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Original poster

Bra sizing - help, I'm confused

26 replies

TheBlonde · 20/08/2006 18:07

Feeling very confused despite having a bra fitting today at John Lewis

Prebaby I wore 32FF (I can still get these on but they're a bit tight)
Just finished breastfeeding so ditching those bras which at 34K and too big in the cup now

But got measured and apparently I should be wearing a 38E

How can I figure out if this is right or not??

OP posts:

mazzystar · 20/08/2006 18:36

I would try on a few different styles and get someone to check how they fitted. Am no expert, but this is what I did when I was last fitted I by a very efficient and slightly bossy spanish lady in John Lewis. She also said that there is some correlation re cup vs back size, so for eg a 34G is a very similar size to a 36F, which would make the 32FF/38E thing less strange. Oh and that manufacturers are far from consistent in sizing.

vnmum · 20/08/2006 18:42

i would get measured in a specialist lingerie shop if you can as some of the high street shops can differ alot in measurements. M&S once measured me as a 34A when i was bulging out of a 34B.

As sizing goes if you go up a size in the cup you need to go down a size round the back and vice versa.

on fitting, if it is underwired then the middle bit at the front should fit flush to the skin between your boobs and not stand off, if it stands off you need a bigger cup size. around the back shouldnt ride up as this is a sign of being the wrong size too.

HTH

dinny · 20/08/2006 18:44

where did you get measured?

vnmum · 20/08/2006 18:54

my mum actually. she used to work in a specialist shop. i would never trust m&s again after the first time. have a look in yellow pages for specialist shops, they normally seem better as they only tend to have a few members of staff who are trained and doing fittings all day. just to let you know how my sizes have changed, i was a 34 D pre baby and im now a 34G while breast feeding. if your breastfeeding bras felt ok around the back then i would tend to think that size was right and just change the cup size

Original poster

TheBlonde · 20/08/2006 19:19

Dinny - I got measured in John Lewis on Oxford St

I bought the bra suggested and thought I'd try it for a day and see how it feels

OP posts:

dinny · 20/08/2006 19:42

Rigby & Pellor then? Even if you don't buy from them at least you'll know you've had an expert fitting...?

treacletart · 20/08/2006 20:07

I got measured in Rigby & Peller but didnt buy from them - I muttered something about having to think about things and them bought online! But the shock of finding out I'm a 32H rather than a 38d was soon soothed by the bliss of finally wearing a bra that fits properly. I wasted so much time and money getting measured on the high street. The important thing is that the inner wires and should fit flat against your breast bone and you should have a proper gap between yor breasts - hope i've explained that right - most women are much smaller around the ribs and much larger in the cup than they think, so you'll probably find your a similar size to me. Good luck!

dinny · 20/08/2006 20:16

wow, treacletart, that is a result! how long had you thought you were a 38d for ?

vnmum · 20/08/2006 21:34

i agree treacle, and would say that rigby and pellor would be an excellent place to get measured. i find the high street tend to make you bigger around and smaller in the cup. im hoping to get measured again properly when ive stopped feeding, might just save up and try rigby and pellor

treacletart · 20/08/2006 22:12

Oh I can't remember Dinny, but I swear until then I'd never worn a bra that fitted me properly. The difference is astounding and I think makes my outsize pair look much smaller than when I'd tried to squeeze them under my armpits with a minimiser! Downside of course is that its very difficult to buy inexpensive bras or swimwear my size, nor can you buy strapless bras bigger than a g cup [boo!]

Stiglet · 21/08/2006 10:47

Try this or this for online measuring guides! I was horrified when I realised what size I should be in lol

anniemac · 21/08/2006 11:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

deegward · 21/08/2006 11:38

Treacletart, I too went to R &P and was wearing 36dd, and now in 34H, apparantly Jordan is releasing her own range of bras after discovering she is a G cup. I still think she is bigger than that!

vnmum · 21/08/2006 12:22

when jordan was saying she was a 32 DD i was like, no way, she is defo bigger than that. but it is quite surprising how many women are wearing the wrong size bra and find they go up a few cup sizes after being measured properly.

it is true though that nice bras in the bigger sizes arent cheap

alexsmilitantmum · 21/08/2006 12:25

i was wearing a 42 f until i went to bravissimo and got fitted and now i'm a 38gg.and they look loads smaller!
don't trust that measurement-go to r&p or bravissimo and get sorted.

jacsmum · 21/08/2006 19:38

I went to Rigby and Peller too - amazing! She didn't even measure, just had a look, then went and got loads of things that fitted. I also went from 36 to 32. It's not just size though as some styles are much better for different people, and the r&p lady knew exactly what to suggest. It's in a the street that runs down the side of Harrods, the furthest side away from the tube (Knightsbridge). Worth going on a special trip to London for imo.

themoon66 · 21/08/2006 21:22

Bravissimo are brilliant. Even got bikinis and strappy vest tops and halterneck tops with built in bras there. Wonderful. And I'm a 34DD.. or 34E in Freya bras.

Linnet · 21/08/2006 21:53

I went to an independant lingerie shop in my town for a new bra. The lady didn't even measure me she asked me to take my top off and looked at me and told me I was a 34dd. She brought me a selection of bra's and they all fit.

the one problem I have though is I have wide ribs, women either have narrow ribs or wide ribs this determines your bra size around the rib area. Because of this it's hard for me to get an underwired bra that sits flush in between my boobs.

If I go to M&S they measure me as a 36C and if I measure myself I'm also a 36C but a 36C is the same as a 34dd. In M&S I still can't get bras to sit flush in between my boobs though, I think I'm a funny shape.

satine · 21/08/2006 21:57

I am a complete R & P evangelist - they are fantastic. In one week I was measured as 38DD (M & S), 36E / F (Army & Navy) and couldn't find one bra to fit so trekked up to R & P who said 34E and produced armfuls of bras that fitted like a dream!! How did M&S think I was a 38, ffs?

aitch71 · 21/08/2006 22:05

Bravissimo! honestly, i have been measured at M&S and they told me i was a 40E, for goodness sakes. The cup size was anormous, i could wind it all the way round my neck.
anyway, i recently went in to bravissimo where the woman told me i was a 38D or DD, dependant on the style of bra and said that they don't measure as it's not reliable (i could've told them that already). you just have to try on a number of bras and work out which fits best. and the good thing is that they adjust the straps for you while you are wearing the bra.
Anyway, she was dead right about my size, the bras fit wonderfully and i look like i've lost loads of weight. people have been commenting, i am delighted to say.
so it's definitely worht getting the bras fitted at R&P or Bravissimo, i'd say. I'd been to JL and M&S before and have never got anything so comfortable and flattering.

aitch71 · 21/08/2006 22:06

enormous, fgs, not anormous...

vnmum · 22/08/2006 06:34

glad im not the only one who thinks that m&s ar poo. anyone whos shopped at R&P, are they as expensive as we all think?

satine · 22/08/2006 07:44

I've bought bras at R & P for £30 ish and they have lasted for two and a half years so far, and are still looking great, not tatty and grey!

aitch71 · 22/08/2006 21:28

same as bravissimo, the ones i got were £27. well worth it.

Original poster

TheBlonde · 23/08/2006 17:52

Thanks everyone
I have decided the 38E is definitely too big in the back as it's riding up
Will either try Bravissimo in person at the weekend or order some 34FF, 36F from figleaves to try

OP posts:

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