Tell me what’s wrong with my bra (pics)

[DonaldsTrump]

Any expert bra people out there I’d love your advice!

I’ve just measured and I’m 30” underneath and 38” round the boobs. My current bras are a 32E but I’m pregnant and my boobs have grown since I bought them. However I’ve had the issue with the side fat and armpit fat the whole time. Is this just the wrong shaped bra for me? I’ve never liked balconettes as it’s uncomfortable between the boobs and I also like wearing scoop or v neck tops (not massively low I just look terrible in a crew neck). This bra is from Wacoal and I like that it has thick material on the cups which is a necessity, and it’s fairly comfortable.

Is it wrong size or wrong bra or both? Or do I just have to put up with the awful overhang?

Where does the back strap sit? It should go all around your body parallel to the floor. If it's riding up at the back, the back band is too big.

It looks to me as if it is also just a bad bra for you. Boobs come in different shapes, so do bras, and that one just isn't the right one for you.

Agree that M&S are shit at bra fitting and don't know what they are doing. Bravissimo are much better. If there's a Rigby & Peller you can get to, go there. You don't need to pay if it's just a fitting (least you didn't last time I went). Although their everyday bras are worth investing in. I had one once, it was £50 so not cheap but the trooper lasted for YEARS and gave me the shape of a goddess. Men drooled, not kidding.

I can't 100% tell, but it looks like the band may be sitting too high on your ribs which would then make it dig in more. So it could be too loose for the right position on your torso, hence a smaller band might dig in less.
I'm a 30 under bust, 37.5 full bust, and wearing a 30G. I like the satine style from bravissimo, it's a plunge, as I find anything with wires that come up in the middle digs in painfully. I also think you should get fitted.

I think you're wearing the wrong shape for your boobs. Are you fuller in the lower boob and less so at the top?

The back fat thing is a red herring. Some of us have it whatever size we wear, it's not necessarily a sign that your bra size is wrong.

www.belle-lingerie.co.uk/18078/wacoal/851166-wacoal-all-dressed-up-underwired-bra/

I'm wearing this at the moment. It's super comfy and gives a great shape.

Your cheats expands when you are pregnant so you will need a bigger band size and smaller cup. Go get fitted and try lots on.

Freya deco was my go to before I had kids, but it doesn't work now that I have less fullness in the top of my boobs.

Your bra doesn't look like it fits in any way.
I'm also a bravissimo customer. You have to be firm with them as they do fit you with a tight band. However in a couple of weeks it's perfect and eventually you work your way to the tightest hooks.
I think trying a full cup while pregnant might be of benefit.
And make sure your straps are fitted well.

Straps that sit to the side of the shoulders look good but lose a bit in support.

Never yet found an M & S bra that fitted properly.

There's a good image the use on the boob or bust facebook page. I'm not in the group anymore so can't find it but basically when you lean forward which way do your nipples face?

If forward your head you are bottom heavy so Balcony and Balconette style would fit best
Straight down I think is plunge
Towards your body full cup.

I had your problem and I found that balconette styles in my boob or bust side fit well and provide good support.

Alternativley join the facebook group as they are very helpful. I don't think you'll need to go up back sizes. Also make sure you are scooping everything into the bra.

If you're buying while pregnant buy it to fit on the tightest hook - leaves room for ribs to expand so you can loosen it. Opposite applies to normal bra fitting!

Going up a bandsize is horrible advice, especially as you're pregnant and will need a good, supportive bra more than ever! Your current bra looks like it could be a tiny bit wide for you actually, as your boobs seem to be full in the centre and the bra is possibly gaping a little at the top and sides (though it's true that moulded cups can gape a little just because the shape is inflexible - mine do slightly at the top, even if the overall fit is pretty good). Either way I think it's likely more a shape issue than a case of the band being too small.

I second (or third!) the Deco recommendation.

I think it looks fine across your back. I am a tiny size 8-10 and in a 30 back and still have back / underarm fat.

Looking at the full frontal pic, there is space above the cup by your shoulder on your left (looking at pic) boob. I get this if the cup is too big, the straps are too far apart. It can be the style of the bra as much as the size.

You need a full cup bra with straps that are closer to the centre of the cup. Something more industrial! That one isn't the right shape to support you.

Bravissimo- full cup bra www.bravissimo.com/products/melrose-bra-white-sb25wh/

www.bravissimo.com/products/clara-bra-lilac-black-pn112llb/

Can you see the difference?

No way 30E now

Thank you so much everyone!! I really appreciate the advice.

