LADIES- Bra question

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Replies

  • vytamindi
    vytamindi Posts: 845 Member
    I was an expert fitter at Nordstroms. Bras usually last about 6 mos, 3 if you have two and wear it all the time, 9 if you have lots and rotate them. Most suggest you have a minimum of three for this reason. The reason for 6 mos is that elastic in you bra stretches and wears out over time. the bra may still feel good or "fit" you but it is not longer working for you. For that reason your bra will get looser. Your band is the inches around plus 2, so if you measure 34 inches try a 36. After 38 inches you become closer to your true size. If you measure 40 inches than usually 40 is you band size. Your straps are to lift the front. But if the back is too loose, you end up lifting the back strap and your bra curves up in the back. The number one problem is that us women hate are figures and we will not go up the necessary cup size so we and some store will sell you a larger band with a smaller cup. Most women are smaller in the band than they think and much larger in the cup. An average skinny women is usually a D or DD. Many of us are actually F's (DDD) G's (DDDD), H's (DDDDD). I promise if you go down in the band and get in the right cup you will show off the thinest part of you which for most women is the area under their chest. You should have no spillage and don't loosen the band to make your cup turn into a sling! :) Good luck :)
    Sorry ladies but Victoria's Secret is the worst. They are just trying to make money so they will tell you the wrong size and sell you a bra size that they stock rather than the size you actually are.

    A good department store like Nordstrom's is the way to go. To the poster who couldn't find anything at Nordstrom's - that's strange, you should try again or try a specialty bra shop for large sizes. If Nordstrom doesn't have it in the store, they can order it for you.

    In sports bras, I wear the brand Anita Active, and I cannot recommend it to you enough. It is like my favorite thing in my life. I am size 32H. I think VS tried to sell me like a 42D - what a scam.

    To the lady who asked why VS doesn't sell more sizes - because the profit margin isn't worth it to their corporate money crunchers ( probably men lol!). They figure that most women are size A through C.

    Some very good advice here! Also, VS didn't support my chest at all, and even trying some bras on I could feel/hear seams snapping. Save your money!
  • Danni3ll3
    Danni3ll3 Posts: 365 Member
    I was an expert fitter at Nordstroms. Bras usually last about 6 mos, 3 if you have two and wear it all the time, 9 if you have lots and rotate them. Most suggest you have a minimum of three for this reason. The reason for 6 mos is that elastic in you bra stretches and wears out over time. the bra may still feel good or "fit" you but it is not longer working for you. For that reason your bra will get looser. Your band is the inches around plus 2, so if you measure 34 inches try a 36. After 38 inches you become closer to your true size. If you measure 40 inches than usually 40 is you band size. Your straps are to lift the front. But if the back is too loose, you end up lifting the back strap and your bra curves up in the back. The number one problem is that us women hate are figures and we will not go up the necessary cup size so we and some store will sell you a larger band with a smaller cup. Most women are smaller in the band than they think and much larger in the cup. An average skinny women is usually a D or DD. Many of us are actually F's (DDD) G's (DDDD), H's (DDDDD). I promise if you go down in the band and get in the right cup you will show off the thinest part of you which for most women is the area under their chest. You should have no spillage and don't loosen the band to make your cup turn into a sling! :) Good luck :)

    ^What she said!!! ^ I thought I was a 38DD but actually I am a 32G or 34FF depending on the brand. I was buying huge bands to try to fit in the cups and I look so much slimmer and better now that I have the right size. I have to go to specialty shops but it is worth it.

    To the ladies who wear their phone in their bras, I read a study recently stating that there was an increase in breast cancer in the ladies who had this habit. Please get rid of that habit and put your phone somewhere else.
  • ginandchocolate
    ginandchocolate Posts: 72 Member
    Not sure. I started out my weight loss journey as a 38F and am now down to a 36D. I know not everyone can afford it, but it really helps to get fitted for a bra, especially if the girls are large. A great fitting bra can really make your shape look at lot better.
  • michellew91
    michellew91 Posts: 47 Member
    Hi ladies- its my first time ever reading the boards and I found this particular one. I just got a fitting at victoria secrets and am down a cup size but only in certain fits. Lacy vs. Demi vs. Full cup (well I can't pull off demi cut-I get bra muffin top)
    But what made me laugh out loud was keeping the phone in the left side of your bra. That's where I keep mine too! Love it!
    This totally happens to me with demi bras as well, glad I'm not the only one! The body by Victoria line is the best!
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I was an expert fitter at Nordstroms. Bras usually last about 6 mos, 3 if you have two and wear it all the time, 9 if you have lots and rotate them. Most suggest you have a minimum of three for this reason. The reason for 6 mos is that elastic in you bra stretches and wears out over time. the bra may still feel good or "fit" you but it is not longer working for you. For that reason your bra will get looser. Your band is the inches around plus 2, so if you measure 34 inches try a 36. After 38 inches you become closer to your true size. If you measure 40 inches than usually 40 is you band size. Your straps are to lift the front. But if the back is too loose, you end up lifting the back strap and your bra curves up in the back. The number one problem is that us women hate are figures and we will not go up the necessary cup size so we and some store will sell you a larger band with a smaller cup. Most women are smaller in the band than they think and much larger in the cup. An average skinny women is usually a D or DD. Many of us are actually F's (DDD) G's (DDDD), H's (DDDDD). I promise if you go down in the band and get in the right cup you will show off the thinest part of you which for most women is the area under their chest. You should have no spillage and don't loosen the band to make your cup turn into a sling! :) Good luck :)

