She should've got me a 32E shouldn't she, not a 34C...

[gnocci]

So, first bra shopping trip since being out of maternity/nursing bras.

I try on a 34C, back too loose.
I try on a 32D, back great, cups too close together/too narrow so the outer wires on each side were encroaching onto breast tissue.

Now, having read the bra threads on here I am right that a 32E should've been the next option right??

But OH NO NO NO, I got the full on roll eyes, silly girl, youre not a E CUP from the M&S lady who insisted the back was too small and that 34C was the right size.

I swear, if I'd jumped up and down my boobies would've fallen out the bottom!!!

Grrrrr........ Didn't have time to prove my point with the 32E but I am going to go back and try on 32E and then get here to sell it to me. Meh.

[SorrelForbes]

Oh my, that's dreadful. Such a great bra too!

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Hmm, they appear to be repeat offenders..

exhibit a
exhibit b
exhibit c
exhibit d
exhibit E about 5 cups too small!
quad boob

Mumsnet jury....I think we must convict them of crimes against boobs!

[SorrelForbes]

My eyes, my eyes.

[TiredMule]

Hello again lovely Bra Guru ladies, Sorry to butt in!
I'm still yet to find a bra i'm completely happy with, mainly due to lack of decent shops and time. I made the mistake of popping into m&s yesterday 'just to see' and tried on a couple of bras, nothing fitted properly, when I tried my top on it looked like my breasts had almost dissapeared-there was nothing at the sides

A really stupid question, but upthread soemone wrote about overhearing Bravismo staff explaining what a properly fitted bra should feel like and look like. Please could someone explain that on here?!
I measure 31 under 35 over. I'm really struggling with this! My (better) rubbish fitting motherare nursing bra (the only ones I have) gives me a better size and shape than most of the bras i've tried.

The 2 bras I've bought so far (though not worn yet as i'm not sure if they are ok-or if I can find better) are a Freya deco-which is very comfy but is non wired and not sure if I should get a wired one? and a debenhams one in a 32D but it is V padded (megaboost lightweight).

Am now at the point where I think I should order online but not sure what to order and from where-I feel like i'd need to order each bra in about 4 different sizes at least! The plunge style normally fits me better and balcony never does, and ideally I want some padding-not too little or too much.
Please point me in the right direction! Now i've stopped breastfeeding I was very excited about getting new well fitting bras, but so far it's just been depressing!

[TiredMule]

Shamefully bumping so I can (hopefully) order before the weekend!

[brighthair]

The back band should be firm, and fastened on the loosest hooks to start. Should be able to slide finger under and it shouldn't ride up your back when you move around
The wire should encase all of your breast tissue so you should scoop your breasts into the bra. The centre gore should lie flat in between your breasts. If it sticks out you need a bigger cup size
The bra shouldn't give you 4 boob look, if it does, you need a bigger cup, it should lie smoothly
I would try a 30DD or 30E but it depends how the ones you are wearing fit at the moment
Hope this helps

[brighthair]

Oops just seen about plunge and padding. Personally I love the bravissimo satine, I think you can search for plunge bras on their website. It has a bit of padding and a low centre gore and is the comfiest bra I've ever worn

[SorrelForbes]

Here's SC's excellent post about what to look for in a good fitting bra:

Here are a few things to look for in a well fitting bra:

Firstly, when you but the bra on, lean forward then take your right hand and put it inside your left cup. Reach right round under your armpit/towards your back and hoik all the backfat/escapage forward in to the cup of the bra. Repeat at the other side.

If your bra is a good fit after doing this it should:

• Be worn on the loosest hook (when new). If you can fasten it on the tightest hook then try a back size lower.
  
• The band should be completely horizontal
  
• You should only be able to fit a couple of fingers under the front of the bra. If you can get more than that, or you can pull it more than an inch or so away from your body at the back, it is TOO BIG!
  
