is to go and be measured at Rigby and Peller- and may buy 1 glam bra.

Ah, I'm a '14-16 so always accepted a 38/40 back size as being correct. I don't have a Bravissimo in the nearest city to me and the independent bra shop locally just closed down. I went to JL and m&s because they have a decent range of nursing bras.

Looks like a trip to a bigger city for me.

Thanks!

There's nowt wrong with M&S bras the staff are just not capable of measuring / fitting them.

yy, R&P and Bravissimo are the best way to go, but, you can certainly get bras on teh highstreet if you learn how to fit yourself.

What are your actual measurements?

You don't add 4 or 5 inches any more? Says who?! I've never understood why you do, but I've never seen anywhere that didn't!

the industry standard changed years ago, somehow most people and many shops, seem not to have noticed.

Under bust measurement = band size (for an uneven number round up or down depending on the individual model)

Cup size is the difference between under bust measurement and over bust measurement. 1 inch = one cup size. So, 30 under bust and 30 over bust is AA, 30 under and 31 over is A cup, 30 under and 32 over is B etc.

The size you measure is only ever a guide. Bras vary in their sizing between makes and models like any other item of clothing.

I disagree with Shelldockley. I am a size 16/18 on top, yet my bra back size is 30. When I was pregnant I went up to 34 though. Cup size too big to mention!

So if the shops haven't noticed and are still doing the 'add inches' thing, you still have to add inches in those shops, right?
I buy bras in M&S and Bravissmo, and I've been fitted the same size in both - maybe I'm just lucky, as they do seem to fit!

no you were just lucky with your M&S fitter. M&S officially tells you to add inches, Bravissimo does not, so if you go after each philosophy, you would end up with 30 in Bravissimo and 34 on M&S for example.

IMO JL and M&S don't do a huge range of nursing bras so they work with what they have in stock.
My fave were the Elle McPherson Maternelle bras from JL which have a capacity to expand and be comfy which prob means support not great, but size changing was a big factor

Freya do nursing bras (poss available from JL) but don't know where you could get proper sizing except from Bravisimmo & R&P.

This is interesting and may explain why at the age of 35 I have never had a bra that has fit properly. My underbust measurement is 29 and over 31, this would make me a 30A instead of the 34B I thought I was. I can never get a bra to stay on my shoulders even with all the adjusting and the cups always ride up . I though it was because I was a bit small in that dept!

party I would actually suggest 30B or 28C.

Given they have you as an E/DD in cup size you clearly have big enough boobs for a trip to Bravissimo to be well worth it. They fit you by eye rather than with a measuring tape (as do R&P - also great) and then will also play around with different bras as different makes come up big or small which they know, and different styles can fit differently.

partyhats - I had that problem with shoulder straps until Bravissimo fitter told me I actually had a relatively short distance between bra back strap and my shoulder, so I now need to buy bras where you can adjust the straps all the way (i.e. you could adjust it so the clasp sat right next to the cup if you needed it). Many bras only let you adjust the strap part way up (and then have frilly lacy bits on the front of the straps that you can't get the clasp over). They were no good for me and this may be the same issue for you.