h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well I know I wear bras that dont fit - but that's because I'm more lopsided than most and both are *between* cup sizes (left one is always escaping from my D cups while the right one looks a little bit overwhelmed by all the material) If I could get a bra that was a D and a half on the left and a C and a half on the right I'd be chuffed

Taint gonna happen though - and when my favourite looking bras (I say bra's in reality it's more like scaffolding - I like to feel secure) start to chafe too much in one area or the other I always revert to the comfy old boobs in a bag bra's that offer less support (ie they aren't keeping my ears warm) but they're a bit less structured too. A week of boobs-in-a-bag is usually enough for me to feel happy about suffering a little bit of chafing again in the name of earwarming/clothes fitting/posture improvement that are the plus sides of bra's like the bioform.

Now I know you're taking the p***. You can't be 34, 36, 42 and 38 a,b,c or d without balloons and a pump or a vivid imagination. Let me guess Jedi... are you a pubescent lad having a laugh ?

Tried out my new sports bra for my first ever gym visit yesterday. But a gentle stroll on the treadmill and pedal on the cycle wasn't really a true test.

But when I got home and changed, my poor old boobs almost breathed a sigh of relief as they were dropped back into their more usual overwashed, saggy lycra, uniformly grey bra.

being the proud possessor of a 40Gset of boobs, i cannot go bra free for more than a cupla hours, otherwise i get that dull ache in the shoulders. ouch! oh, and my boobs are all natural, caused by good foodand good drinking.
oh and if i try to run bra free, oh the agony. and as my other half says, the black eyes!
xx

unAminious No I am sorry it is that I have been having great problems measuring myself and using the calculations to measuring myself. I was very tired when I did it and I am not that very good at arithmetic.

Katrine

best thing to do is get professionally measured. if you are in the uk don't use m&s measuring service. they told me i was a 42E. struggled with uncomfortable bras for a cupla months, then got measured at a local department store. turns out i'm 40G. and yes darrenwas a happy bunny!
that, and it's always awkward trying to measure yourself.
xx

I have been measured for a bra three years ago and I was alot heavier than I was now and bigger I was taking sizes 14 in clothes and now I take 10/12. The shop assistant told me I was 34b and the bras that I have bought in that size have never been comfortable. If I adjust my straps so that they do not fall down, then they are too tight over my breasts and do not cover them properly.

Also most shops only stock 34b, I have rarely seen sizes 34c or I have never seen a 34d. The next size up is 36a.

Katrine

I was measured at a department store. The assistant who measured me, rushed what she was doing.


Katrine

D cups generally run from 32 to 36, which is a pain for me as I'm a 40 (broad backed, you see.) My real problem is that, every bra I have, after about two hours' wear I'm spilling out the top (occasionally the bottom) of the cup, giving me the most unpleasant 'four-breasted alien' effect. I'd rather wear a bra than go without, though I will go without if I need to (backless tops etc.)

I think that I might be wearing the wrong size though, as I keep breaking the hooks and eyes at the clasp!

I'd definitely recommend getting more than one opinion from department store fitters. Or just spend as long as is necessary trying different ones on in the store till you find one that's comfy! It'd be worth it.

Of course there's also the problem that once you've decided you're a certain size, as with clothes and shoes, bras come up different shapes and sized according to the manufacturer (I thought I'd found a bargain £7 bra in my size from Avon, but it was waaaay to small!)

Once you've found a comfy 'everyday' style bra - stick to that one. I always buy Doreen now for my everyday bras, cuz they're comfy and last for years and years! If you're after a fancy bra, prepare to take the same time and consideration as you would when buying a new pair of shoes. With shoes you'll take ages trying different ones on, cuz they all come up slightly different, think of bras in the same way!

HTH
Queegle

I've never had any problem with M&S bra measuring service...except that the last time I went there I'd been wearing a 36C for about 3 years, and I knew I'd got bigger, but didn't quite expect to be told I was a 38DD

Since then, I've made the effort to get re-measured every year or so.

I actually really like wearing pretty bras - it's just frustrating that an awful lot of shops stop their main ranges at either a 36DD or a 38D, as if bigger boobed women only wanted plain black or white bras. When I got married and wanted some nice wedding underwear I had to order it over the internet as nowhere seemed to have anything strapless in my size...

agree with you on the point about finding 34Cs (as that's my size). They're v. difficult to find.

What gets me with bras is the ridiculous amount of expense associated with them. Personally, I'm not comfortable without one as I lead quite an active life. I like to get reasonable quality ones that will last and are pretty (as well as supportive) but have to pay about 20 pounds for them. No fair!

Thank you Queegle for your kind and helpful advice. I do not know that you are allowed to try bras on before buying, (I do not know if you can in the UK as some bras are packed in boxes) and I have never thought of going to different department stores and asking for a second opinion. But everytime I have been measured I have always been told I am 34b but I am very narrow shouldered and that makes it harder for bras to fit. I do not think I have found a totally comfortable bra. I have heard that you can get made to measure bras. It is the only item of clothing that I have problems with getting to fit me.


Katrine

I have used M&S bra fitting service and I still cannot get bras to fit me properly. According to every department store I have been to, I have been 34b since the age of 13.


Katrine

I was measured at an independant lingerie store, who then sold me the most godawful white contraption with inch and a half wide straps.

I find the bigger sizes to be disproportionately expensive. P'raps it's all the scaffolding they have to engineer into them!

that's probably true - we're paying for all the extra elastic!

Most of the bras are boxed, but they're very rarely taped up - whenever I'm in John Lewis, there's always a lady there who will take them out of the boxes for you and pack them away for you again - they're dead nice in there!

M&S seemed to lack the same quality of service .

It's damned annoying that the dept. stores seem to think that if you're over a DD you only want to wear black or white! I mean !

Still, things are a-changing - selection nowadays is far better than a few years ago. Mind you, I count myself quite lucky - a friend of mine is also an F cup, but with a 30" back! Now She has problems finding bras!

BTW - if any of you can recommend a good corsetier in London - I'm gonna be hunting for one in a couple of weeks to go under a bridesmaid dress!

Queegle

Queegle, my local M&S do the same, taking them out of the boxes, repacking etc. They will also trot off and get different sizes for you. I have found them very helpful, but then I deliberately avoid choosing bras on at busy times and try to go during the week.

I expect 34C is the most popular size, which is why they are in short supply. But I bet more than half those wearing them are wearing the wrong size

For everyone hunting for bras can I reccommend http://www.figleaves.co.uk they allow you to search for bras based on the available sizes (plus they've got a guide to getting your bra to fit right - someone said they kept popping out - thats because your cup size is too small, if the straps are a problem then it's usually because the other measurement (30,32 etc) is wrong).

The only downside is that if you're on the large size the first bras to appear in the search are nursing bras - can be a bit offputting

That's me I keep falling out (must think about rephrasing that sentance ) Please don't say I need bigger than a D!

I eventually found a really nice basque for my wedding at http://www.bravissimo.com - they have a good selection in larger sizes. I was a bit worried about buying without being able to try it on first, but they have a pretty good returns policy, and in the end it fit fine...the only problem was that I was dancing rather energetically by the end of the night and when we got upstairs I discovered it was somewhere round my waist, but fortunately my dress was fitted and held me in so well I didn't even notice!