America’s denial of larger-cup bras
July 23, 2007 by Danae
While Europe has traditionally led the lingerie market, there’s signs that the U.S. is starting to get the lingerie fever as well. Fabulous brands like Kiki de Montparnasse and the Lake and Stars are popping up everywhere, and the Chicago Tribune recently reported that the lingerie market is only second to handbags as a fast-growing apparel item. Seizing the trend, retailers like J.C. Penny, Target and Kohl’s are re-vamping their existing lingerie lines, launching new labels, and offering professional fitting services.
These retailers are hoping to usurp Victoria’s Secret’s rule over American lingerie, and they may find an Achilles heel to exploit: Victoria’s Secret is still limited to sizes below a DD, while newcomers like Le Mystere are rising in the ranks with their wider range of sizes and emphasis on fit. As more and more women avail themselves to these new fitting services and alternate brands, many will discover that their “new” bra size simply isn’t available at Victoria’s Secret. Another large brand just needs to create and maintain that bra-sizing momentum to become a major contender.
At the moment, however, few American brands have embraced bra-sizing and larger cup sizes. It’s a sore point here at Knickers that larger-cup bras are so rare in the U.S. — when I visited my family back in the U.S., I couldn’t find one national store that could sell me a G-cup bra. I wandered five shopping centres over the course of my visit, and not one had a cup size above DD. My great hope, Lane Bryant, even disappointed — they seem to equate “plus size” in the lingerie world with “large back,” instead of “large cup size.” I encountered a number of 40DDD’s in their stores, but not could find one E, F, or G-cup (they do, however, have a limited set of ranges online in these sizes). Even a plus-size retailer seems afraid to break the D barrier, choosing instead to just keep adding D’s to the bra size and expanding the back.
Distorted Bra Perceptions
In a way, we can understand the retailers — many women seem unable to accept a cup size larger than D. Somehow in our lives, we’ve been indoctrinated that a D+ cup is “huge,” or “fat,” and women simply don’t want that stigma attached to their breasts. Just look at this cartoon, a popular e-mail forward and video shown below:
In the video, by the time the bra size goes past DD, the breasts are at comic proportions, and H is dismissed as too ridiculous to even show. Even as a joke, this demonstrates a common misconception that DD is the biggest bra size possible, and anything beyond that is simply vulgar. In reality, this is what a 32DD cup looks like:
Not so ridiculous, huh?
That’s why we try to cover lots of larger-cup lingerie here at Knickers — if we keep telling women these cup sizes exist and they’re not for mutant sizes, hopefully more will get used to the idea!
Hope for the U.S. larger cup market
Of course, all hope is not lost for our larger-cup U.S. readers. They’ve been paying over the exchange rate for British labels like Rigby and Peller, Fantasie and Freya, but home-grown labels are starting to appear. Le Mystere and independent designer Jodi Gallaer are both available up to a G-cup, and Jodi plans to introduce a H-cup as well. With the success of UK brands such as Bravissimo and Freya (the latter recently entered into a 7-figure TV sponsorship deal), U.S. businesses will hopefully start to see the potential in larger-cup sizes and start offering women a better service.
We would love to hear from our U.S. readers on this topic — are you a larger cup size? What brands do you wear? Do you have a favourite label we should be checking out? Tell us in the comments!
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I have found myself to be a G cup thanks in great part to your education!
I am unable to buy a bra from a local shop, as you found, and have taken refuge in Elomi, but I am unsure if they are European or American made/sized.
Thank you for changing my perception, and providing direction for sexy.
Bravo!
Margret,
Thank you so much for your comment! We’re delighted that Knickers helped you with your bra-sizing, that’s brilliant! Elomi is fantastic, they’re British and they come from the same manufacturer who make Freya, Fantastie and Fauve. All three brands are beautiful and as a G-cup myself, i wear all three all the time!
You might also want to check out our recent Ask Knickers article about finding larger cup bras in the States: http://www.knickersblog.com/help-me-find-a-sexy-larger-cup-bra-in-the-us/2357
Thanks again and congrats!
Companies neglect everything that is not "middle" sized. Try buying an A cup bra or even worse an AA cup bra! Only place I can find A cup bras is the juniors department and AA cups have to be mail ordered or bought online. And looking at my friends and aquintances I'd say that A or AA cup are just as much in demand as the larger then DD sizes.
An excellent point, aba! We’ve written a few times about smaller sizes as well, and for a better selection you might want to check out http://www.lulalu.com or http://www.littlewomen.co.uk, both have an excellent range of AAA-onwards bras.
I’m American, and I wear a size 34F (I think. I’ve never been able to try anything bigger than a 36DDD (E?) which I know doesn’t fit properly). Bra shopping in America is a nightmare for me, and I have a lot of back pain because I don’t have the right size bra. I don’t understand what’s so horrible about being bigger than a DD, as that picture illustrates, DD’s aren’t even that big. I wish America would follow Europe’s lead and actually cater to all women, not just ones who have small boobs.
The United States is definitely struggling with it’s lingerie identity; do we want implants or breast reductions? do want we trashy lingerie or comfy pjs? The real problem is most American women won’t even admit they have a problem finding good lingerie. It’s just not something we talk about.
There actually are lots of small boutiques that offer bra fittings and full size ranges, they might be harder to find, a little more expensive, a little more out of the usual shopping way than the nearest megamall or department store.
Our specialty boutique, http://www.alamodelinerie.com has built a loyal niche of regular women of all shapes and sizes who want better bras, better service and more style choices than they could ever find on their own. The important part now is that American women send a message to the lingerie marketplace that they are just not going to buy ill-fitting bras anymore and if a store doesn’t carry her size she can take her business elsewhere.
Erin- There are so many women who feel exactly the way you do but don’t what else to do. I suggest you google the nearest bra fitting boutique or plan a bra ftting the next time you visit a big city or get on the phone and call some specialty bra shops like mine and ask about styles in your estimated size. There is a perfect bra for every woman, some are just a little harder to find!
Good luck!
-R
I LIVE IN DELWARE COUNTY PA CAN YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW OF ANY GOOD BARA STORES THAT WILL FIT YOU I AM HCUP OR BIGGER AND NOT FIND A STORE CLOSE TO HELP ME .
THANK YOU
[...] Most Minimizer Bras are full-coverage with or without underwire. Those with wire often use a more open wire shape that can cause size confusion when you try other types of bras (your bra size in a Minimizer is often labelled one or more cup sizes smaller than your bra size in traditional bras…this does not mean your breasts actually got any smaller). The Minimizer Bra has become a very popular item in recent years (not only for the vanity sizing) but because they are often the only bras in major stores that “fit”. The Minimizer bra often has a much greater cup capacity than traditional bras of the same size so when a women tries it on she finally feels that the bra really fits without having to adress the issue of limited size options (there is life beyond a double d, way way way beyond!). [...]
It is a huge problem in the US, especially at Victoria's Secret. Because they don't sell the larger sizes, women (myself and many of my friends) go in and get 'fitted' to completely the wrong size by improperly trained staff.
I was wearing a 34D and disappointed with my figure for years until I learned I was really a 32E in most bras. The results were incredible. I couldn't believe how comfortable the bras were and how flattering my clothes became. A friend of mine was told by VS she was a 36C but is really a 32F and couldn't be happier with discovering the right size.
I discovered my correct size almost on accident, being properly fitted while living in Japan. The great bras I bought in Japan were Wacoal, and I was so disappointed to find out the styles I liked were not sold in the US even though Wacoal is an American company! While the Wacoal bras that are available in the US are an excellent fit, the US offerings even online are boring and plain, and in cuts not nearly as stylish as the ones sold in Japan.
It's a huge struggle to be fitted properly, to find larger bras, and then to find stylish larger bras. I've been spreading the word to my friends about figleaves.com, fantasie and la mystere, etc….discoveries for which I have knickers blog to thank!
Hello.
Prettier Bras C-DDD and some G’s? That’s our slogan. I happen to work for a bra company based out of New York that specializes in 32-40 C-DDD and have some styles that go to G cups and 46 bands. We do not produce bras A-B…in my opinion, there are enough vendors out there that do. Check out our website at http://www.prettier.com. Most bras range from $32-$38. Our bras are sold at many online retailers, Dillards, Macys and Belk to name a few. Enjoy!
Thank you! I have reluctantly realized that I am a 32DD which is impossible to find. I felt so huge…even though when I look in the mirror my breasts certainly are bigger than they were when I was younger, but not as big as I though a DD should be. That picture is so me. And it is nigh on impossible to find DD never mind DD with 32 bands! I have no choice but to order online. Victoria’s secret just tells you to get a 34 in the store, but what good does that do to hold anything up when you can stretch your band four inches from your back?
Large-cup bras are really hard to find in the US. Along with proper fitting. The stores — even the best — will find something they carry, no matter if its an appropriate size or not. As a 36GG, I have been fitted into a 40D, a 38DD, ad 38H, and many other sizes. I have been told that my size doesn’t exist, or “you just need to lose a little weight”. Its stupid.
I have relied on online stores in the UK for over 15 years now. Or, friends who are willing to buy and send. There are a very few places in the US to buy the (primarily) Euro-made bras that come in a nice range of sizes. And of course returns are a real issue.
In CA there is one place in Monrovia (LA area) – Creative Woman (which is also online) that does reasonable fittings by appointment, and carries a full range of sizes. I highly recommend them.
I vouch for Rebecca @ alamodelingerie.com, they do an excellent job.
Also lionslairdesigns.com takes measurements and such over the phone to give free shipping. They have the best selection of swimwear.
Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus both carry several full bust brands: fantasie, freya, panache, harlequin (masquerade in the UK), fayreform, chantelle, etc.
and lastly http://www.myintimacy.com/findastore.html allows consumers to search for intimacy boutique affiliates in any state. being an affiliate simply means that store sells similar brands to intimacy.
and of course there is biggerbras.com, but in person or over the phone is best. that personal service & attention is priceless.
the US lingerie industry has come a long way in the past ten years, at least we can now find the bras & swim for the full bust, if we look hard enough.
lets embrace our endowment!!!
Hey – really glad to stumble across this blog!
I am a US expat who’s lived in Britain for 5 years, with my husband, and we’re starting to spend more time in the US now. I found this page while doing some very casual Internet searching for research resources, as I want to start a company HERE, inspired by Bravissimo in Britain, that will not only import great European brands, but also provide an American-made, in-house brand not only of underwear, but also of specially fitted clothing (Bravissimo does this, and it’s great – each size comes in 2 or 3 levels of curviness). Anyway, it’s a seedling idea right now, and I’m glad to see that there are actually a few US brands selling bras in a good range of sizes (I’m a 34 F, in sizing that goes D, DD, E, F – imPOSSible in America… Forget about my 28 E friend!). What I’d like to establish is a national chain of brick-and-mortar shops (in addition to catalog and etail) that would mean getting the right size of bra, in a wide range of styles, didn’t require a huge hunt, and also didn’t necessarily mean a $90 spend, either. I’d also like to find hip clothing that accommodates my chest and shows my waist off. Fitters in US shops are, indeed, totally ignorant. Anyway – I’m looking for feedback, connections with US companies moving in this direction already, and eventually some young lingerie and clothing designers with a passion to make a difference… as well as, of course, potential manufacture and funding partners! Please feel free to contact me if you have any thoughts at all. Nice to see you all here…
Hannah
PS -
I also want to provide tiny-bra ranges, as my 30-A friend has has much trouble finding a bra that isn’t a training bra, that’s elegant and grown-up looking, that feels good and is actually in her size, as I do finding a 34-F. The focus will be really on proper fit and running larger cup sizes along with smaller backs (especially as we are, ‘structurally’, the ones who really need to wear bras, of course), but I want the range to do justice to the various issues that so many american women encounter as a result of being improperly sized to begin with and offered an often useless range of sizes.
I’m American and a 36 (almost 34) H. I’ve been trying to make do with 42 or 44 DDDs. It’s so frustrating, and makes me feel like a freak for my proportions. I’m more interested than ever in pursuing breast reduction surgery. I wonder how much easier I’d feel about this if I could just walk into a store and find bras in my size.
I really hope that US retailers can be influenced by articles like these – there IS market for bras in sizes 32E, 30F, G etc. I’m a 32F, and I am so thankful that I live in the UK where there are lingerie brands like Masquerade, Miss Mandalay, Fantasie and so on that make bras in my size that are stylish and sexy too.
I recently read a blog on the web, where a young girl was taken by her mother to Victoria’s Secret to try to buy a size 34F (I think, or very similar) bra. When she asked the sales assistant what they had in that size the assistant smirked, called over her colleague and proceeded to actually laugh at the girl and say “We only stock NORMAL sizes”. It is this attitude that needs to be thoroughly stamped out. Go on yahoo answers and there are dozens of insecure young girls, only 14 or so, worrying that their breasts are too big and wondering when they can get a reduction.
I also appreciate you trying to emphasise that cup sizes like D, DD, E and so on mostly never look as big as people think. I think that a lot of lingerie retailers only going up to a D try to fit customers into badly fitting, larger back sizes – 38, 40, 42 – even when they are quite slim, so that their produce is bought. When I was 14 I was fitted at 2 stores, including unbelievably, Marks and Spencer, as a 34D, when I was actually 30F at the time. Its extremely unfair.
I have read through these posts for support. I think i am a 34 or 36 G or H. It’s truly hard to figure out. I am glad reading your posts has lended support since I can’t seem to find a bra to do just that. I have been extremely frusterated with this issue for years. I refused for the longest time to buy online, since it didn’t make sense to me with the whole trying it on thing, and having no idea what my actual size should be. I have ordered a couple bras off of bareneccesities.com, but haven’t quite gotten it right yet, but it is at least better than what lane bryant was trying to shove me into, a 38 DDD, which my boobs spilled over and was way to large in band size. But I have to order offline if i am to avoid the $75 and up range at Nordstrum or Neiman Marcus, which is the only place i know of and its 2 1/2 hours from my house. I think i will go there to try on bras, nd then maybe order online in that size. I have cryed too many tears over bras and am planning my wedding for september and i am terrified of not finding something supportive in the bra and dress area. I would like to be able to show off my figure, not just my breasts. I have even literally had nightmares where my wedding dress looks like a Moo Moo because I couldn’t get it altered down enough in the waist and I have’t even started shopping for dresses yet! wedding dress anxiety extremes! so i don’t even know where to begin shopping for something to go under the dress!any suggestions?
Hi!
Thanks for the “support” for the large-breasted American woman. lol, sounds like an endangered species!
I currently wear a 42 DD, which I’m quite sure is not the size I should be wearing. As pointed out above, it’s almost impossible to find larger sizes or get help determining your size here in the States.
I’d love to see a do-it-yourself guide to measuring for bra size on the site, or a link to such a guide.
