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

So, any tips on where to get bras that fit. Any manufacturer that takes us seriously? My problem is that I am on a limited budget. I can't stand underwiring and I want to go running. So, do sports-bra manufacturers make anything bigger than a C cup? My boobs (drat them) are just getting out of control and kids and gravity are taking their toll.
And another thing: when I buy a dress, I want something tailored (or at least fitted) so I get one to fit the (mammoth) top half. My bottom half is a size 14, my top half defies measurement. So, I can look like something you would hire for your wedding reception or I don't get a dress. I actually took up dressmaking as a teenager to get round this, and can combat this, but not everyone wants to, and now I don't have time sniff sniff sniff

Thanks for letting me get that of my chest (lot of chest for a lot of gripes) I feel better now. Although I just got a huge bill from the washingmachinerepairman for yet another of Triumph's attempts to sabotage my machine.....

boy, am i late to this party!

i am with you all the way, cheerful dragon, on the lingerie thing. my hubby and i have spent two years and a small fortune looking for matching lingerie in my size. i think right now i own one matching set, in addition to various negligees (very hard to find also).

i absolutely refuse to buy underwires, resulting in the fact that most of my bras still don't fit but at least they're comfortable. most require several readjustments through the course of the day. i wear a 40DD (professionally fitted), most of my bras have 4 hooks, but i do have one that has 7 (it's a front closure, nice looking, and one of my best working bras).

as for trousers.... i have a 32 or 33 inch inseam depending on the material, but even more difficult to find than that is ones that accomodate a more than 12 inch difference between my hips and waist. i end up with a lot of baggies.

Regarding bras, Charnos (a British company) has recently brought out the Bioform. OK, so it's based on underwired, but it's reckoned to be way more comfortable and gives a better shape. The website is http://www.bioform.co.uk. I don't know if there is an American site, or whether you can get the bra in the States yet. Over here it costs £35 (about $52). You could try doing a web-search for it and see what comes up. 40DD is well within their size range - the bra was designed with larger women in mind. In fact, the bra was designed *because* underwired bras are so uncomfortable for larger women. I intend to buy at least one when I reach my target weight and size. (Target is 38D. I'm currently a 40DD as well!.)

On the weight loss group forum you said you weren't sure about converting your weight into stones. Well, 1 stone = 14 pounds. The last time I weighed myself I tipped the scales at 11 stone 11 lb. That makes me 165 lb, which is too much for someone who's only 5' 4" (even with a large frame). I think you said you were 17 stone something (I could be mistaken - I haven't looked at that forum for a while). That would make you 238+ lb. Even at 5' 10", I'd be surprised if you weighed that much and only had a 40DD bust. Either your bones are made of lead or you miscalculated. Or I'm thinking of somebody else. If so, ignore me.

no, you got it right, and i did miscalculate. only i miscalculated the wrong way. if i caught my mistake (and i reweighed this morning), it should be 18 stone 3 lb. 256. with the exception of being 9 months pregnant, this is the most i've ever weighed. (i topped at 262 just before giving birth, five years ago).

i am 5'10", and it is a 40DD. but i am large framed. i wear a size 11 shoe (in the states. the tag says 9 1/2 UK). but most of the weight is in my bottom. i did mention the more than 12 inch difference between waist and hips when looking for trousers, remember?

so you can see why my goal is so low. but at this point i'm happy with any progress.

had a slimfast and an apple juice for breakfast this morning

A 12" difference between waist-size and hip-size. I envy you (almost). From my memory of women's dress sizes from my childhood, a 10" - 12" difference between waist and hips was standard. I'm fairly sure I remember sizes along the lines of '36-26-38'. I think that was a UK 12. Some shops and catalogues have been re-doing their sizes recently, though. It was found that women's sizes hadn't been looked at since before the Second World War, so the majority of women over here couldn't get clothes that really fit them.

While we're on the subject, perhaps you could enlighten me on US clothes sizes (assuming that's where you're posting from). I seem to remember seeing a chart when I was a kid that said that there was one size difference between US and UK dress sizes, with the US size being smaller. Having seen various films and read various books, I know that the size difference is more than one size. I've tried searching the 'net, with little success, for help on this. My target size is in the region of '38-28-40', which is (or was) a UK 14 - 16. What size is that in the States?

sorry for the delay in getting back to you, i have internet access on a really weird schedule....

as far as sizing goes, i'm not real sure about measurements and sizes. i've never really paid that much attention to them, i just try stuff on until i find something that fits and is comfortable. i don't know about anywhere else, but in the u.s., that kind of information would be very misleading anyway, since various clothing manufacturers have differing ideas of what measurements a particular size should be.

for instance, my favorite blue jeans are a size 22. i have two other pairs (one the same brand, the other different) that fit but are size 20. then when i need khaki's for work, i have to look for a 24 to 26, depending on who makes them and how they are cut (relaxed, straight, etc.) and i've almost given up on blouses altogether. i would say that most of my shirts are mens XL to 2x (again depending on the brand and style.) just about the only constant in my wardrobe is my shoes. even bras fit differently from brand to brand in the same size.

but now that you mention it, since the shoes do have UK tags in them, i'll try to pay attention to other tags also. the information has to exist somewhere, i just don't know how reliable it will be when it is found.

hope you're doing okay (read your post in the other thread). i'll be thinkin' 'bout ya.