Don't feel bad Suzy. Most women need a smaller band and larger cup size than they think. For some reason that error has completely permeated our thinking in this country.

For some reason all the decent larger sized bras (>DDD) are all imports! But you live in Texas, and my favorite online store is HerRoom.com and they ship from Dallas!

They have 34 L and go up to 56K (and we're not talking computers here)!

They have free shipping and free returns. I bought three bras in three different sizes, tried them on, returned them for free and then got three more and tried them till I found the one I liked and returned the leftovers and filled them with the ones I liked. This was the first place I ever found a bra that I can say was too big for me.

I actually have a small rib cage and big boobs and its horrible trying to find my size!!

34 D

I agree with an earlier poster, I am a C and a half!

In C's my boobs overflow and in D's my boobs have too much room! I have C's and D's and when I wear D's my boobs look bigger.

I wonder if people notice...

"Stephi's boobs aren't the same size everyday. Hmmm."

:rofl:

OH gosh I feel like crying too. I finally went trying on bras and found out I am a 34 DDD/DDDD. Can you just believe that??? I found that out and cried-- I felt like a freak. I mean I did have implants after the weight loss but I didn't choose the size, my doctor and I just agreed that he would do whatever size was needed to fill out the skin. And it made me that big!! :(

It's not as big as it sounds. I know you hear things like 36C or something is average, but I really believe the average women should be in a smaller band size and a bigger cup than we are used to. When you're out and about, notice how many women have bras riding up in back. Sometimes it's most of them. That means they're aren't being supported and need a smaller band. And when you go down in band size, you go up in cup size, because it's all just relative. The C in a 42C is a very different size from the C in a 32C.

Sometimes the bras are riding up in back because of a band size that is too large...and other times the bra might have fit ONCE, but it is worn out. The elastic/stretch components in the bra have been worn out from too many washings and wearings. A good bra, if you wear it a couple times a week, and hand wash/line dry it-should only last 6-8 months.

That is currently my problem, too. I lost quite a few inches in chest (I think 4 1/2") but somehow my bra size did not change much, other than it looks I am half way between C and D (depending on each specific bra).

Also, am I the only who has one boob [significantly] bigger than the other?

"I feel your pain, hun.
Same with dress shopping.
There's only been 1 time in my life when I didn't have to wear a stiff, uncomfortable 24-hook corsette-style girdle bra with a dress. And the dress had a laceup back so I couldn't breathe anyways lol

Last time I went bra shopping at JC Pennies, the little Asian woman who was assisting me laughed at me and said I should just leave."

OMG that is the most horrible thing ever!

Noo tomato you're in good ocmpany!

I'm bumping this thread up. I wear a 44D & my problem is that my boobs must be funny shaped. They always fit the bottom of the cup, but the top of the cup is all saggy. In the past, I always solved this by buying a demi cup. Body by Victoria Demi was my favorite. Now I'm way to big for VS. Does anyone else have this problem & if so, what are your favorite bras?

I have the reverse problem--No store thinks the big women would have small boobs--I a 40-42 and a A cup. It's just my luck that the only thing that doesn't get fat on my when I gain weight is my boobs. Sigh! Well, when I get to my goal weight, I should be able to buy the bras off the rack. It only gives me more motivation.

Amy--Sorry my post wasn't more help to you--if I could, I'd trade you boobs :)

I used to be a bra fitter... and I can tell you I have seen it ALL. ALLLLLLLLL...

And I used to do EVERYTHING in my power to fit a woman in the RIGHT bra for HER. And I could do that 99% of the time. (Honestly, the toughest to fit were women who had augmentations -- european bras tend to be better for augmented breasts, btw).

A my Top-10(+1) tips that might be helpful for everyone.

#1 most important thing... ALWAYS... is get your band size right. This is the MOST important thing about your bra. It's what does the supporting -- NOT the cup. You can measure yourself at home if it's more comfortable for you. Fold over the measuring tape at 5 inches and then measure. Pull the tape snugly, but not TIGHT just below your breasts. THAT is your band measurement. Cup size is secondary and fairly arbitrary depending on the brand. The band should NEVER cut into you. and it should NOT ride up your back (too big of a band size). It should also fit on the middle clasp...