It would make online lingerie purchases much easier if i knew what size I was! *grin*
Also, on a side note, I want to mention just how frustrating it is to get good breast support here. Not only do bra sizes not go high enough, but plus-size bras don’t have hefty enough straps, have too narrow an underwire, and don’t lift like they should. Grrr! I have nice breasts, and would like them to look good- not just squashed.
I’m an American, who desprately wants a bra that fits! I’m a 36DD maybe an E, and anything I buy from Victoria Secrets gives me quadra-boob (where it comes out of the top of my bra, giving the illusion that I have four breasts instead of the usual two) or they rub me raw! I went in today to find a nice/fancy bra for my anniversary this weekend and to my dismay they no longer make anything remotely “fancy” in anything larger than a 36C! And yet they advertise these sexy big breasted women! Even Cacique (the intimates side of Lane Bryant) should be ashamed to call themselves a plus sized lingerie store! Not only do I have to wear a 42DD at that store, but nothing is comfortable! Everything I tried on felt almost like a corset because they were so stiff, not to mention no one likes when their bra squishes their back fat out the side! I just want a bra that fits comfortably and comes in more colors than “nude!” I am now considering starting my own lingerie company! I am tired of being ignored!
i’ve always considered myself to be a normal 17 yr old girl, but with quite large breasts. i scrunched myself up into a C cup and thought that pain and discomfort was a part of being a women with good sized cleavage.
i never identified myself anything more than “well endowed”.
well, i finally got fitted, actually measured and it turns out i’m a 32FF/G !!!
i am not overweight, i am not big boned, and i do not feel like a freak…
it just goes to show how breast size and cleavage has been completely distorted within our society….
Amelia — The reason the back fat squishes out of the bra is because the band is too thin. For those of us with more tissue around the shoulder blade the back panel of the bra should be approximately 6 inches finished in order to give a smooth contour under your clothes. The shoulder straps should be 2 inches in width tapering off to 1 6/8 inches so the straps won’t dig into your shoulders. I’ve been searching for elegant sexy bras with these dimensions and they didn’t exist so I started making them for customers and they love them. So do I! To support the breast I use a good measure of interior construction such as, what I call a collar to channel the breast toward the center of the body without squishing them. The construction of the cups help separate and lift the breast for a sultry silhouette. As an added note, the support you need in a bra doesn’t come from the shoulders it is the side band that gives you support. If your bra has good support, meaning it will lift your breast, you should be able to take your should straps off and the bra would remain in place.
Sumiyyah Decatur, GA
Hi — I've been reading the post with great interest. I live and work in the U.S. My specialty is fitting large cup women. I started fitting women last year as part of a research project. Well, the project took on a life of its own. I've heard tremendous horror stories about callous sales staff with indifferent attitudes toward large cup women. I was shocked and enraged. I wasn't please with the choice of bras over DDD so I began experimenting with fancy fabrics and sexy colors in FF, G, H, I and J. This evening a great lady who happens to be a 36 FF left my studio a very very happy woman.
She' s never been able to find pretty lingerie, pretty swimsuit, pretty bras or pretty camisoles. I was able to fit her by making her bras for her. Words can not adequately express my own happiness watching the faces of the women light up when the bras actually fit. It's been a long educational process which isn't over by a long shot, but I am encouraged by the change in attitudes.
I am 38J and have tons of 40DDD’s and 38H’s and G’s and i’m still poking the tops of my boobs in. I worked at Lane Bryant as well and had a helluva time finding women the right sizes b/c our bras were very limited so alot of times I would put them in a larger band size to compensate but would tell them upfront that the bras there don’t have their correct size.. Atleast lately Lane has gotten up to H’s in certain styles. The annoying thing I found tho, when shopping at Brilliant Bras or some store w/ similar name, was they fitted me to a 36 L, and it fit, but like a sock w/ zero support and it was like not wearing a bra at all. I threw that one away after I was done breastfeeding (it was a nursing bra). Once I went into Victoria Secret to get sized and 2 ladies said i was a 46B. WHAT??? are you freakin nuts? Whatever. Anyways. Thanks for this article. I have a bone to pick with lingerie and swimsuits as well. I wear a size 18/20 but if i ever have to get a swimsuit or a teddie/lingerie i always have to get a size 28 to fit the ladies in, and still have boob to spare. I want lingerie and swimsuits to be fitted for bra size! not pant size! Idiocy!!
Sorry this is long winded, but I am sure some one else has some of the same issues with fit.
I just stopped custom making bras, swimwear and clothing for nearly ten years. But I have not made my own bras( it is very hard to fit your own bra) for nearly that long. I finally decided to begin making them once again for myself. There is a miss conception that a large since bra need a ton of inner structure, mainly it needs good support around the ribs and the right about of depth for the cup, once you have that right you can do a variety of cup styles.
Also I love the freya line, I wear one 1/2 cup size down from the largest size they make. Just barely. I have many fit issues with bras even freya. I am petite but have a very large cup size. the 38 j fits the total circumference of my bust fairly well, the cup is the right size/depth, so long as I am not ovulating, but the back band is just shy of the right length, but I need smaller wires.
The underwires are the big issue for me, I need an underwire 2 to 3 sizes smaller than what is in the bra. I have read and done a great deal of research on them and it frustrates me when they say as your cup size increases the base circumference increases, that is not always the case. because your ribs do not always grow at the same rate as your breast tissue. The wires should not be rubbing up against your bicep nor should they be digging into your underarm. I need smaller much shorter wires than provided, or even manufactured. They always bend toward my back under my arms and push out from my cf rib to create a third “nipple”, which changes the shape of the cup, and places my bust points towards the side. Then as the day goes on my breast fight to move to their natural position they are very close together on the front of my chest and low and behold I have four breasts. If I open the the back of the band and press the outer edge of the wires in to where they should be they are almost as high as my collar bone and the center front as well.
You could say just get a larger band size but if I get a larger band size then it slides up my back which the size I already wear does, and I have to have my husband undo my bra because it it between my should blades just beyond my reach. This also contributes to my extra set of breasts.
So I am now working on my own bras once again, I have ordered a variety of wire to find a strong but appropriate size and if I have to cut it down. I can use my dremel and coat the tip is tool dip. I have made very successful bras and bikinis, halter, balcony and long line up to 38 GG. so I think I can make my hybrid 30/40 hh/j.
If anyone would like to try making there own, I would suggest bramarkers.com she has a great book, ( it has several pattern drafting ideas, and a copy of a basic pattern which you can enlarge) which is the best one out there, and I have them all. I would say some of her supplies are on the pricey side, but there is also sewsassy.com, they have many fabrics at a lower cost.
Sophia
I am SO glad I found this blog today.
I live just outside of Washington DC and I have the hardest time finding bras that fit.
As I write this, my two-year-old bra is riding up my back on one side. I am also holding onto this bra for dear life because it cost me $60. I have paid up to $120 for a bra that fits.
I am a 44DD. I have a 42DD strapless bra. I have bras measuring 46C, 40DD with a back band extender, 46D, 46DD and 44DD. I was measured professionally for all of these bras. Wal-Mart, Target and Lane Bryant are hopeless because my size gets picked over so quickly. Don’t get me started about Victoria’s Secret. If it weren’t for two (pricey) lingerie shops in the Washington, DC area I would go crazy. It might cost me, but I get good service. I spend way too much time and money getting bras whenever I can because I never know when I will next find my size. I hesitate to order online because I don’t want to waste time and money returning bras that don’t fit. Why is it so hard to find bras larger than a D cup? Plenty of women need them.
I just wish there were more bricks-and-mortar stores that carried a wider range of bra sizes, both large and small. If a size was not available, it could be special ordered with a quick (less than 2 weeks) turnaround time.
I would also love to see a wider range of styles. The side boning on my strapless bra is bent and now digging into my sides. I have been looking for a new one for the past month but so far no luck. If I go back to the place I bought it, I will just end up with the same style but I may have to. Right now, I can’t wear one dress because I don’t have the right bra for its cut. I have had no luck with bra accessories on a regular bra. I am sick of this nonsense. (Make it stop!)
Sorry this is so long but I needed to vent.
I too feel the pain of each woman listed. I wear between a 34H and 36J depending upon the manufacturer. I am so glad to have found Bravissimo online and I too have dreams of a clothing line that would offer multiple options in the cup area that are more hip and trendy. Likewise I hope to design a lingerie line that will offer more daring and exotic lingerie for D – K cups. For any woman in the DC area goto http://www.intimatedesignerapparel.com they can order bras from the same manufacturers as Bravissimo. As more of us branch out and create solutions for ourselves and others we can fill the void.
I too feel the pain of each woman listed. I wear between a 34H and 36H depending upon the manufacturer. I am so glad to have found Bravissimo online and I too have dreams of a clothing line that would offer multiple options in the cup area that are more hip and trendy. Likewise I hope to design a lingerie line that will offer more daring and exotic lingerie for D – K cups. For any woman in the DC area goto http://www.intimatedesignerapparel.com they can order bras from the same manufacturers as Bravissimo. As more of us branch out and create solutions for ourselves and others we can fill the void.
Hannah-
You probably shouldn’t refer to them as “tiny-bras” unless you want to come across as condescending. I doubt women who wear larger sizes would want to shop somewhere that referred to their D-E-F etc. bras as giganto-bras…Just something to keep in mind.
Sarah wrote: "I recently read a blog on the web, where a young girl was taken by her mother to Victoria’s Secret to try to buy a size 34F (I think, or very similar) bra. When she asked the sales assistant what they had in that size the assistant smirked, called over her colleague and proceeded to actually laugh at the girl and say “We only stock NORMAL sizes”. It is this attitude that needs to be thoroughly stamped out. Go on yahoo answers and there are dozens of insecure young girls, only 14 or so, worrying that their breasts are too big and wondering when they can get a reduction."
Sarah, here is the url for the blog you mentioned: http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~cat/bra.html. This way, you can check back and readers of your post can read it too. When I read the blog, it really resonated with me. When I got to the part where they went to Victoria's Secret, I felt really sorry for the poor gal. No one deserves such snark simply because they have larger breasts than the average population.
I am 15 (going on 16 on July 7th of this year) and I am now wearing and busting out of a 36DD bra. In December 2008, my mom grudgingly took me out bra shopping when I was complaining about a backache and I tossed my precious lacy 36D bras (which I got in June), the only bras I ever had that I felt sexy in, into our "old bra" basket (which we take bras out of when a female family member needs a new bra). Then I resigned myself to having to wear these granny-type bras (made by Bali) that fit, but didn't make me feel so sexy. Now I have been suffering backaches again. I used the measurement method given on http://www.ugcs.caltech.edu/~cat/bra.html to try to calculate my new bra size. It came out to a 36G/36F (US and UK sizes respectively). I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that I now had a legitimate excuse to not have to be limited to Bali bras (I have only seen bras in stores that go up to a DDD cup), but now I have a new problem. My mom adamantly insists that my bra fits just fine even though the wires aren't flush against my chest and I'm suffering a backache! When I protested, here's how it went:
Mom: "I have been wearing bras for 20 years and you've only been wearing them for 5 years. I know more about how they're supposed to fit than you do.
*I show her the wires that stand away from my chest and she takes a look*
Mom: "I don't think the straps are tight enough"
*Mom tightens my bra straps so tightly that they dig into my shoulders…ouch*
Mom: "There. Problem solved"
Me: *angrily, but quietly* "The problem is not solved. The wires are still standing away from my chest and my back still hurts. All your tightening did was make me look like I have four breasts and add pain to my shoulders. I really think that I should get new bras in a new size."
Mom: "And what size do you think you've gotten to be?"
Me: *showing Mom the instructions I copied from the blog along with my measurements* "According to these calculations, I am supposed to be wearing a 36G in US sizes. I haven't seen anything in that size in stores, so I think I should get new stuff from Bravissimo. It's a British store, so I should order in a 36F."
*My mom laughs at me and gives me crap about "wanting to have bigger knockers" and more crap about my butt being big*
She gave me the genetics (I look so much like my mom that someone thought I was her younger sister), so she has no right to make fun of my body! I don't have any money of my own thanks to my mom not letting me get a job, so I can't get new stuff on my own.
Could anyone please give me advice on what to do about my mom? I cannot go on like this forever!
I used to have a terrible time finding lingerie that fit, simply because I’d shop off the racks where so-called “normal” women buy, and the stores around me only went up to a D-cup in my band size. It was thanks to Victoria’s Secret that I realized my problem was that my bras weren’t fitting right… and no thanks to VC when I realized that even theirs left me spilling out. I am a 36DDD cup, which nobody seems to sell, and I do have to shop online in the scant selection that is available. I hope that someday American stores will wise up, because it would be nice to be able to shop around for different models and not just have to rely on mail-ordering a couple of old standbys.
Charlie Brown–I hear you. I went through the same stuff except my mom was smaller-breasted. She was a 34A and found her bras easily at Sears! I had 38B, 38C, and 36C bras that never quite fit right during my teen years. I don’t remember anyone fitting me for a bra except for a training bra-everything else was guesswork. I finally got sized when I made my own money and nearly fainted when I heard that I was (back then) a 38DD!
Judging from your mom’s conversation, it sounds like she has never had a bra that truly fit. Can you try to fit her using the directions from that blog? Maybe she would understand more and that might help her too.
Can you also talk to a doctor if you are having back pain? Maybe he or she can help you deal with your mom. Can any other female family members help?
You might want to also check out other bra brands (Just My Size, Cacique, Enell, etc) since money is a problem. See if there are any lingerie shops in your area that carry your size. Maybe you can get on their mailing lists for information on sales.
Hope these ideas help. Let everyone here know how you are doing.
We now have Knickers Community where there are groups such as ‘All about bra sizing’ and ‘Larger-Cup Ladies’ which may be useful for you. Our existing members would be delighted to hear all your comments!
http://knickers.ning.com/group/allaboutbrasizing
http://knickers.ning.com/group/largercupladies
Alison
PS. It’s free to join Knickers Community! http://knickers.ning.com/groups
Alison, thanks for the suggestion! Maybe here I can have a place to talk about lingerie and complain about my dreadful breast-related plights without being told that I’m obsessed with my boobs. Look for me as Charleyanne K. B. here, OK?
I will do Charleyanne K. B; hopefully you’ll enjoy Knickers Community and be able to ‘chat’ with like-minded people. Alison
Hi,
After my breast reduction, according to Victoria’s Secret, I went down to a 36 D or 38 DD (depends on the bra). For years, I felt disgusted and ashamed of my body since I felt so disproportional. It wasn’t until I came to Israel this year that I discovered a store called “Women Only, C Cup and Up.” As soon as I entered the store, a saleswoman took my measurements, and I discovered that I was a 32 G Cup!!! I purchased 3 bras from Women Only, and would have purchased more if their bras didn’t cost a hundred bucks a pop.
