NEW BRA THREAD HERE!

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hello and welcome!

Ok. Have finally measured myself in the new way. Currently in 34A.
Measurements are 30.5 under and 35.5 across the droop.
Should I be looking at 30E?

Yes, try a 30DD and 30E to start with

Hello knowledgeable people! I could do with a bit of size/style help if you wouldn't mind. For ages I've worn a 32A/AA depending on what I could find. However, after measuring myself a couple of weeks ago, I measure 30" underbust and 34" over (same standing and dangling... so attractive!) which I think I'm right in saying makes me a 30D!!!

Ok, so after picking myself off the floor in shock, I went shopping. I managed to find two 30D bras that fit pretty well in M&S (from the angel range) but that was where the joy and excitement stopped. Everything else I've tried has wrinkles in the cups while simultaneously causing me to bulge over at the top. I've tried the cleo jude, cleo meg and lepel erin. The meg was the worst fit with serious wrinkles/bulges. The erin fitted probably the best but still caused a bit of bulging/wrinkling (but this was hidden partly by the style of it)

I can't keep wearing the M&S bras as I can feel the band stretching after only a couple of days of wear so help! What should I try next? I really want to enjoy bra shopping but the last few tries I've gone back to hating it.

OK, the meg is a bit odd in the way it fits - I had to go down a cup size in that one, it was blinking massive.

I haven't tried the lapel, but I suspect they are the wrong shape for your boobs. Imagine trying to put an orange in a glass - it sticks out the top but there is empty space at the bottom. I'm wondering if you need something with a wider cup (I think the Cleos are kind of narrow).

If that sounds possible, the maybe try something like one of the Curvy Kate showgirls (tease me, thrill me, fleurty, entice) which run wider IMO. I think Freya are wider too.

Can you link to the M&S bra?

Here are the M&S bras. The underwire is in the right place for me in these, but I'd really like to get a "proper grown-up" bra!

Yes the Meg is odd. The 30G was too small and the 30GG is decidedly baggy!

I have a couple of curvy kates on order now (tease me and tempt me) - should arrive tomorrow (hooray for amazon prime!), so I shall see what they're like. I tried on a freya in debenhams too, but again it was seemingly simultaneously too big and too small. I also tried a debenhams balcony bra which was better but still not right - a bit of space in the cup but fitted ok elsewhere.

Sorrel
IIRC they are sized 1-7 or 8, with a chart telling you what size they recommend based on bra size. So if the suggest you get a 5, a 3 is more likely to fit.

PtCatalyst
I'm guessing that it's a shape issue, and possibly that your boobs are quite firm.

I'd suggest trying a Cleo Juna or a half cup style which is wider across the base but places no restriction on the upper half of your breast. Another option may be to have some stretch in the cup:

Just thought I would update - went to John Lewis and tried on some Freya and Fantasie bras in 36G and 36GG as well as 34G (the size I had measured myself as) but all far too big in the cup and the fitter also said too big in the band.

So tried a Freya in 34FF and it's a much better fit, although it digs in a bit around the band and under the arms it still feels better than my old stretchy saggy 38E bra and I'm hoping that the digging in will ease once I've worn it for a while. Also tried some Fantasies but they were too big in 34FF but too small both in band and cup in 32F, so not sure they are for me at the moment.

Can't believe I have gone down two band sizes and only up two cup sizes!

So will be looking for some more Freyas and trying out (when my budget allows it) some of the other suggestions on the thread. Could only afford one bra though (normally get two for £20 or similar in M&S) so will need to be looking at Amazon and ebay pronto I think!

Thanks again for this thread and the advice.

PS The John Lewis fitter was really good and helpful and although she didn't measure me she was great at helping work out what fitted best.

maxmissie it shouldn't be digging you under your arm. That would indicate that either 1. The cup is too small or 2. The wire is too long or 3. The base of the cup is not wide enough to accommodate all of your breast tissue so the wire ends before your breasts do.

Given that the Freya wires are usually short, I'm wondering about the other possibilities.
Freya Gem and Faye are fairly wide based but Fantasie Salsa is even better if that is the issue.

