Wrong Bra Size ladies?

124

Replies

  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    I have been wearing a 34D for the past year in a Bali basic smooth bra with underwire and now that I lost 7lbs, I was thinking about getting a 32D. I am going to have to hunt down the 32 band size, I could not find it at the store I got the 34Ds. Any suggestions on where to shop besides online for getting the smaller band sizes?

    I have this problem. I am a 32E which most stores, including Victorias Secret, do not make or carry. I have to go to major department stores like Nordstroms or Macys. They are expensive but so worth it!
    Try Norsdtrom Rack once you have tried on all the brands/sizes. They get a good selection of bras too. I also order from Figleaves.com. Good selection, and easy returns. (I am a 36H at the moment)

    Thank you I will try there too.
  • i_love_vinegar
    i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
    I don't trust the people who "size" me because they always come up with completely different sizes and the bras never fit well. I've been measured at anything from an a cup to a d cup. <.< I just try on every single size and then see which ones fit best. It takes time, but at least my bras fit. Right now in Japan I am a D65 or D70. In America I am usually a B32 or C32. Never been sized at these, but these are the ones that fit me best.
  • cookiet83
    cookiet83 Posts: 30
    After being measured loads of times over the years ive always been told i was a 38B......Then i went and got fitted and was told i was a 36F!!! i mean you couldnt get further away from a Bcup, the bras did fit nicely but i dont see how im that size when my boobs (sorry) are not even that big!
  • 10036
    10036 Posts: 51 Member
    this is why i try to stick to sports bras as much as possible.

    Me too!
  • I wear a 32DDD and I buy from Norstrom. They have a nice selection.
    I will second the recommendation of an independent lingerie shop. They do the absolute best sizing at those. Or take your measurements and try the calculator linked earlier. And be willing to try on different sizes. I almost always take a 32D, 34C, and 34D back with me in each style I like to see which one gives me the best fit. I'm sized as a 32D and that's what I get the most often, but sometimes one of the other sizes fits better in a particular style.

    Also, remember that they cannot ever force you to buy a bra. If you don't like the way you look or feel in it, don't buy it.

    I have been wearing a 34D for the past year in a Bali basic smooth bra with underwire and now that I lost 7lbs, I was thinking about getting a 32D. I am going to have to hunt down the 32 band size, I could not find it at the store I got the 34Ds. Any suggestions on where to shop besides online for getting the smaller band sizes?
  • dol826
    dol826 Posts: 26 Member
    Your band size is the distance around your ribs, just under your bust.

    When you measure the fullest part around your bust, subtract the band measurement from that number, to find your cup size. 1" difference is an A cup. 2" = B. 3" = C. 4" = D. 5" = E. 6" = F. 7" = G. 8" = H...and so on.

    According to this I am a 30E (ribs 29.5", fullest part of bust, 34.5") Is E the same thing as DD? Right now I wear a 34D and the band could be snugger, and the cups are starting to have a bit of a loose feel, so I was going to try a 32D, but maybe I should try a 32D, 30E, and 30D? Man, I have to figure out where I am going to find those sizes. I live in a fairly large city so hopefully one of those major department stores mentioned is here (I HATE HATE HATE shopping so I have no idea what we have here)
  • dol826
    dol826 Posts: 26 Member
    And in the mean time, I am wearing sports bras 90% of the time. Squishy but at least everything kind of stays in place.
  • rcarri
    rcarri Posts: 17 Member
    I am wearing a 32DD right now. It fit fine when I bought it, but its not fitting anymore. I don't trust VS to measure me (besides they don't sell bras in my size). The last time I was measured at VS, the lady told me I should wear a 38A, ummmm......I don't think so. Even the fullest part of my chest is less than 38".
  • La_Amazona
    La_Amazona Posts: 4,855 Member
    I need to get fitted one of these days. I'm sure I'm wearing the wrong size.
  • rcarri
    rcarri Posts: 17 Member
    I will second the recommendation of an independent lingerie shop. They do the absolute best sizing at those. Or take your measurements and try the calculator linked earlier. And be willing to try on different sizes. I almost always take a 32D, 34C, and 34D back with me in each style I like to see which one gives me the best fit. I'm sized as a 32D and that's what I get the most often, but sometimes one of the other sizes fits better in a particular style.

    Also, remember that they cannot ever force you to buy a bra. If you don't like the way you look or feel in it, don't buy it.

    I have been wearing a 34D for the past year in a Bali basic smooth bra with underwire and now that I lost 7lbs, I was thinking about getting a 32D. I am going to have to hunt down the 32 band size, I could not find it at the store I got the 34Ds. Any suggestions on where to shop besides online for getting the smaller band sizes?

    I buy all my bras from barenecessities.com. They have a wide range of sizes and they have some really good specials.