• If you raise your arms, the back should not really move - no riding up
  
• The wires should be entirely encasing your breast tissue - breast tissue goes suprisingly far back and a lot of people don't realise this. If you feel where the wire is sitting under your arm then it should be sitting on a fairly firm surface.
  
• The central gore (where the wires meet) should sit flat between your boobs. if it is being pushed away, then the cup is probably too small (and the back possibly too big as well)
  
• There should be absolutely no lumps over the top of the cup. Take a fitted t shirt with you to put over the top of the bra and stand side on to a mirror and watch as you breathe in. If you have a bit of a bulge only when you breathe in, you probably need to go up 1 cup. If it is visible when breathing out then IME it's probably more like two cups or more.
  
• The cup shouldn't gape. If it does, it may be too big or it may be the wrong shape of bra for you. Moulded cups are particularly bad for this as they don't adapt to your shape.
  
• The shoulder straps shouldn't be painful and digging in. Most of the support should come from the back. If you find that you can't get enough support without the straps being so short they hurt the bra isn't for you. Most likely it's too big in the back but it may also just be a bra that doesn't suit you.
  
• and on that note; not every brand works for every person. There are quite distinct differences in shape between brands which mean a particular brand may just not suit the shape of your breasts.

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Hi Tiredmule

What back size is the Freya Deco wireless? I'd say best guess size for you is a 30DD but if you want to get it right (and have a credit card!) then I would suggest trying a 30D,DD,E and if you feel the 32 may be better (the debenhams gorgeous bras are quite small in the back) then I would try a D.

The freya deco wired is very popular for people who like a little padding. A newish one to try is the Freya Lauren Plunge - this is based on an oldie called the Retro Basic Plunge which I adored. I also love the Bravissimo Satine

Over on Brastop there are quite a few Curvy Kates which are very plunging - I have the Tempt Me and it gives amazing cleavage. There is also a new moulded called the Smoothie which I haven't tried.

Another old favourite for me was the Wonderbra d-g T-shirt bra.

In general the (wired) freya deco comes up slightly big in the cup, the Curvy Kate plunges are small in the cup and the wonderbra is about right.

Let me know if you need more help. There is a ridiculously long post from me over on the "small boobs" thread where I list everything to look for when you are trying a bra on .

[StatisticallyChallenged]

HAHAHA! Ok, don't bother looking over on the other thread cos Sorrel posted it above! Cheers sorrel!

[TiredMule]

Thank you for getting back me to, ended up with an ill dd so haven't got around to ordering yet!

The debenhams one is a 32d and the Freya is a 30e.
I've worn the debenhams one at the weekend and it's very comfy-will be a great one more for going out (due to all the padding)
I think maybe I should return the deco and swap for a wired deco? I think it was on here or a review someone said that the unwired deco came up smaller, so maybe I'd need to order the 30dd in the wired?

[StatisticallyChallenged]

I haven't tried the unwired deco but the deco wired is big in the cup as a rule. So the 30dd is prob a good start.

[TiredMule]

Thank you statistically-I've just made an order with brastop-a couple of deco's, a couple of tempt me's (reduced to £13!!!!) and a couple of other ones so hopefully i'll be sorted!

I've been so excited by these bra threads-I really want to get my mum sorted-she is 100% in the wrong bra, but she is very big of norkage so think it may be interesting! How is it best to measure her....not sure how to put this but hers are quite ...pendulus (is that even a word?!) so no idea how you'd begin to do it without a bra on! Is it ok to measure over a bra? I think it would TOTALLY transform her!

[SorrelForbes]

Either measure her when she's wearing her best fitting bra or if her bras are really squashing her ask her to take her bra off and lean forward so that her boobs are hanging down towards the floor (this is a very attractive look) and then measue loosely around the fullest part.

[gnocci]

Right I posted above that I measured 30 under and 35 over. Went to Debenhams and took a handful of 30 bras to the changing room. Errr no way hosay were they even coming close to being done up.....?!