    So when I measure my band size, I get 39in....I am wearing a 38 bra. That was the correct thing to do? My boobs were trying to escape out the bottom of my 40s
  • vytamindi
    vytamindi Posts: 845 Member
    So when I measure my band size, I get 39in....I am wearing a 38 bra. That was the correct thing to do? My boobs were trying to escape out the bottom of my 40s

    Are you pulling the tape really tight? It's gotta be tight, but not enough to leave a red mark.

    Are you measuring at the root of your breast, too? Not over the breast or on top of the breast.
  • heatherloveslifting
    heatherloveslifting Posts: 1,428 Member
    I was an expert fitter at Nordstroms. Bras usually last about 6 mos, 3 if you have two and wear it all the time, 9 if you have lots and rotate them. Most suggest you have a minimum of three for this reason. The reason for 6 mos is that elastic in you bra stretches and wears out over time. the bra may still feel good or "fit" you but it is not longer working for you. For that reason your bra will get looser. Your band is the inches around plus 2, so if you measure 34 inches try a 36. After 38 inches you become closer to your true size. If you measure 40 inches than usually 40 is you band size. Your straps are to lift the front. But if the back is too loose, you end up lifting the back strap and your bra curves up in the back. The number one problem is that us women hate are figures and we will not go up the necessary cup size so we and some store will sell you a larger band with a smaller cup. Most women are smaller in the band than they think and much larger in the cup. An average skinny women is usually a D or DD. Many of us are actually F's (DDD) G's (DDDD), H's (DDDDD). I promise if you go down in the band and get in the right cup you will show off the thinest part of you which for most women is the area under their chest. You should have no spillage and don't loosen the band to make your cup turn into a sling! :) Good luck :)

    So when I measure my band size, I get 39in....I am wearing a 38 bra. That was the correct thing to do? My boobs were trying to escape out the bottom of my 40s

    I would say 38 sounds right. And two inches too big is a LOT. Adding there is a website called "Bratabase" that let's you input a ton of measurements and predicts bras that will fit you well.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    So when I measure my band size, I get 39in....I am wearing a 38 bra. That was the correct thing to do? My boobs were trying to escape out the bottom of my 40s

    Are you pulling the tape really tight? It's gotta be tight, but not enough to leave a red mark.

    Are you measuring at the root of your breast, too? Not over the breast or on top of the breast.

    I measure under my breasts, right where the band would hit. There isn't much fat there anymore...

    45in at the nipple line...

    42in sorta above the breast, with the measuring tape sorta in my arm pits.

    Right now I am claiming a 38C.
  • vytamindi
    vytamindi Posts: 845 Member
    So when I measure my band size, I get 39in....I am wearing a 38 bra. That was the correct thing to do? My boobs were trying to escape out the bottom of my 40s

    Are you pulling the tape really tight? It's gotta be tight, but not enough to leave a red mark.

    Are you measuring at the root of your breast, too? Not over the breast or on top of the breast.

    I measure under my breasts, right where the band would hit. There isn't much fat there anymore...

    45in at the nipple line...

    42in sorta above the breast, with the measuring tape sorta in my arm pits.

    Right now I am claiming a 38C.

    I got fitted yesterday. Measuring myself, I got 38/39 and she eventually put me in a 36. It feels great! Nice and secure. Could just be the brand, too.

    Best of luck! Report back here when you've found your right bra!
  • spskinny
    spskinny Posts: 96 Member
    I measure a 39 too. Here it will depend on the manufacture. Some styles I am a 38H or a 40 G. Do you see how I dropped a cup size when I went up a band size? Just to make things a little more challenging a 34D for example, is the same (ish) cup size as a 36C. An B cup is not the same B cup for different bands, they are related to each other. Chantelle runs small, Natori, Wacol , run more true to size. If you are fuller, forget Playtex and other cheap bras. Le Mystere's Lace TIsha is extraordinary for fuller figures ( Oprah wears it and it is half price at Nordstrom twice a year). I have had women cry and hug because of the drastic physical change just from getting "the girls" where they should be. Few more tips, your nipple line in the bra should line up half way between your shoulder and elbow. Tip two, you should be able to look in a mirror with your bra on and see the band of the bra under your girls.

    Good luck!

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