I'm just wondering if anyone else has as difficult of a time with this as I'm haviung?! I seem to be losing a lot of weight in my boobs... and I really can't deal with going bra shopping every other week. I have no idea what size I am now and I don't really want to go get measured every other week either . Part of me just wants to say screw it and wear a sports bra all the time. *sigh* Right now I'm wearing a bra with the band safety pinned tighter (classy) and the cups ripple a little at the top because they're wayyyy too big. I went and tried on some bras at Macy's yesterday but nothing was working for me. I'm so frustrated. I hate being a girl sometimes

Yea, bras suck. I hate having to keep trying them on too, but I'm probably going to have to get me another new one soon. Who knows what size I'm supposed to be in. I settled for my last bra because I didn't want to keep trying them on. Not the most comfortable thing in the world I tell you what. I keep hearing that Frederick's has a great selection of bras, but I've never been shopping there before.

Bras are ridiculous... I can't BUY any that I don't have to sew up the sides on to get cup sizes to fit and also usually have to sew them up at the insides of the straps because the straps are in the wrong place -- too far over in front toward my armpits. THEN we hear all the stupid ads about how most women wear the wrong size bra... that's because we don't all FIT their stupid ideas of the way THEY think we should look. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr my soapbox.

Oops I am editing this... LOL just realized I am in the 20s thread so guess I am wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy out of place, sorry.

I'm getting super-frustrated right now 'cause my chest has gotten smaller in the past few month, and I seem to be right in the middle of 2 sizes - there's way too much space in a C-cup, so my bra sticks out further than I do, and there's not quite enough space in a B-cup. So my choice is something that looks okay but i don't get a lot of supprt 'cause I'm bouncing around inside, or something that holds them in place but gives me that lovely bulge over the top of the cup - grr! ValRock - I am wearing a sports bra right now! It's just so much easier.

As a former manager of a Fredericks of Hollywood store, I would so GO GET MEASURED!!!!!! So many women wear the wrong size bra!! If you want to measure yourself, all you have to do is measure your chest circumference just under your bust. That number is your band size. then measure the fullest part of your bust. Now comes the tricky part....You take the difference in inches to get your cup size. So, if chest=34 and bust=36 then you are (drumroll please...) a 34 B. So 1inch=Acup, 2inch=Bcup, 3inch=Ccup, 4inch=Dcup, 5inch=DDcup and 6inch=Fcup. There are also things called a "sister size" which means that lets say you "measure" a 34 B, but you try it on and it doesn't fit so well...you can also try a 36 A or a 32 C because they are close to the same size. Something that a lot of women have a hard time understanding is that as you go smaller in the band, you go smaller in the cup. So a 36DD and a 32DD are not, (I repeat) ARE NOT close to the same cup size!! I hope this helps a little bit!!!!

I have to agree with cheercoach! Go get fitted! I love bras! In fact, i love bras almost as much as i love shoes! The selection out there these days is fantastic no matter what size you are. I recently had reduction surgery and am having the time of my life buying really sexy bras. The trick is to find a store that you are comfortable in where the sales people know what they are doing. not every brand fits the same sometimes your size will vary depending on the manufacturer. It's important not to label yourself a certain size. If it fits, that's what's important, numbers and letters are NOT IMPORTANT!

Hi Val, I'm not a "20 something" but I thought I'd jump in here with a handy dandy link to figure your bra size. I used the formula from the magazine and was thrilled with the results. I was shocked and amazed that I was a "DD" cup size but after buying a bra in the correct size, my "girls" look more fabulous than ever! lol

http://www.lhj.com/lhj/category.jhtm...raSizerApp.xml

Acorrding to the way to measure I am like an F!!! I mean where the heck to do buy that size?

I went to wal-mart on the weekend, tried on 3 bras and liked two of them... in a 36D (was wearing 40D before). I made the mistake of buying 1 in 34D (I bought two of each cuz I was so happy to have bras that fit) and the cup sizes were smaller! So I dunno if I take it back or save it for a bit till it fits, lol. Anyway, D seems to fit but then again there is no where in my town to buy a F so I will never know!

