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hello and welcome!

It's been a while since I tried Mimi Holliday (I was around a 30G at the time so similar size) and tbh they just weren't sturdy enough for that amount of boob . They might have improved but the designs then just weren't scaled properly

Thank you!

I'm 29" under bust and 30" at the fullest part leaning forwards

Hi fated. Sounds like you could be a genuine A or B cup. I'd start with a 28B and take it from there. Don't be afraid to try a 28C too in some styles.

I took my 14 yr old D niece bra shopping today for the first time since I had her fitted properly last year. She was a 28DD but now needs a 28F/FF. Debenhams had one bra in a 28 and House of Fraser had none at all.

The shop assistant in Debenhams said that they had stopped stocking them as the buyers are adamant that there is no demand. I pointed out my DN and my DSis (also a 28) and said that obviously that wasn't true! She agreed and asked me to email the Gorgeous team at Debenhams.

The shop assistant in HoF said pretty much the same thing. They don't carry them as they don't sell that well. This has got to be down to a combination of bad fitting and lack of customer awareness. After staging many interventions amongst family and friends, I know at least 6 that need a 28 band. So depressing.

pseudomity I seem to have this problem with some bras. I find this in the Fantasie Rebecca as the gorge comes up high and makes marks. This is going up from a DD to E when alot of the bras seem to be this style.

KatyMac
So glad you reported back!

If Daisy Chain was the only bra that worked then I have a very good idea what the issue is and why your fitter struggled. Don't order the Juna, it will flap about at the top.

You need a cup that is longer and narrower than most. (Imagine that your boobs project forward in a tubular/rugby ball shape rather than being round.) This in why none of the wires sit back properly, or when they do, the cups then point downwards, push apart or boob spills over the top.
It's like trying to put on a square shoe!

The following bras should work.

Bravissimo Aleya or Boudoir Beau (32H or 32HH- you may need to try both)

Panache Jasmine and Idina. I'd try the H in the Jasmine and HH in the Idina.

(Sorrel try the Idina balconette, it's right up your street. Go for your upper cup size )

Freya Rio 32H.

Almost any current Cleo non-padded balconette style. Meg and Marcie run big but most of the others are true to size.

To get the bras sitting right when your boobs are this shape, fasten and scoop whilst leaning right over so that your boobs hang forward and settle into the cups that way. The profile is much narrower so your boobs project forward whilst not squishing into your armpits!

Some people find the Cleo wires are higher underarm, but as they are in a narrower U shape, it tends to be less of an issue than other Panache shapes as the wires don't wrap around behind your boobs and into your armpit.

For those of you struggling with finding styles. If your 'dangling' measurement is significantly different to your 'over bust when standing'
one, the suggestions above may be useful.

If you find that Cleo styles dig at the centre gore, then this scenario does not apply.

Freya Rio - this is a old favourite, my no longer fitting 34ff is this style

But it seems to be being phased out/out of stock

I tried the boudoir & the Aleya but only in the 30 and they weren't comfy & I can't find the Jasmine at all

Married. A veritable (bra) chest full of knowledge as ever . I'll have a look at the Idina. I wish Iived nearer a Bravissimo. The range available at my local Debenhams and HoF is getting smaller and smaller.

Rio is still stocked at Debenhams and Figleaves and was my favourite for many years. Sounds like you may need the 32GG. The Jasmine is also on Figleaves and possibly Amazon but Bravissimo are apparently getting it in another colour in the summer. Boudoir Beau/Aleya are not always the right cup style if there is less volume in the boobs like mine...

married I just Googled the Idina and the blurb says that it's the same shape as the Tango which I have tried previously but to no avail. TBH, I think I was trying the wrong sizes last time so may give it another go! Does it give better lift than my beloved Juna?

Hello

I fear I will never again own a bra that fits and is comfortable! Sorry for the impending essay....:

OK, so I measured myself and I'm 28' under and 31/2 over. (I'm a small size 8.) Armed with the better bra info, I went into a department store and tried on a Calvin Klein 30D. It was beautifully comfortable and the back felt great, so I bought it. However, it's VERY VERY PADDED, which I somehow failed to notice, and I look ridiculous in it, like I have a mono boob ballon strapped to my chest. The cups don't sit flat at all. Despite that, the back is soft, tight, and comfortable. So, back fine, but cups too big.

OK, so I then went into an independent boutique and got measured. The boutique owner tsked at the 34As I'd been wearing my adult life and put me in a 30B. I knew that according to you ladies this cup size was still a bit small. But the bra did seem to fit well, so I bought it. Now, though, I don't like it - it's one of those tight mouldy convertible strapless ones and it's very painful to wear, really digs in. :( I've worn it quite a bit but have to wear it on the loosest settings. IMO both back and cups are too small.

I now own only ONE old bra that is vaguely comfortable to wear. It's a 32B and I can't tell what the brand is, I got it in TMaxx. I think it's 'O Lingerie' or something like that, but I've never heard of it.

Can anyone help and suggest brands that have underwired but COMFORTABLE and NON-UGLY mouldy bras, in a size that might be realistic? Anybody out there with my stats that has found success?

Sorry, should confirm - I don't want a moulding type bra, just a nice everyday one.

based on your measurements and what you are describing I would guess you really need a 28d or a 30c probably depending on brand. Calvin klein are notoriously small in the back so needing a 30 from them is no surprise. strapless bras are a law unto themselves at the best of times but the cup being too small cab also make the back feel tight

Thanks Statistically. Agree about the strapless bras, what a headache . I will report back if I find anything!

