Bra intervention help! Measured, tried and still nothing...

[ResistanceIsNecessary]

Plea for help from anyone knowledgeable about bra interventions!

I've measured at 38.5 band and 48 cup. However I am a size 16 and find a 38 band has too much give so I sized down to a 36. Cup size I've tried FF and G.

Went to Debenhams and did a mammoth trying on session. Can't get on with Freya at all. Panache had a couple of nice ones but they were plain fabric and I like a moulded cup as I have prominent nipples. When I tracked down some t-shirt style Panache ones in HoF they gapped at the top of the cup - I am full at the sides rather than the top, but having done the "shoving" it felt like it should be the right size but that the cut was wrong.

So, I am going to have to throw myself on the mercy of online retailers. All advice on what style and which retailers I should try, would be gratefully received (along with any other pointers)!!

I love bra intervention threads. I always read them with fascination and hope that i'll find something for me. It's so nice when posters find their perfect bras. :)

Can i hijack and ask a quick question of the specialists? I measure 37 under bust but 38 is too loose and moves about and is uncomfortable and 36 fits snugly and feels more comfortable but gives me awful lumps and clothes look shite over the top and when i take it off it looks like someone has drawn a bra on my skin with an angry red sharpie. Does anyone do a 37? (i have looked but not found anything)

Do you have the correct cup size on the smaller back? If the cup is too small it will make the back feel tighter as the breast tissue 'steals' fabric from the band

Cup size is tricky to work out as i'm very wonky. So technically i measure at 37/41 but almost all of that is one boob. when i place my breasts in cups an 36ee fits my right one and a 36b sort of fits my left but not really that well because my shape is weird.

I know i need to pad out the left but i wanted to start with the under bust part.

I'd be inclined to say go with the 36 mrs koala, because bras stretch quite dramatically after a couple of wears and washes. A 38 will become useless quite rapidly. I have to break mine in too as if I don't buy them tight then i get no longevity. A little bra extender might be an option for the awkward breaking in stage

Yes, that's what i thought but this bra i wore the other day is 3 years old and still leaves deep marks and i can only wear loose clothing over as the lumps and bumps are hideous.

Thanks for the advice. I need to start bra shopping again as i'm just coming out of maternity bras and as usual i'm totally lost. I'm planning a boob job to even me up next year so i don't want to spend too much.

Sounds like that one might be a small 36 - there's a fair bit of variance between some of my bras.

It's a 36d by a brand called marie jo - not sure if that means anything! My boobs are nothing but trouble Thanks again.

Hijack away MrsKoala - good luck with finding something

UPDATE

The search continues, but I think I am very close. Didn't get a chance to go to Bravissimo in London (no time), but have been back to my local one subsquently and have done some more online ordering. The Charlotte Parfait bra never turned up, which was annoying (got refund).

My latest round of online ordering included the Amber which seems to be a winner, albeit slightly too small in the cup. That's my fault because I lost my nerve and went for a G instead of a GG because I couldn't get my head round moving from an E cup to a GG cup! Having tried on this morning and "scooped" I have a wee bit of quad-boob going on so will do what I should have done and go for the GG. The rest is pretty much perfect - the plunge style means a low gore so the being stabbed in the chest issue is resolved. Nice smooth silhouette and very comfortable.

Hoping to get to the shop this week. Will update again if I manage to get across the finish line!!

And we have a winner!!

The Amber (link in previous post) and the Satine. I've worked out that I need a plunge style to give me a low enough gore to solve the stabbing in the chest problem. Having tried many plunge bras, these two are constructed in such a way that they give me forward projection but without nipping me under the arms.

Thank you to all MN bra gurus for your assistance!

These are my faves. I don't buy anything else now. Size 16. I measure bigger than 36 but I'm wearing 36F in these. Great fit, no nipple points and really light padding. And not b expensive!!

www.marksandspencer.com/fleur-lace-spacer-underwired-padded-full-cup-bra-dd-g/p/p22426586?prevPage=srp

Link would help! I think they only go up to G though...