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

Hi Ben,
Thought I'd put this on your space rather than the atelier

I have always had a problem with bras due to my cups running over so to speak! My back size isn't that big, which means that the cup size I need to accomodate the girls is humungous - you know that there is more material in the cup of a 36D than a 32D don't you? I'm a 34f (ish at the moment) in a bra, but have found that the size that fits in a bra doesn't fit in a strapless bra or basque so I would need a bigger cup. Most of the manufacturers of basques don't make my bra size combination, let alone a 34G! Actually things are better now than when I was a 34G (and larger), but on this occasion I can't be squeezing myself into anything that is too small as lumps and bumps won't be able to be hidden!

I have just found a website called D-Plus and they came back with one basque that might fit (goes up to 34f and no larger) so might order that and give it a try.

It *is* getting easier to get nice things as I get smaller - must keep reminding self to be pleased that at least I'm not a 38J any more

Well the last time I measured mine they were 44FF. I once made the mistake of telling a lover this, and he then used Ben44FF as a secure password! Now I don't tell, though Z will know 'cos he stalks me. for Z!

B

44 *is* broad! Where did you get measured? M&S always tell me I have a larger back than I actually do. Their bras are really weird actually, never fit right and I always seem to need at least one if not two cups sizes larger than for every other manufacturer. The queen may get her pants blessed by St Michael but it is no surprise she gets the bras from R&P.

Have never noticed the christmas thing by the way, doesn't seem to happen in Bravissimo where I usually get my undies.

Well, I tend to go out and buy two or three bras at a time and - guess what - they all fall apart at once, so it has been a while since I last when bra-shopping. The last lot did come from Markies though, but I *always* get measured and try them on.

Who are S&P? Save and Prosper? Savings and Poor? I have spent too long in IT.

Ben

*R*&P are Rigby and Pellier corsetiers to the queen.

I noticed this morning that my sports bra is fraying on the shoulder straps - I've only had this one a few months! I guess all the running is taking its toll.

What I get *really* mad about is bra and pants sets. Ok so I have to pay well over the odds for a large-sized bra. I can see how that can be justified, just. But WHY are the matching pants so expensive? Just because the bra costs 35 quid that is no excuse to charge 15 for a pair of knickers

Rant, rant, rant...

All my underwear is black. I started doing that about 10 years ago, and it makes life much easier because it all looks reasonable, and everything matches everything.

I have one set of cream coloured underwear for white tops, but I don't have any white tops!

B

Kelli, I'm with you on the price of bras and undies. Although I think that bra sizing in the UK is different than the US, because from the pictures I've seen of you both, neither one of you has breasts as big as a friend of mine, who is an F on this side of the pond.

Here, the measurements are around right below the breasts (I'm a 36) and then around the fullest part of the breast. 1 inch difference, you're an A, 2 a B, and so on. I'm a D. And if the bra's from Victoria's Secret, a DD. How are bra sizes determined there?!

I like colorful underthings. I've got purple bras, black with pink ribbons, etc. Although I'm a bit of a fuddy-duddy on undies...I simply refuse to wear thongs!

We are obviously so well upholstered that you can't tell how enormous the girls are! Sounds like we have the same way of sizing as you do - I think F is 11 inches bigger round the fullest part of the bust, I used to be a J which is something like 15 inches bigger. Hang on, I'll go and get a chart from somewhere...

Here you go:
http://www.d-plus.co.uk/customer_services/mg_cup_size.htm

Oy vey! A D here is 4 inches, DD 5 inches...you just can't be that much bigger than I am...that picture of you at that wedding!

Or were you strapping them down?!

Okay, now I see. I just measured myself, and in my world, I'm a D or DD...in yours, I barely rate a C! No wonder I'm so confused!

Well, as I have always said, glory be to the goddess for s men!

I love my boobs!

B

Actually, as I get older, I can see a flaw in the measuring system. They are measuring circumference, but mine are less pert than they used to be. There is - ah - volume, but less forward thrust. Let me put it this way. If I were measured in the prone horizontal the result would be massively different from being measured in the vertical.

B

So always measure then try on. Actually, I think I must be getting on for an EE now, or even an E because my one well-fitting bra has started to wrinkle on both cups now. One of the annoyances of losing weight is not having enough bras - the size changes too often for me to be able to afford to keep up with them, especially when the pretty ones are so expensive. I have too many light coloured tops to be able to go for exclusively black bras, so my one well fitting one was bought as white. Of course I have to bung it in with every wash that I do so it is now a chewing-gum grey - not attractive in th slightest!

*counts on fingers*
*takes off shoes and socks and begins counting toes*

So in the US system I'd be a size K Do they even make bras in that size in the US?! That does at least explain why I copuldn't find anything to even nearly fit when I was in the US a few years ago!

MR, the photos can be deceptive because I don't choose bras that make them look like torpedos. The one and only strapless bra I have ever fitted into (a 36G from M&S) means that I can do a fairly good impression of a scud missle silo.

Hooray for boob men!

Ben, I'm with you there. I still have stuff, but it isn't exactly...ahem...in the middle of my breasts any more. It's moved a bit, well, south. Breastfeeding, gravity, spending a couple of years as a hippy chick following the Grateful Dead...things like that will do it to you!

My current favorite bra is also starting to get too big. I have the straps rigged up as tight as they will go, and I still have to rearrange so as not to get wrinkles. I'm sticking with the WalMart cheapies until I get to my goal weight, though. No use in spending the money now!

I'm slowly converting the BF from a leg man to a breast man. He's a bit resistant, but I think it's working.

The washing machine has eaten my one almost-fitting bra

Popped into M&S to give them another go and it seems I've dropped to a 32 in their stuff, but even the 32 G was too small (apart from one bra which was far to fancy and cleavagey for an every-day staple).

*sigh*

May try to sneak to John Lewis or Debs tomorrow lunchtime so am not in one of my saggy efforts when I come to the girl's night in saturday.