I used to wear a Freya Deco before kids but sadly my boobs are no longer supported properly in them. This Wacoal one I'm wearing is similar but slightly has a little bit more coverage and it was the best one I'd found. However I think i probably need to try some balconette styles now to support the jiggle in the middle and hopefully even out the boobs to fill up the top bit of the cup a bit - if that makes sense??

I will have a look at all the styles people have suggested and i'm just going to try a range of sizes, but I think defiantly need a bigger cup. I'm a bit perturbed that I went on the Wacoal site and their own calculator says i'm a 34D! And I thought they were one of the good brands!!

If only this forum was around when I was younger, I spent most of my 20's in a 36B

M&S were brilliant at fitting me with my best fitted bras ever last year, I am beyond grateful to the lady there who pretty much guessed my correct size just by looking at me in the changing room.

And she was right by saying that now all my clothes would hang better and I would look slimmer.

When I saw the photos I immediately thought your cups were too small, then read people saying they were too big and thought

so, the cups are gaping in the wrong place, there is space in the cup at the top.

BUT the front edge of the cup is cutting across the boob, cuasing a bulge, and the wire between the boobs is not flat against the chest.

I think that the cups are the wrong size, and that your boobs are sitting comfortably in them. That may be the shape.

A well fittign bra will have the wires flat against the chest wall both under the arm, and betwen the boobs against the chest wall. You shoudl scoop your breasts into the cups, see the bra intervention thread.

Band is sitting too low down.

Have you tightened the shoulder straps to their tightest?

If so, try a tighter back strap.

There will be back fat if you have a bit of padding on you, that doesn't mean it doesn't fit, on the contrary it means it's doing what it's supposed to which is holding around the ribcage.

I agree with trying balconette. You don't want plunge styles which just squish your boobs together, you want lift and separate. Non underwired will be more comfy while you are pg - not glam but comfy!

Once you have found the correct size, I highly recommend trying this bra. Gives excellent support and shape and looks like it may be the sort of style you like?

It’s not just me either - check out the reviews!

www.figleaves.com/uk/fantasie-smoothing-t-shirt-bra/FE-4510.html

Seconding the Fantasie bra laurel mentions - although do check eBay as you can sometimes get great bargains, my last one was 11.99!

Do u mind the padding though. Doesn't that makes boobs look bigger?

This is the most helpful thing I've ever read regarding bra sizing

thebetterbracampaign.blogspot.co.uk/p/fitting-advice.html?m=1

woodhill
No, it doesn’t make you look bigger. I was really surprised about that. Had always avoided moulded bras because I thought they would add bulk (am 32F).

Someone online suggested this bra a few years ago and I thought I may as well give it a go.

The material on this type of moulded, structured cup is not very thick and is very different to the push up padded type. The structure of the moulded cups gives really good uplift and the whole effect is quite ‘forward facing’ which makes them look smaller and perkier.

If you have bigger boobs, please don’t be put off by the fact that the bra itself looks HUGE when you get it out of the packaging, especially if you are used to flimsier materials. When it’s on your body it sits really well and is very smooth and flattering.

Thanks Laurel. I'm about a 30f or even fff but they are now too big. When I'm not wearing a bra my breasts don't look very big itms.

I sometimes wear Fantasie Rebecca which may be similar

OP, looks to me like your cups are too small - that usually results in the back fat because there's no room to scoop all your breast tissue into the cups.

I'd suggest joining the Boob or Bust Facebook group and asking for a fit check, they're really helpful. By my reckoning you should be a 30FF although I'm not sure if the advice differs slightly when you're pregnant (I think they suggest you should wear your bra on the tightest hook rather than the loosest so you can loosen it as your rib cage expands, but I'm not entirely sure).

I think the bra is just the wrong style for your boobs to be frank.

You don't have enough breast near the top of the cup to fill the gap (by the strap) so the style is just wrong for you.

Are you actually filling the cups at the sides? Where they are gaping there seems to be space, but it's hard to tell.

With boobs as big as yours, you really need a full cup bra for support, not a half cup plunge style. That style in the photo is pushing your boobs closer together which me, with small breasts, might like to give a cleavage, but on you it means they look unsupported and will jiggle!

It's also not a very supportive bra if you compare it with bras like the ones I posted links to which have quite complicated constructions to support large boobs!

My mum went to Bravissimo and she was measured as a 30F. She had been wearing 34 E. She found the 30 back just too tight so compromised with a 32E which transformed the look - boobs were really hoiked up! Her boobs are smaller than yours and there is no way she could get away with the bra you're wearing - it looks quite flimsy.