Bra/bikini Question.

edengarden

Hi all,

I know this subject has been hit on a couple of times but i'll start anyway:-

When bra shopping i find it really hard to get a good size bra - usually i'm pouring out of the cup - its been about two years since i got measured and was told i was a 34D (i live in the midlands and use a local lingerie shop) but even after i got measured i still used to find a 34D hit and miss. I cant afford to go and get measured and pay E40.00 on a granny bra!

Just out of curiosity i measured my back size - I'm a 30" and at the fullest part of my boobs i'm 35". I am small framed but have big boobs (I find it impossible to get a shirt to fit as a size 10/12 gapes at the front)

Now this is the best part - I google bra calculators and from the calculators they say my size is a 34A - this is definitely wrong.

I'm trying to find a bikini that fits me (i'm a 10 on the bottom) and I ordered a bikini from kays in a 34/cd and it was way too small. should i try a 34dd?

simu

edengarden wrote:

Now this is the best part - I google bra calculators and from the calculators they say my size is a 34A - this is definitely wrong.

Those things are completely useless, I've found.

I cant afford to go and get measured and pay E40.00 on a granny bra!

You shouldn't have to pay to get measured. Try a department store or something next time you're in a big city because you won't feel obliged to buy something like you might at a local store.

As for the rest of your questions, I don't know but you could end up getting the wrong size over and over again if you're ordering. I'd only order something if I was 100% sure of the right size. Maybe you'd be better off going to a real world shop in this case. I'm sure many of them do pick and mix for bikinis - as in, you can choose a different top and bottom.

Dudess

M&S is fantastic for measuring. Having also been "gifted" with large assets, it's the only place I'd go. You pay that bit extra but you have to if you want to keep a big bust looking tidy and not droopy.

Lorraine B

Edengarden, you say you live in the midlands. It might be worth your while trying Bijou Lingerie in Longford. Really helpful little shop. They'll measure you but are willing to keep trying on to find what fits properly (not necessarily what your size actually is!!).

uniquechic

What shop did you get measured in and where was it?

edengarden

it was a shop in mgar - i'm miles away from longford - I just found it so strange that my size was coming out so small using the calculator and even when i manually do it - you know that thing of adding on the 4 inches if your an even measurment - it just doesn't make sense - its give a very small bra size when i'm obviously not!

Caryatnid

Hi Edengarden.
I've just got a couple of things.
I'm like you - really small back, and big boobs.
I never buy Granny Bras, however you are probably going to have to fork out at least 30e to get a 'better' bra, as Penny's/H&M etc just don't do these more unusual sizes. You should be able to get a Wonderbra (Original) or the best for these sizes (I even have a 30F from them) is Gossard (different styles).

And just something that I think.... I'm pretty small. Five foot two almost, and weigh seven and a half stone. I'm a size eight - max. If you're a size ten or twelve, I think it might be unlikely that you're a 30. I've a tiny back, and I would imagine that someone a size ten or twelve would be a bit bigger?
It's really difficult to measure yourself....you should get someone to do it for you...with your bra off (could leave a vest on though). You should definitely get measured.

Sizes are different both in America, and in Europe. I imagine the calculators you were using were not Irish/British. A lot of the boxes that bras come in actually give you the formula for working it out... I'll try to check it for you when I'm home...I don't want to post something here unless I'm 100% certain.

However remember, as with shoes and other clothes, you could be a size (for example) 30D in one brand, and 30E in another. So what you gotta do is get measured, and then spend a while in the shop picking out something you like (yeah, you won't have much of a choice though, I know!), and then trying on the size you think you are, and then get a size or two bigger, and then a size or two smaller.

And finally. Cup size is relative to underneath your breast. For example, if you got my boobs, and put them on a size 18 person, they would be spread out more and so probably wouldn't even be an A. This is useful to know when you can't get exactly your size. A 30DD/E is roughly equal to a 32D. As the straps and fitting at the back can be adjusted - they're almost the same.