I’m angry at Victoria’s Secret and America’s lingerie industry for convincing me that my chest is abnormal. I had my $20,000 breast reduction when I was 16. It was extremely painful and left permanent scarring. A friend of mine had a breast reduction as well, only to get an infection that would lead to further surgeries. I know for certain that neither of us would have had breast reductions if there were stores like Women Only around the corner.
I hear you, Jen. I think you might like Bebe’s Boobs Destroy Society, one of my favorite South Park episodes. It satirizes our society’s obsession wtih breasts through the boys’ reactions to Bebe’s newly developing body. I was able to relate because when I was nine, I also started growing breasts and I felt really weird because back then, my school wasn’t very big on talking about puberty publicly (by this I mean having the school nurse come in and show a video about it or tak to a whole bunch of girls about breasts and menstruation) and none of the other girls started developing breasts yet. But just as the feelings started to disappear around sixth grade, they reappeared almost instantly as older kids started to sexually harass me (I had grown to a B-cup and my peers were all either wearing AA/A-cup bras or none at all). Then in seventh grade, I grew to a 36C and started being asked by some girls if I got implants or was stuffing my bra (there was another category of girls that spread rumors that I did do this stuff and it sometimes overlapped with the first category). I was hoping that my breasts would stop growing long enough for other girls to catch up to me so that I could feel normal for longer than a couple of weeks. But no, I simply had to grow to a D-cup in eighth grade, switch to a DD-cup bra a few months ago, and now I’m going through the whole “busting out” business again. *sigh*
*I am the same person as the gal called Charlie Brown who posted above, I just changed it here to make things simpler.
I feel your pain – I will never forget when I went to Victoria’s Secret before my wedding and was told loudly by the sales girl that I was “abnormal” and maybe needed to go to a store like Lane Bryant to see if they could help with my “problem”. I was so angry I responded by saying that my need for something to hold me up was more pressing than pushup bras, and I failed to see how my ample bust made me abnormal. (The manager then came over – apologised and told me they were working on a bigger line.) I did find a specialty shop who found a 32DD bustier for me. (Since then we have moved to a much smaller city further complicating things.) Now – with age and a little weight I am a 38 G – though I wear 40 DDD bras as they are the only ones I can find in shops. I have another question – is it possible to find any sexy lingerie (like a baby doll dress) with these cup sizes? My husband would like to see me in some lingerie – but I have searched and searched in vain. (I have no problem finding bottoms and thigh highs as my hips and legs are rather small – irony of ironies.) I just can’t seem to find anything top-wise that might make me feel sexy and look good. Thanks for letting me vent!
I am naturally a 32dd/ddd. It is impossible to find a bra in a store that fits me. First of all most stores don't even have 32s in any cup size. and most don't have a dd in anything smaller than a 36 or 38 band. I went to Victoria's Secret and was told to just get a bigger band. They wanted to put me in a 36 so they could get a cup that I wasn't spilling out of. Needless to say I could take the band and tie it in a knot it was so big. Dillards was a little better. They actually had a few 32dds but the only kinda cute ones ran small. The band was fine but I was still spilling out of the cups. The only bras they had that would fit me were just a thin piece of fabric, in full coverage or a minimizer, and my nipples poked through all of them. Not to mention they looked like granny bras and I'm 21. It has been years since I have actually had a cute bra. As the picture shows a 32dd or ddd really isn't that big. Also makes it difficult to find clothes that fit. Shirts that fit up top look like a tent everywhere else!
I’m in the US too and I just found your blog. Victoria’s Secret is horrible! The girls are not properly trained to measure. The girl tried to tell me I was a 36 D. (I got measured at BraSmyth and turns out I’m a 36DDD)
Whether you are small or busty; you will never be happy in VS. The A – C cups are padded to death. The ugly D/DD cups are only in 2 drawers. I’ve heard too many horror stories. C’mon!
After I plunked down $77 for a bra, my husband asked if I wanted a breast reduction. Maybe he figures he’d save more in the long run, LOL!
I have to agree with this article completely. I’m a 30E, and before stumbling across Figleaves.com a few years back, I was wearing horribly fitting 34DD bras, having absolutely no idea what my true bra size really was. The writer of this article is right about Americans assuming anything above a D or DD is ridiculously huge. When I first told a friend of mine that my bra size was a 30E, she thought I was nuts. From looking at my chest she said there was no way my breasts were that big (she herself is a 36C, and her breasts certainly look bigger than mine). Most people don’t understand the relationship between band and cup size. My breasts aren’t THAT big, I just have a small back which puts me in a larger cup size. I am sick of ordering several bras through Figleaves in multiple sizes and styles and sending the ones back that don’t fit. I would love to walk into a store and actually be able to try a bra on instead of doing my shopping online.
Excellent article!
Even “average” cup sizes with a different band can be hard to find … I was recently sized as a 32C, and while I can find some styles in that size at nicer department stores like Dillard’s and Nordstrom’s, the more affordable stores like JC Penny and Kohl’s do not carry my size at all (and I asked!) And Victoria’s Secret only carries a few styles in a 32C, all of which fit me horribly… If I was a 36C I could find a bra anywhere, but not with 32C!
I haven't been able to wear a Victoria's Secret bra since high school 15 years ago. I wore a 34 DD then. Now I have had children and my breast have increased even more. I now wear somewhere between a 34L-N in US sizes or 34I-K European sizes. Two years ago I bought a 34I from Big Girls Bras by Panache that fit great. Now that I have had another child I cannot fit that and am not able to find a nursing bra that fits to save my life? Anyone know of anywhere that I can get a good nursing bra in a large cup size?
Angelina wrote: “I’m in the US too and I just found your blog. Victoria’s Secret is horrible! The girls are not properly trained to measure. The girl tried to tell me I was a 36 D. (I got measured at BraSmyth and turns out I’m a 36DDD)
Whether you are small or busty; you will never be happy in VS. The A – C cups are padded to death. The ugly D/DD cups are only in 2 drawers. I’ve heard too many horror stories. C’mon!
After I plunked down $77 for a bra, my husband asked if I wanted a breast reduction. Maybe he figures he’d save more in the long run, LOL!”
I can see what you mean about the girls not doing the fittings properly. I saw a fitting done at Vicky’s on TLC’s What Not to Wear and the fitting was obviously done improperly. For one thing, when the bust measurement was done, the fitter had wiggle room underneath the measuring tape. Plus, she used the “add five inches” rule. Sometimes I wonder if guys came up with that rule for their heights and that just happened to pass into bra sizing.
Teri, I would recommend getting a bra from Bravissimo or sewing one for yourself. It actually is possible to do it. Just ask anyone in our special group for women who sew their own bras out of desperation.
For the society of men doing a “DD cup size” GIS, I’d like to present you all with a first place trophy. Also thank you, all of you brave, strong women for the burden you bear. The world is enriched by your presence.
I am 29 and wear a 32G. I have been shopping at a speciality shop since high school, it is the only place I can find bra’s. It is disappointing to be limited to only a handful of options. Not to metion that these bra’s are expensive because they are imported. And I remember the times I felt like a complete freak because of having such a large size cup.
I have a consultation with a plastic surgeon later this month to talk about a reduction. I am in so much pain, even after wearing great fitting bra’s all these years.
My sympathy to the teenage girls out there with big breasts. When I was 13 I had C cups and my senior year of high school I was already a FF. All the unwanted attention from guys made me self concious. I even had people come up to me in the grocery store before and comment on my boobs and if they are real or not.
I am 23 and a full 30 HH (us 30J)
in 5th grade I was a supposed DDD
By High School I couldn’t find a bra store in the metro area with a stock to accommodate my size.
I had never owned a “pretty bra” until I went off to college and began shopping British sites. Though the price is high and they are still not too attractive, something is better than the physical pain and horrible look of a bra that could never actually fit.
I have helped many girls find their real size. As a sudo poster child for poor bra knowledge, I am approachable and can spot the distress of a young woman yearning to stand up straight!
I was unfortunate to have a lower middle class mother that had no idea about bra sizing and breast health. by the age of 10, I was an athletic young girl, well past a DD and without a bra to fit-even wearing 2 or 3 to play ball in, I developed bright red stretch marks from 2 inches under in collar bone to well past half of my breasts. All of my upper ligaments have been torn and a really good, non-stretch cup/bra is my only salvation.
If we can teach sex-ed to girls in 5th grade, why can’t we teach breast health and educate girls to the importance of bras?
Everyone wants to look good in their bra, but they need to have the appropriate support too!
I am so pleased to find a site that acknowledges the difficulty to find larger bras for women in the U.S.
I’m 18, and I currently wear a 30 or 32 GG, but they just keep growing!
I have been struggling for years to find bras that fit. Having such a small frame makes it near impossible.
I live in Chicago and have found a store located on 900 N. Michigan called Intimacy that offers a selection, and have also found refuge in Bravissimo, an online site from the UK.
It is ridiculous that these problems exist, it should be easier for women to access the support they need, and shouldn’t have to succumb to ugly bras along the way.
I’ve been more than frustrated with Victoria’s Secret for years, when I was 12 or 13 their bras were no longer an option for me, and I’m tired of being prodded to get fitted every time I enter their store. I try to explain to them that they won’t fit, but they often insist. Recently the store was offering 5 dollars off your purchase if you tried a certain bra on, when asked I responded “its no use, I wear larger than you offer” the employee didn’t know what to say.
I wish that finding pretty bras to fit would be much easier, and I’m not surprised that their are so many women out there with the same problem.
Ridiculous!
I'm looking for a bustier, something sexy, not practical and they are just impossible to find in a 34DD. Anyone know where to get something like that? It's just not sexy to be spilling out over the sides of a C cup but that is as big as I can find.
I’m sorry to hear there is such a lack of choice of bigger cup bras in the US – how frustrating! At http://www.simplyyours.co.uk we offer selected bras up to K and L cups but at present we do not ship to the US.
Danae if you would like any information/ press releases/ images from Simply Yours please let me know.
All the best,
Charlotte, Simply Yours
I share everyone’s frustrations. Shopping for a wedding dress has been a complete nightmare, but it did finally lead me into a specialty shop in Manhattan, desperate to find a longline bra that fit properly. After a trip to Linda’s Bra Salon in Manhattan, I now know my real size of 34H. (Not sure if Linda’s has been mentioned here, as I have not read all the posts.) I had been wearing a 36DDD. Hooray for Linda! It is amazing at the age of 32 to finally have a bra that fits! My clothes fit properly and my back and shoulders are not aching. For ladies in the US, Linda has an online site that you can shop from with a large selection. Hope this is helpful and good luck. http://www.lindasonline.com/
What are all of you women complaining for? If you wear more than a DD, then you should complain about finding a bra. A D is slightly above average. A DD is huge. I wear a 38 C. Victoria's Secret has nice bras up to a 40 DD. If you don't want a push up, then you can get non padded or a minimizer. You women just want to act like you are so out of the norm. Whatever. I met a 18 year old girl who wore a 36 E, which is way beyond a 36 DD. Don't complain about needing a reduction until you get over a DD! Be happy. You are just full breasted and blessed.
Living in Britain I still have a problem. I am a 30E and a lot of places I’ve looked in don’t go above a D or DD in that band size. M&S only offer my size in their fancy lingere (why?!) and I’m wanting something simple. I can get bras to fit but they are generally from the expensive stores. :/
Hi Gill!
You should check out http://www.brastop.com – they do really great deals for larger cup sizes, and have a very good selection of more basic bras. Hopefully you could find something more affordable there!
a couple of people have asked for nice bustiers in DD+ sizes, try Pour Moi (v. reasonably priced) and Masquerade. Masquerade does gorgeous lingerie, really sexy but sophisticated, up to G cup.
GiIt: for cheaper bras in your size you’ll probably have to go online – Brastop, Figleaves sales etc.
I’m currently annoyed at marks and spencers, after all the recent controversy I assumed they actually had decent choice in DD+. But no, most of the 17 styles in my 32F size are as granny as they get. Ugh. No wonder I haven’t shopped there since I was 15.
niecey – your post doesn’t make sense. a 36E is just one cup size bigger than a 36DD?! how can D be ‘slightly above average’ and DD ‘huge’? there is not that much difference between 2 adjacent cup sizes.
I’m not disagreeing with you that big busted women should be happy – nobody should feel bad about their bodies. But everybody who has posted here doesn’t want to act out of the norm, actually part of the reason us D+ girls are annoyed is because we KNOW we’re not that unusual, but much of the lingerie business seems to want us to think that we are!
honestly, I wish had the money to go to America just so I can yell at Victoria’s Secret employees.
Why are all of you ladies complaining if you only wear a DD? I wear a 38 C almost D and I love Victoria’s Secret. They have so many styles and colors in a 34D-40DD. You should only complain if you can’t fit a DD anymore. That’s when you need a breast reduction!
I would like to address the lady that said that I didn’t make any sense about my opinion on bra sizes. A C cup is good, a D cup is fuller and a DD cup is very full. I thought that an E was bigger than a DDD which is why I said that an E is way too large. If I could, I would want breasts no larger than a DD. That way I can still buy bras at Victoria’s Secret, which is my favorite store on Earth.
I’m having lots of difficulty following this article when I saw the picture. I firstly would probably agree that America does not have as many larger sized bras as other countries do, but about the size DD, is the girl in that picture truly a size DD? I wondered if the sizes differed between countries and perhaps that’s where my confusion is coming from.
If you take a look at celebrity Anna Nicole Smith (who got worked on), she held a pair of DD and she’s definitely seems WAY larger. Here’s a picture of a different celeb, Dolly Parton: http://www.yourcelebritystuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/dolly-parton.jpg
Feel free to respond to my comment boldly, I am afterall quite a novice with the world of lingerie/bra/sizes.
Hope to hear from the community soon,
-James
Hi James,
No, the girl in the picture is a real DD, the same as in America — Dolly and Anna Nicole are probably more like J cups! I think your confusion lies in the fact that a lot of people seem to think that sizes stop at DD — they don’t, they keep going all the way up to M and N and even beyond sometimes!
I hope that helps,
Danae
Greetings – I’m feeling the pain with every one of these posts! Living in the US, I was never properly fitted as a youth and constantly made to feel ashamed of my size. (What else should one assume when NO bra in ANY store fits you?) In fact, it was encouraged by friends and family to simply grab whatever bra would fit “well enough” and have no more talk about it! I especially feel for “the girl called Charlie Brown”. I’m a 34G right now… it’s impossible to shop!
After 2 kids – and the weight gain/loss associated with that – I’m on the hunt for a local store where I could just TRY something on that fits! I’m not looking forward to playing the online shipping/returns game. (And REALLY not looking forward to dropping so much $$$ on each bra.)
