Bra intervention please!

[lubeybooby]

Ok please help/check this for me

following the measuring guide of doing the band and then leaning forward and measuring the results are

41in band

57in leaning forward fullest part

I had been wearing 38 and 40 G and GG but was finding them very uncomfortable and quite tight on my back. The cups didn't seem to be too far wrong though so I'm confused with possibly needing a J or JJ

I followed a few measuring guides and they seem to be suggesting I need either a 40 or 42 J/JJ

Is that right?

As a starting point, I would say a 40KK/L actually. Can you pop on one of your 40GGs and try scooping vigorously - it could be that you are someone who measures a very different size to how they fit (it happens) or it could be that you have lots of breast tissue which isn't currently in the cups but is instead hiding under your arms or round to the back.

Scooping
Basically - any "fat"/soft tissue which you have escaping under your armpits, around the back of your bra, beside the straps etc...that's actually breast tissue, and it belongs in the cup. so...

Lean forward, drop your breasts in to the cups and do the bra up at the back. Now, take your right hand, put it round inside the left cup, all the way round under your armpit, and scoop all the soft tissue and flesh in to the cup. You may have to be quite firm to get it forward. You might not know it, but all that soft tissue under your armpit is breast, and it needs to be in the cup. Now, repeat on the other side. The wire should totally encase your soft breast tissue, and you should have no overspill or wrinkling in the cups. The central gore should sit flat in between your boobs.

How does it look now?

Ridiculous, having done the scooping. Oh dear... lots of gaping and overspill.

K though blimey! Really?

If you have loads of overspill then it's probably not a million miles off. It also explains why your bras feel too tight in the back - it's the lack of cup space making them feel too tight. As a rough rule of thumb I tend to find that 1 cup too small = only really noticeable once a top is on. Two cups = more noticeable quadboob, maybe the gore lifts a little. I need to go 3+ too small before I start to get major overspill so I'm guessing that you probably do need a good few cups extra. They go GG,H,HH,J,JJ,K,KK,L.

It would be worth trying your 38s on back to front. This lets you see how tight the back is in isolation. Reason I suggest this is that although you measure 41", it's very common for women who are a little larger or a bit squishy to need to go down in the band size to get adequate support.

Hi
Very sorry for jumping on this thread but think i need help !currently wearing 36G ,i am measuring 32.5/43
am getting over spill on top of boob area sort of wobble in full cup , i just fall out of plunge bras have tried M&S full cup 34G but still wobble changed it to 32H no wobble as boob all encased in cloth but wires cutting into me under the arms . Do you think this could be the bra or have i the the size wrong again?.
Many Thanks

Based on your measurements, I would say around a 32H is about the right size (possibly a GG)

Is it an M&S bra (the 32H?) is so , something to remember is that they miss out a FF so their cups are all one size smaller than everywhere else.

Now, when you say the wires are cutting you under your arms can you describe a wee bit more what you mean? Also, try to have an objective look at your breasts and work out whether they;

1. Are fuller at the top, bottom, or kind of equally full
2. are quite high set on your torso, or quite low (this is more about where the root of them is rather than sagging)
3. is the root of each breast wide or narrow - do they go round under your arms or are they more narrow and on the front?
4. what size of gap do you have between them in the centre
5. what sort of condition are they in (i.e. have babies etc made them softer or emptier etc>)

I suspect it's a style issue so it's just a case of finding the bra for you

Thank you for your reply

1. Full all over
2. high (but saggy!)

3 wide go under the arm 4 in the bra they touch without they are about inch apart 5 they were big before babies (32f Rigby and pelier)but have not reduced to my pre child size but to be fair neither has any other part of me they are quite full still.

the wires are coming around my side and cutting into the posterior aspect of my axilla
Thanks again

In that case, although you feel that you have relatively wide roots it sounds like this particular bra is probably too wide wired for you. It's often a problem in smaller band sizes too, as not all manufacturers (Marks and spencer, I am glaring at you!) scale bras up properly so you can easily end up with wires which wrap around your spine. Comfy!

In terms of wire width, if I had to put the major bra brands (for our size range!) in order from widest to narrowest it would probably go roughly

Tutti rouge
Curvy Kate
Freya/fantasie
Bravissimo*
Cleo
Panache
Ewa Michalak
Comexim

*bravissimo bras actually vary more than most manufacturers so it's hard to put them in the list. They don't have a "standard" wire in the same way

If you are quite high, I would predict that Panache main line will be a problem - their wires are notoriously long and prone to stabbing people in the armpit at the best of times. I'm high busted too and they just poke me! Cleo bras are made by panache however they have shorter wires at the side so don't cause this problem to the same extent.

