A mini rant about bras

[WipsGlitter]

Went to M&S today and was perusing the bras. There were loads and loads of padded ones. Why?? Do most people want enhancement - I'm a 38c and there's no way I want extra padding!! Plus they look so stiff.

Also what is the point of a 'balcony' bra?

I tried on one same size as my current M&S bra and it was awful. Squeezed my boobs right together with a huge cleavage.

Gave up and went home!

And thank you, I was thinking of the Envy but couldn't remember it's name. All I kept getting in my head was "really wide nude bra I tried!"

MakeMeWarm thank you. I will feel like a bit of a fraud walking into changing rooms with E cup bras! Haha

Wow, I've just discovered this thread and am bizarrely excited about doing the band test after I've hauled myself out of bed.

I've worn a 34C since my teens (now 34) but always thought they fit really well as no soreness/redness/overspill etc. As a size 8/10 on top maybe I should be experimenting with 32 bands... Interesting stuff!

Thank you ladies for sharing all your wisdom

Thank you ladies. So helpful , I am going try these as a starting point and see how I get on. Will report back! I measured myself this morning and came out as a 31.5 and 36.5 so 32 e would sound right I'm guessing?

You may only need a 32DD in the Freya/Fantasie styles but without seeing them on, it's hard to speculate. My gut feeling is that the Rebecca will be the answer but I'm happy to be proved wrong if one of the other suggestions made here is better!

Argentinian yes I always feel a bit embarrassed taking D cup bras in M and S!! And DH couldn't hide his face when I was raving about the DD cup fitting so well. I really should be trying E cups but would have to cut out the labels!

I found myself singing the Beautiful South song '36D' earlier which I'm sure the bra gurus will appreciate

Searching - if you're an 8/10 on top you're probably not even a 32, more like a 30. Not as much of a hassle as you'd expect really, easier to shop online but M and S do have lots and I've just ordered some lovely looking ones from Debenhams too. I look both slimmer and bigger boobed since going down about 3 back sizes and up 3 cup sizes

Agreed Searching, you probably need a 28 or 30, I suspect you were never a 34

LLoyd -I measure 31.5 and 37 and I wear 30 FF. Sometimes a G , depends on the brand of bra

A 30 bra feels a little snug in the band but it looses up aftre a few wears . If I buy a 32 it is too loose aftre a few weeks of wear . I feel I need the support from the band as my boobs are relatively large on my frame and I'm not...ahem...in the first flush of youth . If the band isn't tight enough I end up trying to get the support from the straps . This causes painful marks on my shoulders

A lot depends on the style of bra for me, as by boost are very close together , I have to scoop the opposite way from most ladies on these threads . So plunge styles are no good for me as I fall out the middle , but balconettes are good .

Also my shoulders are narrow so I need a style with narrowly placed straps .

HTH

Kristina you might want to look at the polish brands, they're very good for close set boobs as the gores are generally very narrow. the ewa michalak s style is my personal favourite

Thinks statistically , ive looked at them before but I'm a bit intimidated by the polish website and the problems of returning them .when I order online elsewhere I typically have to order about 10 bras to get a couple that fit .

Do you know if the wires on the polish brands come up high under the arm ? This is another problem for me , especially in the bigger cup sizes. I'm amazed how many bra manufacturers assume that if you are a FF or G cup you must be tall ( I'm average 5'5" )

I think they are probably lower than most of my UK bras actually. I've returned bras to ewa before, they're fine as long as your ditsy husband doesn't try to be helpful by taking the receipt out of the box before you return it....

I see you've met my DH

His speciality is removing the parcel from the front porch where I've left it for the courier to collect it

I hate padded bras, especially moulded ones, they are hot, uncomfortable and not at all sexy. I like lace or T shirt style underwired non padded. These are few and far between except in expensive brands and yes, M&S do have a few but they are invariably poor quality. I will not tell you my bra size as it is a genuine odd one. I have a massive rib cage and when I try bra intervention tips I risk being unable to breathe at all.

Marriednotdead - You were right on the money. Gold star for you. Fantasie Rebecca and Freya Deco are the perfect fit!! Thank you so much... I have gone for a 32f. I think in reality I am probably closer to a 30 but since my surgery I can't bear too much tightness on the scars so opted for 32.
I def need a full cup as my reconstructed (nice) breast tissue is both hard and high. I also bought a freya.

Thank you so MUCH. I haven't been able to find a bra to fit properly in over 3 years and never one that I can wear under a t-shirt. This is why mumsnet is brilliant! xx

Funnily enough, those two are the best fitting bras on my friend too - didn't suggest as they're moulded! But I think their shape must be particularly friendly to post surgery breasts

So does this measuring thing only work for young women? if I follow the instructions I am 34/41 - and I am really NOT a 34G. Maybe more like a D. I just haven't got that much breast tissue.

What size are you wearing just now OneHandFlapping?

Oh, and 34/41 would be an F rather than G - there's DD, FF etc

34C - but I've put on a bit of weight, and although they fitted well a year ago, there's a bit of overspill these days.

OK, can you pop your bra on and then try scooping please? Stand side on to a mirror (bra on), put your right hand inside your left cup, reach round under your armpit and scoop/pull/yank forward and soft tissue you find there. Repeat on the other side. Then see how bad the overspill is. Also look and see whether you have any bulges/bumps under the armpit - all of this should be contained in the bra cups.

Most people don't realise how much of their torso a good bra should cover - this and this are fairly good at showing how a bra should sit under the arm.

Hmm, current bra sits lower than in those pictures. After scooping have a bit of an overspill in the cleavage, but it's not massive.

I suspect that may be where some of the difference is coming from - lots of people don't encase enough tissue, and it doesn't help that a lot of bra adverts show them like that! The leaning measure can overestimate a little on breasts which are particularly soft, but it's normally a good place to start. I'd suggest trying an F, and scooping as described, and see how it is. If even after scooping you don't fill it, then try going down to an E then DD. It's easier to spot a cup which is too big (so long as you scoop well).

Balconette shapes are good for breasts which have lost upper fullness as a rule.

If you have actual overspill then you need at least 1, probably 2 more cups at a minimum (1 cup too small is actually pretty subtle), and combined with the bra sitting too low I think a starting point of an F probably isn't crazy.

Thanks :)

The poor ladies in Bravissimmo cry & try & avoid me when I go in; they just can't find me anything