In the mean time – I wanted to ask if other ladies experience this problem: having larger breasts… and finding shirts either A) Look like tents or B) hike up in front and are long in the back.
It drives me insane. My shirts all hang nicely in the back around my pant line… but in front? They’re almost above my navel. I notice the lady in the pic has the same problem… Any suggestions? Does this happen to anyone else? Is there a shirt maker who possibly adds a bit of length in the front for the busty gals?
Does anyone wonder why Niecey has so much to say when she only wears a C cup? I do. I’m 19, medium height, 140 lbs and I wear a 36 DDD. I can not shop at Niecey’s favorite store: Victoria’s Secret. Even the 38 DD doesn’t fit me properly. I buy most of my bras from figleaves.com. If they don’t fit, I just pay to send them back. Damn. I really wish that I only wore a 36 D or DD.
This is Niecey answering Maria’s question. I have so much to say because I have two sisters with large breasts. One wears a 38 DD. The other wears a 34 DD. Neither of them complain about finding a bra as much as some of you ladies on here. They shop at Victoria’s Secret, Sears and KMart in order to find bras. Once in awhile, they even go on the internet to sites such as figleaves.com. In some ways, though, I can understand the frustration of having a 32 inch back, DDD breasts and not being able to find a good bra in that size.
Niecy,
The problem women are talking about is that they are E, F, G, H, and beyond cup sizes and are made to feel “huge” when really, they’re pretty normal. By saying things like “get a breast reduction,” you’re perfectly demonstrating the kind of ignorance about bra sizing that I spoke about in this article, and you’re also being unnecessarily hurtful. A DD is not “huge” as you put it – I suggest you re-read the article at the top of this page to see what a DD really looks like.
-Danae (the editor of this site)
I apologize if I have offended any of you ladies. I was only sharing my opinion. However, I know that I can’t realate to any of you when I only wear a C cup in bras.
I somewhat agree with Niecey. I wear a 36 DD in bras and I can always find something good at Victoria’s Secret. The highest cup there is a DD. There are now 2 draws in a D cup because now the average size in America is a 36 D, which is close to a 34 D and a 34 DD as well. Also, there is one drawer in a DD because that kind of store knows that most people who shop there are between a B and a D cup. Like she said, you can always go to figleaves.com to find sizes larger than a DD. My mother is a 38 F. She buys most of her bras there.
(FYI – “Michelle” and “Niecy” are posting from the same computer / IP address)
“Danae”, Niecey is my sister. We live in the same house. Of course we use the same computer sometimes. She found this site by accident one day while she was looking for bathing suits online. Then she began to share her biased opinions. She showed me this site a few days ago in order to show me that my other sister and I were not the only ones who could not find nice bras in our sizes at times.
Actually E F and G are exactly the same as DD DDD DDDD. It is just the European sizing vs American…
AMEN! I wear a 34 or 36 D, and whenever I tell someone the are surprised and confused. Really I think my breasts are AVERAGE sized,and in perfect proportion to the rest of my body. A D cup bra is really not that large. I think we in the states think it is because the largest our retailers stock is usually a DD (if we are lucky). I would be more inclined to get actually sized if I knew I would be able to 1.find a place to buy the size and 2.could even afford it.
To M. who wrote on June 10th: I have finally found someone else besides Niecey who thinks that a D cup is slightly more than an average C cup. I used to be a 36 B so a 36 D looked and sound huge to me. Now I wear a 36 or 38 C almost D. While my breasts are a lot fuller now and do get more envious as well as lustful stares, I realize that they are nowhere near as big as a full DD, DDD/E or beyond like that girl Bootz from Flavor Flave. To me they are perfect: high, firm, round, perky and a little more than average.
This may help those who have no idea what their band size is i.e. the back size. As a general rule you can gauge what band size to choose by your dress size:
If you are a UK size 8 you are most likely to be a band size 30
If you are a UK size 10-12 most likely a 32
If you are UK size 14 most likely a 34
If you are a UK size 16 most likely a 36
If you are a UK size 18 most likely a 38.
etc.
If you use this guide you will realise that if you have been using a larger band size to compensate for the cup size, there’ll be a remarkable difference!
Now the numbers and sizes above are not set in stone, and it is a guide (age plays a bit of a role as your shape changes) but use this as a rough guide and you’ll be on the way to getting a proper fitting bra. If you are used to using cup sizes A-DDD it will come as a bit of a surprise that you may end up being a 32F instead of e.g. a 36C – there’s nothing to be ashamed of!
Get a proper fitting bra and your shape will change dramatically – just look at the DD girl in the picture, who incidentally is me, and you will know what I’m talking about!
I have been wearing a 40-42 DDD for the last 10 years, because that was the only way to get my girls into a bra. Recently I used a Freya guidline to find that I am actually a 38 GG. Yeah try and find that in the US. Also, I do not look like a freak.
Hi Kim,
Try Figleaves US who do Freya in 38GG.
Alison
Here at Lion’s Lair, you can order over the phone or email. We ask for your ribcage and bust measurements to make sure we’re sending you the best possible size. We carry 28-52 bands, all the way up to a UK K-cup!
I was measured as a 34 F last time I went bra shopping, which made sense cause I had spent years stuffing my girls into too small Victorias Secret DD’s. Although I suspect the 34F is not my ideal cup as I still feel as thought I “runneth over”. I wish there was someplace near me (north hollywood area in Los Angeles) that I could go for a real measurement and to actually try on bras to see what fits.
Life is such a b@#$%. Sometimes having big breasts is more trouble than it’s worth. Most of the time I just order my 36 F’s online at figleaves.com. Even if they’re not that cute and expensive as hell, at least they fit. and last me for at least 6 months.
I completely understand where you are coming from. For years I wore the wrong size , even went to Lane Bryant myself, because as you so well state it: in the US its not possible to have naturally big cup sizes without an enormous back. I found Intimacy, but its not everywhere. they import European bras. Hurray! Sadly its very expensive. Average bra is $150. But its better than nothing. Oh and they sell bathing suits too!
I agree with those posting about Victoria’s secret. The only D cups who can wear that all day long are fake Ds. Granted I am currently a 34H, but I have been a 34D before. No mine are not fake, just won’t stop growing. I don’t consider it lucky either. Unless you actually have a large size bra need you really shouldn’t make comments on here.
Try wearing a 34 F. I order my bras from figleaves. I haven’t been able to wear a 34 DD bra from Victoria’s Secret since I was 16. I’m 25 now and have more than enough breasts for 2 women.
Not only do US bra makers ignore the fact that there are larger cup sizes than DD, a bigger and bigger percentage of the bras being sold in the US are being made with molded cups. That’s fine as long as one’s breasts are close to the same size, but if they’re not, one really does need a seamed-cup bra. I’m only about one cup size bigger on one side than the other (D vs DD), and by adjusting the strap a little tighter on the smaller side, I’ve achieved a good fit for years with a seamed-cup bra.
When the bra style I’d worn and liked for years was discontinued, it was replaced with a molded-cup style, which really doesn’t work for me at all! I know that women want bras that provides a smooth line under knits, but my old (seamed) style did that just fine! I don’t know what percentage of women are uneven from one side to the other, but I do know that it’s more than 5 or 10 percent, so there’s a market for such things. I can’t afford to have my bras custom-made, and I’m too large to simply “go without”. Is my only option soon goig to be to make my own bras?
I have the same dilemma as all the other beautiful ladies here….
When I was a teenager I don’t even know what size I was because it wasn’t around and what was around were minimizers with extra tall coverage.. so ugly! And yes! i was one of the girls who thought i was deformed! and should get a reduction! I have an apple shape and i have very soft breast tissue so what I need is a molded cup that is basically going to shape and put the ladies in the right area with flattering orientation.. i rely fully on a good bra… 8 months ago weighed around 200 pounds at 5’8″ height… yeah i am overweight but believe it or not any plus sized stores (Lane bryant etc) had bras that kind of fit but again.. it’s almost like the cups don’t match the backs OR the cup shape is all wrong or the style is aweful or something.. I was supposed to be a 38 G but they were trying to get me to buy a 40F (they just don’t understand! I am tall not super wide) and had to buy 38H and put the extender at the back to make it fit right and then you know after 2 or 3 wearings all of a sudden your bra doesn’t fit anymore!! It stretches out (or something) so the extender was removed sometimes to get a better fit. lol.
Then A few months ago i went to norstroms at south coast plaza.. orange county… OMG! I was shocked! they had so much selection in my size that I had never witnessed in my life (and i’ve also lived in the UK and never encountered this)!! Did i want strapless? lacy? padded? sculpted? balconette? wireless? wired? etc.. the list goes on and on.. except no good sports bras in stock.. So with all that selection you’d think the “expert” bra ladies would be on their game???? NOPE.. I tried like 30 bras on.. literally! She kept telling me they all looked good.. did she really think i was going to buy all of them?! haa! I bought 3 bras (wacoal, fantasie) but didn’t wear them right away.. I just wasn’t convinced.. anyways i ended returning one of them and got a strapless fantasie instead (i had owned this style before but had ordered it from figleaves.com 5 years ago and thought it was a good fit but it wasn’t and then $60 later i never used it). I was simply in love with the strapless and ended up not really using the other 2 very much.. hmm… oh yeah.. so the strapless was the smallest of the 3 i bought at 38F (the girl that day seemed to know what made me look good). What I love about this bra: wired, neutral tan color, it has these built in rubber strips that “cling” to the body to make the bra stay on when you remove the straps.. I like this because one of my main problems with bras is that even at the right size i always feel like the bra back is not sitting in a comfortable place and those strips just keep it in place and I know so I don’t mess with it.. i’m in love.
I am happy to say that within the following 1-2 months i lost 25 pounds.. I am sad to say that my cup size looks like it reduced dramatically (i have 1 almost 3 year old i stopped breastfeeding 7 months ago) with that 25lbs.. so i might be a 36-38 DD or DDD (E) and even more sadly i am overseas in the philippines until early next year and if you thought bra selection in american was bogus ummm.. this definitely tops it. 40E puts a triangle on each breast. So i’m continuing to wear my now unfitting bra but at least the bra back is still ok but i can’t go strapless (bra sticks out at the sides in a funny way) and i look like i’m a bit larger then i should be.
I found this blog because i did a search to find a way to reduce my bra cup myself!! lol.. i’m desperate! You might be thinking I should order something online and have it shipped? it might not fit! then i’ll spend like more than the bra for all the shipping costs! Thanks for listening to my short story! I guess i need to vent it out! =)
P.S. The smallest that I know for sure I’ve been was 32F and at that time I weighed around 140 lbs i think around 6 years ago(2002-04).. I couldn’t find anything anywhere in Los Angeles at that time either and backaches are something I have had to accept as part of life since I got started getting boobs when i was 10-12 years old. The other point is that throughout all “huge” sizes i’ve been through NO ONE would have ever thought I was an F, G, H… when normal people think of those sizes they think pamela anderson or something like that.. nope i’ve got those natural untouched ladies made of very soft breast tissue. you don’t know how many times a sales lady has told me ” just go up on the band size and down on the cup size and you should be fine” all that with a confident smile.. arghhhh
I just noticed a comment from Alison on June 11th, 2009… Um.. i am a 14 or 16 now in uk sizes and my bra band/ back is 38 so i think it really depends on your body type and when buying a bra each company really uses different sizing proportions and it seems like the only way to really get a good fit that looks good under clothes is to try it on and wear a shirt or something to see the final look. Thanks again!
It must be very frustrating, Yamuna, and we’ll try and help as much as possible. You mention you are about a UK size 14-16, which would mean it would be worth trying a band size 34 first and if that feels too tight, try a 36 (fasten on last fastening when trying a bra). The cup size is a little more difficult to assess from afar, however, it sounds like it would be worth trying an F cup to start with – if I have understood the information you have given above.
When assessing the fit of the cup, make sure the bridge (the bit between the cups) rests flat against you and there is no spillage either over the top of the cups or at the side of the cups i.e. the breast tissue should be contained in the cups.
The band and cups should rest against your body without any gaps – it should also be comfortable and not too tight.
Bear in mind that after you stop breastfeeding it is best to let things settle down a little before buying a whole new bra collection. If you find your size has gone down and you don’t feel your shape is as full, try a balcony style bra, which can boost the bit that can go a bit flat after breastfeeding!
I hope this helps, but feel free to email us if you need need any further help!
Alison
You’re right Mary-Ann, uneven-sized women are very common and it can be really frustrating when you find a great bra that fits well on one side and gapes on the other.
The best way of dealing with uneven cup sizes is to always go for the cup size that fits the larger side. For the smaller side go for a bra pad or enhancer to fill out the excess. If you don’t like the idea of this or it doesn’t work for you, find a good seamstress (or if you’re nifty with a needle, go for it yourself) and ask them to take in the excess fabric.
In general it’s also worth noting that a lot of women experience uneven breast size at different times in their hormonal cycle.
Alison
I remember crying in high school because I could not even find a 34D at my local Victoria’s Secret store. The workers always made me feel like a freak. A nice manager once tried to help and came up with one bra that was my size, but did not fit very well. Anyway, I have found Dillard’s to be the best department store to carry good bras in a range of sizes. I just bought 2 Cabernet bras that were 40DDD and one that was a 38 G. I also like Vanity Fair though I have found sometimes that the elastic is too stretchy and allows too much bounce. Bali and Olga are good too, but can be hard to find larger sizes in local stores. Wacoal had some that fit nice and looked great at Dillards, but I did not have enough money. As it was I bought the 3 that day on clearance for ~$15 ea. You can’t beat that when you’re on a budget! Kohl’s and J.C. Penney are just not getting it though. I am lucky if I search every rack and find one bra in my size. Never mind if I like the style, color or fit of it. One is not a selection, it is a punishment. I’m not ashamed of my large breasts. Maybe other parts that are larger than I would like, but not my breasts. My great grandmother had to have specially made bras because she never could find a J anywhere. I grew up knowing I had that sort of potential and just accepted it. I also loved Dolly Parton and Bette Midler as a kid.
OK…so bra sizes are one thing…But what about clothing??? I need to wear about 2 sizes larger than I am in order to fit my chest. Then the waist is huge, and I look horrible! Any suggestions? I am ready to get a reduction in order to increase my wardrobe! PLUS…WHY do they not make minimizers with padding??? Does it take a rocket scientist to figure out that a large-breasted woman DOES like to wear a t-shirt, and that the t-shirt WILL fit very snug??? I am a teacher, and the last thing I need is too much showing when it gets cool in the classroom!
