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!

notso I'm fit trained for mastectomy bras too.

Several questions in addition to the usual underband measurement.
What surgery has been done, how long ago, where are the scars (in relation to where a bra would fit/touch) and have they healed, has any reconstruction been done, what type of prosthetic (if any) is being used/offered?

Sorry, a couple more. Are there any areas of numbness or sensitivity and is there any planned or ongoing treatment?

If I post my measurements, could one of you talented people help me work it out please?
Currently I'm wearing 36FF/G

35 inches under
47 over!
I last got fitted at Bravissimo May 2012.

You lovely people are fab

at 35/47 I would start at 34hh/j and 36h/hh but how is the fit on your current bra

I have always worn a 36B, but I wouldn't say any of my bras fit well

I'm too shy to go into anywhere like Bravissimo as I thought they only do larger cup sizes.
Last time I went shopping i tried on a 34C but it was too tight, so I really do think I am a 36. Maybe I just need some better quality bra's rather than a different size.

The cups seem ok, maybe a little tight, the back is good, but shoulder straps dig in and leave marks.
H/HH cup? Wow, thank you. I will get shopping this weekend

Youvecat If you turn out to be a 'high street size' i.e. 34-38 band and up to an F cup, then there are cheaper options that will fit properly.

I have found well fitting bras for two friends, one a 36D and the other a 36F, both in Primark for about £6 each.

The ladies in Bravissimo don't have to see your naked boobs if you're shy, they will wait outside the door until you're wearing what they give you to try on

YouveCat just go in to Bravissimo they do from a D cup so you don't even have to have huge norks to shop there. Once you've gone in for the first time you won't be so embarrassed next time. Plus they are good for fittings and I don't think they would turn anyone away for being too small if they wanted a fitting.

I'm not embarrassed about people seeing my boobs during a fitting, I just imagine going in and them saying, no that's right you are a B cup and ""oooh what a wide back you've got!"

according to the measuring thingy further up I come out as 33 inches underneath and 36 over boobs

That makes me a 32C, but I know I wouldn't be able to breathe in a 32 inch band. DD is a 34 and she's thinner than me

Also if Bravissimo do for D cup up they won't have anything to fit me
Where else is good to go? (sorry haven't read entire thread)

It would be more likely a 32D. And unless DD has been fitted somewhere good she may not be a 34 either

marriednotdead
I will have to speak to Mum for answers to your questions. How should she measure though?
She has a stick on prosthetic which is slightly bigger than her breast should she wear it to measure?

YouveCatToBeKittenMe you probably think you can't breathe in a 32 but that would because previously you would've been wearing the wrong cup size so it would've been stealing from the band width.

If your DD is thinner than you, I highly suspect that she is not a 34.

I think that Bravissimo are happy to advise, even if there bras don't quite fit you, so it's probably worth going in to them anyway. Remember too, that just like with any other clothing, different makes and styles fit differently, so even if you measure as a 32C, they may well have a 32D that fits you perfectly.

So if I'm a 30 under and 36 on top, that makes me what?

I'm a bit shocked and awed. I've always worn a 34B.....

30E I think, I might be wrong, double check with some of the more experienced ladies on here first

indeed, 30E as a start point

Right, I've not had a chance to go proper bra shopping yet but I got so over excited about changing from a 34D to a 30E/F that I just had to buy a cheapy bra in Tesco. They only seemed to go down to 32 so I hunted for ages & eventually found a 32E. Not perfect but surely it's got to be better than what I already had! So far it feels... Odd! I've been wearing mothercare nursing bras since DS1 was born 20 months ago so getting a wired bra feels strange. It's got thicker straps & a 3-hook fastening so it's all a bit different! One thing that makes me wonder if it's not such a great fit is the bit at the front. There doesn't seem to be enough space between the breasts for it to be completely comfortable. Is that a size issue or should I be looking at other styles that are narrower in the middle? This bra does seem designed to separate them.

I do fully intend shopping for properly fitting bras really soon, I've just got to convince DH that I really do need them! Any recommendations for where to get unusual sizes on a budget? It seems like most of the cheaper places I've seen online start at 32 or don't do 30 past DD!

jojo brastop have a great sale online, free returns, and a brilliant range of sizes.

jojo sounds like a style issue with regard to the separation. If you have close set breasts then plunges may suit you better

Right, I'm going into town today to try on bras in a 30E/32DD . I can't spend more than about £30 on two bras, and in town we have M&S, BHS, a dept store with some concessions (no idea what though) and TK Maxx.

Any recommendations?

I'd start with the department store for trying on. You will manage two for 30 online so that may be a better option for purchasing once size worked out. tk maxx probably worth a look too

Thank you

I don't understand. So with a 30 under bust and a 35 round the bust I should be a 30DD? Eh? Is that right?

Yep, that's correct. You could be a slightly different size (e.g. 30D, 30E) in different brands/styles.

Right I got my brastop order, I'm def a 34 atm (losing weight right now but need bras that fit even if I shrink out of them soon) although I'm on the tightest setting, I stupidly ordered 34s and 36s thinking I couldn't possibly be a 32, do you think I should keep 1 34 but order 32s soon?

Also the one I've just put on kinda pinches under the arms where it goes from strap to bra, any idea what's causing this?