At my wits end - please help me with bras

[HappyAsEyeAm]

My measurements are 31.5 inches under band, 35 inches across my boobs when bending over. The rest of my frame is quite small.

I have very, ahem, perky nipples, and my boobs are very small. For this reason, I can only ever wear padded cups, and I need some shape across my chest to balance out my considerable bottom and thighs.

I cannot seem to find anything with padding that fits. Either the back feels way, way too tight or the cup is just way too big. I have been trying a variety of 30D (very tight across my back), 32C and 32D.

Can someone in the know please recommend me a style and a brand? I don't really want to pay more than about £40 per bra. Though I am wondering whether I need to bite the bullet and go to R&P and pay their prices for bras that properly fit for a change.

I am scooping loads, by the way. Scooping from everywhere.

OK, which bras have you tried?

What shape are your boobs? Are they top heavy or bottom heavy (or neither)? Are your boobs wide set, close together, empty, pointy, etc.?

I'll send out a klaxon for marriednotdead as her knowledge of specific styles/shapes is fantastic.

I have looked at myself in the mirror and tried to take an objective view

They are quite centred, probably bottom heavy, and more empty than full after two children. I have tried everything m and s has to offer (I know, I know, but thats my only local shop) in terms of styles.

I have worn m and s per una cotton padded bras for years, and have never been measured. This is all a revelation to me and I am willing to invest

And happy to do mail order too. Thanks v much in advance.

Figleaves have a sale on at the mo

It sounds as if you need quite a shallow cup, which may indicate that the breast is spread accross a wider, flatter area. This would explain the empty cups.

From your description, I'd tend to steer you towards 32C/D in a shallow, wide spaced balcony/half cup style. Curvy Kate Showgirl range comes to mind and there are loads of 32D's on the Brastop website. Perhaps you could try a couple of those and report back? Based on how they fit, we could hopefully advise you further.

Thanks so much marriednotdead. I have ordered a few of the Curvy Kate Showgirl bras from the brastop website (all in the sale) in a 30D. They don't do a 32C. I will report back when they've arrived and I've tried them on.

You're right, my boobs are wide. I have never thought about their shape before, but they are indeed wide. I am so hoping that they're suitable, but I'm willing to invest time and effort to get it right as I've been wearing a very unsupportive padded 36A for a long time, and its doing nothing for me but giving me some shape because of the padding.

Right, my curvy kates have arrived. Fantastic service with the brastop website. They are all digging into me, unfortunately. The cups don't seem wide enough. They are wide enough into the centre of my chest, but they don't come over far enough towards my underarm. The digging in pain is too much, and the bra cups actually look too narrow I think when I look at myself from the front. lThey also feel very tight, but that may be because I am used to wearing a bra that is too big. They have to go back, unfortunately.

Any ideas as to what I could try now please?

Married, I have just realised that the bras came in a 30D and not the 32D that I had ordered. No wonder they were too tight! I am going to try the 32D and I will report back.

How annoying, hopefully the 32D's will be better.

I know! It will be next week before I can report back. Please don't think I have b*ggered off!

Married, I have tried on my 32D curvy kate showgirl bras. The band fit is a lot better, but the cup is too large. It is gaping at the top. I have also realised that my right boob is smaller than my left, as that cup is gaping more.

Do you think I am a 32C? They don't make curvy kate in a C cup, so do you have any other recommendations please? I am after basic bras, so nude, black and white, rather than pretty ones, necessarily, and they have to be slightly padded because my nipples become so pointy all the bloody time and they need some serious disguise to preserve my dignity and modesty!

This might sound odd, but I'm also 31.5 underbust and I recently invested in some curvy kate bras. My starter size is 32FF, but I ended up with a 32G in curvy kate because 32FF was far too small in the cup - I had horrendous armpit boobs with it. The 32G only gives me decent lift and shape with no gaping on the tightest hook, though. I tried a 30GG and that's perfect. Generally, with curvy kate, the bands are loose and stretchy and the cups small. I suggest you try a 30DD - the bigger underwires will dig in less at the armpit and the cups should gape a bit less than the 32D.

I have rather empty boobs, like you, and they do have a tendency to puddle in the bottom of a cup. Padded bras are less forgiving of this than softer cupped bras.

Can't think of any particular affordable options at the moment , although some of my similarly shaped colleagues swear by Gossard...

(I am a D+ specialist)

Go to R&P. That's my best suggestion, they will sort you out...