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Sadistic Bra Fitter

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It always sucks when you start wearing a bra that actually fits correctly. The statistic I''ve seen is like 80-something percent of woemn are wearing the wrong size? Years ago, when I couldn''t find bras in regular stores any more, I went to a Lady Grace to get sized (since no one else at the time had giant bras) and the first time I wore the new bras it really felt like my ribs were going to break. The bruising was bad too. And this is from someone who does wear corsets- they can be more comfortable than new bra sometimes! You have to get used to it.

I had more of a problem with the older women helping me... one in the dressing room, the other she was relaying the info to- "Hey so-and-so, this one is a 36J!"
"Are you sure? Haven''t seen anyone that size in a long time."
"Yep, and they''re real!"

Yeah, fun times.

I last went to Intimacy and they were great. They are pros, no commentary, unless I said something humorous, and they can get pretty things in my size.
 
I hate that. I get them from lots of things and then constricting things drive me nuts. I cannot have a headband or pony tail on when I have one, nor most jewelry.

That would seem not to be the bra for you. No expert can tell you what is comfortable for you to wear.
 
HI:

What a story! I cannot relate to migraine headaches but have had two bad experiences with experts who convinced me to buy products that didn''t fit. I returned them and went elsewhere and bought stuff that was comfy. And actually fit! P.S. I like Chantelle bras.....

cheers--Shaon
 
I just got sized the other week and I was shocked because the size I was wearing was apparently wrong, considering I had gotten fitted at the SAME place a couple months earlier AND I''ve LOST 10 lbs since then but my cup size is now BIGGER.

I''ve always had a complex about the size of my boobs becuase they''re pretty big and I''ve just always been uncomfortable with them (I developed early and had D cups in 7th grade etc) when they sized me a couple months ago I was a 36DD when they sized me this time I was a 32G. When I got back into the car I cried because I was so upset with that size and my poor boyfriend tried EVERYTHING he could do to make me feel better.

My new bra is ok, but I feel like it fits the same as the bra I was previously wearing.. and they''re the same brand!
 
Ouch FlyGirl, that's not good! Definitely take that bra back and get something more comfortable. The perfect bra should be like a weight off your shoulders, literally
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The band should hold all the weight but it shouldn't hurt your ribs. Make sure that band is down good and LOW. It should be sit halfway from your shoulder to your elbow - much much lower than most people wear their bras. The shoulder straps should be secondary only and should never hurt or slip down.

I don't trust anyone measuring me in a shop. I suspect they fiddle the measurements so you come out at a size they have in stock. I went off and got myself a special bra size measuring tape and it changed my life. So much more comfortable! So much prettier! So much more body confidence! With this thing you measure under the bust and check the colour the inches are measured in, then you measure the bust itself and there will be bra sizes listed in different colours. Your bra size is printed in the colour you got for your underbust measurement. Mine isn't quite the same as this one but you get the idea: Colour-coded bra size measuring tape!

Now I measure myself with this tape before I go bra shopping, and then I try on various permutations of that size. Up a band size, down a band size. Up a cup size, down one. Ad nauseum! A 32 in Agent Provacateur hurts my ribcage. A 32 in a Panache is way too big. A 34 in a Panache is just right. Remember that the band:cup measure is a ratio. So, if you are wearing a B cup with a 34 band, you'll probably need a C cup if you try a 32 band. And so on. Also, it's worth knowing that different manufacturers use different cup size systems. I wear a 32E most of the time but some manufacturers call that a 32DD. So lots of trial and error is required!

brameasurementtape.jpg
 
Date: 4/14/2008 8:20:06 PM
Author: Fly Girl


Date: 4/14/2008 4:31:23 PM
Author: lyra
That's horrendous!! If you add 3 inches to the rib measurement where a bra should fit, do you get 38 or 42? That is supposed to be the formula for that part. I would definitely return the bra and get a refund.
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Thanks, lyra. I'm 37' around the ribs, and a 40 when I add the 3'. Of course, it all depends on whether I am breathing in or out at the time.
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I was going to keep it and add it to my diverse collection of poorly fitting bras. I have gobs of bra extenders, and different styles, so I never have to wear the same painful style on consecutive days. But, you may be correct that the better choice is to return it.

This is so sad. There has to be a better way.
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I was taught that you measure around the ribs, just under the bust, then add 5" if it is an odd number, or 4" if it is an even number. So if your rib measurement is 37" your proper band size is 42. Then you measure the bust around the fullest part (while wearing a well fitting bra to hold the girls up). The difference between the band size and the full bust measurement dictates the cup size: 1" difference = A, 2" = B, 3" = C, 4" = D, etc.
http://www.herroom.com/bra-fitting-advice,901,30.html

Your bra fitting lady sounds nuts. Bras are expensive. I would take the bra back and tell them the size their fitting lady recommended is clearly incorrect and you would like your money back.
 