Just want to say thank you! I've just bought a 34E and its perfect. No backfat and no jiggling around. I have never been measured and always thought I had loads of back fat, gone up a back size and was never supported properly. When I tried the correct size My little girl said "mummy you look like a mermaid!"

Right. So the two curvy kates arrived today and I tried them on - they are MASSIVE on me! Band is fine but cups were either extremely wrinkled (in the tease me) or just not filled. On closer inspection, this seems to be the case in the M&S bra too - it's like a shell that's sitting over my breast rather than my breast actually filling it. But when I tried the 30C in the M&S bra I was bulging out.

So, it seems that I should possibly try a smaller cup size but balcony style as others cut in too much at the top even with bigger cup sizes - would that be right?

That sounds like it could be the case Pt - it is a risk with more moulded cups that you don't immediately notice what is right or wrong with the fit - because they do "sit" on their own.

Just to be sure, have you tried the band back to front to make sure it is firm enough, and (sorry if this is obvious) have you shortened the straps (not so they are cutting in but lots of new bras arrive with them on maximum extension!)

I want to say thank you for this thread - I have been wearing 36AA for years and years after being measured by M and S. Apart from the fact that it is so difficult to find anything in that size, my bras have never felt comfy or fitted properly. Anyway, having calculated that I should be a 34B according to the MN advice I took myself off shopping today. Hey presto - it was right! I can't believe the difference it made (and how pathetically thrilling I found it to reach the dizzy heights of the B cup!).

That's really good to hear Poppystar1. I bet you can really notice the difference?

Just out of interest, do you scoop when putting your bra on? You may find that now you've got a better fitting band, if you scoop regularly then any migrated breast tissue should sit back in it's proper place (i.e. the front!) and you may end up needing to go up a cup (or two!).

Hmm, it appears that the band is too big - I can fasten it on the tightest hooks back to front and pull it at least 3 inches out. I checked with the curvy kate tempt me and cleo meg just to make sure it wasn't different for different brands. So, should I be trying a 28D (as all cups have been far too large)? I was hoping that finding my "proper" size would open up more oppertunities when bra shopping, but it just seems to be limiting my choice more and more!

Yup, try the 28D. That might not actually make things much worse as the bigger cup brands like curvy kate and cleo still do that size - but don't do the 30C. And a lot of high street brands don't do 30 backs. In a 28 you are actually better being a D than a C, as the 28C has been described as "the rocking horse shit of the bra world"

If you think the CK/Cleos worked then I'd try a 28D in those.

Ha ha ha! Just wanted to share our Bravissimo experience.
After our unsuccessful trip to Debenhams earlier this week (see further up the tread), I took DD to Bravissimo to have a proper fitting today. The amazing assistant just looked at DD and came back with the correct size bra. It fits beautifully and DD looks fantastic. She went in wearing a 32D (which to be fair, we knew was too small) and came out wearing a 28GG.

The assistant then looked at me and asked if I wanted her to fit me as well. I mumbled about being too small up top for anything in their shop, explaining that DD got her figure from her father's side of the family, not me. She said, nonsense, went away to find a bra, made me try it on and it fitted perfectly. I now have cleavage for the first time in my life. Went in wearing an emabarassingly grubby 38B, came out wearing a 34E!!

I am gobsmacked, and can't praise the service and expertise in Bravissimo (the Cambridge branch) enough.

Okay. So ATM I measure old school as a 36c. Thanks la senza... I take it being a size 12 with a 32 back and having ample sideboob underarm spillage this is not right?

Sorry, iPhone playing up, can't read what I've typed!!

Definitely not right. So you need a 32 back.. Have you measured over bust?

I'm about 37.5 doing the 'dangle' I've lost a good bit of weight and toned so finally wanting to enjoy wearing vests, until that is I pop one over my bra.. Cue side spillage and all sorts! When I try and scoop it all in there's just no room and they spill out the front!

Classy me?

Right, in volume a 36C is the same as a 32DD
Going off measurements and that I would start with a 32E and scoop well

Huge thanks! Does the scooped tissue stay scooped for the day or creep out?

That's brilliant grendel! I love Bravissimo