Bra intervention - have I got this right?

[Wenchelda]

Hi - I'm new, hope its ok to come straight on with a question....I Somehow stumbled across one of the bra intervention threads a couple of weeks ago and have been following them in amazement ever since.

I've always worn an A cup (32/34 pre pregnancy, currently 36A) - never been measured professionally but always done it myself based on the "add 4 or 5 inches" rule. I have pretty much constant back ache and neck pain but never ever imagined this could be caused by boobs as they really are so tiny!

But after reading your fascinating threads, I think I should be a 30/32D! My measurements are 31 under bust, 35 at fullest point when bending over to 90 degrees, and 34 above. Have I got that right? If so I am truly truly in shock that my almost-not-there boobs are a D!!

Thanks

Ah sorry, just seen your earlier post. at the bigger cups measurements do become a bit trickier. If your bra isn't sitting flat between the boobs then the cup is definitely too small but it is sometimes a sign that you also need to try a smaller band (it's hard for the gore to float if the band is tight enough). When the gore is floating what is actually happening is that your cup space is stealing fabric from the band

I would try the 36KK, and the 34KK and L and see how it feels. Which bra do you tend to buy?

At the moment I am wearing a Debenhams Gorgeous bra in a 36 J. The gore isn't quite flat, but they give a lovely shape and are cheap. I find it's often a compromise in terms of shape, fit and price.

OK, Debenhams gorgeous run small - on both fronts as a rule but definitely in the band. I'd guess if you are wearing a 36 in them you probably will be a 34 in most of the mainstream bigger bust brands - freya, fantasie, panache, curvy kate, bravissimo own brand etc etc. If the gore just isn't quite flat then you maybe only need one extra cup - so a 36JJ in gorgeous (I know, they don't actually make it!)

I'd hazard a guess that would mean a 34JJ/K in most other brands. As a rule curvy kate are a bit smaller in the cup so you'd probably want the K in those but that is a guess.

Have a look here - this is everything brastop have in a 34JJ, ordered by price. You can get some really good quality bras for the price of debenhams gorgeous. They also do free returns so ideal for ordering a few to try on at home.

Amazon are also good for bargains, and also do free returns on most. 34ks over there

Omg i cant believe ive found such a thread!! Where have you been all my life?? :)
Im currently 6 mths post birth, still bfing and still wearing the nursing bras i got just after ds was born. Boobs defo not perky like they were pre baby :( bra size im wearing is 38e i think, didnt get measured for it, i just told dp to get me bra 2 sizes up.
Been hiding under baggy clothes and not wanting to look at them but i really do need to get myself some nice new proper fitting bras now. My other prob with bras is the straps always slip down my arms, no matter the brand so am thinking i will go for racer back bra. What do i do to measure them? It seems you have a system that works?

Ha we've been hiding on MN trying to intervene the universe

Firstly, no, you don't need a racer back bra. The reason the straps fall down is because the band is too big. If the band is too big, the strap positioning is too wide and lo, the buggers fall down! It's a sign of bad fit.

Now, grab a measuring tape. Whip top and bra off. Measure TIGHTLY underneath your bust in inches, trying to keep the tape horizontal.

NOw comes the entertaining bit. Still with your bra OFF, bend forward at the waist. You want to bend over so you are as close to ninety degrees as possible i.e. so that your upper torso is parallel to the floor and your norks are, erm, dangling free! Measure around the widest (lowest!) part of your boobs, but this time just measure relatively loosely i.e. the tape should be touching your boobs but not compressing them.

Post the measurements up here and we'll do the rest

arleta66 thank you for that!! That will literally take me 2 minutes to do on the sewing machine and I can still wear my favourite bras!

But what I like about these Gorgeous bras, is they have kind of a side panel in the cup, and this pushes boobs out rather than letting them spread iykwim. This is the shape I prefer, which is why I wear a too small bra. Are there any ginormous ones like this?

Do you mean they have a lot of forward projection - so your boobs look narrower from the front in them?