Tried a 32 - okish but still tight on the loosest hook. Asked the girl to have a look and she said no too tight, it will rub and hurt you. I thought hmmm BUT when I took it off she was right, I had already got a red rub mark under my arm just from shifting about in the changing room

Tried on a 34, loosest hook ok but middle hook perfect. Still on the very tight side but a supportive tightness IYKWIM.

The one that fit the best was 34D.

This doesnt fit in with anything said on here. I am so bloomin confused. I amd definitely 30 underbust but a 30 bra wouldnt even do up.

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Which brand were you trying? It is odd that you had to go to a 34, and buying a bra on the middle hook normally isn't a great idea as they stretch quite quickly.

I think the 32 sounds like it probably was actually right and I'm wondering if that was possibly Debenhams Gorgeous range which anecdotally comes up small in the back.

[SchroSawMummyRidingSantaClaus]

Could I ask a question on here please, if anyone knows?

I bought a bra from bravissimo a couple of weeks ago, it's a 34GG. I have lost a bit of weight since then and now it feels too loose and has to be worn on the tightest clasp but the top of the cups are now seeming very lose on me and the bone between the breasts isn't sitting flush anymore.

Any ideas what size I should be wearing now?

[StatisticallyChallenged]

It sounds like you need to go down to a 32 back. I could start off with a 32H (which should be roughly the same cup as the 34GG) and work from there.

It may be that in a smaller back the cup no longer gapes. But if it goes try going down to a 32GG.

[SchroSawMummyRidingSantaClaus]

But since it's a new bra and has barely been worn would the smallest clasp not be a 32 anyway? Even on the tightest I can pull it out a good 2 inches at least. :(

I think maybe now this bra isn't going to suit my shape.

Bra business is so very confusing! Thanks. :o

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Ah I didn't realise it was that big! Hmm, you might actually be looking at a 30 then. In which case to keep the cup the same start around a 30HH. Get the back right first then the cup becomes a lot easier.

Which bra is it - can you link please?

(btw, this happens to me when I lose weight - my back gets smaller but my over measurement stays the same so I go up in the cup. Bonkers :) )

[SchroSawMummyRidingSantaClaus]

But the cup seems loose, not too tight.

This is the bra Thank you again btw. :)

[Theas18]

Dd is a"but nobody has that size chest" bra size (28 FF/G)

When she was but a 28 Dd at 11 -12 yrs the assistant looked at her and said"well you really shouldn't be wearing wires at you're age, not till you've been in a bra for at least a couple of years :-(

How I didn't strangle her for crass insensitivity I dint know!

Not only could you not get a bra in DDS size that wasn't wired, she had been wearing a bra for more than 2 yrs!

[StatisticallyChallenged]

Ooh I have that one - beautiful BUT it never ever fitted me quite right - it was either slightly tight, or it gaped.

I'm not suggesting the cup is too tight - basically I was suggesting you deal with one thing at a time - so try on a 32H and a 30HH to find out which bag you need. This keeps the cup roughly consistent. Then when you have established which back feels right, turn your attention to the cup. It's far easier to get the cup right once the back fits.

It's also possible that the gaping isn't actually caused by the cup being too big but by the back - if the back is loose the cups aren't pulled upright properly which leads to gaping.

(And I meant that because of "sister sizing" if you are someone who loses weight from under your bust then you can have the bizarre thing of your boobs "appearing" to get bigger as your cup letter gets higher due to your back getting smaller. )

[SchroSawMummyRidingSantaClaus]

Theas That was me. :( I was fitted for a 26/28 EE-F when I was in first year just turning 12. :( Luckily I got someone who managed to fit the correct size but all they could give me was a wonderbra.

It is really horrible, I totally feel for your DD. It makes me rage on here as well when loads of posters say 9/10/11 year olds should never be wearing bras as they don't need them. If only they knew...

[SchroSawMummyRidingSantaClaus]

Statistically That makes a lot of sense now, thank you so much. :) I know what you mean as well about losing weight from under the bust as that's the first place that goes. I could have a huge belly and hips but able to see my ribs at the back... It's very confusing.