bra fitting / sizing

confused_com

right 

how do i explain this

i am a guy  who has a large chest /(breasts) for a guy 
and i can benefit in wearing a bra  

i was last sized over a year a go in m and s the actual women with the tape measure 
was very good (she said that some men do wear sports bras ect)

but i tried to get sized recently in boux (as i had got a bra in my size the week before with no problem apart from the band being way to tight ?)
 so I booked a appointment and when i went for the sizing i was told for me to be sized "I would have to be presented as a woman "  
(i would have to cross dress as a women not something i am really in to)(i was wearing some women's clothing on the day jeggings and a women's jacket nothing ott)
Bering in mind i was there first thing in the morning no one else was around   

when i was in m and s they took me in to the corridor leading to the empty changing rooms  and sized me there 

would any one have any recommendations of where to get sized with out presenting as a female in northern Ireland   

Pollycat

confused_com said:

right 

how do i explain this

i am a guy  who has a large chest /(breasts) for a guy 
and i can benefit in wearing a bra  

i was last sized over a year a go in m and s the actual women with the tape measure 
was very good (she said that some men do wear sports bras ect)

but i tried to get sized recently in boux (as i had got a bra in my size the week before with no problem apart from the band being way to tight ?)
 so I booked a appointment and when i went for the sizing i was told for me to be sized "I would have to be presented as a woman "  
(i would have to cross dress as a women not something i am really in to)(i was wearing some women's clothing on the day jeggings and a women's jacket nothing ott)
Bering in mind i was there first thing in the morning no one else was around   

when i was in m and s they took me in to the corridor leading to the empty changing rooms  and sized me there 

would any one have any recommendations of where to get sized with out presenting as a female in northern Ireland   

Why did you try Boux?
If I was looking for support, I wouldn't shop there.

What about going back to M&S?
Large department stores like House of Fraser sometimes do bra fittings. Ring them and ask.
Is there a Bravissimo in NI?

This sizing guide works for me:
Bra Fitting - How to Measure Bra Size (herroom.com)
but old threads on here suggest it doesn't work for everybody.

What size M&S bra did you have after being measured and which brand and size did you recently buy that was too tight?

Are you aware that bra sizes - just like sizing for dresses, trousers, shirts etc - differ from brand to brand?

confused_com

Pollycat said:

Why did you try Boux?
If I was looking for support, I wouldn't shop there.

What about going back to M&S?
Large department stores like House of Fraser sometimes do bra fittings. Ring them and ask.
Is there a Bravissimo in NI?.

What size M&S bra did you have after being measured and which brand and size did you recently buy that was too tight?

Are you aware that bra sizes - just like sizing for dresses, trousers, shirts etc - differ from brand to brand?

i tried boux because they were recommended by most people

i will try house of fraser 

the bra from boux was perfect in the cup but the band was to tight (i will just get a extender)

why can clothing sizes  not be  standardised like nuts and bolts 

x_raphael_xx

There are lots of guides online on how to size yourself at home. Although tbh I'd still rather get it done in store in case I'm still doing something wrong.

I'm surprised that it was even an issue in the store, what with people identifying as whatever nowadays. I'm a female, but if I walk in in jeans & a t-shirt would I not be respesenting as a man? Stupid rule.

Good luck

Jude57

confused_com said:

Pollycat said:

Why did you try Boux?
If I was looking for support, I wouldn't shop there.

What about going back to M&S?
Large department stores like House of Fraser sometimes do bra fittings. Ring them and ask.
Is there a Bravissimo in NI?.

What size M&S bra did you have after being measured and which brand and size did you recently buy that was too tight?

Are you aware that bra sizes - just like sizing for dresses, trousers, shirts etc - differ from brand to brand?

i tried boux because they were recommended by most people

i will try house of fraser 

the bra from boux was perfect in the cup but the band was to tight (i will just get a extender)

why can clothing sizes  not be  standardised like nuts and bolts 

Just to explain for anyone who doesn't know that, while it's possible to an extent to standardise dress/suit/tops/trouser sizes, bras are very different. As you know, a size 32" waist pair of trousers can fit your 32" waist perfectly, but be too long/short depending on the length of your legs. And I agree with other posters that even standardised sizes vary from brand/shop to brand/shop. For example, Primark sizes are reportedly on the small size, while M&S sizes are considered more generous, so a size 14 won't be the same in both shops but should fit the majority of size 14 people reasonably well. This is why, when we find a retailer who's sizing suits our physique, we become very loyal customers.

