To think the boob or bust bra evangelism goes too far!

[hihellohihello]

I can't use this method. I've scars and sensitive skin after a mastectomy and then menopause. Soft tissue which will redden and go dry if anything digs in.

I don't feel that these issues are unusual. Granted, many women have not had mastectomies but many have soft tissue, dry and sensitive skin. No matter what size they are. I have tried to build muscles up and have but still got a layer of soft skin over them on my back and underarm area. I'm not big - the opposite 5 ft 7 and size 8 with a BMI on the low side so losing weight would not be the best option for me.

So I choose bras with a 34 back size. (Measure between 30 and 31). However, this seems almost taboo now. They don't ride up and don't leave red marks. They are the most comfortable apart from comfort bras/bralettes (which I get in a medium). Tighter bras leave red marks and my skin gets dry.

So sick of hearing 'You'll get used to the underband being tighter' and 'You need to go up a cup size' . Complete with a Facebook page. I've tried it. It doesn't work. I see so many pictures even in lingerie catalogues of flesh billowing over underbands. Underarm rolls and back rolls (Although the breasts may defy gravity). These rolls aren't suggestive of a good fit. Granted my breasts are not as high as they could be versus hoisting them up with a smaller band and shorter straps. They don't look like they are about to defy gravity. But they look normal and don't sag, when wearing my bra, at least. They're not at my waist or anything - they are where they should be.

I understand it might be empowering to get some uplift / look slimmer but horses for courses. Running everyday, watching what I eat, walking and weights got me slimmer already. My bra just needs to be comfortable, hold a prosthesis and not show under my clothes.

But such is the Boob or Bust evangelism that many stores will not even publish measuring guides. Thankfully, I do know about 'sister sizes' - one thing I can thank Boob or Bust for, I suppose.

Rant over. 🥴

I had a similar experience decades ago, I was wearing a 38C and was measured at Rackhams in Birmingham and came out with a 34 E (I think) - I remember walking out in my new bra thinking that it didn’t feel as if I was wearing one which was a revelation

But my over bust measurement is 52. So I'd buy a bra with the numerical value 52.
My underband measurement is 42!

But that translated to the actual garment doesn't mean it measures at 52 unless it is fully stretched. Although, it does depend very much on the elastic and the difference between the relaxed measurement and the stretched. I wear a 34, without stretching one of my bras the band measures 27.

Ah Right yes. I see what you're saying. Makes sense now!

If some posters were recommended 30 but they are more comfortable in 32, it does not mean the general principle (that your underbust measurement is about the same as bra size) doesn't work (for most people).
Like PP, I was wearing 36DD for years, thought it was my size as this is what shop fitters told me, when in reality this is what they had in stock. Thought it was normal to have back pain with big boobs, that bra back is riding up, boobs bouncing and middle part miles from chest.
Turns out all those problems went away with properly supportive bra band.

If some posters were recommended 30 but they are more comfortable in 32, it does not mean the general principle (that your underbust measurement is about the same as bra size) doesn't work (for most people).

I'm not sure it does work for most people, though, if you think of 5he demographics and what the bands of the actual garment measure. As we get old skin gets thinner, loses elastin and gets drier and more sensitive. If a 34 band is 27 when the elastic is relaxed and I measure 31 then there is still enough grip in the elastic for me as a B cup to support me without cutting into my skin.

This article is interestingly:

"With the first A-D bra size system launching in the 1930's, women started to get a little confused on what size they should wear. The letters actually only referred to the approximate degree of the bust size, so if you had a very small bust, you would choose an A and so on.
The numbers for bra sizes were finally introduced after World War 2, but it did not refer to the actual measurement of the back size, like it does now, it referred to a full bust. i.e if you measured 34 over the fullest part of your bust and looked like you had small sized breasts, you would be a 34A.
In the 1970's, bra sizing became more standardised, where the European Common Market put in place new regulations that the 'number' of the bra size would refer to the under bust measurement instead of the full bust measurement. Unfortunately, this new bra system came with a fair bit if criticism.
From here the current way of measuring bra sizes came into play, where the bra size was calculated from the difference between the under bust measurement and the full bust measurement. But once again, women were horrified at this technique, especially if they didn't fit into any existing bra size that was available to them. At first lingerie manufacturers did not change their bra size range to keep up with this change, but instead began telling women to add 4" or 5" to the under bust measurement. Women ended up buying similar bra sizes to what they had always worn and this was known as 'vanity sizing'. "

(www.knickerlocker.com/blog/post/2020/04/20/the-history-of-bra-fitting)

So I think it is the evolution of creating standardised bras that has caused the confusion. People were slow to change for a time and bought the same (overbust) size they had always bought so retailers measuring knew to add inches onto an underbust measurement when measuring.

I was in M&S earlier on in the week and it appeared to me they might have done something similar as the back bands seemed very tight for the sizes. I wear a 34 usually quite comfortably (measure between 30 and 31 underbust) and was most comfortable with the 36 back band. An A cup was too big though! (far bigger cup and tighter band than that the 34Cs I have at home). Maybe they are trying to force a change!🧐 I think I'm going to take a tape measure with me next time to measure the bras!!!

