Bra interventionists, a moment please?

[GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal]

Morning all. I need a bit of advice. I've recently lost a lot of weight - over two stone in 12 weeks, thanks to the wonderful BIWI's Low-Carb Boot Camp.

This is great, obviously - I've gone from a 14-16 to a 10-12 - but none of my bikinis fit anymore and we're off on holiday next week.

I thought I might have a look for a new one in the sales so I measured myself according to the approved method - and got 34" and 42". 34H, does that sound right? It's just doesn't seem vastly different to my post-diet size - in fact the bra I have that fits me best now is a 32G - but my boobs are definitely smaller.

Any thoughts before I start shopping?

No one?

I lost 3 stone and only went down one back size! Went from a 34K to a 32KK

Your rib cage is the same size so unless you carried a lot of weight under your boobs, it's quite likely that your cup size will change more.

I'd rather hoped at least some of the weight would come off my boobs.

@GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal me too I just made it harder for myself by needing to go down a back size. I joked I was going to end up a 26M or something if it carried on
Mine comes off my face and stomach

If you are in size 10-12 clothing I doubt you have a 34 back. I wear a 12-14 with a 30-32 back. Are those measurements exact? And with a bra on?

You may still measure a similar size but look/feel like you have smaller boobs! Speaking from experience (post breastfeeding) - I have wilted away to comparatively nothing but got measured and am only down one cup size. New bras got like a dream! 🤯

Sorry no advice re the bras, but just wanted to say a massive well done on the weight loss! Go you!

Without a bra, I thought that was the recommended method? I can pull it in to 33" but it's tight. I suspect it's my ribcage - I'm a trained actor and singer, so my lung capacity is massive and my ribs stick out. Always has, tbh, even when I was overweight.

Here's a recent photo for reference - does it look like I'm just measuring wrong? Could be I was wearing the wrong size before, but I was measured at Bravissimo, who normally know their stuff.

Thank you, @Wearenotyourkind!

Give this calculator a go - what does it say? Tight should be so tight the tape measure could snap.

booborbust.com/

Right, tried the Boob or Bust website (thanks @BuffaloCauliflower) and it suggested....30j.

I just want to be a normal bra size!!!

@GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal that is a normal bra size! Just so many women (and shops) don’t know how bras are meant to fit, and think DD is huge when it means nothing without a band size. So many women wearing 34Bs when actually that’s the unusual size, there’s just a lot of confusion and misinformation! Brastop stock some in that size, I’d also definitely recommend joining the Boob or Bust group on Facebook if you’re on there, it’s a great place to learn about proper bra fitting and get advice on fit and where to buy, that is a starting size and you may well find other sizes around that fit better in different brands

I agree it is a normal bra size. Seriously, if you are a 10-12 dress size you will almost certainly never be a 34 anything in your bra size. You are unlikely to even be a 32.

I keep reading posts by people looking for non-wired bras or those ghastly monoboob Molke things, and I can guarantee it is because they are wearing bras that are too big and which as a result are feeling tight and are rubbing, digging in and hurting.

I am a bit of an evangelist about this because I was one of those women for years. And if anyone told me that my bra was too big when I knew that a smaller band would be too tight because I could barely do up the one I was wearing (and oh yes indeedy, it was a 34B!) I just thought that they were talking crap.

It wasn't until a fitter in John Lewis got exasperated at me moaning that my breasts somehow never filled the cup, that my rib cage was all wonky and always rubbed and that my shoulders were mysteriously slanted and that was why the straps slid off, and went and got me a proper fitting bra, that I discovered that my band size had been far, far too big and the cups many sizes too small. It was a revelation...