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Style & Beauty

Time for a new bra thread

999 replies

SorrelForbes · 21/02/2013 14:36

I am officially a mad bra lady. I staged an intervention today in M&S in an attempt to stop a young lady buying a 36B. She was with her mum who told me her daughter was a size 12 and that's why they'd picked up a 36. I advised her to try a 30! I am now feeling a mixture of shame and pride.

They were like this Shock Confused

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SpottyTeacakes · 21/02/2013 14:40

Surely people don't think that because they're a size 12 they're a 36?! Confused

Although I'm ashamed to admit I still have no idea what size I am Blush measuring myself using the mn guide puts me at a 30D but the 32B I'm wearing seems ok Confused

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SorrelForbes · 21/02/2013 14:44

Who knows? I guess the mum has been measured as a 38 or 40 and they've worked out the daughter's size from that?

You would probably notice a difference, support and shape wise in a smaller back.

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Startail · 21/02/2013 14:47

It doesn't work!

I've tried 36C instead of 38 B, they dig in and hurt.

DD1 is a 12 and wears 36 B M&S which I'm sure you will say is WRONG.

My DSIS nearly lost the will to live when I went trying on Bras because I was looking for a non existent utopia.

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MirandaWest · 21/02/2013 14:50

Just wanted to say M&S have some new (to me at least :)) bras in small back sizes. Is quite exciting (they had lots in a 30 back and possibly some 28 as well).

My mum though should not be in a 32AA as I am a 30C or so and she is built on a smaller scale than I am. No way is her chest bigger than mine...

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SpottyTeacakes · 21/02/2013 14:50

I haven't been able to find any decent nursing bras in a 30 back. I did measure 31 though and read on here to go for the smaller one.... Wish we had a decent bra shop round here!

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InMySpareTime · 21/02/2013 15:03

I'm here, awaiting the 26 back bra coming out soon as I don't want to risk getting EM bespoke and losing weight/changing size and them not fitting after all that hassle and expense.
knowing my luck they won't go up to GG/H, then I'll beConfused.

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QueefLatina · 21/02/2013 15:06

I measure 30.5 inches around the band and 35 including the boobs.

I tried on a 30E and a 32C and they were quite tight like everyone says they should be but oh my God, the back fat! Will a 34B be worth a try? It seems quite a large band size for my measurements but I was under the impression that a accurately fitting bra minimised back fat.

I'm living in those primark crop top things for now and vowing to banish the fat instead!

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StatisticallyChallenged · 21/02/2013 16:01

QueenLatifa, you have to scoop that back fat in to the cups. With vigour!

Startail, what \are your measurements?

Sorrel, did you see the other thread is FULL? That must be a first even for us!

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AnyFucker · 21/02/2013 16:08
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StatisticallyChallenged · 21/02/2013 16:13

Startail, unless your DD is, erm, extremely large for a 12 year old then yes, a 36b is almost certainly the wrong size for

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ItsintheBag · 21/02/2013 16:14

I have not been measured since I was 16 my boobs have not grown since then either
How often do you need to get measured? I am sure they are no bigger and if anything smaller how do you get smaller than an A Sad

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StatisticallyChallenged · 21/02/2013 16:20

Do you have a tape measure itsinthebag?

HOW TO MEASURE (since we are near the start of the thread)
Measure yourself firmly underneath your bust, in inches.
Measure your overbust, this should not be a tight measure. This should me measured around the widest part and there are two ways to do this:
1 - with a well fitting bra on (not padded)
2 - bra off, lean forward at the waist so your breasts are hanging down at 90 degree (i,e, away from you) then measure around.

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ItsintheBag · 21/02/2013 16:31

Hi Statistically
I did that and it says I am 32 1/2 inches under my bust
and 36 over.

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StatisticallyChallenged · 21/02/2013 16:34

In that case, I have news for you...you're not an A cup :)

I would start by trying a 32D.

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ItsintheBag · 21/02/2013 16:37

Thanks ahhhhh!!!!!! This is exciting news!!! This is the few times in life a B is much better than an A.
thanks for the help.

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StatisticallyChallenged · 21/02/2013 16:42

No problem. Assuming you are wearing a much bigger back at the moment a 32 will feel odd. Here is what to look for (thanks to Sorrel and Hazle for contributing to this one!)

Testing the band and cup
To test the band size, put the bra (in this example a 30 back) on back to front on the loosest hooks. If you can breathe but if feels tight and you can only fit two fingers underneath the wire at the front, then that's the correct back size for you. If it's so tight it's unbearable then go up a size.