I was a G before my surgery. There were three stores that I could shop in in Winnipeg. It can be frustrating I know and expensive. The bras in the specialty stores are very expensive but to me it's worth every penny! I like my girls high and dry!

Thanks for the tips!! Our house is all packed up for the move next week so I don't have a tape measure *darn*... What's the best place to get professionally fitted?! OH and another problem... one of mine (thanks to 2 yo prefering the left over the right) is wayyy bigger than the other one! Anyone else have this problem? I have to stuff a cookie in the smaller one... BOO to chestesses.

Of course I would suggest Fredericks...LOL! But most dept. stores will help you. If you have somewhat large boobs DO NOT go to Victoria's Secret. They are whack!! At least the one in my town is, and they don't carry anything larger than a D either...if that.

Courtnie...Fredericks carries an F bra...and like I said, you may be able to pull off a DD by adding two inches to the band size, so if you measure a 36 F, you might try a 34 DD. It might give you more of a selection.

Oh yeah, and just because you measure a specific size, doesn't mean that it will fit you the best. Also there are a MILLION different types of bras, cuts, styles etc. Find the one that you like best. Some like em high & seperated. I myself like em high and pushed together. So it's all about personal preference. Do plan on spending some time shopping for a bra too. I have seen too many women get frustrated because they don't give themselves enough time.

Val...don't worry about the one being bigger than the other. You could always look for a bra with removable padding. Keep the pad in one, take it out in the other. That might help a bit!!

Carrie

No fredericks in Canada, at least no where near me

I read this thread and decided to just measure myself (I'm bored and have a tape measure very handy LOL).... The bra I'm wearing is a 44C and It took me the better part of a year to find a size that fits comfortably, especially sine it is difficult for me to find anything large with an underwire (and I don't have much money to shop in specialty stores - walmart is my option for the time being). I just measured myself as a 45DD.... Now I KNOW that if I bought anything with a DD cup, I would be swimming it. My girls aren't scrunched up or anything, I've got a nice fine fit with my full figure playtex bra.
Can you really go into stores and try bras on??? I have no clue about bra shopping.... I'm just glad to have good luck when I do find something. Maybe when I get more weight off, and have more cash, I can go someplace like Fredericks or Victoria's Secret and buy bras (and not feel stupid and self-conscious). Actually, I won't walk into Victoria's Secret as I am now... some friends tried to get me to go last summer when we were in the mall, and I was like..um no. That place is for skinny minis, not 350lb fat girls....

Courtnie...check out their website!

Amanda...you can't have a band size of 45...only even numbers (duh me!) And of course you can try on bras...I hate the way I feel in Victoria's too. I've always loved Fredericks even before I started working there. Because not only do they carry larger bra sizes, but they carry plus size lingerie!!! Woo! Woo!

Just out of curiosity today I went to an internet site someone sent me and took my measurements and entered them in. LOL it told me to buy a band size 6 INCHES larger than my band size!! (To get a big enough cup size.) Now even I only buy one ONE band size larger than what I need and sew up the sides.

I am sure your measurement system works great for a lot of women... perhaps even the majority, I don't know. But it sure does NOT work for women who need a larger cup size without buying a band several sizes too big. Actually I HAVE a bra the size the site told me I need... LOL it was a bit too big BEFORE I lost 51 pounds and now it is so big on me I could float away in it.

Oh... and since I really need one size smaller band than what I am wearing (except then the cups are too small) I tried that too... it told me to get a "G" cup size... I wear a DDD. AND to still buy one 6 inches too big around AND a cup size waaaaaay too big. Sheesh, I can do better than THIS on my own!

And yah such NERVE trying to be a 45 ... LOL that is not allowed. You have to be a 44. Oh but be sure not to wear the wrong size bra.

As I said.. I'm sure it works for a lot of people. I just don't happen to be one of them. If you "fit" their system of measurement, fine... but if you don't forget it.