Date: 4/14/2008 8:45:53 PM
Author: smiles
i love how everyone has a bra fitting story!!
Regarding the band stretching out you are actually supposed to begin wearing it on the looset or middle hook because it stretches out so that you can make it tighter when the band stretches!! so go tell your bra ladies that their logic makes no sense!! if you wear it on the tightest one and it stretches then it will be too big!!!

on a side note, I now have a bra fitter i love but i remember going in once to a regular mall store and asking the sales girl ''do you sell 32dd??'' she looked at me and said ''32dd??'' you dont need that! I was like, uh, yes i do, i know my size. in the middle of the store she whips out her measuring tape and says let me see!!! She measures me and shes like whooooaa you are a full 32dd!!!!! (loud enough for everyone in the store to hear) I was like thanks can you answer the question now???

Bra ladies are either amazing or silly. women are all different shapes and sizes and although we can appear to be one size mathematically maybe my ribcage is higher or lower or my breasts are really full?!?! theres so many variable! return the bra and ask your friends if they know nay good bra ladies!!
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That''s what I was taught too. Always start on the loosest setting, so as the bra stretches you have 2 more notches to tighten it.
 
Thanks for all of your responses. It was great hearing about problems others have had. I returned the bra today. It will probably be a long time before I try that again. It seems like finding a comfortable, properly fitted bra is hard for a lot of us.
 
Date: 4/15/2008 9:35:02 AM
Author: diamondfan
I hate that. I get them from lots of things and then constricting things drive me nuts. I cannot have a headband or pony tail on when I have one, nor most jewelry.

That would seem not to be the bra for you. No expert can tell you what is comfortable for you to wear.
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diamondfan - your comments about headbands and pony tails causing headaches reminds me of when I was on jury duty several years ago. The jury was being asked to decide if a woman''s headaches were the result of a car crash several years before or not. The woman wore her hair in a very tight ponytail, and several women on the jury thought that her hairdo was the more likely cause than a long ago car crash. So, you certainly aren''t alone there.
 
Sometimes a pony tail or ill fitting head band cause them and sometimes they just make bad ones worse. But when I have one anything that is tight has to come off immediately.

I think too the bra fitting can be different with cup and back size. Meaning, if you are a 34B you can also wear a 32C. Something like that, meaning you go up in one thing and down in another. And it should fit the same, which is weird.

Bras are like jeans to me. Gotta try on tons before the right one works well.
 
Date: 4/15/2008 6:17:43 PM
Author: Kay

I was taught that you measure around the ribs, just under the bust, then add 5'' if it is an odd number, or 4'' if it is an even number. So if your rib measurement is 37'' your proper band size is 42. Then you measure the bust around the fullest part (while wearing a well fitting bra to hold the girls up). The difference between the band size and the full bust measurement dictates the cup size: 1'' difference = A, 2'' = B, 3'' = C, 4'' = D, etc.
http://www.herroom.com/bra-fitting-advice,901,30.html

Your bra fitting lady sounds nuts. Bras are expensive. I would take the bra back and tell them the size their fitting lady recommended is clearly incorrect and you would like your money back.
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Maybe that works for some people, but it doesn''t work for me. As I''ve mentioned, if I get measured I''m supposed to me a 34A, but for some reason I don''t fit in those...
 
You know, it''s funny I should find this thread as I was just preparing to buy some new bras.

I''ve only been fitted once because I found it really creepy. They also told me I was much smaller than I normally wear. When I tried on that size I thought there''s no way I could keep this on all day.

For you folks who have had good experiences -- where are you getting fitted? I''ve only known Victoria''s Secret and Nordstrom''s to do fittings.

My problem is I hate the tight feeling of the band so my bras always creep up my back. I cheated for a few months and just wore a sports bra, but it''s not very figure flattering.
 
Most of the bad sizing experiences I have are from younger sales women at large retail stores who are obviously just working there for the employee discount.

I just went to Nordstrom''s today and was sized, it was great experience! I think it helped that the lady was young about 27ish and very similar in cup and body size to me. It turns out the bands I had been wearing are way too big (which apparently is a common mistake staff at Victoria Secret make because they dont have larger cup sizes and so they just give you a bigger band) and I needed a larger cup size. The new bras are much more snug...but not uncomfertable and I have SOOO much more support and lift. The woman was great she measured me - she brought me a sizing bra to try on to make sure she measured right and then pulled every kind of bra for me to try in the correct size. With great respect for my privacy and with my permission, she checked the fit and adjusted the straps of each one after I had it on. She also explained that 80% of support is from the band, but she was very concerned about whether I found them comfertable and always presented a larger band size as an option. She even insisted on bring me a white t-shirt to try on with the bras to make sure they weren''t visible under clothing.