#2 -- DON'T be afraid of underwire! If a bra fits you correctly, it will not dig into you. The underwire should come up toward the middle of your armpit. (amazingly, if you see the new VS ad for their new miracle bra, you'll notice the bra does not FIT her AT ALL because you can see how the underwire on the side comes up about two inches away from her airmpit, and she's spilling over the cup)

#3 -- Don't be afraid of a little "lining." If you're larger, it WILL NOT make you appear larger... but it does help shape and lift a little and is good for "modesty." Lined is not the same as PADDING.

#4 -- try on SEVERAL different types of bras. Try a full coverage, a demi-cup, lacy (except when you're wearing t-shirts!), not lacy, lined, unlined (though, please refer to #3). Try something new and don't get stuck in the mindset of wearing a bra style you're most familiar with... You could surprise yourself.

#5 -- You should NEVER have quad boobs. EVER. If you're large -- find a more full-coverage cup that smooths you out. Your boobs should not be split in half by a too-small cup. EVER.

#6 -- Once you get your band size right, go ahead and try on bras with the same band size and different cup sizes. It varies -- stupid bra manufacturers.

#7 -- Another reason bra manufacturers are stupid is that you can actually go down a band-size and up a cup size and the bra will generally fit the same. (For example, a 38B fits almost exactly as a 36C... a 38C same as a 36D, etc...) So if you're having problems finding the right size, go ahead and try this trick... but I would only suggest doing it for ONE SIZE difference..

#8 -- Minimizer bras can work wonders for very large breasts. Just be sure you can breathe in them!

#9 -- Don't freak out over brands. If a bra fits well, it doesn't matter. (honestly, the selection at places like Kohls is INCREDIBLE)

#10 -- I know it's been mentioned before but Playtex makes "Nearly" bras to fit all of you who are "in between" sizes.

#11 -- If you have one breast larger than the other, don't be too ashamed to wear "chicken cutlet" inserts to help balance you out. Or find a bra with removable padding -- you can keep the padding in one and take it out of the other. Don't be embarrassed about the "cutlet" no one will see it -- and anyone who would see it has seen your breasts anyway...


The right bra will make all the difference in the world... It will make you appear thiner, make you stand up more straight and you won't be chomping at the bit to get home to take off your bra at the end of the day.

If any of you have questions, PLEASE don't hesitate to PM me. I went through a ton of training, and AGAIN have seen it ALLLLLL. NOTHING surprises me. If you have a problem, I PROBABLY have a solution or some suggestions.

Good luck ladies... we're all in it together... :hug: but I have faith that there is a bra for EVERYONE out there.

36F. Seriously. NO-ONE makes a 36F.

I can't buy sports bras (except for a very few) that will hold my floppy, post-children and weight loss suckers in and not let them flap around. If I find a bra that fits well and is comfortable (again, most regular shops tell me "sorry, they only make this style up to a D in your size") I buy half a dozen pairs, because I am never sure when I will find something that fits again.

As for sales, forget it. I don't think I've ever bought a nice, well-fitting bra on sale. There's a new specialty shop here that opened last year, and they have some lovely stuff. They don't have anything under a D cup. But the price! :sp: They start at about $95! I can't be doing that.

:rofl: The great American boob swap.

If the top half of your cup is saggy, it sounds like you are wearing a cup size too large. Try a few 44C size bras on. It should fill out the cup, and make the breasts look more lifted.

Check out the JMS site here, and scroll to the bottom. They sell the specialty line of Glamorise bras, called Glamorise AB. They are plus sized bras MADE for A & B cups. They are all under $30!!!! :D

Here is the eBay page for 36F...there are some nice Glamorize sports bras on there, too:

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trk...All-Categories

Here is the page on eBay for 36DDD, which is the same thing as F (and DD is the same as E) :

http://shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_dmp...=36F&_osacat=0


There are a LOT of choices there, you just aren't going to find them on the rack at most stores. (My mom is also a 36DDD/36F...)

kukristen, thanks for all those great bra buying tips. I'm on the hunt for a new one as soon as I can get to the stores by myself. My band size is getting too big so I'm keeping my fingers crossed I can find one that fits nicely.

