a(nother) bra question

[fasterthanthewind]

so...

spent the first 15 years or so of my bra-wearing life in M&S bras, measured as 36AA. Useful in the winter (chilly nipples), but since the band often rode up over the top of my breasts completely, pretty pointless.

fitted properly before my wedding, as something like at 32B or C - amazing difference.

3 children on, nearly 6 years of breastfeeding, I need some new bras...

Measured myself this evening: 29.5, 35. So that would make me a 30DD??

Thing is, I don't have roundy mouldable breasts, I have really little pointy ones, and there just no way on earth that DD is ever going to be the right size. Nipples don't need support (do they?), and a fair proportion of the 5 inches is nipple! (Am 5 9, just under 10 stone, 8-10 on top)

So I guess I'm asking:

• what sizes do I go for to try on
• where should I look (online)
• are there any particular styles/brands that work for people with my sort of shape?

OK, I helped someone with very similar measurements and shape find a bra last week. They ended up with a 30F Ballet plunge and a 30DD Cleo balconette!

A DD cup in a 30 back is really quite small, volume wise. You need to go and have a good trying on session with a few different styles (full cup, plunge and balconette) and see what works for you. I suspect a padded balconette might give you the shape you want, but it really is trial and error. My favourite padded balconette is the Cleo Juna.

Try 28DDs, 28Es, 30Ds, 30DD, 30Es. Don't be afraid to try a much bigger cup than you think you'll need. It's often easier to recognise a cup that's too big than one that's slightly too small. Remember to scoop.

Do you have a Bravissimo near you? Good on-line shops are Brastop, My Curves and Me and Figleaves. Ebay often comes up trumps too.

Ooh, thank you!

Where would I find a Ballet plunge or a Cleo balconette?! I have a feeling someone in R&P tried a balconette one on me way back when and took it off again immediately (you need some flesh to be balconied, don't you?!)

Scooping: I do sort of wriggle my fingers around inside the cups to make sure they're sitting right, but tbh there's not much to scoop! Basically if measure myself standing upright, or bending right over, it's almost the same measurement.

Live in London so probably have everything local-ish. Not sure I can cope with physical shopping though, bra shopping has always been fairly traumatic...

Honestly, get thee to Bravissimo in Oxford Street. They are fantastic and will give you great advice even if they can't fit you (I suspect you will fit a DD in some bras at least though which I believe is their starting cup size).

If you can't face that, order a balconette and a plunge off Brastop in three sizes each (I'd try a 28F, 30DD, 30E).

oh I'm sure you're right, but I think they will just laugh me out of court: I'm ALWAYS the person with the littlest boobs, and bravissimo, well, isn't for people like me...

i have been looking at figleaves and brastop and am about to hide under the sofa. I think I have found a cleo balconette, but the ballet one? is ballet a brand?

I promise you, they won't laugh. My skinny sixe 6 teenage niece has tiny little bumps and was fitted there as a 28F/FF.

I like the Cleo Juna for a balconette as it has a bit of padding. I wouldn't worry too much about the Ballet one, I think it was off the sale rack! The Curvy Kate Satine and Elegances are nice plunge styles.