Bra fitting

persa

Well, Bravissimo are fantastic, but for ladies with a large chest and small back size. I assume the OP's DD doesn't have giant breasts (if so, it would have been cruel to make her go all this time without a bra!) so any of the high street stores will do. They're terrible at fitting bras for ladies with anything over a C cup, but they can't exactly get an A/AA cup that wrong.

I think I was fitted at M&S, very reluctantly. My mum refused to acknowledge I had breasts and didn't want me to get a bra. Strange creature. She was adamant I had to wear properly fitted shoes when growing up so my feet wouldn't go all deformed, but wasn't keen on me getting proper support up there...

fairy_lights

The problem with M&S is that they use the old fitting system of adding four inches on to your back measurement to get your band size. Bra's have so much elastic in them these days that it's not really necessary and you can end up with a band that is too big and doesn't give enough support, hence the number of people who have been measured at M&S and later been measured at Bravissimo and been amazed at the difference in sizing.
I would measure her yourself to get a rough idea of size but try on a few different sizes to work out what fits her best.

Gloomendoom

persa wrote: »

Well, Bravissimo are fantastic, but for ladies with a large chest and small back size.

As a man who recently made the mistake of accompanying my wife on a shopping trip and ended up in Bravissimo for several hours while my wife (seemingly) tried on every bra in the shop I can tell you that that is a myth.

Bravissimo have their own sizing system whereby they use your exact back size and add two sizes to the cup. You can go in a 32E and come out a 28FF, for example.

I think it's called vanity sizing.

Pop over to Debenhams and ask for a 28FF and it won't fit. The back will be four inches too small and the cups gargantuan.

Guess where we went after we left Bravissimo.

theoretica

Gloomendoom wrote: »

As a man who recently made the mistake of accompanying my wife on a shopping trip and ended up in Bravissimo for several hours while my wife (seemingly) tried on every bra in the shop I can tell you that that is a myth.

Bravissimo have their own sizing system whereby they use your exact back size and add two sizes to the cup. You can go in a 32E and come out a 28FF, for example.

I think it's called vanity sizing.

Pop over to Debenhams and ask for a 28FF and it won't fit. The back will be four inches too small and the cups gargantuan.

Guess where we went after we left Bravissimo.

This is again a simplification as Bravissimo and Debenhams stock some of the same brands.

I consider I have size 5 feet, but some of my comfortable shoes have 4.5 written on them, or 6. Similarly, I have well fitting clothes labelled from 6 to 14. Bras don't seem to be any more consistent. I suggest getting fitted so she knows what a well fitting bra should feel and look like and then being prepared to try different sizes in different styles and brands.

Gloomendoom

theoretica wrote: »

This is again a simplification as Bravissimo and Debenhams stock some of the same brands.

I'll bow to your greater experience.

Thankfully, closing time prevented my wife trying on all the bras in Debenhams so this passed me by.

embob74

I saw this recently:
http://thebetterbracampaign.blogspot.co.uk/p/fitting-advice.html

apparently I have been doing it wrong for many years (and put up with a lot of ill-fitting bras!)

hazyjo

When I went to Bravissimo, they said they didn't really measure, it was more a case of try on to see what fits, then work round that!


OP 38 doesn't mean big boobs. It relates to back size. Were you thinking by saying 38, it would mean she had big boobs, or that she wasn't that broad?!




Jx

pukkamum

Measuring yourself for a bra is very easy as long as you follow a couple of rules.
When doing your back size make sure you get right into the crease between your bust and chest, and this should be snug but enough to get your little finger into. When doing the cup size bend over over so your boobs hang completely down and measure the fullest part of them.
I followed these rules and realised that far from the 36 DD i was wearing, which were uncomfortable, led to the dreaded double boob effect etc I am in fact a 34FF which is perfect!

tibawo

hazyjo wrote: »

When I went to Bravissimo, they said they didn't really measure, it was more a case of try on to see what fits, then work round that!


OP 38 doesn't mean big boobs. It relates to back size. Were you thinking by saying 38, it would mean she had big boobs, or that she wasn't that broad?!




Jx

I was chuckling as they thought the number meant the cup size!

Skintski

I've found debenhams to be the best of the bunch. M&S were awful and one assistant even told me I must have an oddly shaped rib cage because she struggled to fit me. I never had that issue at Debenhams.