Sorrel It's not like the bloody Tango so ignore the blurb! It fits much better on deeper set boobs and the top of the cup is stretchy so no gaping.

Plenty of lift, no matter how soft your boobs are. A pleasure to fit so far, just wish it went bigger in the cup.

Well, I thought it looked different in the pics so was a bit surprised to read all that! It sounds good so I shall give it a whirl salesman's dream.

Ooh, £24 at Debenhams!

why is finding a bra so hard! so what if you seem to fill the cups well when standing in the fitting room but by the time you've spent all day in it everything has moved and they are now baggy.
I find it makes a huge difference if I'm having a fat day as to whether a 30 feels tight in the back or not (i measured at 28 and a half)
the last bra I got was a freya one the assistant in house of Fraser checked it and seemed happy. I could already do it up on the tightest but instead of suggesting a smaller size just told me not to wear it on that hook as you shouldn't buy a bra wearing it on the smallest. I expressed concern that the wire was level with the middle of my arm pit when I thought it should be more where the pit starts. she said this was fine. this bra is perfect until I move!
should I buy 28's and an extender to use until they stretch a bit. or am I just buying the wrong shape?

cartoontrickster
It sounds as if the overall width of the wires spreads too far around towards your back if they are coming up into the centre of your armpits. I'd suggest trying some of the styles mentioned on my post to katymac yesterday as they would position your wires more to the front.

thanks ill take a look. my quest the perfect bra continues!

I'm going to add another layer of pain to the great bra hunt; the search for the perfect strapless number.

I'm a 30GG but I thought I would be fine in a Wonderbra Ultimate because although it only goes up to a G, I'd heard it was small in the back so figured a 32G could be the answer. My local Debenhams only had a 30G and a 32FF neither of which were any good (the former too small in the band and the latter too small in the cup). There was no 32G but going on how small the FF was, I can't imagine that the 32G would be much better.

Then I tried this in a 30G and 32G. Again the former was too small in the back. Both were way too small in the cup.

Finally I tried this in a 30H and 32G (random but the only 30 and 32 they had above a DD cup). The 32G was huge in the back even on the tightest hook. The 30H was a good fit in the band and the centre gore was almost flat but, oh dear, I had empty material at nipple area and a shelf of bulging flesh above the top of the cup.

I can't really judge the Wonderbra with regards to lift as I couldn't really tell because of the cup issues but the two Gorgeous bras, the second one in particular, were useless. I might as well have not been wearing a bra for all the lift they gave.

So, any suggestions? It's going to have to be an online order as those were the only strapless bras my Debenhams had in stock. HoF didn't have anything except the Wonderbra and the biggest they had was a 32F.

I'm back and struggling!!!

I have finally received my replacement Panache Sophie Nursing bras in sizes 28G and FF and 30G and FF. The 30s are definitely too big in this style (my measurement is 30.5 so, in theory, it should fit) and the 28 feels very snug but I can put it on back to front and pull it around etc but it doesn't ride up when I lift my arms, so all good.

However, I think the G is too small, despite trying the 28GG and finding it a bit big - it seemed to wrinkle up under the cup iirc and wouldn't hold the scoopage and the straps needed tightening up. On this one, if I scoop, it stays, but I get a clevage to proud of and the gore is so far away from my chest, I'm almost mono-boobed... If I look side on, I have slight quad-boob. If I don't scoop, it doesn't look too bad initially, and isn't squashing my boobs much (I measure round the same upright with and without bra), but then I have unsightly bulges I the armpit area!!

I have tried every size from 28FF to 28HH, and NONE of them have fit properly. I have a few cheaper/crappy 34F bras that don't fit properly either, but I don't want to buy new ones that don't fit!!!

Other than sending them back and trying to 28GG again, I don't know what to do.

I don't have a Bravissimo near here unfortunately - the nearest decent bra shop is Rigby and Peller (although there is John Lewis and HoF, but I don't expect them to have many 30FF or similar, let alone nursing bras). I am so tempted to jus go to R&P and just get a fitted bra, any bra, doesn't have to be a nursing one, just so I have a cleavage and support and don't look like I have an inflatable ring around my chest :(

If I give my measurements, could someone advise me? I am 30.5 around and 39 dangling (37 if stood upright).

I'm looking for nursing bras really, as I want to keep feeding DS until he's a year, but if I could get a supportive, decent, well-fitting bra that gave me a decent shape, then I'm sure I could work around the lack of clips, maybe

TIA :)

Sorrel my Wonderbra is a 32G and fits OK so I wouldn't rule it out - the sizing on them is a bit whacky!

Chunky chicken, those measurements suggest a 30G - so in a bra where you need the 28 back I would expect a 28GG to be needed. Nursing bras are a total pain and very tricky to get right I am afraid as they just don't offer the same support. There are some wired ones around - Ewa Michalak and Anita do them I believe although it looks like Anita start at a 32. Many ladies have gone for converting bras - you can buy the converters on ebay so that may be an option?

Thanks statistically that's great. I will have a look at the other options, but I am seriously tempted to go down the converting route, especially if I go to Rigby and Peller and can get a proper fitting, and ideally, walking away with a fitting bra. I feel like a bit of a berk sending the bras back and asking for a size I've already tried, so I think I'll have to try other styles. Thanks.