Oh, BTW…I am a 40DD (although I look MUCH larger than the photo, so I am probably wrong…)
This blog is totally on the mark. I think it is a form of discrimination that if your band size is about 40, but your cup size is a F,G or H, too bad for you, and you’ll have to be resourceful to find anything pretty and feminine. BUT, if you wear a large band size in the 50′s and smaller DDD or DDDD, hey you can even shop at Lane Bryant, JCPenney, etc. I spent a few years trying to buy these stupid bras in 46 DDD at LB and other similar stores to get a manageable cup size, when I’m a 14-16 clothing size and having them fall off of me, until I got smart, learned how to measure myself and found places that actually care that women look good and have the right support in their bras. I same shame on LB, Catherines and all these stores who have decided who can and can’t shop for the right fit. Who decided that if you are a 40H you don’t have the same rights in a store as a 56DDD, especially when the manufacturers make the size but the store won’t bother to carry it. Frankly put, the 40H is gonna look much better in your darn clothes.
I am a G cup and cannot find a store anywhere that actually carries a g cup in the store. i dont order them online because they vary so much from brand to brand I find myself constantly returning them HELP!! My boobs deserve to be supported properly- Its just not fair and it is making me crazy that i cannot have the right bra size… leading to poor posture, bad back and sagging boobs
Hi Lisa,
If you e-mail us at thegirls@knickersblog.com with your bra size and your location, we will see if we can find any stores nearby that can help you!
xxnae
Hello,
I live in Metro St. Louis, and I have the WORST time getting bras. Before I got pregnant with my son, I was in a 32 G. By the end of my prengancy, I wore a 36 G (which I was told was the equvalent of a 32 HH or 32 I). When I was nursing, it was a 34 HH. Now, I should be in a 34 GG or 34 H, but I can’t seem to find one that fits right! I bartend, so I need a balcony bra. Full coverage is comfy, sure but it also equals NO TIPS!.
There’s a store in our area called Ann’s Bras, and they carry pretty much every size, but they said that as far as overly large boobs goes, It’s a popular size. The last time I went, they didn’t have a single bra in that size, even though they normally carry it. I had to have something, so I ended up with an assortment of 36 G, & 36 FF’s. I had to try on like 15 bras to find 3 that would fit, and even they don’t fit the best. Even with their buy 6 over time, get 1 free program (one of them was a lucky freebie), I still walked out of there 140 bucks poorer, with out the best fitting bra. What was I to do though? Wait 6 weeks for a special order from Freya or Fantasie?
I would buy online to get guaranteed stock, but I’m terrified that it wouldn’t fit “quite right”, and I wouldnt be able to return it. Any ideas on buying them online without getting screwed? The people at Ann’s are great, but it seems to be that whatever size I’m in at the time, if I’m in the market to pick up a few, it’s the one size they’re out of!!!!
Jill, I just thought of you today when I saw these shirts on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6956894 — they are very flattering for a larger-cup size!
It is true that most of the stores do not stock items above DD or max DDD cups either due to non-availability (or at least low availability) or due to lower patronage.
I love the cute lines of bras like flurtitude carried by JC Pennies but they only go up to a c cup. Even the sexier brands geared more for adults only go up to a 36D. Im a 38DD and im tired of having to shop in their “plus sized” bra section where everything is neutral colors, full coverage, and plain.
It’s sad that this is still happening, even now. Of course, it’s not as bad as before; here in Canada, it’s possible to find bras up to an H-cup, but they’re only in the plus-size range, so for women who are “small-back/big-cup,” they’re out of luck. Being a 38J (or 38M US-sizing), I might as well forget about ever finding a bra in a traditional brick-and-mortar store–unless I’m willing to travel for a good hour or so to find a boutique that MAY carry them from upwards of $100 CAD. Thank goodness for the UK, for that’s where I order all of my bras from. It is a little inconvenient, though, cuz I wouldn’t mind trying them on before I buy them online, just to save myself the hassle of paying shipping and retuning fees, but when you’ve got no other options, what can you do, really? Either way, buying online does save me a bit more money in the long run, and I’m happy with the UK brands that I’ve come accustomed to; Panache is a personal favourite of mine.
I feel the pain of all of the ladies posting on this website. I am only 5’2” (and what some say is the average size 10) but I have a large set of girls. I was wearing a 32DDD when I was 14. As I kept growing I just went up in band size so that the cup would fit. I am now 40 and still am not sure that I have had a bra that has actually fit me more than once or twice. The last time I was measured I was a US size 34 G however, I think my cup size is actually larger as gravity has taken over and things don’t stand up as well anymore. I was able to find a reasonably priced Cabernet at my local Dillards. Miss Anna, who worked for about two hours has become known as my “Bra Fairy”. The only problem now is that the store has not had this bra in stock for the last 4 months and it is past time for a new one.
I’m a 28FF-G.
I’m never going to be moving to America.
Anyone else have a terrible time finding bras in the right size even in lingerie boutiques?
I get more and more fed up every time I visit one of them, see the signs where they claim to be a specialty store that has a wide range of sizes and European brands, and a trained fitter, and when I go in to look it’s the same old 32, 34, 36 and 38 band sizes. And whatever ‘trained bra fitter’ works there will look at me and tell me with confidence that I’m a 32c or 34b and when I try to look at anything else she immediately goes “no, that’s too big for you”.
I wore 36B for a decade, and never even thought of looking at anything else since I was 15 and while shopping my mom turned and declared “Don’t be stupid, those are gigantic!” as soon as she spied me reaching to look at a 34 or 36C.
I finally learned how to properly measure myself from online guides, after losing 15lb and having my old bras literally fall off me when I tried to put them on – I could have fit 2 of me into one of those.
Apparently I’m a 28E!
I’ve only managed to get a few bras in this size – ordered online from the UK – and they’re the only bras I’ve ever tried that fit me correctly on the loosest hook. I’ve visited about a dozen boutiques all over Los Angeles and in only one of them was I fitted at least close to correct, in a 30DD, and even that one didn’t carry any 28 sizes. Everyone else says 32 and 34 – of course, how could I possibly be a smaller band size than what the store carries?
Some of them actually told me that nothing below a 32 exists, ‘no, not even in Europe, not anywhere’!.
Even in Nordstrom I got fitted in a 30 – they didn’t try to give me a bigger band; of course they could do that since they do carry size 30 bras.
I learned basic sewing and just buy bras I like online when they’re on sale and sew the bands tighter. Much easier than wearing ill-fitting bras, or worse, giving your money to shops like that and ending up with overpriced bras that still don’t fit you.
I don’t think there exists such a thing as a professional bra fitting – all the ‘expert bra fitters’ are only honest up to the limit of their store’s merchandise range. You’re whatever size they want to sell you.
I was another person who was mis-fitted all through my life, and still am not entirely sure what my size is. My mother was also one of those who believed in stuffing everything we had into whatever bra size she thought was right (usually because she couldn’t admit when she got fat).
Even when she got obese, she was still stuffing her ta-tas into a 32 D–I don’t know how she did it.
Me, I accepted reality and at least started going up in band size as I got older and filled out. Cup sizes baffled me. I thought I was a b cup for years, but I now know that was way off. My figure in my 20s-30s was very close to the bottom picture’s 32DD, yet I was trying to work around a b-cup, because that’s what I was told I was at some point. Yet no bra of that time period ever fit right. I was always uncomfortable, straps either dug in or fell down, underwires either poked me in the arms or dug into my ribs/breasts until I yanked them out in exasperation. I was spilling out and my boobs were squashed all over the place, or I was falling out of them because a 38B just doesn’t fricking cut it!
When I finally went into Nordstrom’s one day and just grabbed a bunch of bras without regard for size (band or cup) and started trying them on until one fit me right, did I ever get a surprise. I was a 30D.
Now I know better, but that doesn’t mean my lot has improved. I’m in the F/G cup category these days (and a bigger band size), but I can’t find bras that fit and support without doing the online dance. I’m tired of my neck and shoulders always hurting! I’m not all that huge really–people think I’m lying about my size. Of course, I couldn’t resist maneuvering my bra off one day without exposing myself (I’m talented that way) and handing it over to a guy who told me I wasn’t a DDD/F cup.
P.S. I knew a community playhouse actor who used to take my old bras, and reuse the cups (with new covers) as hats in medieval mob sketches. He said they also worked great for cardinal caps.
In case anyone was wondering about interesting uses for old large-cup bras.
I was finally fitted at a store as a 32H and it is literally the BEST fit i’ve EVER had in a bra. But, now that i’m pregnant my boobs are spilling out of my bra and all of the nursing bras she had that fit my size squashed me so much it was painful. I think I’ve gone up to a 34I and i’m only 28 weeks. The lady at the store did tell me i’ll more than likely go up to a 34J when my milk comes in. It’s just rediculous! I don’t know what i’m going to do in a few months. I hate that most of the bras I can find in that size either a) cover the entire boob leaving NO room for shirts that show cleavage or b) give me pointy boobs. For the record, I refuse to order from Bravissimo after the swimsuit and bras that I bought had such a funky cup shape that I ended up looking like I had quad boob with a bra that actually fit. Even though it fit around, and fit through most of the cup, the stitching on top was too tight and it pinned down the top of my boob. Very uncomfortable.
I am at a loss as well… I went from a 34C to a 34F when I had my daughter a year and a half ago. I nursed her until I got pregnant again a few months ago and my breasts are getting even bigger. I have been in major pain since my cup size started to rise about 2 years ago and its just getting worst. The problem is that retailers think that just because you have large breasts you have to be plus size and gain 4-5 rib sizes in the proses . I can’t find anything over a C that is smaller than a 40. I have looked at local bra fitting places but I can’t find anything that A. doesn’t look and feel like a granny bra B. the underwire doesn’t stick up into my armpits C. or doesn’t cost me very very much more than I can afford. we are a small family with a small income and can not afford to buy $80- $300 bras. my other problem is that the bras that I did find that are 34F just happen to be push-ups only and every time I bend over to, say, pick up my daughter, my breasts fall out the front and I find myself stuffing them uncomfortably back into my ill fitted bra. Its very embarrassing and now that pregnancy has made them tender, it is also very painful. Where can I find a bra that will be enough support and be comfortable at the same time affordable? I feel lost and frustrated. And yes you are right, I got nothing but dirty looks and rejection from Victoria Secrets and nothing but ill fitted and poorly made bra’s from Fredrick’s the other 12 stores I looked at (including 4 maternity stores) had nothing at all in my size what so ever.
Hey there,
I am moving to the states in a few weeks, and as a bigger boobed women I started to think about where my next bra will come from…I am a 28 GG…A nightmare size…Bravissimo has been my saving grace here in the UK..and even they stock very few 28 GG bras (mainly unattractive granny-esque ones) leading me to have to wear a 30 G…..
Does anyone have any great suggestions on where I could do my bra shopping, sexy and cute bras if possible..(something seriously lacking from the current larger cup sized bras) in the usa?
I believe the USA versions of my size will be a 28 J…
any suggestions would be most welcome!
Thank you!!
x
Hi ladies. I am from Kenya and it is almost impossible to get a good fit for a plus size lady here.
Please could you let me know how I can get these brands to East Africa for ladies like myself a DD upwards to get our hands on them.
I have just found your website, and have read every last comment..
I am from Australia, and have exactly the same frustrations… I finally found one store and was measured at 34H. The Bra’s I bought feel fantastic and are the best fitting bra’s ever (Freya – brand)….
However, my major complaint is this…. Why must these bras cost over $80.00. I cannot afford this. And I am sure most other women cannot as well.
Where can you buy the $20 – $40 bras – or even up to $50 if they are extremely nice????
I’m 19 in the U.S. and wear a 30 H bra, no implants. It is not too difficult for me to find a bra in my size in Pennsylvania as there is a specialty bra shop five minutes from my house, but it is very difficult to find a pretty bra in my size. If anyone knows of any NON plus size lingerie brands where I could find pretty bras in a 30 H, please let me know. I would be willing to pay up to about $75 per bra, but that’s really my limit without feeling ridiculous about my purchases. I’ve tried the Panache bras, but they often only go up to a G cup. Also, if anyone knows of a place where they wont charge you to return, that would be good. I’m willing to order online, but not if they will charge me to return the bra.
Hi Carolyn,
Have you seen Curvy Kate? They do very cute designs for your size, as does Kalyani. You can find them both at Brastop, but if you google around i’m sure you could probably source them in locations more convenient for you!
Amen! I worked for Nordstrom in Lingerie for years. There I learned how to properly perform fittings, there truly is a serious denial of cup size here in the U.S. It was really hard to fit most women because of how they got upset over hearing they were a DD or a G or an H cup size. It was much more common that women were larger cup sizes rather than small. Even with the frustration that women experienced with acceptance of their cup size, I loved my job because it made people look and feel better in the end.
I have always had large breasts since I developed. My mom to me for a fitting and I was a 32DD at about the age of 14. I am now 30, before I had my baby I was a 34DDD and now I wear a 34G. It is very hard because as most larger cup women know, it can be very uncomfortable. I am very grateful that there are more bra’s to choose from now.
This is a very good example of what goes on in my life. I've found myself a G-cup since i was a junior in high school and i haven't found 1 "cute" bra and i can stand to see myself in. The bra market in America doesn't accept the larger cup sizes. I know i've had to go online to shop for mine. And they most definitely aren't american sites. It is ridiculous how hard it is to find a bra that fits, its cute and isn't overly expensive. I've never been able to fit in a bra from victoria secret and i wish they would at least provide larger sizes online. Its embarrassing to have to wear a size to small for me because it all just spills out. I wish finding larger cupped bras were easier and fun.
Hi I am a 36 ddd and I cannot find my bra size in any local stores in the USA. I am skeptical to buy overseas and I want to know if you know of any stores in the USA where I can buy bras and lingerie for my cup size.
i have an 42 I size and i found a bra that sort of fits so maybe i’m bigger but its so hard to find a bra that is sexy at this point all i find is bras that make my boobs look pointed with a large seam with front hooks that bust on me all the time i come from a busty family and i’m 23 years old with no kids yet i’m actually worried i wont have any sexy bras or any for that matter soon i don’t have a lot of money to spend on expensive bras that don’t fit
I live in the US and I hate trying to find bras. I have never been in the correct size. I finally just got a bra from Bravissimo that I ordered to try and see if it was the correct size before buying a bunch. I have always had problems finding bras in my size because I keep being told that I'm a higher back size than I really am so that it can compensate for the smaller cup size since the US doesn't carry large sizes. It has always been frustrating because when I was younger (and smaller) I could find bras but they would always be ugly. I am only 22 right now and there aren't even any stores that carry my size (36J). I remember going to Lane Bryant once thinking I would have some luck there but I'm too small around for them. I guess that's a good thing but I always have to get bras online from overseas companies. Bravissimo is my ultimate favorite, the only thing that sucks is if I need to return something, it's a hassle to return. However, I absolutely LOVE their choices and the fact that they will work with you if you need to return. It makes me feel so much better when I have a bra that fits. I feel less hunched over and straightened out and lifted. It also makes me feel like I'm not the only one with a "weird" bra size. America needs to get on the ball and get some companies like Bravissimo… or maybe they just need to get an American branch.