Bras are sized by band (36/38/40 etc) and by cup size (B/C/D etc) because sometimes tiny framed people can have large breasts and sometimes larger framed people can have smaller breasts. It's important to get both of these sizes correct because that will ultimately give you the support and comfort you need. To refer to your own example, you can certainly, with a bit of bodging, use wrong sized nuts and bolts for a job, but it won't be a long-term fix!

I'd recommend that if you're at all nervous, you phone a couple of independent lingerie shops as well as House of Fraser and M&S, and ask if they would be prepared to fit you. I can't see a branch of Bravissimo in your area, but there are a few independent shops. Online searching also shows that sports bras for men are available, but you'd still need to know your size to buy online so a good fitting would still help. If you're over about a 38" chest, you may need to look at plus-size women's sizes. Extenders are great but it's much better to have a band that fits properly because that's where the majority of the support is. Once you know your size, you can buy online from Bravissimo, Ample Bosom and other companies who specialise in plus sizes. You might find that independent retailers will order your size if they know you'll be a repeat customer.

One other possibility is seeing if you have a drag scene in your area. Generally, drag performers buy their bras with prosthetic breasts (removable) included and they're expensive, but they'll know where it's possible to buy bras for the male physique. The drag community is generally very welcoming to genuinely interested people, and you don't have to be a budding drag performer to pick their brains.

Finally, I don't know whether you've considered compression garments? There's a wide range of these available and most sports retailers sell them. They apparently give some support but I don't know how well they'd suit your own requirements and physique. Worth a look anyway.

theoretica

You may already know, but if you don't, cup sizes go down as band sizes go up.  So if you have a bra in a certain size than nearly fits but the band is too short (eg 38C) the next size to try is not a larger band and the same letter (eg 40C) , but a larger band and a smaller letter (eg 40B).

Pollycat

x_raphael_xx said:

There are lots of guides online on how to size yourself at home. Although tbh I'd still rather get it done in store in case I'm still doing something wrong.

I'm surprised that it was even an issue in the store, what with people identifying as whatever nowadays. I'm a female, but if I walk in in jeans & a t-shirt would I not be respesenting as a man? Stupid rule.

Good luck

I wouldn't think so.
Jeans and t-shirts have been worn by both men and women for many years.

Pollycat

confused_com said:

Pollycat said:

Why did you try Boux?
If I was looking for support, I wouldn't shop there.

What about going back to M&S?
Large department stores like House of Fraser sometimes do bra fittings. Ring them and ask.
Is there a Bravissimo in NI?.

What size M&S bra did you have after being measured and which brand and size did you recently buy that was too tight?

Are you aware that bra sizes - just like sizing for dresses, trousers, shirts etc - differ from brand to brand?

i tried boux because they were recommended by most people

i will try house of fraser 

the bra from boux was perfect in the cup but the band was to tight (i will just get a extender)

why can clothing sizes  not be  standardised like nuts and bolts 

Did you mainly ask young women?
Having been into Boux with my 20 year old niece, it's not the first place I'd choose if I was a man with large breasts.
I would want support. Not 'sexy'.
Not just support in the front of the bra but also around the sides.
Fashion/cheap bras tend to fit lower around the sides.

Have you looked at the link I gave about how to measure yourself?
Here's another (that contradicts the first method of measuring):
Want to know the real reason why women are wearing the wrong bra size? – Curvy Kate UK

Scroll down to the pictures showing back band.
Imho, the back size they say is correct shows the model spilling out of the bra at the sides.
I don't find this comfortable and in a close fitting top it wouldn't look good.

DullGreyGuy

confused_com said:
why can clothing sizes  not be  standardised like nuts and bolts 

Because humans arent regular flat sided objects.

Your waist may be 36" but how many of your trousers actually sit on your waist? So when you buy trousers for a 36" waist but they sit below your waist they are going to have to guess at your size. Even if it sat at your waist some people will have a small butt and others a big one but that isnt a dimension considered when we sell trousers only based on waist and inner leg size.

