Is your bra size usually in stock?

[ChristinaRussell]

I've just come back from a shopping trip, including looking at bras in M&S, and virtually none of my preferred styles were available in my size (32F). They make them in that size, but were out of stock. And it got me to thinking that this is nearly always the case when I go bra shopping - the two places I go are M&S and John Lewis on Oxford Street, London, so main branches. I generally have to make do with a style that's not what I really wanted, or fudge it with a 34E.
Is it an oversight by the stores or is it a statistical/perception thing?
Does anyone else find this with other sizes?

I take a 38HH M&S don't go that high in cup sizes , only HoF do larger bras but they're always around £40 . It's back to brastop

32E here and only ever buy bras online. Usually have at least a few of the styles I like in stock. Never have them in stock in store.

30DD/E depending on brand. Nowhere except Bravissimo seems to stock anything in a high street store, mostly had to shop online. When I was slimmer I was a 28E/F which was even worse...

I just buy online and return anything that doesn't fit well. 30F here so is not really available that widely. Anything less than a 32 band requires some kind of specialist input generally!

34D

Only buy from Rigby and Peller, never an issue.

@TheGirlInTheGreenDress

I find my size is frequently out of stock in store - 36D.

I believe this must be the most common size sold in M and S . In a large superstore there was one bra style in this size a few months ago.

I am a 36DD (sometimes a 34E) and recently everywhere seems to be out of stock of those sizes. The other thing that has annoyed me is that several places (M&S and Asda being 2 of them), don't seem to do 3 hooks on the back of the 36DD's and I don't like 2 hooks, they never seem to feel as secure as 3.

Nope. Used to be easy when I measured the wrong way -(34C but of course they always slid up my back). Now I wear a 30G/32FF I usually shop online and just order a load to try from Brastop or similar.

@Kentuckycarby

I’m a 32b and mine are never in stock. Typical isn’t it, it’s always the size you’re wanting that’s missing!

Where are you shopping? M and S in Meadowhall has a huge lingerie section and has a vast selection of sizes and styles. I'm a 32B and I can always find something in my size.

Hmmm maybe bras need to go on the Covid/Brexit shortages list along with windows, sofas and cat food etc.

Sometimes when I'm planning a shopping trip I will order stuff to store to try on, so that I know it won't be a completely wasted trip and I can return anything that doesn't fit on the spot. M&S do this, they also do the 'check whether item is in store' which I find really useful and normally pretty accurate.

I'm also a 32F and I rarely find my size.

It must be an actual stockage issue then with the sizes on the margins (rather than a false subjective perception).

I hate shopping online for bras because unless you are familiar with the brands you don't know what size you are, and it's initially expensive to buy lots to try even if you know you're sending most of them back.

I will try Bravissimo the next time I'm in town.

M&S doesn’t make my size (small band, big cup)

32ff. I am down to 2 normal bras and basically live in sports bras now as I struggle to find ones that fit well. I have to take a gamble with sister sizing in M&S which is very hit and miss

28FF or 30G - in store rarely apart from independent boutiques. Online quite often stocked.

As someone who wore a 36c throughout her 20s - thanks M and S and your shitty measuring- when I was probably a 28/30 e/f I would get properly measured (Rigby and Peller or Bravissimo or small independent)and then buy online. Lots of good retailers such as Bravissimo, Simpny Be etc . Then you can try on at home . IME M and S are not only crap at measuring but also their larger bras are v poorly designed.

Hardly anywhere seems to even stock my size. By the time I've found bras that exist, filtered out the ones I don't like, mentally crossed off the ones I can't afford and then checked what's actually in stock I'm usually left with the same pack of bras I've been buying for years. They are comfy ish but don't actually fit fantastically well. (I've tried sister sizes and same band, bigger cups.) And the wires pop out after a few months so I have to repair them.
Oh well. Maybe I'll have more luck when I've lost weight!

Their smaller bras aren’t good either. Advised to go there for post-surgery bras but there was nothing they made, either online or store, that would fit. The same with all shops, to be fair.

Yes, but don’t buy bras very often and always go to Bravissimo.

Nope, not even that much choice online. I'm a 30HH. I spent years in a 32F/G when I was probably a 28J (didn't exist when I was slim and in my 20s).

Could those who are a similar size to me, 28gg/h please recommend an online store?

Brastop, @whatisthisinhere
You might end up with some weird colours though

This is my utter bugbear. My nearest city now has lost John Lewis and Debenhams so we literally have a tiny bravissimo and markies. At a 34GG, I hate being so restricted and robbed when bra shopping. I bought 3 bras last time and was over £100. I wish I could pick up a handful from primark or tesco.......

32hh - Debenhams used to be the only place I could find anything in person. It's so depressing. Looking around at other women I don't think I even have a particularly abnormal size!
I think so many woman are wearing the wrong bra size just because they've been convinced by the bizarre shop sizing that 32 back or below basically doesn't exist above a d cup.

We have an independent bra shop in our local small market town. They have built up such a good reputation that people come from miles around to get properly fitted.