How do you wear your bras?

[BedHeadTigi]

Do you like to wear them super tight so you know they are there and leave bra marks when you take them off, or have them at a looser more comfortable setting? Im asking this because i have realised all of my old bras are pretty super tight on me, but my new ones are so comfortable and no way as tight but i wonder if they will still support my bust the same?

Sorry: get the back right first!

I measure in at just under 32" back and 38" around the busters.

REcently started wearing a 32E. Soooo much better than the 34C I used to try and cram them in to. Or the 36B which I used to wear after being measured in M&S!

It felt a bit strange at first, having the underband so tight, but I look so much perkier and uplifted. A miracle.

the only issue is that it isn't a popular size, so have to go into the DD+ departments, and some of theirs don't start at 32". Le sigh.

Recently bought some nice bras in Debenhams - in the sale. Athough I am glad I tried them on, as even though they were all Debenhams own brand they fit very differently.

Sorrel my around bust is a 37-38.
So it's official. I am a freak?
I actually wear 36C, that's what feels comfy. The like of M&S or tiny brassiere place went very sniffy that I didn't want the 34Ds they offered, but said if I must do wrong, the 36C was next best.

LLJKK, Would it possibly be worth trying a variety of different bras, rather than just sizes. There is a massive difference with mine in terms of how stretchy the fabric for the back is. For EG, my Bravissimo Alana only stretches a couple of inches, whereas the back on my Freya Arabella link grows massively when stretched, probably by a good 8 or so inches.

My measurements are 34 under bust and 39 overbust so that would make me a 34E? I've been wearing 36C so I got the cupsize right but not the back?

Or have I got it wrong?

Gonna order me some new bras

I agree that a D cup does not usually seem big boobed (unless accompanied with a very big back size). In fact, the average bra size in the UK is a 36D (according to google!). So a D cup in any back size smaller than 36 (eg 32, 34D would mean that the woman has smaller than average breasts. So I'd say 36D or E even would be a generous normal size, but not particularly large. Although, obviously perspective plays a big part. I'm a 32/4 G/GG/H so most sizes look smaller to me (on women my size) .

I remember my first Bravissimo fitting. For years M&S had fitted me into a 36C, and then I heard about Bravissimo. This was way back before they had their regional shops, so I had to travel up to London (Covent Garden) for a fitting. They measured me as a 30F (I was in my 20s then, only weighed 6st 12, so was petite back then) and I just could not get my head around how I could go from a 36 to a 30. But it gave me my waist back and loads of people thought I had dieted. I find that tricks works even now, when all my bras are a bit old and saggy, ill splash out on a load of new ones and everyone thinks I've lost weight . It took ages to get used to the feeling of,for wearing tight bras, but now I am used to it, I find my boobs ache if I don't wear a tight bra.

Last thing to say is that it really does vary on the style of bra... In some styles I can easily fit into a G cup, but other styles (same brand) I find I need a Hand (or bigger, and then I refuse to buy . But I can vary a good couple of cup sizes depending on the style.

Rikalaily - I'd try a 34DD and maybe a 34E.

It will feel tight at first but if the band feels comfy (but no looser than allowing two fingers under the band) done up back to front then just keep going up the cup sizes until you find one that covers the whole boob.

Ha, ha, I would love to have a little lingerie shop and make everyone perky!

I often want to tell strange women on the street that they are wearing a totally wrong size. There are just sooooo many 4-boobed women with bras up to their necks on the back..

That would be a bit creepy though, no?

Totally with you Hazle, I want to run up behind those sporting the "back around the neck" look and just hoik it down violently!

Mind you, even DH can now spot a badly fitted bra, it's quite funny.

Oh I want to do that too! Yes, I think if we approached anyone we might get this or this . Where I live it's likely to be the latter!

One of my friends was especially bad, I had to take her measurements for a bridesmaid dress that was being custom made. I swear the quad boob was so bad I didn't know whether to measure the bit in the bra, or the bit popping out.

Yes, I did tell her it didn't fit and frogmarch her to Bravissimo!

Oh yes I've ranted about this so much my DH can spot the badly fitted bras too!

And I have a friend like that. We're not from UK and were always told that what your underbust measurement is in centimetres, that should be your bra size. She measures 85 cm. If you check your bras or any conversion tables, they have sizing in both EU and UK. Eu 85 bra is UK 38, so this is what she has been buying.

But that's wrong! 85 cm is not 38 inches, it's 33,5. So she should be in a size 34 bra. I've tried to explain til I'm blue in the face, but she does not believe me, wears a 38f and has her breasts somewhere around her bellybutton. Sigh..

I have an evil plan though. She will come visit me soon, so I'll get a bra in 34G or H that I think is significantly closer to her real size and just pretend I bought it on ebay but they sent the wrong size, so maybe she could try..

My friends know that I'm desperate very happy to help them with the purchasing of new bras.

Oh wise bra ladies

29.5 under bust and 38.5 over bust???

I am wearing a 30J Tango (which keeps slipping off my shoulders )

Band should be tight enough that you can just slip two fingers under the band at the back.

I wear a 32E, down from a 34FF after losing weight. It's nice to be able to (sometimes) find the right size in conventional shops and not have to pay quite the bravissimo prices.

I fear that as I lose more weight I will be a 30 though which will make finding bras more difficult again.

Change, is it possibly a brand issue rather than size? 30J seems big for those measurements but I suspect you would know if it was too large in cup. I'd normally say roughly one inch=one cup size. How are you measuring across the widest part - most people seem to recommend bending over so they are as far out as possible!

However I can't wear panache because the straps are too wide and get on far better with Bravissimo own brand or Freya as a result.

PippiL I have spent a fortune recently on expensive bras and am now trying to rein it in a bit. However, the difference in comfort, fit and look between my Prima Donna (purchased from R&P) and my other (very well fitting) bras by makes like Freya and Curvy Kate is astounding. The Prima Donna one is just wonderful and I am practically living in it at the moment.

I'm saving for another PD or maybe an Empreinte.

Change I'm not a huge fan of Panache either, thet just seem to suit my shape boobs!

On those measurements I'd receommend a 30G or a 30GG and go from there. Maybe even a 28 back, depending on how tight you light the fit and how stretchy the bra is? However, if you are filing a J cup then as Statisically says above, it may just be the style of bra you need to review.

Thanks Statistic. The Tango cups never seem to sit right unless I am pushing my shoulders back à la Barbara Windsor . But I also get back fat if I try tightening the band.

I would love to go down from a J as it is really hard to find stuff in that cup size - especially combined with a 30 back.

Am going to try a Curvy Kate Thrill Me in a 28GG from Amazon. Fingers crossed. I do like a tight band and to feel well supported.

I'd definitely try a different manufacturer, I cannot get on with Panache for love nor money. Something to do with the shape of the wires just doesn't suit me at all. I also find their backs are smaller than Freya/Bravissimo so you may find you need to go down one in different brands.

I'd agree with Sorrel - I'd have reckoned around a G at those measurements but you would probably have a lot of spare fabric if you were a G wearing a J.

The Curvy Kate thrill me apparently comes up small in the cup (I have it on order too!) I haven't tried them before so I have ordered about 4 different sizes to try and get the fit right.

I'm a fan of Curvy Kate. The bands are fairly tight but not uncomfotabley so. I've a feeling that 28GG you've ordered is going to be ideal (the Thrill Me is a very nice bra too!)