I'm a 50 B (more like an A 1/2) and have yet to find the holy grail of bras that I like. Out of all the women in my family, my older sister got the Ds while the rest of us cower in the A-B corner.

I think everyones right boob is SLIGHTY bigger , But i also have the same problem after i lost some weight my boobs shrunk From a D but they are not a C yet , Very frustrating

I like Bali bras. The no poke underwire bras ROCK!! The most comfortable bra for me hands down. It even stopped the friction burn I got underneath my boobs from the underwire rubbing. I stopped buying all other bras and bought one of these in every color they had. As a DD, it's hard to find bras!!!! You can't just take a pattern from an A or B cup and make it bigger like most companies seem to think. HELLO, the girls need some support and a spaghetti strap isn't gonna cut it!!!:D

THAT is what ticks me off about Victoria's Secret. They think you can make the same exact bra as you would in a B cup, and make it in a DD-the only thing they change is the cup size.

I hate to tell them, but it doesn't work. First of all, when you have the thin bra straps that have the stretch in them...well, that stretch gives out under the weight of bigger, heavier breasts. We need NON STRETCH bra straps. Thin bra straps don't work well on D and above cups, because the weight of our breasts makes them dig into the shoulders. D cups and above need THICKER bra straps. I also hate it when they make D and above bras with a thin bra band, and like, 2 or 3 hook closures in the back. Once again, bigger breasts need more support-and I like my bras to have a 4 hook closure in the back.

Bali are also my favorite, hands down. (38DD)

I used to have the exact same problem. I was wearing a 42D and the top of the cups were always saggy. A friend recommended I try going down a band size and up a cup size. I went to a 40DD and it made a huge difference.

I'm new here, but I can share in the agony of bra shopping, I hate it.

So I have some questions for you ladies.

I do some business on the web, if I were to build a bra shopping website, what would you like to see on it besides the obvious?

A comments/critique/I like/recomend/don't like page?

A how to measure and other tips for bra shopping page?

Other cool/sexy lingerie for the full figured?

Items for the odd size, whether it's large, small, mismatched?

Pantyhose and that kind of hard to find in larger size stuff?

Your comments and thoughts will help me decide if it's a project I want to tackle and also help make a comprehensive site that really has what we want and need, instead of most of the sites you see for shopping. I could address the real issues we have.

Thanks,
janelle

please allow me to join in the crying over find a bra that fits. I have been measured at VS and LB. Next will me F of H. I tried different websites with bra size calculators and i get anywhere from a 40C to a 36H. I measure 35 inches around under my boobs and 43 around the center of my boobs. Any ideas on finding the correct size? Some sites same measure under the boobs and and add 5, others say what ever the measure is the band and others say measure above the boobs. Im so confused. Right now i have a 36DDD. The band size feels fine to me but I spill out the top of the cups.

I saw a site that said with and underbust measurement of 33 or more to only add 3 inches instead of 4 or 5. That made sense to me. The 5 inches always puts me in a band that rides up in back (which means it's too big and isn't supporting you and you sag in front). So I would start with a 38E and see how that fits. Maybe bring in with you a 38D and 38F for comparison. When you go up in band, you generally need a smaller cup and vice versa. So also bring in a 40D and 36F. Even if they don't fit at all, you'll feel more secure that you've found the right size. In the end, the calculators only give you a place to start. Then you just have to try them on and get what fits (and the band should be snug and the cup big enough that you're not spilling out), regardless of size. After all, pants and tops are the same way. Different brands and styles fit in different sizes.

The problem I'm starting to realize I have (as I start to be more demanding of my bra doing an excellent job for me!) is that I think I have wide breasts more than projecting breasts. So by the time I get a band / cup combo that fits well at the base of my chest, the top of the cups is a little saggy, or the band is too big. By the time I get into a cup that isn't saggy on top, the sides don't fit and I'm starting to get quad boob. I need bras to be made with another sizing dimension!

willow-try a 38DDD or 38F (same cup size, just some manufacturers keep adding D's and others go up the alphabet further.)

Your ribcage measurement is a 35, which is exactly what I am at the moment, and I was fitted professionally and wear a 38 band.

You can adjust your cup size from there up or down, but a 38 should fit your ribcage very well!!!!