Perhaps if we got rid of the stupid lettering system, it might work better. Same with women's clothes. If I do my measurements, and they tell me I measure 30/36, that's a lot easier to manage than sorting out letters. If I want a bit loose, buy a 32/36.

That being said, I respectfully disagree that a bra 4 inches too big fits. I haven't seen you, I can't comment on your bra individually, but it's much more likely that someone wearing a bra that loose fitting is in an ill fitting but comfortable bra. That's absolutely fine to do! But if someone was wearing jeans with a waist 4 inches too big, I would also say they are wearing jeans that are too big but are probably comfortable. Again, your clothes, your body, wear what you want 🤷‍♀️ and you have enough reasons to do so.

I have found if you ask people with relatively small boobs (people I know well enough, not strangers on the street), they will tell you a 34b. That can be someone who is a size 8 to a 12. All wearing the same size. I personally hve found it's because when we put on weight, the instinct is to go up a back size rather than a cup size, even though typically we go up more in breast size before we do on our ribcage.

I'm glad you've found what's comfy for you.

*That being said, I respectfully disagree that a bra 4 inches too big fits. I haven't seen you, I can't comment on your bra individually, but it's much more likely that someone wearing a bra that loose fitting is in an ill fitting but comfortable bra. That's absolutely fine to do! But if someone was wearing jeans with a waist 4 inches too big, I would also say they are wearing jeans that are too big but are probably comfortable. Again, your clothes, your body, wear what you want 🤷‍♀️ and you have enough reasons to do so.g

Ah, but it's not four inches to big if you measure the garment. 😉The underband measures 27 inches unstretched. That's enough grip in the elastic for my needs. My sports bra is the same size and there is no movement that I can detect.

Last post @anon2022anon.

The thing is with thinner skin (less elastin due to menopause) there is less bounce back. Tight things just press right in against muscle and bones.

I am strongly of the opinion that boob or bust doesn't work for smaller women. You are right OP - the tight underbands are just damned painful.

uhh boobs or bust changed my life I feel incredibly comfortable and look better my back pain is a lot less since I used their method. You have unique needs when it comes to a bra but for the majority without your issues I think it's life changing.

I personally hve found it's because when we put on weight, the instinct is to go up a back size rather than a cup size,

Yup, I had a size 12/14 friend insisting she needed a 38C because 'I've always been a C-cup' and her 36C's were too tight. She was significantly more comfortable in 34F I got her to try.

I have found if you ask people with relatively small boobs (people I know well enough, not strangers on the street), they will tell you a 34b. That can be someone who is a size 8 to a 12. All wearing the same size. I personally hve found it's because when we put on weight, the instinct is to go up a back size rather than a cup size, even though typically we go up more in breast size before we do on our ribcage.

And with elasticised materials some clothes will fit actually fit a size 8 to a 12. The elastic on my bra can stretch more than 10 inches. It is not required to but that means it retains it's elasticity. If you force elastic to be at maximum stretch it will fatigue from movement so that is why the bras 'break in.'

You have unique needs when it comes to a bra

I'm not that unique. I actually think it's partly about post menopausal women (who often have thinner and more sensitive skin) being under catered for.

I personally hve found it's because when we put on weight, the instinct is to go up a back size rather than a cup size, even though typically we go up more in breast size before we do on our ribcage.

I've done both. Put on weight and lost it. Gone up and down back sizes and cup sizes. If. The band moves about I go down a backsize. If the cup has loose material I go down a cup size. If the band is digging in I go up a backsize, if I'm spilling out of the cup anywhere I go up a cupsize. I measure and know sister sizes. I've had bras from a 32B to a 36DD in the last couple of decades.

Didn't work for me. I sent off for loads in the recommended sizes. Bought tears to my eyes they were so tight.

I'm happy in my 36 DDs and my boobs look cracking

My slim 11 year old daughter is in a 28 inch bra and I cannot imagine how an adult woman could possibly fit into that band size.

I don't have any unique needs unless you count not having any spare flesh over my rub cage (I have plenty spare on other parts of my body). I will not be bothering with boob or bust again.
I'm a 29 underneath, 33 boobs and usually wear a 34B or occasionally 32B/C most comfortably and with the best support/posture/position.

• rib cage ..... rib cage damn autocorrect

I agree with you.

Sometimes the answer isn’t ‘bigger cup size’. Every problem on there the answer is ‘bigger cup size’. How?!

And sometimes back fat and underarm fat is just that. Fat. It doesn’t always need to be dragged round to a bra where it’s not going to stay for long.

I’ve finally found a bra that I would say almost fits. I find the small back and large cup sizes are too big elsewhere eg the band is too thick so the wires cut into my underarms a bit but my boobs are definitely better supported than they were and I am almost happy with my bra but I totally agree that the method isn’t perfect.

I'm nowhere near skinny or petite and I wear 30 bra, so yes I can totally believe that an adult woman around size 8 might need a 28 bra

Yes my Panache bras have been digging in if Kate but not every style

My understanding is that bra size "was" underband size plus 4" for an even number of 5" for an odd number.
So your numerical size would be 46.
You would then work out the cup size from the difference between your numerical size of 46 and your actual size of 52 going up one cup size for each inch of difference. I think A was 0 and I can't remember which letters are doubled because I've never been blessed with bigger boobs but I think that would make you 46EE (or should that be 46F) under the old system.