Bra people - help!

[nikki1978]

I followed the rules and the bloody bras don't fit still!

So I measure 39.5 inches under my boobs and 44.5 over the widest part. I bought a 40E from M&S (just an non underwired one) and it rides up at the back and cuts into my shoulders.

I am still getting reflux problems whenever I wear a bra and I am getting annoyed.

I am tempted to buy an £100 one from Rigby and Peller just so I can get measured correctly! Not that I can afford it but I am starting to have to go braless to be comfortable and that isn't good with a chest my size :(

If it rides up at the back, the band is too loose. It should be tight enough that it can't ride up. Bit like how your tights need to be tight enough round the top so that they don't fall down, but in reverse I think if you have a squishy upper torso, you might need a slightly tighter band than the tape measure would suggest.

Have you tried a 38 band at all? A 38E or F might be worth a try, if you could get to a shop that stocks them. Also, personally I find that M&S bras don't seem to bear much resemblance to other makes anyway, I find their sizing to be very hit and miss.

if you have a squidgy torso then you will maybe need a smaller back size than you measure. The back riding up suggests the back size is too big so you could try a 38 back instead. What is the cup like when you scoop?

Sounds like the bra that you bought isn't supportive enough and that the back size comes up big.

If you can, go somewhere with a number of shops which sell a range of styles/makes eg JL, Debenhams and try lots of different ones on. Even the same size and same brand in a different style can fit differently.

Or one decent one from Bravamissio (if you're near one)? Not cheap, but def not a hundred pounds.

Also, if it cuts into your shoulders, that is another sign of a too loose band - it means the weight of your boobs is being carried by the shoulder straps, when in a good fitting one, the majority of the support comes from the band.

Are you able to wear a wired bra? I'm a 32G and when I tried wearing non wired bras during pregnancy they were just so uncomfortable. They had to be so tight in the band that I could barely breath, just to offer any sort of support, and at the same time they put a lot of strain on my shoulders and neck too. A well fitted underwired bra is much much more comfortable, just because it takes the weight off your shoulders.

I would try a 38F or G and go from there.

To echo the previous posters, I would expect you need to size down in the band, and up in the cup to compensate. The "wearing what you measure underbust" approach is right on average, but what we find is that women who are very slender and have no padding on their ribs often need one band size up, and women who are more "padded" on the ribs often need 1, 2 or even 3 band sizes down to get enough support. There's a couple of reasons for this:

1. The band needs to be firm to support, and if you are a bit "softer" (sorry, not trying to be rude I promise as I'm no skinny minnie!) then it will need to be tighter to achieve this
2. A larger band can stretch more in absolute terms. So a 30 band bra might measure say 27" unstretched and maybe 31-32" fully stretched (and you have to wear them partially stretched or they do nowt!). But a 40 band might measure 37" unstretched, but stretch to 45" because there is more elastic and less of the band will be occupied by non stretchy wires.