Time for a new bra thread

[SorrelForbes]

I am officially a mad bra lady. I staged an intervention today in M&S in an attempt to stop a young lady buying a 36B. She was with her mum who told me her daughter was a size 12 and that's why they'd picked up a 36. I advised her to try a 30! I am now feeling a mixture of shame and pride.

They were like this

I agree about nursing bras. They do nothing for me, I wish someone did underwired nursing bras in a 28 and 30 back.
Now if I'm home I just wear secret support nursing vests and my lovely, proper, sexy underwired ones out and about. Frogboy is going through painful teething atm so is demanding comfort boob every hour at least.

Thanks SC. Going to try the Tease Me. Did you have red or pink? (ponders). I'm thinking I should try two sizes to be sure I get it right. If I'm usually a 32F then try 32FF and G?

I have pink and blue. I would say that's about right - unless you find your 32s a bit loose as the tease me also runs big in the back. It wasn't quite enough for me to go down though.

ok thanks

will try a 32ff and a 30g then I think

I mentioned upthread that there was a code for a 20% discount and free p&p on the My Curves and Me website if you are a first time customer.

Have to be quick to spot it as its on the homepage just as you land on it, then it disappears! Put in WELCOME in the discount code box at checkout. It worked for me last night.

Sizing between, and even within, brands is so variable. However, as a general rule...

Fantasie and many Freya styles run at least a cup bigger than Panache, especially in full cups.
Conversely, Curvy Kate and most Bravissimo own brand run a cup small.
So you could be an F in Fantasie, FF in Panache and a G in a Bravissimo Alana.

Just to confuse things further, the band sizing sometimes changes when the bra goes past a G cup- the point at which the straps usually get wider and the band goes from 2 hooks to 3.

This means that in some styles, notably most Freya, and some Panache, both a 32G and a 30GG fits me.

It's bloody ridiculous.

So true marriednotdead.
I bought bras in Bravissimo the other day:
an Alana in a 30HH
a Fantasie with side support in a 30GG
a Bravissimo plunge in a 30J
and a Bravissimo Betsy in a 32HH.

On reflection the Fantasie is a sniff small - I've just received a Fantasie Florence in a 30H and it's about perfect. I also ordered a Curvy Kate Entice which is just fractionally tight in the back in a 28J - realistically I would say I need a 30J in it. I got a Freya piper in a 30H (fits but sucks!) and a Freya Lauren in a 30HH (also fits but sucks)

Whilst some variance in shapes between brands is good, the variance in sizing is bonkers.

Evening
Could someone please tell me what size bra I should be wearing please
I'm 40/41 under my bust as 48 at the fullest part.
I have to admit I have never had my boobs measured so would really like to know
Thank you

jojo, I would start at a 40FF, but be prepared to go further down in the back (and therefore up in the cup) as often slightly larger ladies (no offence!!!) need to go tighter in the back. Have a look at the post near the start of this thread (around post 15ish) which is quite long and explains what to look for in a good bra.

SC some of the Bravissimo styles fit much tighter than the others. I can't work out if it's the fabric or the different manufacturer they've used. Ones with that slightly shiny fabric seem to all be a bit tight- the Gingham Posey was too. Their strapless and tshirt bras can be quite vicious!
It can be useful if someone is between band sizes though...

So I may need a 38FF? Forgive me I have no clue when it comes to bra sizes I've been wearing a 38C for years!
Thank you for the help will have to go bra shopping now.

The Gingham I tried - I think it's cut very like the Betsy. Although I had to get the bigger back, the Betsy feels as tight as my Alana. It gives fabulous lift though - slightly retro shape on me but I don't mind that! Strangely I have the Dotty Spot from last season (similar fabric) in a 30, so I wonder if it's different manufacturers.

Jojo, if you try a 40FF and think "that's about right cup wise but not enough back support" then try a 38, but try both a G and a GG. Obv the cup is a rough guide, so try a few.

Bravissimo sizing is never standard IMO. I've just bought a Masemoiselle bra in a 30H. My usual size is a 30G. It's quite tight but I think the 32 would have been too big.

Interesting Sorrel, I would say the Mademoiselle looks to be based on the Demi Diva, and I am pretty sure I had to get a 30J in it as I found it small. Lovely though!

The centre gore doesn't lie totally flat even in the H but that was the biggest cup they had in a 30. It looks and feels fine though if a little stiff. It does flatten me slightly but that's not always a bad thing, especially at work! I've had a go at bending the wires slightly and that seems to have helped it follow my shape a bit better around my rib cage.

The Mademoiselle is very small in the cup and even when it fits, it flattens me. The new Paradiso which is the same shape but much louder! comes up much bigger. Nearer true size (Panache Tango is a good baseline).

I think when the demi diva came out it was a case of "ohmygod finally a half cup bra I can wear square necks again"...

What a revelation this thread is!

Measured myself today. 29" across the back and 37"across boobage.

However the most startling thing to find when a bent over tits aswinging was that my left breast is hugely bigger than my right. How could I not have known? Couldn't my dh tell? (Slightly frightened to ask).

Any recommendations for the uneven chested?

Slanty start with a 28g, 28ff and 30f and 30ff. There is a post a bit further ip up from marriednotdead about asymmetry,

Pah missed that 20% off code at My Curves....... did get free delivery though (code FD01).

Never mind.

mwah mwah, My curves don't deliver overseas, what a shame!

I was looking at this has anyone tried it?
(apart from the fact that the cups are huuuge on the model!! I am getting obsessed too)

Ifyourehappyandyouknowit The Panache plunge tshirt bra is very firm in the back. It also has no band at the base, which seems to make the bra prone to slipping downwards on some body shapes.
I'd suggest trying a banded style and possibly a smaller back (30FF) as the lift needs to come from there.

Ah, just found the marriednotdead post thanks!

Why are people even trying to guess their bra size? It's free to have yourself measured so why not, at least then you can be sure this is your correct size.

can I ask (a probably very silly question) I just wondered why you do the boob measurement lent over?