Underwear problems? This is the thread for you!

Blairwitch,

There is no room under a steel boned corset for a bra. Any corset website will tell you that.

I am just going by what I have been told by the lady making my dress (who is very well known in the area and makes some stunning stuff) as well as my experience as a bra fitter.

If you have been told something different then that's fair enough.

The majority of wedding designers do not use steel corestery in their dresses that is specialist so for the majority of hitchers on here who are buying Maggie or Benjamin Roberts their structure will be made from plastic boning not steel.

I've been measured a couple of times and been told I'm a 36D. But the problem is that the 36 only fits on the tightest clasp. So after a couple of washes the strap at the back rides up. So recently i started buying 34DD and they are much better, they tend to be a bit tight to start with but after a wash or two they loosen up and they last me a lot longer. I can't afford to keep buying new bras every few weeks.

Hi DaffyB,

Sounds like you made the right choice doing that as you should always start a bra on the loosest and work your way in as the elastic starts to go. Unless you are pregnant in which case you start tight and loosen as you get bigger.

Is the DD ok in the cup? No overspill? If there is try the E. A bra should feel firm to start with, you get more support that way.?

I get measured everytime I buy a new bra. 34F is the norm but sometimes I am a 32. Bloody hard work trying to find pretty ones in my size

Hi StaceyH,

Debenhams Gorgeous range goes up to a G in most styles and J in some, they do quite a good 'buy a bra, get a brief free' deal. You would need a 34 tho as they are really small made, may even need the FF. Sometimes I type my size into eBay and find some really good bargains especially discontinued styles.

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No there doesn't tend to be any overspill, although I find it depends on the style.

You would think they would just make all bras a universal size! It's no wonder so many women end up in the wrong size!

The quality of measurement seems to vary a lot too. I once went to BHS to be measured. At the time I was wearing a 36C bra which had obvious overspill, yet the woman measured me as a 36B. Even when I pointed out the obvious problem with the bra I was wearing she didn't change her opinion. I then went to a different shop where they did a much better job.

I went to M&S once, as said before I am a 36HH. They put me in a 38E, it looked terrible. Then she just said 'sorry, we don't have anything for you' and that was that.

We get loads of people from M&S coming in in massive back sizes and tiny cups. Thing is tho that even between our shops the service varies. One girl from my work who wears a 30FF went to a different store and was 'squeezed' into a 34 even tho the tape measure 'said' 36, not only that, they asked her if she had gained a lot of weight recently! ?

Peaseblossom, i have a problem getting underwear, i'm currently wearing a 44E which obv the likes of debenhams or even bravissimo dont cater for - in the back size i mean. i keep thinking i really must get properly measured for the wedding, but can i really just walk into debenhams and get measured despite the facr i'm pretty sure i wont come out smaller round the back? i am big at a size 20/22 on top. any idea where else i could go if not? thanks in advance

I have a question if that's ok? Where do you recommend a comfortable and fitted corset for my wedding day? I'm a size 18-20 and support is important to me. I'll be wearing my spanx of course but on top I would like something to keep me sucked in but comfortable too. It's shocking that I can't even remember my bra size, think I'm 38 F but I would have to check, lol!

Peaseblossom,

No waaay I'm not wearing a bra under my dress, especially as I'm going for a less structured dress. Even if it were boned, I would still wear a bra. But thanks so much for the advice. I hadn't even thought of Freya! I have the Rio bra in every colour it fits so well, and in the GG as well!

Peaseblossom - I have a question that I've often wondered about. I'm a size 8-10 on top and I wear a 34B. I haven't been measured for years, but when I was last measured, they told me the 34 was fine. I've also measured myself and come up with the same measurement. Without meaning to cause any offence whatsoever, can you explain why you as a size 18 are also a 34? I always thought a 34 was a 34, regardless of cup size (is it something to do with adding 4 or 5 to the actual measurement?).

Not Peaseblossom, but as owner of big boobs, Bra sizes are based on the measurement around your rib cage. Cup size is then the difference between the measurement around the ribs and the measurement around the bust. So a 34B might have a measurement of 38 around the fullest part of the bust, but a 34F woul be more like 42 - hence needing larger size in clothes generally.

Can anyone recommend somewhere that's good for smaller sizes? Last time I had a decent fitting I was measured as a 30B, but I've had a baby since and deflated again (boo!). My dress is quite structured but I'd like a bra or preferably a corset that will give me an extra (confidence) boost.

At 29 years of age i am disgraced to say i only got measured for a bra fitting the day i bought my wedding dress. I was horrified to kno i had been wearing a 36b when infact i am a 32c! My backache has gone and my posture is much better! It really is worthwhile getting a proper fit! Do debenhams have nice bridal sets? I want something sexy but no too slutty and obv comfy as ill be wearing it for 12 hrs!?

Hi vixj83, I just wrote a long reply and it vanished!

I would definitely still get measured as even if they don't have what you are looking for in store you can still get an idea of the size and then go online for more options. Sadly the high street don't currently cater much for back sizes larger than a 40 which is ridiculous as women need them!!

If you go into Debenhams and say you just need an idea of the size you are then they can fit you in something (sadly might be a bit of an old lady bra) but at least you can then go and find something more suitable.

I actually work for Eveden (Fantasie and Freya) within Debenhams and I had forgotten that they have another brand called Elomi which caters for bigger back sizes and they do a basque. Also for a well made basque (Eveden stuff is very good quality) it's not too expensive.

