Morning. I know it's early but anyone up for a bra intervention please?

[MakeItAmazing]

I've measured as per the boob or bust method and have got the 32GG result. I'm currently wearing a 38GG and I've noticed my only under wired soft bra is 36G. I also have a 36GG and my padded bra is also 36GG. That fit beautifully when I bought it but isn't comfortable after hours now.

I can't remember which order the bras were bought in but since all were bought I've lost 1.5 stones.

I know 100% that a 32 would be too right for me. I have asthma and a damaged back and can't cope with tight things. As we all know M&S is rubbish and been mean to me before could anyone please help give me more guidance? The only shops I'll be able to try are M&S, Sainsbury's and M&Co (though they don't go bigger) and TKMaxx but that's hit and miss if you're over a 34.

Can you shop online to get a variety of sizes.
Boux Avenue, fig leaves and bravissimo are all online

Rigby and Peller are also online, but honestly, in my experience it was worth moving heaven and earth to get to a fitting at https://www.rigbyandpeller.com/UK/. They provide the right size, adjust the straps to your body and show you how to put it on, all needed for me to get a bra that really does fit. So worth it.

I did boob or bust too, and found I should be a 38GG rather than a 42E like I was wearing. And in theory yes it was a much better fit.... but I have a rib condition that means even wearing a bra is painful let alone one that is tight. So I compromised and went to the cup size and down one band instead of two.

I'd open an account online with something like Very or Simply Be/Naturally Close so you can try lots on at home without having to invest a small fortune. M & S just don't fit me whatever cup size I try, I really don't get it.

I forgot to say I know I've lost weight but not 4-6 inches off my back I assume!

Thank you for your replies. I have been to Rigby and Pellar and Bravissimo and wouldn't go again. My problem for today is I need something before Friday so can't do on line. I'll certainly look there for future purchases though.

Catniss given you understand my problem in real life what size would you recommend I try please? I know about going up and down and sister sizes but can never remember which way it is. .

Don't forget to check the band size first by putting the bra on backwards. The advice is that you should be able to fit two fingers under the band, but if you're not comfortable with it that snug then just find a band size that's comfortable for you. If you do that with your 36 you'll probably find it's massive!

Thank you for that. I'm just going now so I'll see what I can get. Just a thought, will the GG be right and it's just a case of what band size I need ?

Sister size to 32GG is 34G so I would grab a load in both sizes and give them a go. Black bras often come up smaller

I tried on more than 10 bras in 32-36 band sizes and eventually I was a 36F. Still came away with nothing and lost time I won't get back. About to email the shop now to pass on my suggestions.

Thanks for all your help. Will try again another day.

You'd be surprised at how many inches can come off your underbust and quickly.

What are your actual underbust and leaning overbust measurements

Where dud you try bras today? And may I ask why you wouldn't go to either r&p or bravissimo again? Both are generally very good at fitting

I'd go for a 34 to try it first, and probably a GG. If that's too generous then go down to a G, but again it massively depends on the manufacturer.

I I don't think I've lost much if any weight off my top half as the bra that fit me was 36F and before I was in a 36 GG.

I went to M&S as that's all there is and I didn't go to Bravissimo or R&P as I haven't had great service prior and I needed the bra before the weekend.

I can't remember all the measurements I did but do know they stood up, underneath and tight measurement was a 32 and I tried a 32 and no way could I manage it. It gave me 32GG.

There is another site where you tell it what is wrong with the current bra and it suggests another size to try but I can't remember the name.

ok, so M&S are kind of shit and their sizing doesn't match up well to other brands so I can well believe you didn't get on with 32s in there. They're all over the place IME

I often lose weight off my underbust only, which actually makes my cup size increase!

Do you have a debenhams or john lewis? They stock big brands who specialise in DD+ like freya and panache where the sizing is much more reliable. If you measure 32 a 36 is way too big and won't give the support you need.

I can't get any M&S bras to fit well, I think they're just a bit shit. It's unfortunate that that's the only place you could get to, but don't lose hope! Your perfect bra is out there somewhere.

I know M&S measuring training is rubbish and their options are woeful but we're not all right next to a good bra shop. You should have seen her face when I said I'd measured myself and she asked if I'd added 4 or 5 and I said no, I measured the proper way as that way is rubbish. I'm picking up a bra today which I will have to try as it fit in the white but I've ordered it in black and black often comes up smaller. There was another black bra that fit in that size though so I'm hopeful.

Actually, I could get to. A John Lewis but not before the weekend. I keep forgetting about them as I don't go to where they are very often. I am not sure about whether we have a Debenhams around but there is a House of Fraser.

Thanks again everyone I'm taking this as incentive to lose more weight. I've lost 1.5 stone so far.

Don't forget that the tightness of a 32 will depend hugely on the cup size. I wear a 32H. If I tried to put on a 32G it would be so tight in the band that I would hardly be able to breathe. But a 32H isn't as tight.

The best way I could describe it is because there are extra inches in the front, in the cups, where you actually need the inches. If you took a tape measure and laid a bra out flat and measured it, including in and out of the cups (which I concede is almost impossible) then a 32GG would have more overall 'space' than eg a 32F.

That's obviously not to say that you should wear a 32 if it's uncomfortable. It's just something that people often don't realise, so if they try on one 32 band bra and it's too tight, they assume that all 32 band bras will feel equally tight.

Whereabouts are you OP?

I go for bra fittings at a brilliant shop near Bristol.
It doesn't look like much from the outside and the women measuring can be quite stern! But their fittings and selection including post mastectomy bras is fantastic.

If cups are too small, they 'steal' from the band. Think about it this way - a woman measuring 30 under and 35 over is trying to find a bra. Bras that fit overbust 35 would be for example 34A or 30DD. If she wears 34A, the band will not be tight against her ribcage though, it will be somewhere half way under boobs.

If she now thinks she should switch to band 30, and tries 30A instead of 34A, then of course that will be too tight, as this bra is meant for someone measuring only 31 inches over bust.

I did
all 32 bands would be painful as that's the bit going around my body but having said that I did try on other cup sizes with a 32 band.

Was it just store brands you tried? Try a Freya deco if you can they are quite looser fitting than other firmer banded bras. Stiffer wires usually found in panache bras for example. Also try different cuts of bra's to see of it makes a difference - depending on your breast tissue it might make a real difference.

Yes also try sister sizing 😇