It also doesn’t work for boobs that extend up high, many do so you’re measuring breast tissue not the ribcage.

As far as I can see they’re in regular “matrix” sizes only, up to DD.

If the cups on the 36 band are too small it can feel snug so it’s possible to think it fits. A 32E and 36D are the same cup volume but for 38" and 40" busts respectively, so you can easily see how a 36B might feel roughly the same as a 32E if you ignore the band riding up at the back (so few people realise that’s a…

Do go join the brafitting forum at www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits, we have plenty of members with similar issues.

Actually it’s the brand/country sizing that is more all over the place, the rest is down to shape. For labels you need to know which country the brand is in and stick to that, on label conversions are usually totally wrong. UK sizing is almost totally consistent (only M&S of UK makers has a different scheme), see http:…

They don’t even have my size (30G, common in real life). I ought to feed in my old bras that fitted poorly and see what they come up with. The reddit sub is the only place I’ve found that has got pretty much the right size, but that’s from advice from real people on top of a calculator, not just a logarithm.

You don’t need to go to a store and get a fitting, some are really poor anyway, go to www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits, it’ll change your life :D.

Shape is really important (even in your correct size only some bras will fit well) but too small a cup will make a band feel tight, a lot, so try it on backwards and upside down. If it feels better go up in the cup size until you get a better fit, or move onto a different shaped bra if you end up in too large a cup…

Underbust is easy - take a “comfortable” measurement, kind of how you’d like your band to feel, then take a “break the tape” super tight one, if there’s a big difference you’ll generally want to be close to your comfortable measurement, or even under it with band size (I’m 32-29.5 and mostly take a 30, though the…

If VS tried to put you into a 32DD I’d put money on you being closer to a 32 band but the cups were too small and made the band feel tight (it can be so extreme as to make the band too tight to be done up). 32DD is for ribcage 32", bust 37", 36D is for ribcage 36", bust 40".

Although unless you’re apple shaped your waist and underbust measurements can be similar, drawing attention to that can help redirect people away from bands closer to their bust measurements.

Freya, Cleo, Parfait, lots of brands that do cute big cup bras.

Even when you get a better fitting bra, two cup sizes gained since I got into the right size in my 40s.

Some people size up slightly in the band but for most your band size should be very close to your underbust measurement. For those pondering this try your bras on backwards and upside down and see how they feel. I’d bet they feel looser, the too small cups make them feel tight. 36B to 30F here. MUCH better. But 32DDs…

Size 12 means you’re highly unlikely to need a 42 band, you’re having to size up to get a big enough cup. Try measuring your underbust and look for a band size roughly the same, then see how much bigger cup you need for a good fit. Try the band on backwards too, a too small cup makes a band feel tight. 42B is for a…

It might be you’re still in the wrong size - the best bras for uplift and support are seamed unlined bras, in the right size and shape they’ll give you the best shape you’ve seen. You have to have the band small enough and the cup large enough though.

It does sound like you still might not be in the right size - try www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits for sizing advice and go from there.

Band size is from underbust, high bust will totally vary depending on the shape of your boobs, never recommended. If you have lots of breast tissue higher up you’ll be recommended a bigger band size, makes no sense. GOOD hands on fitters get away with it as they can fit by eye, but it’s misleading overall. Bra bands…