Last year I was in Chicago and decided to go bra shopping. The girl there had me in tears trying to shove me into a 44 C in a horrendously unattractive style that made my breasts look like disgusting sagging lumps. A few months later I discovered a tiny boutique store, and got properly fitted into a beautiful 36E by Huit. I was over the moon I found my size, but when I got some 36Es from BCBG turns out their version of E is really a DD.
I can only buy European now, and while it's a serious hit to my pocket book, it's worth it in the long run to actually have a bra fit.
I'm an H and I think we need to all petition for regular (and discount – i'm a struggling college student) stores carry larger cup sizes. It makes no sense that the people that need to try things on the most (the larger sizes) have to order online
I'm a 34 J. Bravissimo is my go to place to buy bras since it's has the highest selection of bras my size in stock. I wish there was a place like that here in the USin the US. Also wish I could find more essential bras in my size. To my knowledge they don't make seamless bras above a G and they have one option of H in strapless and plunge, and sports bras only go up to my current size so if I get any bigger (have gained a cup size every other year since I was 13 and I'm now 30) I'm screwed.
I can not buy a bra in a store any more. I gain most of my weight in my chest, and unfortunately i am a size that i cant seem to find any where. I have bought several bras off the internet and he latest one from a local dept. store. The bra i wear now is not the correct size but i have no choice until i find one that is my correct size. my current bra is 36 I , but i need a larger cup size. Does any one have any ideas about where to look?
Hi Michelle,
Try http://www.brastop.com/ – they have sizes up to K and should be able to help you out!
Hi, I'm wondering if you know where a gal with an F cup could find lingerie that doesn't look absolutely ridiculous when tried on? I cannot seem to find anything in the city I live in and I'm having a hard time finding things online.
Thank you so much for writing about the stigma attached to large breasts. I literally cried in the changeroom the day a DDD no longer fit me, and at 27, they've kept growing. Now I'm an H, and I can't help but despair at the utter lack of attractive or sexy bras for people in the cup size. It's so frustrating that I can't find a bra that looks sexier than a maternity bra. In Canada here, the retailer Addition Elle has started carrying bras up to an H, but like Lane Bryant, seem to equate large cup size with large rib size. Even worse, they haven't engineered in any extra support. Apparently H-sized breasts shouldn't require any more support than D's. But thank you for giving me some hope that slowly we'll be getting more real-woman-sized bras in North America.
hi. im from the philippines.. and here the largest bra size is D.. and im F, and im 20 yrs old.. i dont want to go out anymore, i really feel shy.. and i really wanted to buy a bra for me, i looked up on the internet and it cost way too much.. and some of the sites can't or won't ship here.. can anyone please help me to find a site that is cheaper and can be able to ship here in the philippines? thanks..
Hello to everyone….I see that this blog has been going on for a while. I came across this blog because I was searching for an internet site that sold bras for larger cup sizes other than a DD. I have read some of the previous comments and I am glad that I am not the only one in this world with this problem. I dont have any self -esteem issues with my breast size, I love my breast….I just want to find a bra that fits, comfortable, affordable, and in any other colors than…black, white, tan, or cream. I am a young women, only 27 years old, and I have always had a large breast size, it runs in my family. My breast were slow to start growing, but when they did they never stopped and the attention they drew never stopped either. I am married now and my husband to say the least is pleased. LOL.
I weigh about 135 Ibs.with large breast. and that is the other problem for me. I just found out yesterday that I wear a 32 H, the last time I checked I was a G. Here in the United States I just cant seem to find more than ONE store that has a bra that fits me and that wont cost me an arm and a leg. I just really need to have a good bra on always, because my back and shoulders hurt and I have dark marks and scars on my upper body from not wearing good supportive bras.
The thing that confuses me is that all these people and celebrities are going to get breast implants and these manufactures dont see the cost benefit in making large cup sized bras.
I just wish and American retailer would step up to the plate and design a bra…more than one, a whole line in fact for us everyday regular girls who just so happened to be blessed naturally with large breast. If we are able to wear a good supportive bra our breast can look and will look sexy and admirable to both men and women.
Well I am going to stop talking now…if anyone has any info for me please let me know. O….and can we get the manufacturers to make a good looking swim suite for us younger girls and not these grandma looking swim suites .
Thanks..for this blog and site it was nice to be able to post my comments and see that there is someone out there that cares.
Charisa~
Hello All, I am currently working for VjM Clothing, a new fashion design studio. We are very interested in creating bras and lingerie for women with larger cup sizes. We are currently trying to gather as much information as possible from consumers so we can create a great product. We understand most bras for large breast sizes are uncomfortable and usually do not come in a variety of designs as smaller bra sizes. Please send any suggestions or information to info@vjmclothing.com so we can begin creating fantastic new designed bras for large cup sizes. We hope to send all participants a free bra from our product lines once they are complete!!! Thanks for time!
-VjM Design Team
hi, Victoria__I think you have to continue buying from Bravissimo. Even with the cost of shipping to the US, it may still be cheaper than buying in American online stores that stock British brands…
Hi Fellow DD'er here. Shop at Nordstroms lingerie department and look into Wacoal. They understand. So do French lingerie designers like Lise Carmel.
I live in the US and the US doesn't sell bras for women with small band sizes and large cups. Therefore, I have been purchasing all my bras from the UK online. I absolutely LOVE the beautiful bras offered at Figleaves, Lembrassa, and Bravissimo!
I am 5"7 125 pounds (size 2 – 4 US dress size) and have all natural breasts. I wear a 28ff – 28G depending on the bra style. I don't look like I wear a 28ff – 28G but I do. In the US there is the preception that only overweight women or plus size or women with breast implants have large cup sizes. The UK stores understand that women comes in all bands and cup sizes and make beautiful bras for all women so. I will always purchase my bras from the UK. I love bras from the UK and I love my boobs!
Thank you bra manufacturers in the UK!
I am desperate to find a seam-free bra in an H cup to wear under thinner fabrics. They don't seem to exist above a G cup. My boobs are prominent enough without having seam lines to draw more attention to them. I've been properly fitted for a bra and am a 36 H–and at that level I don't see the difference in US-UK sizes that some people cite above, because there are so few manufacturers in the US making these sizes.
I'd like to see What Not to Wear really focus on the problem of a woman with large breasts. This thing of seaming under the boobs to emphasize your smallest part–one, that seaming would NEVER hit on the right place for me (more like halfway up my boobs–and if it fit underneath no one would ever even see it), and two, it would not draw attention to how small my rib cage is but how abnormally large my breasts are. How about a little help for people who have real fit problems?
Also, larger bra-sized swimwear in the US is desperately needed. DD from Lands End and Newport News doesn't cut it.
After reading all of the comments, I realize how fortunate I am to live in an area of the US that has not only the "Big Box" retailers ie…Macy's, Nordstrom, Parisian, but also has amazing "Lingerie Only" stores such as Bra~vo Intimates, http://bravointimates.com/ .
I can still remember mustering the courage to walk in, after passing the window displays with all the beautiful items, never dreaming any of them could possibly fit my 44DDD plus size body. Though not considered a "mature" woman, I had already accepted that lingerie in my world consisted of white, beige, and do not even think of black for that was "naughty"! The key words were "utilitarian", "unnoticable", and as a recent divorcee', "forgettable".
As I stepped over the threshold it was as if entering a magical land, my own personal fitter appeared to transform, and guide through the wonders before my eyes. The silks, the laces, the colours, the matching panties, the embroidery, it was as if entering a secret place for women to break out of their cocoons even if no one knew but they.
That first experience lasted several hours, encompassed many styles to try on, finding out that as most women are, I also was wearing an incorrect size, and while leaving their with a lighter check book, my spirit had been freed. No longer bound by white, beige, but expanded to include the rainbow, in luxurious laces, lingerie of every style all suitable, and available for the 38GG born that day.
While this may seem a silly ditty to some, for me it was the beginning of accepting that I am a butterfly, not some forgettable bug to be squashed. That the body and bosom blessed with are amazing and wonderful, that there are lingerie designers that understand.
If every you are in line at a "Big Box" retailer, and hear a voice recommending a fitting at a "Lingerie Only" store, you never know, it just might be me, as I do encourage all women to be fitted regularly, as a component of their "Bosom Health".
Fantasie, and Freya both make swimwear in cup sizes larger than DD, as do a number of other companies. If you use the search engine "bing" ,and type in the cup/band size, and swimwear it will bring up the many options with the stores and sites that sell them.
I have found all of my suits this way, and have been very satisfied.
http://bravointimates.com/ http://figleaves.com/
These are both sites that I have purchased from, and been very satisfied. Bra~vo, I have actually visited, and cannot express how wonderful the staff there is.
Hope this helps…
Have you tried to find them online? There are a great number of webstores that sell them. Google them!
Thank you so much it felt nice not to be judge just because of my big chest! Now do you know where i can find sexy bras that dont look like 70 year olds wear them!! i am a 38H i thought i was a 40DD but then when i got sized they had no way was i that size! they said my problem was that i am a ver small person but is very busty and big chested not that im fat!! lol so i am just looking for some sexy bras that will fit! i look at victoria sectret aqnd just wish that they carried biger sizes but they dont now i have a big problem finding bras the only place i have gotten them is Lane bryant and so i am looking for more stores that have sexy looking bras for a 38H!!
Hi Katie,
We are glad you liked the article, and congratulations on learning your real size! You might try looking at brands like Freya and Fantasie who do a lot of great-looking larger cup bras. Freya is the younger, more colourful of the two and Fantasie (made by the same people) is more of the romantic and lacy stuff. That manufacturer (Eveden) also do a plus-size label Elomi and a high-end brand Fauve, as well as sports bras and swimwear. It's a great go-to brand that is still quite expensive, but you can often snap them up in the sales.
Beyond that you might google brands like Curvy Kate and check outhttp://www.brastop.com who also have a good selection. Bravissimo in the UK is also an excellent resource (www.bravissimo.com) and they will ship to the US.
I hope that helps and please feel free to e-mail us at thegirls@knickersblog.com for any specifics!
p.s. don't forget to check out Knickers Bargains for deals on these labels! http://www.knickersblog.com/category/bargains
I am so glad I found this site. I was recently fitted for a bra and found out I was a 34 H. I spent the rest of the day crying. With most retailers having only DDs and then at the 40+ ribs… well, I was feeling kinda freakish. Worse was that I LOVE underwear and bras and want them to be cute. I was lucky enough to find some online that I liked at Bare Necessities. Still trying to adjust and accept this but this site makes it a bit easier.
Pagesofplato, i can't tell you how delighted we are to hear that you've found the site useful. I know exactly how you felt when you were first sized, and you are definitely not alone! Be sure to check outhttp://www.brastop.com as they have a good variety of bras in your size, as doeshttp://www.bravissimo.com.
i don't get it, Caucasian women usually have big breast, lingerie and bra manucfacturer should have soem bras available in the market that wii suit the needs of customers that have enormous boobs.
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[...] of Knickers’ most read articles, America’s Denial of Larger Cup Bras, is still being found and commented on, three years after it was posted; judging by the comments, [...]
So glad to read it's not just me. I was a natural DD, but never a band size larger than 36. After two back to back pregnancies (one of which I went up to an I cup) I am now a 36 DDD. I do find affordable bras in my size at Macy's and Dillard's but the selection stinks. I'm in tears tonight trying to find a size 6-8 swimsuit. I really wish I still looked good in a bikini so I'd have more choices. I have had to dress for my chest since high school and I'm tired.
After reading a lot of these comments I’m very excited. Before I had children I was a 36C after my lovely children I went to a 38H. I live in Denver and I found a place when I was pregnant called Bossom Buddies. They’re great at making sure you have a perfect fit. The only problem that I have is now that I’m so large there is only 1 bra that I have to “settle” for. The cup size is just a little small but they told me that they could special order a larger cup size, the only problem with this is that they told me that I would have to have the “industrial” type bra that only came in white and had triple stitching over the cup so the majority of what I wear is all you’ll see is the stitching that goes straight across the cup and then down. I’m very particular about how my bras fit and it’s just been a nightmare and if that wasn’t bad enough because of my size I can’t find bra’s any less than 75.00 a bra and not be able to find anything in my size on sale. I have a little bit of hope reading all of this great information and seeing that I’m not the only one alone in this hunt.
Hello All, I am currently working for VjM Clothing, a new fashion design studio specifically producing bras. We are very interested in creating bras and lingerie for women with larger cup sizes. We are currently trying to gather as much information as possible from consumers so we can create a great product. We understand most bras for large breast sizes are uncomfortable and usually do not come in a variety of designs as smaller bra sizes. Please send any suggestions or information to info@vjmclothing.com so we can begin creating fantastic new designed bras for large cup sizes. We hope to send all participants a free bra from our product lines once they are complete!!! Thanks for time!
-VjM Design Team
VjMClothing
I am a size 32 K and I am trying to find some sexy lingerie with that cup size. It's impossible!! Even the sites I buy my bras from (figleaves and bare necessities) don't have my size lingerie. Does anyone know where I can find some?????
I just want to say thank you so much for this blog. I just stumbled upon it searching google in vain for somewhere to bra shop.
My sister and I both wear a 32G, and have FOR YEARS been in the category of women wearing the wrong bra size because we were unable to quite fathom the idea of a cup larger than a D or DD. Having recently discovered the joys of a bra that fits, we are searching everywhere for cute, sexy, large-cup bras that will fit and flatter. And, of course, all we find are UK websites.
I love the picture that is posted here of a girl with DD-cup breasts. People need to realize that women they see walking around every day are closer to a D-G than they are to a B cup!
Thanks again, this blog and all the comments just makes me realize how many people in the world are in EXACTLY the same situation as we are.
You are brilliant!!! I haven't known anyone to articulate the problems with large cup women with small backs/bands as honestly and eloquently as you have done. I emailed this article to a representative for Lane Bryant. I am so frustrated with their Cacique line of bras and have been complaining about it for years. Unfortunately this is all that America offers in lingerie for larger women. After reading your educational blogs I have discovered that Lane Bryant has been selling me the wrong size bra 38DD for years after doing a "professional fitting". I have spent hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of dollars on the Cacique bras that never fit me well, but I thought I had no choice. I finally got a true fiiting at Nordstroms a high end department store in America and discovered that I wear a 34F cup and have for most of my adult life! I immediately purchased a few fantasie bras in the right size. They are a little pricey, but it's worth it.
