Bra size help- m&s fitting

[Copperfoz]

Hi all. Today I thought I would treat myself ot a new bra and I would get a proper fitting at m&s. I am not 100% sure what I currently wear because my bras are that old the labels have washed off, but they are definitely ill fitting- a little too small. I know I bought a c up and I think it may have been a 36 back size. I have put a little bit of weight on going from a size 12 (sometimes 14) to pretty much always a 14 now. But since putting on weight my bras are a bad fit

Anyway, so at the fitting the lady said she measured the back size but went on cup size by eye. She said that I definitely wasn't a c and she thought a d or double d. But she said I was a 38 back size. So she brought some bras in 39d to begin with and told me I was that size. Seemed OK. The full cup I think was a little large but I settled on some plunge style bras. So I just got in and tried them properly and I think they're too large. I have them on the smallest loops and they gape on the cup at the bottom and feels like it moves up when I put my arms up. So I will take them back.

My question is... is 38 back size large for a size 14? How does back size work in comparison to dress size? Or is it the cup size that is too big? I haven't really got time to have another proper fitting, so I was hoping to just swap them.

I am size 14 34G fitted by Rigby and Peller.

M&S are useless. Get your money back and go to Bravissimo who confirmed it was my correct sizing when I went there to buy cheaper bras than R&P.

I am more a 16 and wear a 34G

i do go to a very good independent bra shop though as M&S are rubbish

i am taking a friend to the same one this week as she is in something like a 36 and although a wee bit overweight is petite, I have told her that if I am wrong about her bra size I will buy her a new bra 😀

I'm an 18 ish and have just measured and I'm 36" have you measured yourself? I suspect that m and s still do the old fashioned way of adding inches to your actual size

When I was a 14 I had a 32 inch back size. Avoid M&S for bra fitting!

Thank you I will get my money back and try another store

I went to M&S recently for a bra fitting post baby. I'm a size 18 and they measured me at 42FF. I'm certain it's wrong, my boobs look like pitta breads and the bra is uncomfortable!

Every M&S bra seems to be differently sized. Tried on 3 recently - one good in normal size, one good a cup size smaller, the third would not stretch round my back. I have bought two identical bras in the past which were very different in size on. There is no substitute for trying them on.

M&S are clueless. They seem to add 4" to the band (literally makes no sense!) and makes the cup sizes small. Boob or bust is a great method which can be done at home, or Bravissimo if you're likely to be larger than a C cup (most people are!)

Yep, under M&S I'd be a 32B...I'm actually a 32DD! Thanks to Freya I now have strapless bras that fit and stay up! Slowly replacing the rest of my bras with correctly sized ones.

I'm a size 16-18 and in a 36 back . Got fitted at Bravissimo and can highly recommend.

dress size is generally your back size +18/20

Other way round, you know what I mean!

dress size 14, back size probably 32 or 34

I've just measured my back , 36 inches. I wear a 40C ? Can't understand that ? Usually M&S t shirt style.

So you are a 36 band, nowhere near a 40!

Definitely don't listen to M&S

As someone mentioned I endorse looking at boob or bust and see how to measure yourself.

I'm a size 20/22 and wear a 36 back size
At a 14 you're very unlikely to need a 38.

Try measuring yourself if you have a measuring tape to get an idea of size.

Whatever you measure tightly under bust is your back size (don't add extra inches). The difference between the over bust and under bust gives the cup size. Each inch increases the cup size (1 inch = A 2 inch = B then its C, D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG, H, etc)

I asked M&S why they added the 4 inches to the measurement and they couldn’t tell me. It’s an outdated method that goes back to the 50s. If you measure 32 inches yourself, then you’d be a 32 inch back.
I do my own measurements now.

I know you said you’re tight for time, but I’m just echoing the go to Bravissimo comments. It sounds like you are at least a D cup. (Based on your post, I’m guessing you’re a 32E!) The band will feel tight at first but you’ll get used to it and you’ll look so much better.

Second this. M and S are the reason I wore a 36c in my 20s when I was a 30G. Rigby and Peller are brilliant and revolutionised my life. You’re probably a 34 E or around that.