And now really finally....when trying on your bra (and putting it on), and this is important for 'bigger girls', bend at your hips when putting on your bra, so that your breasts actually 'fall'/'drop' into the bra. Don't be afraid to adjust. Another important thing to do (this goes for everyone), is always close your bra at the back at the widest fitting. Bras will stretch after they get washed - so this will give you an idea of what the tightest fitting will be like, after a wash or two.

Phew! I'm off for a cup of tea and a spliff now!

tSubh Dearg

Dudess wrote:

M&S is fantastic for measuring. Having also been "gifted" with large assets, it's the only place I'd go. You pay that bit extra but you have to if you want to keep a big bust looking tidy and not droopy.

I was a trained bra fitter for Knickerbox/Ann Summers and the amount of times we got ladies in who had just been measured in M&S and given the wrong size was HUGE! I've been measured in there myself and they gave me the wrong size too. We once had a lady in who told us that M&S had measured her as a EE, there is no such size! I also find that their bras fit oddly but that might just be on me.

Anyway rant over on that point.

Caryatnid wrote:

It's really difficult to measure yourself....you should get someone to do it for you...with your bra off (could leave a vest on though). You should definitely get measured.

Do NOT take your bra off when being measured as much of the measuring also depends on the measurer looking at how your current bra is fitting you and helping you to find the right size through that as well as the actual measuring. Plus your breasts sit completely differently outside of bra than in one.

You're not alone in having a small back but big breasts. My good friend wears a 32GG. She actually has a 30 back like yourself but because of the size of her cups she has to go up a back size.

From what you say I would imagine that you should try a 32 back rather than a 34 and try a DD or even an E cup.

When you first try on the bra, as Caryatnid said, you should only be able to do it up to the widest setting, the first set of hooks on the back. If you can do it up further than that while trying it on you need to try a smaller back size.

If your breasts are pouring out over the top of the cups, you will need to go up a cup size. If your breasts are coming out of the cups at the side, you need to try a bigger cup size and sometimes (but not always) a bigger back size. This is because, again as Caryatnid said, bras stretch with wear and washing and there is not point in getting a bra that is already on it's tightest setting for you when you try it on as when it stretches you're not going to be able to tighten it any further.

No shop should charge you for being measured. No shop should make you feel obliged to buy something just because you got measured there (if they put the pressure on you, make an excuse and leave).

If you are in Dublin or another big city, places like Arnotts, Clearys and Brown Thomas do an exellent measuring service. Knickerbox are also good (I can attest that they get rigorous training in bra measurement) as are La Senza. Should you ever travel to London, I recommend a visit to Rigby and Peller (bra makers to the Queen, dontcha know!), horrendously expensive but their bras fit like a glove.

So many women wear the wrong bra size and it's just not good for you. It can put strain on your back, causing health problems and can contribute to pre-mature drooping. Not to mention it's uncomfortable. If a bra fits properly you should'nt even notice that you're wearing it.

EDIT: On the point of bikinis, if you can get them in your bra size do. I've noticed that a lot of them only come in clothes sizes (8, 10, 12, 14 etc) and in that case I've found that the best idea is to try them on as your clothes size in a bikini top may not fit the best, and you don't want to be flashing nipples by the pool or on the beach! (Or maybe you do )

Caryatnid

tSubh Dearg wrote:

Do NOT take your bra off when being measured as much of the measuring also depends on the measurer looking at how your current bra is fitting you and helping you to find the right size through that as well as the actual measuring. Plus your breasts sit completely differently outside of bra than in one.

All really well written, with good points tSubh...but just on the point above...
For the case of the woman with a grossly unfitting bra (e.g., way too small), would it not be better to have the bra off....? As you say, the breasts sit completely differently outside of the bra than in one in case the breasts are really squished wrongly into the bra? I'm not correcting you - I'm just asking - as a trained bra fitter I'd take your word over mine.