It is horrible being larger than a D cup. I'm a 34G. I'm not fat, I workout out like a crazy person and I eat right. I'll never be seen as skinny. It is something to be ashamed of.
i'm glad i found this blog. I get very upset looking for a bra that fit me right. I'm 25 year old i weight 185lb and my cup size last time I check was a 36H/ 38G. I spent so much money buying the wrong bras. I'm looking a good fitting bustier for my wedding dress. Does anyone know where I can find one. I live in pensacola florida. it is so hard to find an out fit that don't make look old or pregnant because my chest size. I shop at lane bryant which is a waste of money, i tried wacoal and le mystere still no confort.
Hey I’m 16, I live in Canada, I am a 36-24-35 I’m 5’9 and I’m wondering where’s a good place for me to buy some pretty nice bras and also how to pick the bra that will be most flattering. Thanks
if you need more info…
I'm 120lbs have been wearing a 36 D cup for a while and it fits ok. I live in the Toronto area so any recommendations for places near there that are good to buy bras would be nice thanks. I want a bra that would help flatter them but not look like slutty or anything, classy but attractive
I have been a 34 C my entire life. I've been measured at JCPenny, Victoria's Secret, and other stores and always, I'm given a 34C size. Yesterday I decided to go to a more expensive store to be sized and I got the shock of my life. They said 32DD or 32DDD/E depending on the bra style or maker. So I asked myself, is bra sizing like women's clothing at expensive stores but in reverse? The more expensive the store, the smaller the sizing. For example, I wear a size 6, but if I go to high end stores, my size can change to a 2. So in the bra world, does the waist shrinks and the cups grow?
Thank you for this website. Now I see that no one is tricking me…its an American issue and we do not accurately reflect cup size for individuals. And you know what? I looked amazing in my new bra. I'm going to throw away all of my old ones and start fresh in my 32DD/DDD.
The problem is worse in Asia – partly understandable, but no less aggravating. I went to a Triumph store in Singapore and asked if they had anything in a 32D. The shop assistant gaped at me in horror, handed me a hideous granny bra, and said "This is the only one. Are you sure you're not 36C?"
I went to a specialty store to find my true fit and after over an hour of trying on bras, the lady brought in a couple of bras I never thought I'd consider. Turns out they were great! She said that I am "a European Girl" when it comes to bras. I believe she put me in an H. I hate that I'm still searching for "sexy" bras. just because I have a large bust doesn't mean I don't deserve to feel sexy! After D to DD you get left with "grandma" looking bras. Freaking American Bra Makers!!
I’ve read through a substantial number of replies to this topic, and note that apparently, unless one lives in the UK, one is going to have trouble finding a bra that fits if one is larger than a D-cup, especially if one isn’t located in or near a large city, and/or if one simply doesn’t have the budget to spend big bucks on lingerie. I’ve checked some of the links from this site, and was particularly impressed with the wide array of sports bras available in the UK for those who need bigger cups and better support.
For those of us in the US, I think this is because we in the US have accepted the limited number of stylish, well-fitting bras for those with larger breasts (and have willingly paid more than we should have to to get even unattractive but better-fitting bras). Rather than complaining to each other, we need to actively complain to the major US bra makers, letting them know that:
1) There are lots of women in the US and Canada who don’t fit in their “standard” size ranges. We’re not freaks, we’re just normal-sized women, and WE BUY BRAS TOO!
2) We want a larger range of sizes to be considered “standard” — this means scrapping or expanding the A-D system. Those of us who have a smaller rib cage or a narrower back should be as able to find a larger-cup bra as our larger-bodied sisters. (i.e., finding a 30E or 32G shouldl be as easy as finding a 38D or 42DD is now). Those of us who are larger-bodied should also be able to easily find a cup size which fits us well.
3) Whether we’re teenagers or grandmothers, larger-cup ladies want bras that fit well, but don’t look “matronly” Even grandmas don’t want their bras (or their other garments, for that matter) to look “grandmotherly.”
4) Not all of us with larger breasts want underwired bras, and not all of us want (or can wear) molded cups. Offer us more choices that are wire-free and have seamed cups.
5) We want reasonable prices for these bras as well. No one should have to pay an exhorbitant amount for a bra that fits properly.
6) Another item, this one perhaps more for retailers than manufacturers — that is, we want bra fitters who understand that women come in more than the current “standard” sizes. We want fitters who aren’t bashful about telling women that they’re larger than a D-cup (and are likewise not bashful about telling women to tell the manufacturers what they want).
7) And we consumers, whether younger or older, need to reject the thinking that we’re somehow “not normal” if we don’t fit the bra manufacturers’ current “standard” sizes. Don’t get mad at the fitter who tells you that you need an F-cup; rather, get mad at the manufacturer who refuses to recognize that lots of women fall outside the current sizes, who needs to rethink their “standard” sizes and start making bras that fit a wider range of sizes and shapes. Bra manufacturers’ or (poorly-trained) fitters’ ignorance of the wider range of normal sizes is no reason or excuse to make consumers feel uncomfortable about their size or shape. Maybe we need to take up the challenge and learn to make our own bras in order to get an acceptable custom fit. If more of us “opted out” of the current “unfit” bras and started making our own, I suspect it wouldn’t take long before bra manufacturers would get the message…
You are right on with your analogy of the U.S. view of breast size and bra cup availability. I'm a 34H or 36GG depending on the brand. Inevitably, when I go to a U.S. store (years ago- I've been shopping Bravissimo and Ample Bosom since I got properly sized) the clerk would ask my size and say "You don't look that big." And try to convince me to try on a larger back with their largest cup size – and of course we know that doesn't work. Even most online stores in the U.S. don't offer my size. Freya works pretty well. Just ordered some Bravissimo brand bras – will check those out. Right now my go to is Elomi – the t-shirt molded bra and another with three sections and side-support. By why or why do they put stretch straps on larger (heavier) cup sizes???? I can never figure that out. I'm looking for bra cups to sew into my bathing suits and also to figure out a way to replace stretch straps with nonstretch. Does anyone know of sources??
I am a 38F and have had a terrible time finding bras, especially attractive, sexy bras in the past. I have to say I love the internet! I began searching online and have discovered the joys of Freya, Panache, Lunaire, and many others. It is disheartening that I can't go into a retail store and actually try on a bra! I am so glad that I know my bra size and have had very good luck in finding beautiful things online that fit me perfectly. Thank you for the variety you offer as well as the education about sizing. I had to go to NYC just to be fitted properly; had I known about your site then I could have saved a bundle, but it was worth it just to know my proper size. Now all of my bras fit and are comfortable. I hope American retailers get a clue and start manufacturing bras for real women instead of just the teas cup sized stick figures they feature at Victoria's Secret! In the meantime, I'll keep shopping for UK and European brands and strip down to show them off quite proudly! Thanks again!
Brastop.com and Bare Necessities have very good selections of larger size bras and they have beautiful styles; very alluring s opposed to the grandma bras that seem to be the only options in large sizes here in the states…if you can find even those!
cup 34 dd is really hard to find, I think in some online lingerie shop from Poland you should be able to find it.
Trying to find a 34dd that is seamless a bit padded and eliminates the back fat. Found a cheap perfect one called self expressions from madenform but of course its a 34d. just a bit too small in the cups. Spanx 34dd is too big around and a 32dd is too small in cups. why is this so hard? Oh and VS tried to tell me I was a 38 d. Uh, I'm 5'10 and wear a 4 or 6. Crazy.
My college-age daughter is a 34 D, and is so frustrated that she cannot find anything cute or young looking in her size. In all the stores there are tons of tempting styles, cute fabrics, etc., on display, but they do not go above a C cup. And most of them have the added disconnect of being padded & push-up — if she were to add padding to her bra size she would have a hard time fitting into any of the clothes that fit her everywhere else. ( and that is a whole other problem!) The older, more matronly styles have her size, and they are usually only available in basic neutral colors or in well-worn designs, like leopard. Needless to say, that is not the look she is going for. Online we have looked and found more selection, but all the larger cup sizes that come with cuter styles seem geared more to the Playboy starlet look and generally the prices are a lot higher too.
can you send more info about how to contact you?
I recently found out from a well trained lady at Victoria's Secret that I am a 32DD. I have been wearing a 34C, so I was way off. It was quite shocking for me to find this out, and I was actually sold a bra at Victoria's Secret that didn't fit at first. I returned it, and expressed my frustration at feeling like I couldn't trust anyone there. That was when I met the lady who told me lots of things that I feel every woman should be told first thing when going in to shop for bras. We ladies in America are highly uneducated on bras and breast health. Plus, we are made to feel like we are freaks if we have curves. I cried for about two days because I feel like such a freak with my smaller than average waist and larger than average breasts. It's as if anorexia is the trend in the lingerie stores of the everyday American woman. Big breasts are for Hollywood starlets only. I can't even figure out what size lingerie I need to wear because the items that fit my waist, my breasts pop out of. And the items that fit my breasts look baggy everywhere else. Get it together, America.
Hello from New Jersey, USA! Up until a year ago, I was frustrated. I wore the same 34dd bra since High School! But was sick and tired of it. I found a bra shoppe near my house, called the Bra and Girdle factory where I was fitted. Low and behold, I was a 32FF! I almost passed out. A FF?? Is that even normal? Apparently is it very normal and widespread in the UK, in the States not so much. Not sure why this is, perhaps some strange stigma like in the cartoon?? But I am thrilled, even if they are overseas vendors, to find gorgeous lingerie from brands like Freya, Fantasie ( my fav), Ceriso, and Alegro. Not to mention swimwear too!! Amazing! For the record, I am 5'8" tall, 150 lbs.
Oh! And victorias secret told me I am a 38 B and insisted I try on that size. I put it on, just to prove the salesperson was incorrect, it fell right down to my waist ! LOLOLOL!!
Hi, I'm 19 years old and recently found out my proper cup size! At first I thought was a 34B, then a 34C, and now I know I'm actually a 30-32D! 30s are hard to find and are ideal but 32s are still nice and comfy. I love this article and will show it to more people, very interesting and informative!
If you think it's hard to find extended cup sizes in "regular" bras, try finding a supportive, comfortable NURSING bra with larger cup sizes. Good luck. My experience is that larger cups are usually available with larger bands, but my band size is 30" around the band and 33" under my armpits where some brands measure. I don't NEED 40" band. Another problem I've noticed is that many larger cup bras really only use larger wires. Those bras aren't shaped like me at all. I'm not as wide as their cups and they don't fit whatsoever. I've been nursing for 8 straight years (2 years per kid average for 4 kids) which benefits their health and mine, but bra-searching has been torture. I keep looking for the Holy Grail bra and I'm not sure it exists.
Hey!
I am a 34GG and get most of my bras from a speciality store near chicago. Recently, I decided to just try and see what Nordstoms would have and I found myself a great bra!! I am 23 and really didnt want a wide strap or something that came up really high because I do wear tank tops during the summer and this bra is a lower cut cup and the straps are not huge. I would try a Nordstrom if you have one near you, they have a decent selection of larger cup sizes.
Not only do women who wear larger cup sizes have a terrible time finding bras here in the US (I'm a 38E and order mine online), but we're generally dismissed as vain and delusional women who should be wearing the larger-band-smaller-cup sister size given by most size charts and calculators, but want to imagine ourselves to be thinner and larger breasted than we actually are.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that it isn't my imagination that a 42C bra rides up my back, doesn't lie flat in the middle, and gives no support at all.
Uhhh the girl in the picture is NOT a DD, at least not the DD they sell in America. I am a D and I am pretty well endowed–to be specific, my bust measures 40". I think what you're getting at may be an issue of size translation more than size absense. Although I will say it is still hard for me to find good bras in my size (38-40 D). I can NEVER find CUTE bras in my size in stores. I haven't tried Lane Bryant but I do most of my shopping at Target and would like the same convenience and low cost in buying bras as in everything else! Hey, the small girls get to buy their clothes pretty much wherever they want, why can't I?
be happy that you have a small frame and large breasts? that is so rare. to see you complain about it kind of makes me want to puke.
HELP! I am leaving for Spain tomorrow and need to buy swimwear in Los Angeles in size 34G. Have been to Janette's Bras, Intamacy and Miss Stevens. Does anyone know of a place that carries fashable swimwear in G H J cups? THANKS!
HELP! I am leaving for Spain tomorrow and need to buy swimwear in Los Angeles in size 34G. Have been to Janette's Bras, Miss Stevens and Itamacy. Does anyone have any suggestions of a place in Los Angeles that carries fashable swimwear in G H or J cup? THANKS>
Cyd, We've got a tip from Katie, our bargains editor!
"A Tropical Affair in Santa Barbara. Really cute stuff & they were having a sale on the larger cups. It's a bit of a jaunt it would be best to call before going"
Phone 805-730-1620
We hope it helps!
Yes, if you have already been fitted by a specialty shop, you can just go to Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, etc. However, they only have up to 36 or 38 in band size. Fine for me, a 34, but a lot of people are 40+. There’s a definite bias against band sizes over 36, and many popular brands aren’t making over a c cup. This is true of euro brands too, and especially of trendy brands. Cosabella and Kiki de Montparnasse are both guilty of this. Also, onece you’re above DD, one brand’s DDD is another brand’s F, so it gets confusing.
And to Tammy: The girl in the picture def. looks like a 32DD. A 32DD bra has a much smaller cup than a 38DD! If your bust itself (not ribcage) is 40 inches around, you might not be a 40D at all. My bust is 40 in, obviously my ribcage is smaller, I am a 34 band, and my cup size ranges from DDD to F depending on brand. I have been fitted professionally, and I suggest you do the same. I thought I was a 40D before my fitting, too. The following online bra size calculator is fairly accurate for larger sizes: http://www.lindasonline.com/bra-fitting-room.html
Thank you! Finally, someone else who agrees with me that in the US its considered abnormal to have large breasts! I'm 16 and a 34D and can never find any good bras! Reading this article made me feel better about myself since as a teenager most of the other girls are like "I wish I had big boobs!" or look at me like I'm a freak. Everyone is always told its ok to have small boobs but no one has ever said it's ok that you have large breasts.
Also, thank you for pointint out that have large breasts does not equal large band sizes. Whenever I got shopping I can find a ton of 38Ds and up, but very rarely can I find a 34D. Apparently the manufacturers think that you can not be a normal weight and have a large chest.
The article is so amazing and I belive that anyone with breasts considered larger than average should read it. It's absolutely a breath of fresh air!
I used to be a 16 K in Aussie sizing not sure what that is in the US or UK but let me tell you that when I had my reduction they took 5 Kilo's away. Now apart from that I am now a 16 E in Aussie sizing and its just as bad here as in the US trying to find a bra to fit. I am getting married in a year and need to find a corset that I can wear under my wedding dress for some support. This is IMPOSSIBLE!!! I have been searching the net for weeks and all I can find is burlesque, goth, or fashion corsets and very few of these in y country let alone my state. I have no idea what to do. I have no objections to ordering from overseas if need be but I need to find something that will fit me. My biggest worry is that my little girl will have to go through the same pain (physical and emotional) that I have as she grows up. You are made to feel freakish when I know damn well that I am not. There are many women with larger busts that are in the same boat as me.