I was very impressed and recommend trying Nordstrom''s , at least as a place to start.

Also, she told me NOT to use woolite on my bras, apparently it breaks down man made fibers. She recommended dreft or ivory.
 
This makes me laugh, thinking back to my last bra fitting. I am an A, on a good day, and she had me doing contortions like leaning way over forward when putting it on, in a much too tight band. (Those girls were in there somewhere, lol.) Although "perky," I too got rid of the thing. Just torture!
 
I had a similar experience, as did my best friend. I thought I was a 36C, and the fitter in a chi-chi shop I visited actually YELLED at me and said ''Do you want to sag down to here before you''re THIRTY!!?!??? Crazy girl!'' I also found my new Mad-Bra-Fitter assigned 32DD uncomfortable at first, but it makes an amazing difference in things like back pain and looks a BILLION times better under clothing. Like OH so much better.

My best friend learned that HER size is 30D. We both can only find bras in specialty stores or over the internet. The internet is great for this, though. Stores like Bare Necessities and Fig Leaves have a choice of dozens. Anchor since you''re an odd size too, maybe they have a store like this that ships to Canada?

Anyway, I think the moral of the story is that a bra is not supposed to be comfortable, it is supposed to support your back and like a good friend, support the Girls. If it feels really comfortable, it probably doesn''t fit. But I''m used to my new size now and don''t find it too bad, and it is definitely worth it to me not to have a sore back and to look well supported under clothes.
 
SRED don''t be sad! The size shift doesn''t mean your boobs got bigger at all! It just means that the ratio between The Girls and your back shifted. Your back got smaller, not your boobs got bigger.

E.g., the actual cup on a size 32DD is the same size as the cup on a 36C and 34D and 38B. Get it? So you''re good. You''re fine! Nothing to worry about.

And super congrats on the weight loss. That is a great achievement.
 
Date: 4/16/2008 10:32:58 AM
Author: anchor31
Date: 4/15/2008 6:17:43 PM

Author: Kay
I was taught that you measure around the ribs, just under the bust, then add 5' if it is an odd number, or 4' if it is an even number. So if your rib measurement is 37' your proper band size is 42. Then you measure the bust around the fullest part (while wearing a well fitting bra to hold the girls up). The difference between the band size and the full bust measurement dictates the cup size: 1' difference = A, 2' = B, 3' = C, 4' = D, etc.
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Maybe that works for some people, but it doesn't work for me. As I've mentioned, if I get measured I'm supposed to me a 34A, but for some reason I don't fit in those...
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Anchor, I have the same problem! That calculation puts me as a 32A. I'm actually a 34B or 32C (probably the latter, but you just don't see it in most stores). There is no way I'm an A cup, so I don't really get that formula.

ETA: Does anyone know of any stores that carry odd sizes like 32C? Indy, I checked the webpages you mentioned, but I'm not sure I want to pay that much (I'm a Target kinda girl), plus I'd like to try it on. I have such an awful time finding bras that fit that I'd hate to try ordering online. Of course, my problem could be that I can't really try the right size, and the closest approximation just doesn't fit.
 
Ordering on line is great if the store has a generous return policy (which they basically all do). You just order 20 bras in your size, try them all on in the comfort of your home, then send back the ones that don''t fit. They even include the pre-paid address label for returns. No muss no fuss. And if you''re a weird size, it''s impossible to find 20 options in an actual store. Usually, I can''t even find ONE.

Delster just saw your post. We both have the same size... does that make us... the Boobsy Twins?

Oh no. Sorry.
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Date: 4/24/2008 10:06:27 AM
Author: Independent Gal

Delster just saw your post. We both have the same size... does that make us... the Boobsy Twins?

Oh no. Sorry.
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Yup Indy!
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Sadly, though, I''m twice your size everywhere else
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I definitely recommend ordering lots of sizes and trying them all on. I vary between a D, a DD, or an E in cup size so I need to experiment a lot (depends on the manufacturer). Sadly the only online company that you could do that from in Ireland is gone bust (not surprising though, as their customer service sucked). I find Marks & Sparks always have a few bras in my size at a reasonable price. Otherwise I order from figleaves.co.uk and weep over the horror of paying in sterling and the shipping fees!