The cup will differ much more between brands and styles than the back. Put the bra round the correct way, lean forward then take your right hand and put it inside your left cup. Reach right round under your armpit/towards your back and scoop all the backfat/escapage forward in to the cup of the bra. This may require vigour!

Repeat on the other side.

Then put the shoulder straps up and adjust as necessary (not too tight as it's the back that should be doing most of the supporting work). If for example, you've started with a 30D, you will probably find that after scooping, you have some bulging over the cup and four-boobage going on! This means you need to go up one or more cup sizes. Keep going up through the cup sizes until all your breast tissue is firmly in place. Once you have put your bra straps up you may well need to repeat the scooping described above but with the straps in place.

Bra myths and D+ denial
There are thousands of women who should be wearing 32 back or smaller and a D+ cup or bigger but:

?They went to M&S for fitting
?They haven't seen anything smaller than a 32 back in the shops
?Have read that [insert a really slim big-boobed celebrity] wears a 36DD and therefore cannot imagine they could need a smaller back/bigger cup (the celebrity in question is of course in a wildly wrong size as well, or the papers just made it up).

So the next time a tiny woman claims to be a 34 bra, you know what to do..

A good fitting bra?
If your bra is a good fit after doing this it should:

?Be worn on the loosest hook (when new). If you can fasten it on the tightest hook then try a back size lower.

?The band should be completely horizontal

?You should only be able to fit a couple of fingers under the front of the bra. If you can get more than that, or you can pull it more than an inch or so away from your body at the back, it is TOO BIG!

?If you raise your arms, the back should not really move - no riding up

?The wires should be entirely encasing your breast tissue - breast tissue goes surprisingly far back and a lot of people don't realise this. If you feel where the wire is sitting under your arm then it should be sitting on a fairly firm surface.

?The central gore (where the wires meet) should sit flat between your boobs. if it is being pushed away, then the cup is probably too small (and the back possibly too big as well)

?There should be absolutely no lumps over the top of the cup. Take a fitted t shirt with you to put over the top of the bra and stand side on to a mirror and watch as you breathe in. If you have a bit of a bulge only when you breathe in, you probably need to go up 1 cup. If it is visible when breathing out then it's probably more like two cups or more.

?The cup shouldn't gape. If it does, it may be too big or it may be the wrong shape of bra for you. Moulded cups are particularly bad for this as they don't adapt to your shape.

?The shoulder straps shouldn't be painful and digging in. Most of the support should come from the back. If you find that you can't get enough support without the straps being so short they hurt the bra isn't for you. Most likely it's too big in the back but it may also just be a bra that doesn't suit you.

?and on that note; not every brand works for every person. There are quite distinct differences in shape between brands which mean a particular brand may just not suit the shape of your breasts.

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SorrelForbes · 21/02/2013 16:45

SC I know we should be very proud Grin

Startail Honestly it does work. A 36C is the same cup volume as a 38B so I would suggest you need a bigger cup to help with the tightness.

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Alibabaandthe40nappies · 21/02/2013 16:47

Startail what are your measurements?

Your daughter is almost certainly not a 36 back, unless she is a very large 12 year old. I am an overweight 35-year-old woman who has had two babies, and I wear a 34 back. I wear size 16 clothes.
Measure her and report back, perhaps we can help.

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AnyFucker · 21/02/2013 16:48

Itsinthebag, you are the same measurements as me and I wear a 32d

It will feel tight at first, but persevere

Yes, you really do have d cup boobz Smile

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ItsintheBag · 21/02/2013 17:08

FUCK!!!! sorry D.....are you sure?!!!

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SpottyTeacakes · 21/02/2013 17:12

So my back is just under 30 and my boobage is 35.... Take it my 32B is wrong? Blush

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Alibabaandthe40nappies · 21/02/2013 17:15

I would try a 30DD to start with Spotty. If you are just under 30 actual measurement, you may need to go down to a 28 - in which case try a 28E.

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SorrelForbes · 21/02/2013 17:15

Umm, yes most likely it's a bit wrong Grin.

Probably more like a 28E, 28F, 30DD, 30E

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StatisticallyChallenged · 21/02/2013 17:16

Honest itsinthebag. Start with a 32D and follow the info above about how to put it on and judge if it fits. It may be too small or too big in the cup but it should be around that area. Listen to AnyFucker, she's a recent convert!

SpottyTeacakes, I would start you at a 30DD.

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StatisticallyChallenged · 21/02/2013 17:16

Sorry, missed the "just under 30" - yes, try the 28s suggested too.

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