Bra intervention please, had the most bizarre measurement today...

[Overcooked]

They told me I was a 40a (BHS, I know, it was the store closest to work). I have just measured under my boobs and I am a 36.5, I can go to 36 easily so am this side of 36.5. I then leaned forward and measured around my nips and that is 41.

Anyone any ideas, my boobs are very small but I have a broad back and often feel like I have fat at the top of my bra at the back. I feel like ineed a fuller back but the bra I have with a fuller back actually makes it worse.

All help very gratefully received, I think it's unlikely I've ever worn the right size. Last time (BC) I measured a 36aa.

Sorry, just measured again and it's 35.5 round the back.

I would try a 36D. Although someone who is more knowledgable than me will be here shortly!

40B surely?

Agreed, I would try a 36D or 36DD, or sizes around there.

36D or DD probably. BHS likely measure the same way as M&S and add 4 inches to the back size which makes the back size too big and the cup size too small.

That's mental, I've never been more than an A cup unless heavily preggers of BF! I'll give it a go though, thanks very much.

thats probably because you have never been measured correctly. An A cup means only 1 inch difference between the under boob and over boob measurement and I think my 10 year old dd has a bigger size difference than that!

I can go up cupsizes in some styles from my old B's, but I can't drop band sizes what ever the theory says.

Being PG shoved my ribs out, they never went back.

My teen DDs can can both go up two cups down one band size.

Wierd putting my 13y DD in a C cup, but she says 32 C is better than 34 A.

Where are the good places to buy bras from then? Not too expensive.

34A bras should be far rarer. I keep getting measured as that and I can practically put a football between the bra band and my chest/back.

I'm a 28DD really but the band rubs against my bony ribs so I wear a 30C or tight 32B. Works for me.

I am wearing 38a at the moment and am worried that a 36 back will exacerbate my fat back syndrome.

No it won't, first you will have lots more space in a DD cup, and second the band will stay where it is supposed to and won't climb up squeezing all fat together.

Yup, 36DD and no it won't make the back fat worse :) You scoop everything in to the bra

the 36 band will offer more support and once you scoop extra breast tissue into the cup from the sides it will be more likely to stay there if the back and cup size are correct.

I used to wear a 40DD and now wear a 36GG which fits much better.

Seriously, if this works it will make such a big difference to my self esteem - it's my number one hang-up about my body (the back fat) it's totally disproportionate.

thebetterbracampaign.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/back-fat.html - a bit about back fat and smaller band sizes

I hate bras to start with, deliberately making then tighter and more uncomfortable seems barmy.

I'd need to go up to an E/F to get a 36 not to dig in and there just isn't enough to scoop to fill it.

If I have fat anywhere it's in a roll along the bottom of my rib cage at the front, it's doesn't scoop its firmly fixed in place.

Nocomet - are you saying that measurements are wrong?

Nocomet, maybe you have a style issue (bra style) rather than a size issue. Different bras fit/sit different depending on style/brand, etc

NoComet, not everyone is the same and there is always a bit of variance. My mum funnily enough has issues with tight bra - she has a very prominent ribcage compared to the rest of her and cannot bear them tight. But that is unusual, and for most people not adding inches is the correct starting point.

For most people, tighter does not equal more uncomfortable (assuming you are going from too loose to right size, not trying to wear a 28 when you measure 34 ) it's generally the opposite as it takes the strain away from shoulders and neck and improves posture

I suspect pre DDs it would have worked.

I'm very short in the body and DD1 pushed my ribs out finding somewhere to live. They have never gone back.

Out of interest, does your ribcage almost seem to flare out? Just thinking about my mums, and I think hers does ( so I think it's a fair bit wider an inch or so below where you would measure underbust, than it is at the actual underbust if that makes sense?)

Sorry if that's too nosy, I answer lots of bra questions on here and it's always useful to try and understand why some people need different sizes