Does anyone else now wince after reading the bra threads on here...

[showtunesgirl]

...when encountering people who go: Oh I'm a 34A when they really are most probably not?

I am finding it hard to convince people out of believing their M & S sizes and refer them to the bra gurus fitting guide. But it's so deeply ingrained into common thinking that anything over a D is massive and that they MUST be a 34/36 frame even when they are blatantly smaller than me and I measure as a 32!

I've spent hours and hours and hours on these bra threads and bought (and sent back) about half a million bras and I'm STILL wearing cropped tops! But they're ever so comfy...

Yes I see Sparkle but really you are probably only a 10 on top but because your bust is bigger than the size allows for, you have to go up in clothing.

I find if I buy a 10 top it is too gapey if it has no sleeves but the 8 is too tight on the waist etc.

if I pay attention to size charts my bust measurement apparently makes me a 22 or something like that. waist about a 12- 12 super curvy in pepperberry shirts for example. I wear a lot of belts and any sort of shift dress is a disaster

thanks sparkel, i see what you mean but my mind doesn't want to go there!

Even when I put my 32 band on before pushing boobs into cups it hurts it's so tight. Maybe i just hate underwear and find it restrictive.

The idea of a tighter band fills me with horror.
Not actually bothered what cup size i am, but very concerned about a tighter band.

Honestly I just stood in my 32 bra and tied the band only, it was super tight and although I'm small it cuts into flesh and makes 'flab' hang over.

But i know nothing about bra's. I might as well be a chap. So i do believe you all know your stuff. I just can't face the fear!!

toasted do all of your 32s feel that way-do you wear a particular brand?

I might be able to get a modern 10 around my rib cage on paper but it would be skin tight and it certainly wouldn't go round my ample mum tum or over my flabby bingo wings. My waist, well, it's non existant and can only be called one as such by virtue of the fact that my hips are bigger. I ain't pretty in a full length mirror! The vanity sizing debate is interesting, because I have clothes labelled 16 from about 10-12 years ago when I weighed more than I do now, and they are the same size when laid out and measured, as some of my current size 12's. I now don't bother looking at labels for the most part, and just try stuff on till I find what fits. Like Statistically, my over bust measurement technically puts me at a size 20 or more and I've found that Pepperberry 12 Super Curvy and 14 Really Curvy are pretty good on me.

Hmmmm, I'm about the same as sparkle wrt measurements, does that mean I got it really wrong? 32/44 = 32J?

32hh so pretty close. at bigger cups there is always a little more variance though-I think my measurements would make me a couple of cups bigger than I am

StatisticallyChallenged i have 2 M&S, 1 Topshop and 1 Debenhams.

When i measure my band size by bending over like in the diagram linked previously, I measure 29 inches.

Right I currently own a 36A,36AA and 36B, all measured by M & S, just measured myself am 32 under and 37.5 over, am not wearing the right size am I???

ok can't speak for top shop but the other two are both notorious for wonky back sizes-see up thread for m and s. at 29 you could try a 30 rather than 28 as you won't need as firm a band if you are relatively small busted. I can't remember what your over was now-on phone

Just measured 29" under and 35" round norks - could someone who understands these complicated mathematical equations tell me what size this makes me...I'm sure I must have miscalculated!

Thanks Sorrel. That makes sense

Ok I am just over 30" under bust and 37" around it. Recently measured as 36C by Mothercare although in their defence I'm bf DD1 and my boobs do seem extremely changeable. I actually bought size 38 because anything smaller seemed unbearably tight
Do I have to try size 30s??

Yeah I'm desperately trying to get my friends to see sense, they're all in 34 bands the same as me whilst they're all size 10s and I'm a size 16... They don't believe me when I say they're probably a 30D.

Read this thread last night. This morning was in Rigby and Peller and am a 30C instead of a 34A. Oh and £250 lighter and could have spent soooo much more!
Thanks ladies!!

30/37 start at 30f

29/35 try 28e, 28f, 30e and 30dd

ouryve wow, see, that makes me think too..
I'm still struggling with the FF part. I will surely be chased out of bra-shop if I get too close to those, being yelled at: Those are for women with big norks! Away with you!

cottoncandy I am of your trip to R&P. They stock some absolutely beautiful bras in your size. Alas, their stock is a bit more matronly in the G+ cup!

Statistically

Statistically at 28e etc. M&S told me 34b! Where would I even find a bra in such a size?!

debenhams John Lewis bravissimo or online are best bets. m and s are fundamentally shit I am afraid

Lurked though this thread and measured myself properly according to bra guru. Was wearing 36C turns out I'm 32E! Bra shopping this morning yielded poor results, especially as I'm pg and after a non-wired bra. The only ones I could find were for breast feeding. Any ideas?

bravissimo have a few soft cups however as long as the bra fits well it is perfectly fine to wear wires throughout pregnancy and feeding

Thanks statistically I'll have another look around.

Have any of you lovely ladies on the fitting side done a YouTube film on this? I think it would be great to be able to post something on FB as I know so many women need enlightenment!