Advice Needed On 1st Bra For DD?!

Dora_the_Explorer_5

Try Primark, Matalan, Asda for extremely cheap sets and separate bras. You could use this as an opportunity for her to learn to make decisions for herself, try out things without feeling she has to have your 'permission'. If she makes mistakes and the shops won't refund, you won't have spent a vast amount of money and her new found confidence, developing skills and independance should make it worth it.
I don't remember bra fitting services available when I bought my first bras in the '50s, half the fun of growing up was experimenting and discussing the pros and cons with mates. This is an important rite of passage for her - make it special by putting her needs first by asking her what she would prefer. Give her a range of options - go with you, go with another female relative, chose together, her choice, your choice. Whatever she decides will be right for her. What's right for you has secondary importance. For instance - does she want to use a bra fitting service?

november

My daughter (now 16) has always measured herself. There is no way she would let someone in a shop measure her!

I think when measuring its important to remember that the measurement isn't the be all and all. That was a problem I found with M&S - tape measure says this so this is what you are. I did measure years ago according to M&S a 36AA and according to Debenhams a 36A. I was actually a 34B. When I changed size I simply worked it out for myself (she says therefore getting round posting what her current size is )

I've copied and pasted bra fitting advice from bravissimo here as I don't know if I am allowed to post a link because they sell things. Its by far the best bra fitting advice I've ever seen.

This is our 3 step check for the perfect fitting bra

The strap around your body should be firm but comfortable. When you stand side-on at a mirror, the strap that runs around your body should be horizontal and should not ride up at the back at all.
The wires at the front should lie flat against your rib cage and should not dig in, rub or poke out at the front.
Your breasts should be enclosed in the cups and you should have a smooth line where the fabric at the top of the cup ends and meets your bust. You shouldn't have any ridge or bulging over the top or sides of the cups, even if you are wearing a balconette style or lower cut shape.

Trying-on tips
When you are trying a bra on, it's best to start off by fastening it on its loosest hook. This way you will be able to tighten the bra up if it starts to give in the back a bit when you've worn it a few times. Also, remember to adjust the shoulder straps to ensure that they are not too loose. When you've put on a bra, you may need to adjust your breasts to make sure that they are in the cups properly. It's a good idea to try a T-shirt or top over the bra that you are trying so that you can see the shape that style gives you underneath your clothes.

Troubleshooting.
My breasts are bulging out of the top or sides of the cup and my bust looks lumpy under clothes.
This is a sure sign that the cup size you are wearing is too small as your breasts should be totally encased in the cups. Try at least one cup size bigger.

My bra rides up my back or moves around as I move.
Apart from trying to squeeze ourselves into cup sizes that are too small, the most common mistake that we make is to wear back sizes that are too big. The strap around your body should fit snugly and it will only move around if it is too big. If this is happening, you need to try a smaller back size. BUT REMEMBER a smaller back size will also be smaller in the cup (i.e. a 34E is smaller in the back and cup than a 36E). For example, if you found a 36E fit you well in the cup but was too big around the back, you would need to try a 34F.

The wires stick out at the front or dig in under my arms.
When the wires stick out or dig in like this, it's often because the cup size is too small and your breasts are forcing the bra away from your body. Try a cup size bigger so that the wires lie flat against your body and fully encase your breasts.

The straps dig into my shoulders and give me red marks.
The main support provided by a bra should come from the strap around your back and not the shoulder straps. If your shoulder straps are digging in, you are probably wearing too big a back size so you need to drop a back size. Alternatively, you may simply need to loosen the shoulder straps.

The cups are wrinkly, particularly at top and sides.
This is usually a sign that the cup size is too big so you may want to try one cup size smaller. However, if the wrinkling is only at the tip of the cup, this could be an indication that the cup size is too small because your breasts cannot fit into the cups properly - in this instance, try one cup size bigger.

I don't know if your daughter would prefer to be measured and guided with what to buy in a shop. If not I suggest you do what I did - let her measure herself and buy a cheap bra she likes from somewhere like Primark. Then she can try it on at home using the advice above and work out if it is the right fit or not.

Another point - different bra makes are actually slightly different in size e.g. ones made in France, Italy and China tend to be smaller than those made in America even if they say they are the same size. So if she finds a brand that fits it may be better to stick with that brand or with bras from the country. Another good reason for starting with a cheapie!

ditzymuppet

I took *my* mum to get the right bra sized properly fitted...it's definitely well worth doing. I found Marks and Sparks to be really friendly and not at all scary....they also have large fitting rooms should you want to go in with her (there are usually seperate curtain in there for her to go in the corner with!)

HTH

Ditzy x

Prudent

I took dd to m &s and find them very helpful. I couldn't afford to buy all of her bras there. I usually buy her a sports which has been properly fitted and all her other bras did come from Primark.

Are you near an outlet village at all? We have a a shop selling all the big brands of bras at our local outlet village. I now get both mine and dd's bras there. They have a fitting service. A few weeks ago she need some new bras and I got her bra and briefs sets for £5 each and they were down from around £40.

Dora_the_Explorer_5

Depending on the style, I have to buy different sizes in M&S. One M&S style in the 'correct' size might have my bosoms practicallt slung underneath my arms, another one might have them spread all over my ribcage, another style and they're falling out, another style and I struggle to fill the cups. Weird.

purplepurple

The assistants at my local Beatties (now House of Fraser?) are wonderful and bend over backwards to help find the right bra and the right fit..... they always have dressing gowns in the cubicles for you to cover up with and they make you feel very special. Your DD's first bra is a special occasion, she's becoming a woman .. it would be a shame just to go for the cheapest option IMHO

Fiona11

My DD recently started wearing bras. At first I brought a pack of stretchy bras from M&S in the childrens underwear dept. When she had got use to these, and also started to grow, we went and got her measured in the ladies bra dept. They have been fantastic and recommend the Angel bras, which start at £12.00 for a pack of two. They also found some more grown up ladies bras if she wanted them, and were very good with advice about not wearing underwired whilst still developing.

RVK2

Fiona11 wrote:

My DD recently started wearing bras. At first I brought a pack of stretchy bras from M&S in the childrens underwear dept. When she had got use to these, and also started to grow, we went and got her measured in the ladies bra dept. They have been fantastic and recommend the Angel bras, which start at £12.00 for a pack of two. They also found some more grown up ladies bras if she wanted them, and were very good with advice about not wearing underwired whilst still developing.

oohh, that's a new one on me...why shouldn't they wear underwired? My DD (12) is a 34B and wears underwired and has done even at 32A... :eek:

Brightness

Hi PennyPincher,

Do you have a Contessa near you? The ladies in my local one are lovely and though I have boys myself, I know friends who have taken their daughters there to be measured. They are also good at advising youngsters on their first bras too.

Otherwise, if you don't want to embarrass your daughter in any way then why not get a catalogue and measure her yourself? There is always a size guide in the back of them and you can order several different styles for her to try on for comfort - all without leaving home and having to struggle in and out of shops with your wheelchair.:)

looby75

Redvelvetkiss2 wrote:

oohh, that's a new one on me...why shouldn't they wear underwired?

I've heard that it can compress parts of the breast and cause breast cancer later on in life. I have NO idea if that's true, sounds a bit like an old wives tale to me.

Anyway in my poor dd's case non wired isn't an option. Poor kid has been 34 dd since she was 12 they don't make non wired bras in that size.