Hope this helps!

http://www.undercoverexperience.co.uk/images/elo8202-8270iv.jpg

Hi Waggamama,

I wouldn't wear a corset and Spanx, I think that would be uncomfy. Do the Spanx you have go right up to under your bra? If not I would get some of these or the Ultimo ones (I find these are the best as they have a silicon band round the top which stops them rolling down) and then just go with a well fitting bra. Are you going for strapless? If you are you will find the bra tighter than normal because it has to stay up without straps, it should feel very firm round the body. If you aren't going strapless you can get slimming suits that let you wear your own bra but give you a much smoother silouette under your dress.

Venart,

Fair enough. Just what I would suggest.

Rio is also quite big made in the cup and continues to be a bestseller even tho it has been around for ages! It's a very well fitted and popular bra.

Sadly sometimes Deco isn't the best fit, it's one of those bras that if it fits you looks incredible but if not, it looks awful, it's definitely worth a try!

Hi Knees,

I am not sure where you got measured but if you are an 8-10 I would find it hard to believe that you are a 34 on the back. Measuring yourself isn't recommended, I don't even measure myself and I have been doing this for years! Not everyone fits the tape measure. If I was to measure my back I would come out as a 40 but I usually where a 36. Some people do still add the 4 or 5 inches but most use the tape measure as a prop and go by what you are wearing and see where to go from there. I would get measured again. The bra should be firm round your back but not uncomfy, you should be able to feel it. The breast tissue should be completely in the cup with no overspill and the wires should sit behind the breast tissue under your arm. The band should run level all the way round your back. 80% of the support comes from the band so it needs to be firm. The further 20% comes from the straps, so these also need to be firm. A lot of the time when I fit someone I put on a bra that looks ok but once I have adjusted the straps it becomes too small in the cup, so if it looks a little big before the straps are tightened don't be alarmed.?

Hi Randomsabreur,

It doesn't always work like this, especially when you get into fuller bust. As I said if I measure myself on the back I am a 40 but I wear a 36. For bigger boobs you need that support even more. But yes, when it comes down to it, a bigger measurement round the bust will result in a bigger cupsize and therefore a larger size in clothes.

Hi Larchfield,

I am glad you got properly fitted, it makes such a difference doesn't it?

A lot of women assume if they have a smaller bust they will be a small cup size but it doesn't always follow.

Also I have had a few people in to be fitted who have had breast enlargement surgery and the Dr has told them they are going to be a C or D cup. Maybe they would be if they were a 34 round the back, but usually they end up being a 30 on the back and therefore an E or F cup, it really annoys me that surgeons don't take this into account.

Debenhams have a few bridal sets, there is some nice Jasper Conran stuff as well as Janet Reger and Ultimo, definitely worth a wee look.

Right, cup of tea time for me I think!

Hope I have answered everyones queries!

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Hi dhughes,

Only just saw your post!

Debenhams does cater for small sizes but not so much in the bridal ranges, they generally start at a 32, the Ultimo basque starts in a 30 and has inserts in the cups which can be removed if you want.

Have you been measured since you had a baby? If not get yourself measured again as everyone changes after having kids.

Thanks peaseblossom. Perhaps I should go and get measured again. My worry with going down to a 32 is overspill at the back!

I always wear padded bras, some are hugely padded - presumably the girl who measures would take account of that when measuring the cups?

Knees,

I would yes, it is normal to get a little overspill at the back and nearly everyone will have a bit if they are wearing the right bra size. I always point out to people that you don't notice it on everyone else, so no one will notice it on you! Yea, they will take the padding into account. What I would usually do with a smaller bust is start with an everyday moulded t-shirt bra to establish the size and then take it from there. ?

My general opinion on bras fitting me is that they have to feel firm when new, ideally on the outermost hook but will tolerate middle hook if I need the bra there and then.

Generally I find that a 30/32 depending on manufacturer will fit round the ribcage. Think I measure somewhere between those last time I checked. The few larger back bras I've been convinced into have tended to give me sore shoulders and/or no support. Same happens when older bras lose the firmness around the back.

Admittedly I have little or no spare flesh round the ribcage - it all sits on my behind so there's nothing to really dig into on the back. No idea how it should fit if/when I get more fat there...

You should ideally start your bra on loosest hook and work in as it looses its elasticity.

Unless you are having a baby, in which case go up in the back and start tight!?

I am starting to think maybe I am not a 32B. I always have to wear my bra's on the tightest hooks.

Where can I get bras with a 30 from? I need always some padding in my bras, as I am small chested and dont feel confident in unpadded bras. Maybe I am a 30B xxx

If you are wearing a 32B just now and it's too loose you will need a 30C or maybe even D. Debenhams have a range called Ultimate which has push up bras in a variety of levels! These start in a 30 back. I would maybe go and get measured and see. xx

Thanks! No way can I be a D, mine are teeny tiny lol xx

I haven’t read all the post. Certainly should go to a professional. I went to M&S when I was younger, spent a whole afternoon there. They insisted I was a 36C but yet couldn’t find a single bra that fit right. My Mam managed to talk me round to going to a local professional place which I went to after being told all the horror stories (they aren’t true). I was in and out within 15 minutes with a bra that fit like a glove, 30E. The older I get they just seem to get bigger and I’m not a 30G.

I’m one of these people that would never go with out a bra; I even sleep in a sports bra. But my Wedding Dress has so much structure and the quality of the material actually does amazing things and I look loads smaller. So to me you don’t necessarily need a bra/corset.