Emmia

Pollycat said:

confused_com said:

Pollycat said:

Why did you try Boux?
If I was looking for support, I wouldn't shop there.

What about going back to M&S?
Large department stores like House of Fraser sometimes do bra fittings. Ring them and ask.
Is there a Bravissimo in NI?.

What size M&S bra did you have after being measured and which brand and size did you recently buy that was too tight?

Are you aware that bra sizes - just like sizing for dresses, trousers, shirts etc - differ from brand to brand?

i tried boux because they were recommended by most people

i will try house of fraser 

the bra from boux was perfect in the cup but the band was to tight (i will just get a extender)

why can clothing sizes  not be  standardised like nuts and bolts 

Did you mainly ask young women?
Having been into Boux with my 20 year old niece, it's not the first place I'd choose if I was a man with large breasts.
I would want support. Not 'sexy'.
Not just support in the front of the bra but also around the sides.
Fashion/cheap bras tend to fit lower around the sides.

Have you looked at the link I gave about how to measure yourself?
Here's another (that contradicts the first method of measuring):
Want to know the real reason why women are wearing the wrong bra size? – Curvy Kate UK

Scroll down to the pictures showing back band.
Imho, the back size they say is correct shows the model spilling out of the bra at the sides.
I don't find this comfortable and in a close fitting top it wouldn't look good.

The Curvy Kate site suggests an underband measurement for their bras based on knicker size that I know for certain I wouldn't be able to do up around me.

I have a strapless bra one back size down, but a cup size up (as if there is any type of bra you want mega, mega tight, it's a strapless one), and that barely does up, but Curvy Kate suggests I should drop 3 back sizes!

I'm taking that advice with a large helping of salt.

I'm not sure how big your breasts are, but have you tried some of the stretchy crop top offerings from places like sweaty betty? E.g. the stamina bra

https://www.sweatybetty.com/sale/sale-underwear/sale-sports-bras/stamina-sports-bra--SB4920_WhiteA.html

Pollycat

Emmia said:

Pollycat said:

confused_com said:

Pollycat said:

Why did you try Boux?
If I was looking for support, I wouldn't shop there.

What about going back to M&S?
Large department stores like House of Fraser sometimes do bra fittings. Ring them and ask.
Is there a Bravissimo in NI?.

What size M&S bra did you have after being measured and which brand and size did you recently buy that was too tight?

Are you aware that bra sizes - just like sizing for dresses, trousers, shirts etc - differ from brand to brand?

i tried boux because they were recommended by most people

i will try house of fraser 

the bra from boux was perfect in the cup but the band was to tight (i will just get a extender)

why can clothing sizes  not be  standardised like nuts and bolts 

Did you mainly ask young women?
Having been into Boux with my 20 year old niece, it's not the first place I'd choose if I was a man with large breasts.
I would want support. Not 'sexy'.
Not just support in the front of the bra but also around the sides.
Fashion/cheap bras tend to fit lower around the sides.

Have you looked at the link I gave about how to measure yourself?
Here's another (that contradicts the first method of measuring):
Want to know the real reason why women are wearing the wrong bra size? – Curvy Kate UK

Scroll down to the pictures showing back band.
Imho, the back size they say is correct shows the model spilling out of the bra at the sides.
I don't find this comfortable and in a close fitting top it wouldn't look good.

The Curvy Kate site suggests an underband measurement for their bras based on knicker size that I know for certain I wouldn't be able to do up around me.

I have a strapless bra one back size down, but a cup size up (as if there is any type of bra you want mega, mega tight, it's a strapless one), and that barely does up, but Curvy Kate suggests I should drop 3 back sizes!

I'm taking that advice with a large helping of salt.

As I said in my earlier reply, 

Pollycat said:
This sizing guide works for me:
Bra Fitting - How to Measure Bra Size (herroom.com)
but old threads on here suggest it doesn't work for everybody.

so the CurvyKate method which contradicts that wouldn't work for me either.

I wasn't recommending any particular method, just pointing out the different ways to the OP.

I've been measured for a bra at both M&S and Debenhams and neither got anywhere near my correct measurement.

Many years ago, we used to have a proper lingerie shop and the lady in there could pretty much look at you and know your size.