    ***Ooops...sorry, I missed the "not online" part.
  • ahealthy4u
    ahealthy4u Posts: 442 Member
    I was mind-blown yesterday. So I had some coupons so I went to VS and tried some on. They just didn't fit right, I noticed for a bit now my bras were fitting weird but I didn't think much of it, I have several bras from VS and Aerie. I gave them back to the girl at the dressing room and she asked if I'd been fitted, I said no so she fitted me. I thought I was having an issue with band size but she said it was cup size and that I should be in the 36DD or maybe a 36D and I was wearing 36C's.

    Has anyone else had this happen? I tried on the 36DD and D and she was right, they fit much better. I think I am going to go back and get another since I have to exchange one anyway since I found defect in it. But still, that's insane. I didn't think I was a DD, you always thing massive when you think of that size :/

    Yeah this is an ongoing issue for me. Drives me nuts I have been measured and re measured I will be due again real soon but I am holding off till my goal weight if I can "LOL" and wearing not so sexy work out bra's LOL!!!! Don’t think my hubby is too crazy over that issue of the work out bra but he doesn’t have to be fitted and I am only looking out for him and not spending his money.
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 743 Member
    Honestly VS is pretty bad at sizing...I have pretty (ahhhem..) large boobs and VS constantly sizes me at 34 D...well in fact I wear a 30 G..I have a very small ribcage (which VS does not accomodate) there for they just try to squeeze you into "whatever"!!!!

    Go to nordtroms...they have an amazing selection...plus their sales team is highly trained in intimates. Nordies is expensive, but once you find what fits you can start searching for deals..(ebayUK has a great selection of bras)
  • hheater
    hheater Posts: 52 Member
    There is no "huge" size....every girl is different. Just because you have a large bust doesn't mean that you're a large person. :) Curvy is beautiful. Actually, I went to a special boutique to be fitted...and I was a DDD according to their measurements. I thought I was a D before. I was told by several specialty boutiques that VS has their own system, and that being measured by them isn't reliable. They only measure you according to their brand. I would encourage you to go somewhere that specializes in lingerie and bra fittings! :) Don't worry about the numbers...who cares? :) When you get the right bra that FITS, your clothes will look amazing!
  • thefoodnerd
    thefoodnerd Posts: 27 Member
    I've never had much luck with bra fittings. They never seem right. Mostly because each brand fits differently. I try on various sizes until I find something that is supportive and looks good. No substitute for getting a bra that feels right, rather than what size you are told you should be.
  • AlayshaJ
    AlayshaJ Posts: 703 Member
    Yupp. I was wearing a 36B for the longest time until I decided to fit myself and realized that I am actually a 34C. But for some reason I always have to do the racerbacks because nothing else is comfortable./
  • Lifting_chick
    Lifting_chick Posts: 275 Member
    I think VS bras run small, because same thing here I wear a C but in VS bras I have to go to a D cup
  • amj3303
    amj3303 Posts: 111 Member
    I agree Victoria Secrets had me in the wrong size.. I went to Dillards.. and yup! they measured me and picked some bras out for me to try on. They also came in the room with me and made sure my bra fit correctly.. LOVE Dillards!
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,810 Member
    I LOVE Victoria's Secret. They have never ever ever steered me wrong. There and Nordstrom are the only 2 places I will buy bras because they always fit me properly.

    I thought for so long I was a 36C when I was really a 34DD! I got re-sized when I lost some weight and once they told me at VS I was a 36D, I tried on their biofit bras in that size and they fit so perfectly I bought like 5. I gained some weight so they were a bit small again, but now that I've lost again they are fitting perfectly!

    I'll definitely get fitted again when I lose another 10 lbs or so :)
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,810 Member
    Honestly VS is pretty bad at sizing...I have pretty (ahhhem..) large boobs and VS constantly sizes me at 34 D...well in fact I wear a 30 G..I have a very small ribcage (which VS does not accomodate) there for they just try to squeeze you into "whatever"!!!!

    Go to nordtroms...they have an amazing selection...plus their sales team is highly trained in intimates. Nordies is expensive, but once you find what fits you can start searching for deals..(ebayUK has a great selection of bras)

    I've always had great sizing from VS BUT you're right, they do NOT accommodate for ladies with a bigger bust than a DD. Nordstrom is fantastic :)
  • insatiable_need
    insatiable_need Posts: 127 Member
    Bra fitting is my hobby. It is something I love to do because it really transforms a woman when she finds the right size. I'd never EVER send a woman to VS for a bra. There are much better options, that come in a variety of sizes that do not stop in a DD and come below a 32 band.

    This is the best calculator I have found, but it is still a starting point not a 100% set size.
    http://www.sophisticatedpair.com/bracalculator.htm
    Check out this post about fitting, it shows how the old method of sizing is a waste of your time and money.
    http://www.catwalkqueen.tv/2012/03/why_the_plus_fo.html

    I like your way of measuring a lot more! It puts me at a 30-32 DD instead of the 32 A the traditional way of fitting puts me at (which is beyond not true because I've NEVER been below a C cup even though I've lost all this weight. I normally pack around Ds or DDs. The bras I'm wearing right now are 34Ds and 36Cs and I like the way they fit just fine. I did the measurement myself using the quoted method, but I do want to go get professionally fitted when I'm out with my friends this weekend.