Speaking off 'mismeasurements', I was measured the other day in Roches, and the woman told me I was a 32A. I was like "WHAT??? A??" And she goes "Oh, are yi smaller?" I told her the last time I got measured I was a 30E. She goes "Yeah, well that's because you've a really small back...I'll measure you again....ok maybe you're a 30." Wtf!!! I was like "Look at me - I am not an A!!!!" (Surely even guys, with no knowledge of breast sizes whatsoever would be able to tell if someone was amazed at being told they were a size A because they were way bigger....and not smaller....) And this is a woman who's job it was!

tSubh Dearg

Caryatnid wrote:

All really well written, with good points tSubh...but just on the point above...
For the case of the woman with a grossly unfitting bra (e.g., way too small), would it not be better to have the bra off....? As you say, the breasts sit completely differently outside of the bra than in one in case the breasts are really squished wrongly into the bra? I'm not correcting you - I'm just asking - as a trained bra fitter I'd take your word over mine.

When I've measured someone who was wearing a very badly fitting bra, for example, I once measured a woman who was wearing a B cup and was actually a DD. You see straight away that the bra doesn't fit right so you do a quick measure for back size and then get them to try on a bigger cup size and then measure again.

It's often a case of looking and judging the size by eye as the bigger a person's breasts, the more inaccurate the measuring system becomes especially in relation to back size. I measure a 40 on my back but because I am a DD I can wear a 38 or even a 36 back because there is so much room in the cups. If you have a narrow back and large breasts you sometimes have to go up a back size to make sure that everything is sitting comfortably.

Caryatnid wrote:

Speaking off 'mismeasurements', I was measured the other day in Roches, and the woman told me I was a 32A. I was like "WHAT??? A??" And she goes "Oh, are yi smaller?" I told her the last time I got measured I was a 30E. She goes "Yeah, well that's because you've a really small back...I'll measure you again....ok maybe you're a 30." Wtf!!! I was like "Look at me - I am not an A!!!!" (Surely even guys, with no knowledge of breast sizes whatsoever would be able to tell if someone was amazed at being told they were a size A because they were way bigger....and not smaller....) And this is a woman who's job it was!

That is the craziest story I've ever heard. I'm really hoping it was her first week on the job or something similar.

edengarden

guys thanks so much for the helpful replies i will shop around and if i still haven't found better fitting bras i will get measured. I measured myself again and am definitely a 30" back size (as i mentioned this is before adding on the 4")

Dudess

tSubh Dearg wrote:

I was a trained bra fitter for Knickerbox/Ann Summers and the amount of times we got ladies in who had just been measured in M&S and given the wrong size was HUGE! I've been measured in there myself and they gave me the wrong size too. We once had a lady in who told us that M&S had measured her as a EE, there is no such size! I also find that their bras fit oddly but that might just be on me.

Weird. I found M&S really good. Now it's the Cork branch I'm talking about but it'd hardly vary from branch to branch. Well it shouldn't anyway.

Vas_Guy

I found a very interesting book yesterday called The Hypochondriac's Handbook, its abook on surreal medical resaerch.

It says the push up bra has been critized by medical experts who claim it causes back pain. In 1995 it was claimed tight bras may cause congestion in the lymph nodes and that breast cancer was only found in societies where woman wear bras.

Lough_Swan

I'm a 36DD, slim body but big chested, I've a major problem getting a bra to fit, my boobs because they are so big & heavy have started to droop and this makes measuring difficult, I thought of taking my bra off and having who ever is measuring me do it that way?

Any suggestions?

Font22

www.bravissimo.com

CathyMoran

I would be a 6-8 on the bottom and 14-16 with my chest (though I normally wear a size 8), I have always found that getting the top and bottom separatly is the best. I would be a 32/34DD which is hard to get so occasionally I go for a 36D, not perfect but it does.

Lough_Swan

Font22 wrote:

www.bravissimo.com

Thanks I'll try it out!

Kivun Sotilas

I got myself measured in Debenhams I think that's the name (I had no idea what I was in Irish sizes when I moved here) and her size recommendation was perfect. They didn't make me take my bra off, I had to take my top off though.

Lough_Swan

My main problem is I'm looking for an uplift my current bras are unsuitable and have casused a problem.

tSubh Dearg

I got measured in Arnotts the other day, they were excellent. They measure you properly and then listen to what you are looking for in a bra then go off and find some for you to try on. They also make sure that the ones they bring back for you fit properly.

BTW, see my earlier post about not getting measured without wearing a bra. Your breasts have a completely different shape in and out of a bra.