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!

Hello bra saviours

Just wanting to check I've got this right... I've been wearing the wrong bra size for ages now, I know it isn't correct because it's uncomfortable and gapey and just plain wrong. But I was fitted and told I was a 38B so that's what I bought at the time!

Measured myself this morning and band measurement was 36 and bust measurement was 41. Does that therefore make me a 36D/DD? My husband swears that sounds huge and that I can't need that size

I need to order some new ones, but I'm largely housebound at the moment and don't want to have to keep on returning lots of different sizes. Thought I'd throw myself at your mercy and see if that would be a good starting point to order! Thank you.

definitely start at 36dd and ignore dh who probably has dd=Katie Price syndrome.

I was recently in the nearest large town to us so I went into M&S (having found nothing 'just right' in our Debenhams).

6 years ago M&S measured me as a 38b. They measured me OVER the ill-fitting 36B I was wearing at the time, having changed shape after dcs.

These threads told me I should be a 34DD. So I filled a basket with a selection of 34 D and DD, and a couple of 36D. Headed for the lingerie changing room. Assistant tells me 'wait there the fitter is not available at the moment'.

I barged past her saying 'I don't want a fitter. Your fitters measure me and sell me bras that ride up at the sides if I so much as hiccup, with bands that are an inch away from my ribs at the front, wires that end up half way over my boobs, and in which my boobs are not supported, but just hang there covered in lace. I am just going to try all these on till I find the right size for me.

I tried em all on. And mumsnet was right. I have a few 34dds now and all fit perfectly. No riding up, boobs pointing more or less forwards instead of down and to the sides, band sitting flat all the way round. I keep looking down as they are sort of separate and stick out instead of being squashed to my chest!

So, was talking to my neighbour that same afternoon when we took the kids to the park. She said

'you can't be a DD, that's really bazooka-ish'

So I told her how to measure, how it should fit etc, and this look of 'clouds clearing' came behind her eyes and I bet she's in bloody marks this weekend.

In this warm weather all my summer dresses look fab with my new shape boobs!

I started wearing bras 30 years ago, and up till LAST WEEKEND I know know that every bloody one of them for all those years has been the wrong size and I am not flat chested!!!

IT's revelatory, isn't it?

I've just tried on a 34B from my underwear drawer and I am baffled as to how I ever thought it fitted, let alone the 36B that M&S insisted I was.

I now own 2 32D bras that fit beautifully, and I've ordered a couple of 30DDs to try because I think they me be even better.

TWENTY YEARS of wearing the wrong size bra.

I absolutely love hearing stories like this. MN will get everyone into the right size bra, one nork at a time!

It's here! It's here! Sweet 30FF comfy-ness! It feels weird to be wearing a tighter band, not in a bad way, just different!

I'm currently in a 30F. Back to Beavissimo this weekend to try a different size (1 year postnatal and still breastfeeding so my shape is changing).

I looked at my 34As and just thought why? Why M&S, why?

Quick question here - I tried 36H as recommended here and they were a little loose in the cup even after lots of scooping so I'm trying 36G now which fit lovely after scooping but I'm finding that after an hour or two of wear I need to scoop again as the cups look a little baggy again

Is it just a case of retraining my back fat and underarm fat to stay in the right place or do I need to drop another cup size?

How did the band fit?

The band fits fine it felt a little tight when I tried them at first but I think it was just because I'm used to wearing a 40 band it all feels quite comfy now but it seems like some of the scooped flesh gradually sneaks back to where it was leaving the cups looking a bit empty at the top - if I scoop again it looks ok again for a while so I was wondering if its just because I've wearing the wrong size for so long and it will stay put after I've been wearing these ones for a while

What were your measurements again? Because if the band was the right size, you shouldn't really getting the flesh sneaking back out again.

I'm 36 under and 47 1/2 over

I have to admit sometimes my scooped flesh sneaks out-just at the armpits. I probably reposition a couple of times a day.

I find a quick scoop whenever I go to the loo sorts out the escaping issues, and keeps me nicely positioned all day!

Thanks :) will keep on scooping and indulge in my new found passion for buying bras

Thanks for the advice! I popped into debenhams at the weekend and armed myself with a whole basket full of 36f/ff and g bras in dif styles etc. ended up with one f, one ff and 2 g t-shirt bras. I was wearing a 36e before! I have scooped and am so happy with how they're fitting. And my boobs are so comfy! The only mildly irksome thing is how thick the straps are, but then I suppose they need to be.
Thanks again for the advice.

fieldfare the thick straps are the one thing that I don't like about wearing properly fitting bras, especially since I wear vest tops a lot, even in winter. Recently I have discovered Cleo by Panache - much thinner straps so I have purchased a few and am a much happier, thin-strapped wearing, bunny now.

I was just going to suggest Cleo bras for thinner straps (although they only have two rows of hooks instead of my preferred three). Fauve are also pretty good for prettier styling.

I've been following these threads with huge interest, and took myself off to John Lewis this morning to try on my new size - 32D instead of my usual 34B (32" around ribcage, 36" over boobs).
I tried on loads of styles, but only found one (plunge style) that seemed to fit really well. Is it possible I've still got the size wrong, or am I not fitting and adjusting properly?
I'd love to wear balconette styles (anything that would make my boobs look like happy puppies rather than sad, droopy puppies!), but they just look odd - the cups still look too big.
Help! What should I try?

It could be that balconettes don't suit your breast shape. I struggle with them because they just don't go with the shape of my boobs.

Yep, my best friend (who has recently lost and then gained weight through illness) is quite busty, about a 28GG, really struggles with balconettes/halfcups as her boobs are very soft and bottom heavy (with a narrow root, she's very slim) and she can't fill the top of the cup (no cakes on a plate for her). However, she desparatley wants some lift.

I think she (and probably you) would be better with something with a slightly fuller cup (not necessarily a traditional full cup). I might be wrong (Where are you Married?) but I've read that the following styles are good for bottom heavy boobs:

Bravissimo Alana / Dotty Spotty
Ewa Michalak CH and CHP lines
Curvy Kate Thrill Me
Fantasie Tina
Cleo Lucy / Marcie / Melissa
Freya Jolie

This is so interesting! I've worn a 32B since my teens since I'm small of boob and it always seemed comfortable. However I've always thought it's not quite right as sometimes the underwire rides up (especially when undressing/stretching) and plus it's hard to find a bra that size that allows my breasts to sit nicely where I'm sure they're supposed to (instead of one under each arm, where they seem to like resting!!!)

So I measured myself and I'm 29'' underbust (largest measurement when breathing in) and 34'' over. By my reckoning, does that make me a 30DD?

I found a couple of 30C bras in M&S but I don't seem to fill the cups very well - they are very loose at the top - and annoyingly the curvy tops of the bras are visible at the neckline of all my vest tops, low-cut dresses etc. which never used to be a problem.

Please help - I love t-shirt and underwired bras, but can't seem to find ones that go with my clothes! :(

Thanks to Mumsnet I am now in 32F rather than 34/36C

robobear I would suggest trying a 28E and maybe an DD/F. A balconette or half cup would be best for low cut tops but not all balconettes suit all shapes of breast.

T-shirt bras (the moulded type) can be quite hard to fit as they don't mould to your shape iyswim? I'm a fan of the Cleo Juna as it gives good lift and brings my boobs to a forward position. The Panache Idina (recommended by Marriednotdead) is also excellent.

Personally, I don't rate M&S bras, they never seem to fit (even if you8 can find your size).