    And I agree completely with the "VS can NOT size" comments. VS is awful for me when it comes to bras!
  • dol826
    dol826 Posts: 26 Member
    So this thread inspired me to stop at Macy's today when I had a spare 20 minutes. I hunted for and found some 32Ds, and tried about six bras on. I found the Maidenform tshirt bra in a 32D was just a scoch too small in the cup for me, but of course there were no 32DDs in that bra out on the rack. I might see if I can order it.

    That sophisticated pair bra calculator put me at a 30E/DD.

    And then I got to thinking, I still have about 10 lbs of fat to lose and I am doing a lot of strength training, so the shape of that area of my body is going to change. Maybe I should wait it out a little longer....and really splurge when I have gotten to a point that is not as transitional as my body is currently.

    I want to thank everyone for sharing their experiences and the OP for starting this thread because I think for the first time I am going to actually try to go for what seemed like an impossibly weird bra size for me (I spent my life in 34Cs even when I was smaller than I am currently, despite knowing about those bra calculators, and have had to deal with spillage and double bumps in my quest for a good bra - guess I was looking the wrong way).
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
    so hard to find a fitter who knows their sheet. Supposedly your band size is your ribcage measurement plus 5 inches. Uh no, wrong. That puts me in a 44, which I can put over my head. Eff the fitters! I'm in 36DDD, and it fits the way it's supposed to. no spillage, etc.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member


    That sophisticated pair bra calculator put me at a 30E/DD.

    And then I got to thinking, I still have about 10 lbs of fat to lose and I am doing a lot of strength training, so the shape of that area of my body is going to change. Maybe I should wait it out a little longer....and really splurge when I have gotten to a point that is not as transitional as my body is currently.

    Good idea. Bras for me are $50+ so I know I plan to minimize bra shopping. ;)
  • BeetleChe13
    BeetleChe13 Posts: 498 Member
    According to the link someone posted, I'm a 30C. I doubt I'll ever find a bra that size. Never even seen a 30, except a 30A in the girls section. :laugh: I feel better now, since I was told I'm a 32B but usually wear a 34A for comfort. Looks like I have more than I thought I did.
  • emczech5
    emczech5 Posts: 224 Member
    I'll give my bra szing rant. (VS does not size bras correctly.)

    When I was in university, I had a part-time job in the lingerie section of a department store. I was taught how to fit bras.

    I am currently a 30G. I buy my bras online mostly from Bravissimo.

    Your band size is the distance around your ribs, just under your bust.

    When you measure the fullest part around your bust, subtract the band measurement from that number, to find your cup size. 1" difference is an A cup. 2" = B. 3" = C. 4" = D. 5" = E. 6" = F. 7" = G. 8" = H...and so on.

    Most American bra manufacturers purport that all women are 1-4" bigger around their busts, than their band sizes (i.e. only offering A-D cups). Some, like VS, tell consumers to add 4-5" to the band size, for some reason.

    Proper bra fitting means the band is parallel to the ground, and doesn't angle up in the back. If the band is going up at the back, it means the band is too big, and not able to give proper support.

    Bra fitting rant ended. ;-)

    This seems really helpful. Thanks.
  • jb_2011
    jb_2011 Posts: 1,029 Member
    My new one feels horribly uncomfortable. That's all I know. It fits, but it's not right. Back to the drawing board.
  • ahubacek
    ahubacek Posts: 135
    A friend who used to work at VS told me that they have a policy of telling people a wrong but "equivalent" bra size if they don't carry the needed size in store; this means they were recommending people go down a cup size but up a band size. IDK if this is the policy everywhere or only in my very small town, but it made sense to me since every time I've gone into VS for a fitting, the bras have been horribly ill fitting...

    I've been buying mine online at stores like BareNecessities for years and have always found them to be much better fitting (like I'm not falling out over the top) and they carry a much bigger selection of sizes.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,446 Member
    A friend who used to work at VS told me that they have a policy of telling people a wrong but "equivalent" bra size if they don't carry the needed size in store; this means they were recommending people go down a cup size but up a band size. IDK if this is the policy everywhere or only in my very small town, but it made sense to me since every time I've gone into VS for a fitting, the bras have been horribly ill fitting...

    I've been buying mine online at stores like BareNecessities for years and have always found them to be much better fitting (like I'm not falling out over the top) and they carry a much bigger selection of sizes.

    That was what I found, and then I was still spilling out of the 38DDs and I thought I needed to find a new store. I spent entirely too long walking around in the wrong size. Half of my 20s. If not more.
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
    thank you all for the comments about VS. I have long thought their bras were garbage. Now I know why.
  • Razkler14
    Razkler14 Posts: 74
    VS bras are amazing!!! And yes... can typically fit two sizes there. If you go up in cup size you go down in chest measurement and vice versa... I only wear their bras. Spendy but oh so worth it!
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