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!

CK are big in band, bit small in cup although the Emily was about right. It didn't work for me but might well for you - everyone is different.

Can I have some advice then? I am currently wearing a 32C, but measure 30 round my ribcage and 35 round my boobs. What size should I be?

try 30DD maja00

Do they even make 30DD

Thanks, I will try that.

I promise they do (I wear a 30HH!)

Right, I shall try both. I can always get an extender if a 40 is a bit too snug. Thank you!

sorell I quite like rebecca but the higher gore took some getting used to, seems to fit me well

I'm going on a mum's night out tonight. I'm taking my little tape measure in my bag...

OP here. I have STILL yet to find my perfect bra.

32FF/G, plunge, very little to next to no central gore, no boning on the side please?

Have you tried any of these:Bravissimo Satine, Bravissimo Dixie/starburst, freya deco, wonderbra everyday t-shirt, gossard superboost, curvy kate tempt me/elegance/wild/smoothie

if you have - how did they fit? Might help narrow things down

sparkle

I fortunately have a tape measure on me anyway for emergency second hand furniture purchases. I await my first intervention opportunity... (apart from my best mate, doesn't really count)

Mmm, not tried on but the Starburst looks close so I'll swing by and try it on. Thanks SC!

Ooh and I've just found the Gossard Superboost on sale!

Have you got very close set boobs? If so, you might want to think about Ewa Michalak.

No, they are wide set and high.

Well, bra shopping with 13 yo dd1 was an experience. She got one sports bra in 34 d, and one t-shirt bra in 32e. Different sizes because of the different styles. So £60 gone just like that.

Sports bras are notorious for coming up small in the back so I would say that her 'starting' size is a 32E. You can definitely find bras for her under £20 on-line which will save you having to fork out £60 each time!

That's more or less what I thought. I've never seen 32e in any shops but then again, I haven't been looking for that size. It was £28 for one if them and £32 for the other. I'll look around online and see what I can get for her.

I'm not talking to you lot.

I went bra shopping this morning & have come home with the only 30FF I could find. My 36Ds were perfectly comfortable until you pointed out they were wrong & now it's like they know. I've been a bit engorged every morning since discovering this thread. I'm going to have to get rid of all my bras & spend hours hunting for deals online because my DH was horrified that I spent £22 on one bra today. He's used to me getting them in Tesco. They don't do ridiculous sizes.

Why have you doomed me to a lifetime of not being able to find bras in shops?! Waaaaah!

The 30FF is sooo comfy though!

Measured myself at 37 under and 40 leaning. Any ideas ?? I did have to use husbands measuring taps to do it mind Have been wearing a 38E.

I usually wear a 36 around and no idea what my cup size is because it's worn off the labels

However, let's say it's B or C. I can only buy bras from a few companies as most of them seem to think that my breasts sit right in the centre of my chest. I look ridiculous in most bras as the gore isn't wide enough. I think if I dropped down to 32 or whatever, I might suffocate and look silly.

I'll give it a go, but is there nobody saying 'I cannot possibly wear that, I need my ribcage to expand when I breathe?'

minibmw2010 I would say try a 36D but as you're already wearing a cup that's two sizes bigger that might not be quite right. How is the cup on the 38E if you scoop?

Treague The thing is that the correct band size (e.g. 32) can feel wrong if the cup is too small. I wear a 30GG and my bras are very comfortable. However, if I tried to put on a 30F I would probably suffocate as there just wouldn't be enough cup volume to contain all my flesh and the band would have to compensate.

Jojobump1986 Apart from a Christmas time trip to Bravissimo, I can't remember the last time I bough a bra in a shop. There is a very limited selection here!

n measurements Id have said a 36D however if you are currently wearing a 38E i'm guessing the measuring isn't very accurate, so how is the fit on the 38e. Can you look at thebetterbracampaign.blogspot.co.uk and run through the fitting advice to see what is good and bad and report back

Treague - I'm a size 14-16 who measure at 30" underbust and wears a 30HH. I can definitely breathe, I promise. Now, the gore issue will actually be better with the right bra (i.e. bigger cups and a smaller back) as the cup position will be different and will go further round. Are your boobs particularly wide set do you think? Can you measure yourself according to the blog I just linked and I'm sure we will be able to suggest some great bras for you.

Another thank you here, I was fitted a couple of years ago as a 36d in debenhams having gone in wearing a 38b. Having measured using the guidelines on here and hitting the next sales today I am now sitting very comfortably in my 34f!! I am in total shock but for the first time in my life I have a bra that holds all of my boob whether I am sitting standing or lying down, no armpit or back fat, i havent had to pull my shoulder straps back up once and no quad boob going on. It's a revelation!! Thanks ladies

You're very welcome bibbety!

I have a very happy 13 yo DD thanks to this thread she's gone from being upset about flabby armpits in her M&S measured 34A to zero flab in her Mum measured 32D. thanks