I went to LB & thought I had one that fit but now that I've been wearing it for a couple of weeks the underwire is poking me in the armpits. I ended up getting a 44C but I think I will exchange the ones I haven't worn yet for a 42C or 42D. Maybe the band is too big & that's why the underwire isn't confined to my chest & is poking. I do like the style--it's a stretch cotton demi. I do wish the straps were a little wider but I can live with them.

I actually won a lot of 5 bras on ebay that were 44D that fit me perfect. The only problem is that I think after so many years of wearing all cotton nursing bras that my skin just won't tolerate anything else. The ebay ones are polyester & spandex & I washed them before I wore them but I broke out in an itchy rash along every single seam line :?:.

I am usually a 34DDD and I find it really hard to find the right bra that holds the ladies up. I am currently on a Wacoal kick. They are pricey, but I've gotten comments about looking thinner when I wear it. I also can't find a good work out bra. Does anyone have any suggestions for a work out bra that actually holds them in place? I swear I am getting a reduction/lift when I reach goal weight. I dream of going bra less and wearing cute dresses. Ahhh...

Try titlenine.com for workout bras. It's a small company run by women. Everything in the catalog is tested by the ladies at the company.

try figleaves.com

they have a a zillion different sizes and styles and a great return policy too. oh and lots of sales constantly.

I'm pretty lucky, I'm average sized, but my problem is that I have two different sized boobs. It's at *least* a half-cup size difference between the two. I think my severe scoliosis might have something to do with it, but my right boob gets lost in cups that fit my left boob perfectly, and my left boob does the whole extra-boob spillage thing in a cup that fits my right boob.

I'm a 34 band size and I'm pretty sure I'm a D on the left and a C on the right. And even then, I tried a 34 C at NY&Co and neither boob fit.

As for shopping, it frustrates the **** out of me, too. I can't shop at VS because nothing fits right. My mom is the only person who has the patience to go bra-shopping with me. Even if I do find something that works, they stretch so easily. I used to wear bras a few times a week, but fresh out of the drier, by the end of the day they're too loose again.

I have found a tshirt bra at JCPenny that has a little tiny hook on the back of one strap (on the plastic loop on the bra strap) so you can hook them together to create a sort of cross-back. They squeak when I shrug my shoulders, but I've never felt more... held. Even though I feel like I'm lying when the right cup makes my right boob look much bigger than it is. I'm thinking of getting one cutlet to fix my problem...

domino-something that might work for you...

Check out various nursing (breastfeeding) bras online, and look for ones that have adjustable cups. Some of the nursing bras that I had when nursing had the little opening at the top of the cup with a hook and eye closure (like the bra does in the back to close it) and some of them had MULTIPLE settings on them, like the bra does in the back. They are designed this way, because of the breast size fluctuation when nursing-sometimes they are full, and sometimes they are not. :lol: Anyhow...it would be a solution for you to be able to customize your bra, so that the cup was slightly tighter on the one side.

Just an idea...

Dryers are heck on bras.

I hate bra shops with a passion, or rather I hate most of the sales staff. My bra size for a very long time was 38G and all I got was 'oh, lucky you' from the sales staff. Yeh I'm really lucky to never have support or a decent bra, or even a pretty looking bra and I just love my bad back! But now I've gone down and I think I'm a 38 E/F although I still can't find any to fit, I am currently relying on my one 38G bra at it's tightest and with the straps at their shortest to keep me going until I can find a 38E/F.

I had a breast reduction as well, and I do have to be careful when buying bras since I have a small scar that underwire bothers.
One of my best investments in life was going to a boutique bra store, getting a fitting, and purchasing a bra from France. The salespeople measure you topless, which was kind of weird. Then they get 8-10 bras and have you try them on, and then they evaluate them. Turns out, they know bras. They acutally know what they are doing. I bought a bra which is more comfortable than anyother bra- ever. Works under T-Shirts, is pretty, and is comfortable. They have kept my information on "file" so I can have my husband buy me properly fitting bras in the future. :)
It is expensive, but like buying good shoes- so worth it!

Thanks! I'll have to try that! Although it might be awkward going into a maternity store to ask for nursing bras.... :o