Truly single-sex bra fittings for DD13

[Secretsquirrelshh]

Inspired by threads on here re: mixed sex fitting rooms, I need to find somewhere for DD13 (very shy, incredibly embarrassed by EVERYTHING) to have her first ever bra fitting.

M&S is obviously right out, and we don't have a lovely independent shop anywhere near us.

I see John Lewis no longer enforce single-sex changing spaces.

Does anyone have any recommendations of nationwide stores that do truly single-sex bra fittings?

Exactly

but in theory

and for a man to be drawn to go to the fitting room in the bra section of marks… he will have had to have gone to the ladies department, then through to the bra area and to the changing rooms always on the bra area where they do fittings

Go to a local independent one. They are much better than M&S anyway.

I don’t know but why not go to somewhere like Bravissimo where the chances of a man trying on clothes at the same time is much slimmer than a shop that sells clothes for both men and women.

Obviously you need to be prepared for men accompanying their partners in the shop.

I'm extremely close to my mum but I still would have found it extremely embarrassing to have her 'fit' me.
Why on earth do you think someone is qualified to fit bras just because they are a mother? I wouldn't know where to start.

As per OP.

I think taking someone whose bra size is likely to be 26A or maybe B at a push to Bravissimo might do untold damage to her her ego! (I love Bravissimo - but I'm their target market at 32F!)

Ignore my previous post. Bravissimo does do first time bra fittings, including virtual ones.

Our M&S has cubicles in their underwear department, the chance of a man trying on bras is slim to zero, just buy her bras to try on my Dds would have rather stick pins in their eyes than go for a bra fitting at 13, don't make it awkward for your Dd

There a thread about JL bra fitting rooms and the fact that the bra fitting room is within a mixed sex changing room in, at least, one of their stores

The bra fitting all took place behind a loose fitting curtain. The man was the other side of the curtain.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5515423-ideas-please-to-get-a-response-from-john-lewis-to-my-complaint

Also they don’t have a single sex policy , or at least they didn’t a year or so back.
Only time I have seen a man trying on bras was in John Lewis, a long time ago. I did not like it at all, and my dd would not have wanted to try on bras with a man in the next cubicle. Dd went to M&S for her first fitting nine years ago, and the lady there was incredibly kind and sensitive. They had no bands small enough so she took the bras home and altered the bands herself just to be kind to dd. Lovely woman.
Have any of these shops changed policy since the ruling on single sex spaces ? As bra fitting rooms, with young girls in there as well as women , seem a clear reason to enforce a female only rule.

Also they don’t have a single sex policy , or at least they didn’t a year or so back.
Only time I have seen a man trying on bras was in John Lewis, a long time ago. I did not like it at all, and my dd would not have wanted to try on bras with a man in the next cubicle. Dd went to M&S for her first fitting nine years ago, and the lady there was incredibly kind and sensitive. They had no bands small enough so she took the bras home and altered the bands herself just to be kind to dd. Lovely woman.
Have any of these shops changed policy since the ruling on single sex spaces ? As bra fitting rooms, with young girls in there as well as women , seem a clear reason to enforce a female only rule.

There is a sitting and waiting area in the women's changing area in my local JL. Husbands and friends tend to sit there, and a woman trying on clothes who wants an opinion can come out into that waiting area - which is slighly separated from the changing 'corridor'. I honestly have only ever encountered a man in the women's changing area once - in over 35 years of having a JL account - over three different branches. And he was clearly 'identifying' as a woman ( this was a couple of years ago).

about to blow your brain here so brace yourself…. You tube.

I'd take a day out in London and go to Rigby and peller. Not cheap but they can fit anyone. Tiny to huge like me. I still wear my special bra from there. I'd have said no way would the product have fitted me.

Every bra may fit different, especially in different shops. Learn what a bra should fit like and do it yourself. It’s not difficult. These “professionals” (I was one at Ann summers) are just workers who have been shown by someone else. Watch a YouTube video.

Yes this!

Bravissimo allow males into the fitting rooms

I used the boob or bust calculator to measure dd when she outright refused to get fitted by a professional bra fitter.

Once she hit 15 she suddenly became ok with getting fitted professionally, and we took her to fenwicks where a really lovely sales lady got her to try on a variety of styles and sizes and dd left with 3 perfectly fitting bras.

Dd also had a good experience in rigby & peller in bluewater - its a tiny shop, and just try and time your visit when the sales are on as they are £££

I was wrong about the cup sizes. They do first-time fittings. And virtual fittings, which are good. I was dubious but the one I had was fine.

Bravissimo appears to only do large sizes, but that's because it measures for bras properly, rather than the +4 measuring that places like M&S do. It's perfectly suitable for a first bra.

Unless you can travel to an independent bra shop, which will almost certainly give the best experience, I’d go to M&S or John Lewis. Try to go at a quieter time eg after school., 9am Saturday and then there won’t be many other people. I’n sorry but I honestly cannot see the issue with being in a locked cubicle even if there is man in the next one. This is not a risky situation for a 13yo out with her mother.

Since she only has small breasts I would just show her how to do it herself as it's not like the fit has to be fantastic because she needs loads of support.

Use a cloth tape measure and the Boob or Bust calculator and show her where to measure, demonstrating over your clothes. Then she can go and do it in her bedroom with clothes off. She writes down the measurements. You choose an online shop with a good range of bras in likely sizes, and order a bra she likes the look of in two band sizes and two cup sizes. She chooses the best and then you can order more in that size from the same manufacturer and they should fit.

WAY less embarrassing, and actually fun. Online shops have more choice too.

Problem? None whatsoever!

According to Bravissimo’s online shop, they start at a D cup which wouldn’t be most teens’ first bra size.