Anyway, once you find one that supports properly you''ll never go back. I really believe it is worth the extra money when you think about how often you wear a bra, and just for your comfort. And I totally agree about the band doing 80% of the work. I''d even go so far as to say that the straps are secondary only and you should be able to slip them off and the bra still mostly holds everything in place. That''s the magic secret
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Delster and Indy - I just joined the 32DD/E club officially at Nordstrom on Saturday - I was shopping with the lovely Ms. Gypsy and we found a cute dress that required a strapless bra. They called over someone from the lingerie department and she was GENIOUS. I had had a woman at a Maidenform store just two days earlier try to tell me I was a 34C - which of course I was spilling out of and it was too big around the ribs. This woman at Nordstrom measured me, told me the other woman was crazy, and managed to successfully fit me with a strapless that works wonders - seriously, this thing is a miracle garment. So I went back to her for regular bras a few days later, and she found some fantastic options - the Chantelles and Natoris fit particularly well.

I agree with Indy that the perfect supportive bra for those of us who are more generously endowed is probably not supposed to be super-comfortable, but should feel very supportive and of course you have to be able to wear it all day. I''m happy to report my new bras fit the bill
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Interesting on the subject of weight loss and bra sizes changing - I found that mine didn''t change nearly as much as I thought (hoped!) it would - I lost 50 lbs, and my bras went from a 36D to a 32DD/E, so that''s really only one cup size lost if I''m calculating correctly, right?
 
I know this is a month-old thread, but I''m so excited I had to post! Delster, Indy, and AmberGretchen, add me to the 32DD list as well!

I just went bra shopping last night (at Nordies as well) since all my bras were worn out and SO has been bugging me to get some new ones. Since the half yearly sale started yesterday and I''ve heard great things about their lingerie dept, I figured no time like the present (especially since he just melted one of my last bras in the dryer).

I''ve been wearing 34C for...oh, forever. They didn''t fit that well, but I figured that that was just how bras were. Apparently not! The bra fitter took about 2 seconds to figure out that I was a bit far off. My girls are now much better supported and I have some cute new bras, plus now I know what size I actually am!

I don''t see how it''s that unusual a size...it seems like there are quite a few of us with it. Or maybe it''s related to being a PSer?
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i didn''t read the thread,but all talk and no pictures ?
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you ladies know the PS rules...CHEST SHOTS, CHEST SHOTS!!!
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Date: 5/22/2008 6:42:08 PM
Author: ladypirate
I know this is a month-old thread, but I''m so excited I had to post! Delster, Indy, and AmberGretchen, add me to the 32DD list as well!


I just went bra shopping last night (at Nordies as well) since all my bras were worn out and SO has been bugging me to get some new ones. Since the half yearly sale started yesterday and I''ve heard great things about their lingerie dept, I figured no time like the present (especially since he just melted one of my last bras in the dryer).


I''ve been wearing 34C for...oh, forever. They didn''t fit that well, but I figured that that was just how bras were. Apparently not! The bra fitter took about 2 seconds to figure out that I was a bit far off. My girls are now much better supported and I have some cute new bras, plus now I know what size I actually am!


I don''t see how it''s that unusual a size...it seems like there are quite a few of us with it. Or maybe it''s related to being a PSer?
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Hehe ladypirate - welcome to the club
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I guess I just figured its an unusual size because 1) I always get weird looks when I tell the saleswomen that''s what size I wear, and 2) it seems like, as Indy noted above, the options are really limited. I have to say I continue to be impressed w/ Nordstrom selection and service though. I too hit up the sale today and found some super-cute stuff in my size. Sadly, one thing wasn''t on sale, but I had to get it anyway, it was my favorite bra in the whole world (Natori, super-soft, 32DD w/ lacy straps and fits like a dream) in a gorgeous purpley-blue color.

Isn''t it amazing how much difference the right fit makes? All my clothes fit so much better since I actually got fitted with a proper bra. I''m sure you''ll have the same experience - your confidence and posture improve dramatically
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So sorry..... Bra shopping is the worst and it's just like jeans... they all fit different even if they are the same "size".
Have you tired Wacoal or Felina? Both of those are VERY comfy and can be worn ALL day long with no issues!!!! Just a thought based on what I have found... my ribs sit higher too, so I know that digging and bruising feeling! Good luck


ETA: I am also in the 32DD club..... it's been hard to find sizes and bras that are comfy in this range so I stick to the ones I do like and find
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Sometimes, if your bra is too comfortable it means it isn''t doing it''s job. If you then move to a correctly fitted bra, it will feel strange, but just for a day or so.

Bra''s should be changed at least every three months, because after going through the washer etc....they tend to loose their stretch and support.

Merl
 
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