It's going to be a bit trial and error I'm afraid. My gut feeling is to start with one of the unpadded Cleo bras (something like Marcie, Meg, millie, lily, minnie etc) and see how that works. They're quite a good shape for people who are full all over or full on top.

Their bras are a lot more predictable size and shape wise, so even if it's not right it will give us a much better base point to work from. Trying to work it out with an M&S bra is mission impossible these days.

Can anyone help me please

Measurements are
Round underbust 33"
Lean over round boobs 39

I'm currently wearing a 34c or 36b

Try 32F, 32E, 34E, 34DD

If you scoop (see description upthread) how does your 34C fit?)

Thank you very much! will get ordering .

Thank you I'll try the scooping when I get my pjs on

I currently wear a 34D/36C but I am often uncomfortable. The wires seem to dig into my armpits and actually get a bit sore.
I've measured the way you suggest and my measurements are 33/41 which would put me at a 32H??!!! I have really small boobs! I cannot possibly be a 32H! CAN I?? My boobs do hang down quite a way when I measure at 90 degrees......do I need to tighten the measure??

Your measurements suggest a starting point of 32FF/G or 34F/FF.

If you put your 34D on back to front, how far can you pull the strap away from your body? If you put it on the right way round and scoop, is there overspill?

This seems like the place to be! Help me too! Im 27 chest, 33 bust. Currently wearing an m&s 30DD (push up)
I like m&s, am I wearing the right size? Feels a tad tight at the back, so I've added an extender, but if I go for a bigger back the under wire doesn't feel right.....

You don't need a bigger back. M&S bras tend to run a bit pinchy in the back, but not that much and with a 27" band you certainly don't need a 32. I would normally suggest trying a 28E/F given your measurements.

Maybe try branching out and trying some other brands - if you can answer the questions above about breast shape we can make some suggestions (my post @13:44)

Fairly low set but i'm small myself so I normally have to sew the straps shorter. Quite a bit apart but full. I have tryed "balconette" bras but they make me look like I belong in a lads mag, top of nipples on show (sorry tmi!!) And spilling all over the place.
The ribs in the centre of my chest show if I don't have some lift, so that's essential.
I only really stick to m&s as its close to me so I can easily try things on. Can't afford to buy thing in a few sizes to try at home then send back like some people do, just don't have the money to spend even though I will get out back later.
Will try another brand if 100% certain it'll fit.

I'm wondering if the reason you were getting that look in the balconettes is because they were a bit small in the cup.

Unfortunately, it's impossible to be 100% sure any bra will fit, especially to begin with. Do you have any other big shops like a Debenhams or John Lewis nearby?

Sorrellforbes, to be honest, all my bras are about to fall apart so checking for how far they would pull is a bit of a no no right now!!
No overspill, I'm very shallow at the top of my boobs and if anything, the cups seem to big - there's about a 1" gap between my boobs ending and the wire underneath and the top of the cup sits away from my body.
I'll try what you've suggested, thank you.

Stat just tried on my 34c and done the scooping I'm actually amazed how much gets put in! But I seem to be spilling out the c once scooped

Skivvywoman, I would expect you to be spilling out as you measure 2-3 cup sizes bigger than that bra. Hence getting you to scoop as a test!

I'm actually amazed stat!
thank you very much

I'm going to go bigger bra shopping during the week

Blueuggboots it definitely sounds like the band is too big on your current bras and that's not helping with the cup size either.

If you have no overspill after scooping, are you filling the bottom of the cup? A 36C has the same cup volume as a 32 but you may be someone who measures bigger than they need. You may need a bra that suits shallow breasts, like the Cleo Lucy.

I can get to a big Sainsburys easily, but a friend said their bras were awful......
What sizes do you think I should try? I'm visiting family in Canterbury soon and could Sneak off for a bit, they have quite a few big department stores

Your measurements suggest 28E or F so I would start there. You'd be better off with a department stores, you will be unlikely to get a 28 in a supermarket sadly, They rarely carry small bands

Or is my bra ok? I don't even know how to check if its ok