Yes, that's what I mean. I hate most bras, because they just spread them out like. They look smaller when they point forward

Out like a wedge, which ends up being much much wider than my actual size, so they make me look very broad

I know exactly what you mean. The best bras I have found for making them point seriously forward are by a polish company called Ewa Michalak. They probably make up half of my bra collection (it's extensive!), and definitely give fabulous projection and make me look a lot narrower.

You're in their standard sizing range too which means the bras are returnable. Have a look at this review - she's not that far off your size (she wears a 32KK so slightly smaller back but overall about the same boob volume IYKWIM so this will give you an idea.

LInk to the website is here (flag at top middle to put it in to english!)

Statisticallychallenged - thank you for that :) going to get a tape measure tomorrow and measure myself. Am actually excited about getting some new bras that will fit me properly!

can I give you my measurements please

can you check I have done the measuring right too?

:)

measured under boobs 41

measured bending over 90 deg 51

have been wearing 40 dd too big and 38dd too small

thank you thank you thank you

What are the bands of the 40 and 38 like if you put them on back to front? How far can you pull them? If you scoop, do you get over spill?

Your measurements indicate a size around a 40. However I think you may be someone who needs a smaller band than they measure, a 38 or even a 36.

scoop?

Have a read of this. The last section describes how to scoop.

put your bra on. Stand side on to a mirror. Take your left hand, put it inside your right cup, reach round towards your back and pull forward all tissue/soft stuff/overhang you find there until it is in the cup. Repeat on the other side.

right

thank you

no overspill on 40 dd

an inch or so can be pulled on 40 band

38 band snug

Interesting! Sounds like a 38 band is better for you. A 38DD is designed for someone who measures 43" around their bust. Obviously this is a lot less than the 51" you are measuring which is a good illustration of how inaccurate a measurement can be!

If you scoop whilst wearing the 38DD, is there any underarm bulge, back fat, quad boob?

Can I join in?? I've just come from M&S on my lunch break after finally measuring myself properly last night. I think I'm going from a 34 B/C to a 32 DD! I've suspected for a while I wasn't wearing the right size, but just thought I was wearing the wrong styles or something.

Measured 30 band and about a 38 bust. SO I've tried a few 32DDs and couldn't believe how much better they fit (I haven't been a DD since I was pg!!), although there seemed to be a bit of underarm bulge on most styles - so I was going to try and go up a cup, would that be right?

However, when I asked to go and find some more bras, the changing room lady chucked me out because there was a 'queue' (one lady, seated, waiting) . So I handed back the ones I had tried and also the two I was considering buying and flounced . Sorry M&S, you've lost my business today!

Can't wait to get my hands on more bras to try though...

Ah the wonderful M&S!

You should be looking at a 30FF as a starting point which is 2 cups up from a 32DD. However, M&S don't do an FF, they jump to a G!

Thanks Sorrel! Yes, this was my problem - I took loads of bras from the racks which had everything up to a DD and wanted to go back for the DD+ selection, but wasn't allowed . So if they don't even do FF is M&S a lost cause for me?! Having looked at their DD+ bras on the way out I didn't see much I liked the look of anyway... will try Debenhams or online I think.

A 30F or 30G would be the sizes to try first in M&S but tbh I wouldn't bother, I'd just head to Debenhams or try on-line. You'll get far more choice!

I have been wearing a 36B/C since my last pregnancy. I stopped breastfeeding and got pregnant again fairly quickly so I don't think they've ever had chance to go back to normal. I'm almost 20weeks pregnant now. I've just measured following the guidance from the website I've seen linked from here a couple of times and these are my measurements:
Chest - 30 or 31
Bust - 37 or 38 depending on how tight I pull the tape measure! My boobs will pull together quite easily. They flop down a lot but I don't think there's much substance to them so the tape measure pulls them closer easily.

Am I right that this makes me a 30FF? That just seems ridiculous! I'm not in a position at the moment to go shopping and try on to see and I'm kind of in disbelief!

Yep! Try a 30FF/G and a 32F/G.