This article really hit home with me. I’ve been wearing 38C-40C bras for ages, ever since I was fitted at VS – and THAT was probably one of the best fittings I’d gotten at that point. (I once had a sales rep try to put me into a B cup; she told me I just needed to shorten the shoulder straps to make it fit right.)
I simply took their word for it and accepted the “fact” that bras would never be comfortable. Bra shopping was always an ordeal.
However, I ran across that statistic about most women not wearing the right sized bras and after a bit of research, decided to spend a day just trying on bras from stores around the area – with no expectations to actually buy anything.
I came out of Kohl’s today with a 34DD; absolutely the most comfortable bra I’ve ever worn, though the style leaves a bit to be desired (not a total “granny” bra, but it’s not sexy or cute, either). It’s still not the best fit; I think I may be better with an even larger cup/smaller band. However, the 34DD was difficult enough to find, though there was more selection than I was expecting at Kohls compared to other retailers I’d visited today.
And hey, even though it’s not a perfect fit, after discounts and a grand opening gift card, it only cost me about $12. Really can’t go wrong with that. I fully intend to explore other options online now that I know what to look for.
I’m absolutely thrilled.
The only well fitting bra i have ever had was a 34F Freya bra that i bought on BGB. The staff at VS is horrendous. All they want is for you to buy their product, so they measure improperly to attempt to fit the product to you not YOU to the product. Most of the time i have to shove my boobs into a 36DD, but i have to replace my bras so often because the band becomes too loose. It would be awesome if more american brands would jump on the bandwagon
Thanks for the great article! I'm a 44G and while I can find some bras in my size I can usually describe them as looking like something you would wear into battle. I don't wear shirts that stop at my collar bone, why the heck would I want my bra up that high?! My other even bigger issue is finding a nursing bra in my size that isn't battle worthy. Ugh! The frustration. I'm nursing my second child and I've given up with the nursing bra thing and have just settled for using my regular bras and tugging them out of shape. Really not what I want to be doing at all but the choices just aren't there.
Wow.
I am 18 and from new zealand, and have always thought that in america big boobs were the “in” thing. On all the T.V. shows made in the US everyone has huge boobs! I myself am a 10F (which i think is about a 32 G US sizing) and im petite, only 5ft 2″ and a 4 dress size.
to all those of you who got crap at school for your brests i understand. I went to an all girls school and PE was hell, girls would come up and prod them and say “its like jelly”.
I overtook my mum and older sister in the chest department by the time i was 13, and they are really supportive but generally dismayed by my size.
Here bigger sizes are caterd for, brands like DimitySO and Faryform are great, but i still cant find anything that does what i want for a reasonable price (under $80).
I have recently started buying online from Bravissamo and they are great! the bras are well made and fit like a glove and theres loads of feedback from other women too.
I often wonder how life would be different if i got a reduction, but then i think that that would’nt be me.
I’d like to see major retailers stocking what people need, i know very few people with a C cup but i know so many with a B or under or a DD or above. My friends and I represent the extremes and when we got underwear shopping together the shop assistants get nervous when we challenge their sizings (14C were they actually on drugs or could they not see my nippples popping out and the back riding up to my shoulder blades!)
Anyway, I needed a vent after another unsuccessful shopping trip where i was told the only thing in my size was beige and came up to my neak had a million hooks at the back and i saw a lady with a zimmer frame purchasing. I mean i have large breasts but theyre still young they don’t need to be chained up.
If your young and your mum doesnt believe you that you need a new bra just walk around the house in it when shes there, do star jumps, handstands, and show her what it looks like, my mum cringes when she sees me run, even with a sports bra on.
over all i think people just need to be showed what each size actually looks like, education is the key. for now embrace your shape, love it even as it changes, and demand more from your retailers!
If you wear a band between 38-44, Lane Bryant carries F,G,H cups in a few styles (including a fantastic Balconette) and Fredericks of Hollywood goes up to an F.
To make sure you are wearing the correct size bra, be fitted by a certified bra fitter. Some major department stores, such as Nordstroms here on the west coast, have certified bra fitters.
i've had to make my own or alter 30dd's to fit if anyone knows where i could find 28e's for under $50 that would be great i've only been able to find them custom made for $100 and up and for something that wears out every 3 months that is ridiculous
THe dress size thing really doesn't work for me — I am a UK size 18, but my back size is 36 unless pregnant. I find that the sizing between countries — and manufacturers varies dramatically, esp since I have a very large bust and hips and very small waist. US sizes tend to have smaller waist/hip difference. The bust and hip tends to be about the same in UK sizing.
Freya and several other UK brands have nursing bras that start in a 28 inch band size, up to a HH or so. Also the NZ brand HotMilk has small back, large cup in several styles. Panache has a new one that I haven't tried yet, but also is in the same size range up to a K in UK sizing (d, dd, e, f, ff, g, gg,….)
Creative Woman in Monrovia.
Nordstroms is NOT going to work for large cup women. Though their bra fitters are certified, they do NOT carry the small back, large cup bras that work for me. They consistently try to fit me into bras that hurt. I have been fitted several times in the US, the UK, and elsewhere. Nordstroms puts me in a 38 F, or 40 dd, and if I move my breasts go underneath the band. Ow.
I am a 36 h or so by other certified fitters. My underbust measurement is 33, overbust is 46.
The best way to fit a bra is simply not by the way the US measures — underbust plus 4. That will almost certainly give you a too large band size.
No kidding, is the entire country getting so fat that nobody needs an A cup anymore? Even the damned Hanes catalog hardly carries any.
Tammy, I KNOW I speak for everyone else on this blog by telling you to take your insecure comments ELSEWHERE. Aggression and frustration you feel for yourself yet taken out on others will only take you so far.
That is, not very far.
Hi Tammy,
That's kind of our point – she IS a DD, and that's exactly what's wrong with bras in America. If you're a larger size than the girl in the picture, that means that you're probably a F, G or even H cup. If you have a Nordstroms nearby, that's a great place to look for proper bra sizes!
VS inflates their bra sizes, don't compare them across the broad range unless you want to feel bigger. Freriks is great at representing all bra sizes and money for the wear.
get measured at a freriks and ask ro advice, they are good with figuring y our correct size and have smaller 32 f, sizes if that works better
for you 32 c-d-dd rs I have found for a ..normal store… fredriks vs VS is a no brainer, they dont inflate sizes..as much and are cheaper and hold up much better I must say I discorage against VS bc they quality is lowr plus after being sized by a surgeon they had poor fit
talk to your doctor, moms are reluctant to see problems they had
I totally hear you on this one. As I've gotten a little larger in weight my band size has gone from a 36 to a 40, but as soon as I'm done with breastfeeding I'll probably be looking for a 40 a. And that is a very hard size to find. Even 40 b which I wear now is hard to find. It'd be nice to walk into walmart and find small cup sizes accompanied by large band sizes.
I was wearing a 34DD at VS and spilling out until I decided I wanted underwire swimsuits this past summer. I went to a boutique called Breakout Bras (in the US, and they have a website if y'all would want to check it out!) and they measured me at a 30FF! I was really surprised and no one in my family believed that the people measuring me knew what they were doing, until I tried them on and they fit perfectly! But unfortunately, now that I know my real, true size, I can't trick myself into buying the 34/36DDs that are readily available and cute. Mostly I've taken to buying my bras on eBay! They aren't used or anything obviously, and I've gotten bras from the UK for as little as five US dollars… including shipping!!
Oh, and for the younger girls who feel like they're the only teens with huge boobs, I'm only 17
I'm a 25 year old who is supposed to wear a 38G. But in my area only a few stores carry DDD so that's usually what I go with. My big frustration is that they only come in black, beige, or white. I can't find sexy lingerie in my size. I'm always embarassed when I'm with my husband and I have to wear "granny" bras. I'm ONLY 25!! and I've never felt sexy in my underwear! I know I can probably find some online but the problem with that is I'm only 5'2. It is so hard finding a bra in my size that is actually comfortable for me to wear and the wire doesn't come up to my chin. I was with a friend shopping the other day and she was having such a hard time finding some pants to fit her because she is 6ft tall. So I made a bet with her, that she would find more pants that fit her than I would find bras that fit me. She ended up finding numerous pants and me, NOTHING!!! not even one to try on. Maybe I just need to go buy a sewing machine and learn how to make bras on my own.
I wore a 32C at VS for a very long time but I always had problems with the band, as the bra would not stay on without the straps. It would pretty much fall right off and offered no support whatsoever and I had ugly red marks on the inner part of my bust because the cups were so wide apart, but when I went to a 32B, I just bulged out the top of the cup the sides. I got measured a 26E but honestly.. 26?? I've never seen a 26 anywhere before. I recently found some UK brands carry 28's, so I switched to 28DD and they fit absolutely amazing compared to what I had before
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A few weeks ago I discovered this blog and over a few days I read through the first 4 pages of comments. I am SO GLAD I found this thread. I just wanted to add some more helpful information I've come across for American ladies. You may or may not know a website called Carissa Rose (http://carissarose.com/) I just found them. They make clothing sizes to accommodate for big boobs like Bravissimo in the UK does.
had the same problem– my mom thought bras were an age thing not a size thing. My aunt sent me the right size as she is big too.
When a friend of my mom's commented as an outside observer that i needed a better fitting bra, she was taken more seriously since it wasn't part of the mother-daughter dynamic. try appealing to an aunt or a close family friend to have a word with her. Sometimes those conversations/opinions sink in better when it comes from a peer and is not seen as either a power struggle or you questioning her judgement when she thinks she is right. you'd be surprised what an outside opinion can do.
Pragmatically speaking,though, i hate to say it but you'll probably have to bypass mom & scrape up the cash on your own. ask for a Nordstrom gift card for holidays–they carry up to G cups.
I live in the DC area and found this blog after surfing and searching in vain for brick and mortar stores in our area. I used to smoosh myself into double DDs but after surgery put on weight and couldnt fool myself that i could fit into these anymore. Thus began my quest to find a bra that would fit. I tried nordstrums, bloomingdales, macys, target, and more. When I found bigger bras they just didn't have them in my size, or else they were just ugly. Some of them had no support with just lace, and I couldn't find anything worthwhile for under 100$. The jump in pricing is definitely not justified! And good luck finding something not in beige! I've been to Sylenes but felt very uncomfortable there (the woman doing my fitting was dour and charmless and I was already embarrassed getting almost naked in front of her). I also found the prices there absolutely nuts — around $120 per bra. I have ordered online from Lane Bryant, but the back was too loose, the cups ill-fitting with minimal support, and the lace too scratchy to wear comfortably. I am tempted to order online but like most of the women on here am nervous about ordering and having to return the product. I am beyond frustrated and have resorted to wearing my sports bras, which is just pathetic.
I am a 34G and can buy Chantell off the rack at Nordstrom or Dillards in Cincinnati
For years I didn't know what my breast size was. I suffered from back aches generally between my shoulder blades and in my lower back. My boobs were always falling out of my bra whenever I would bend over to pick up my baby. I finally went to this store Change http://www.change.com/en-ca/ and after 20 minutes I found out I was a 30 G! I never even knew they existed! The bra cost me 45 dollars, but it was well worth the cost because after a week of wearing the pains in my back left and my boobs no longer fall out of my bra. When I went to the States for a visit, victoria's secret told me they only went to a D! I was like "Are you kidding? You guys are supposed to have everything when it comes to intimates!" I still haven't found a store that has my size. For now, I either have the option of buying online in eBay or going across the border to Canada in order to get a bra that fits.
Just in case you haven't been reading EVERYONE'S comments, we aren't complaining about our breast size, but about the lack of demand in bras that fit us! Pay attention before you decide to spew your puke around!
you would think they would have larger cups available in US.
we didnt have any in australia till the plastic surgery boom and the influx of African immigrants… before that i struggled to find a well fitting bra that wasnt a plain granny matronly bra (embarrasing when your under 20 n you have to wear bras that look like they belong on your grandma) or had to send away for bras from italy or england(pricey)
i developed an eating disorder and lost my wonderful figure (but continued to increase the boobs) from feeling so bad bout myself and my body, as i felt freakish that i couldn't wear the pretty bras that the other girls could.
You might see if you can talk your mom into letting you order from Decent Exposures (http://www.decentexposures.com/bra.shtml). They only offer a very basic style, but they come in band sizes from 30 to 54 and cup sizes from AA to L, and they cost between $38 and $44 each–comparable to what you'd pay in a department store. They're not really sexy, but at least it would be something wearable–and maybe once she sees how much more comfortable you are wearing the right size, she'll relent and let you order something nicer from Bravissimo. Or you can try luring her into a Nordstrom and trying on some bras with you–maybe that way she'll discover herself just how much more comfortable it is to wear the right size.
You might see if you can talk your mom into letting you order from Decent Exposures (http://www.decentexposures.com/bra.shtml). They only offer a very basic style, but they come in band sizes from 30 to 54 and cup sizes from AA to L, and they cost between $38 and $44 each–comparable to what you'd pay in a department store. They're not really sexy, but at least it would be something wearable–and maybe once she sees how much more comfortable you are wearing the right size, she'll relent and let you order something nicer from Bravissimo. Or you can try luring her into a Nordstrom and trying on some bras with you–maybe that way she'll discover herself just how much more comfortable it is to wear the right size.
You are probably not a 42dd. You state the sttraps are not wide enough – you should not be getting the support from your straps 80% should come from the band around your back – but if this is too big and rises up all the weight will be on your shoulder straps which will leave you with dents in your shoulders. Try a back size smaller and a cup size bigger.
quadra boob as you call it means the cup is way too small causing the boob to spill over. You need to go up in the cup size. the rubbing may be because the back size is too big and chaffing against you – it depends where the rubbing is.
I agree the support should come from the band around your middle but unfortunately back fat is a side effect of a well fitting bra, The band must be firm to support the weight of the boobs, which will cause the back fat, if its not firm your back will look fine but your boobs wont be supported. Personally I would rather my boobs looked good than my back, it is after all a bra fitting not a back fitting.
Hannah, i know this post was a long time ago but i was curious if you got anywhere with starting your own store? I have the same kind of idea I am British and used to work for Bravissimo and now live in the US.
Anna Nicole was most definetly not a DD, she was in the wrong back size, she was probably wearing a 34 back size and should have probably been in a 28 or 30 which would have meant she would have had to go up in the cups to probably at least an F. The number should reflect the inches around the ribcage just under the boobs (where most women are the smallest) and then the cup should be adjusted to fit, 80% of women are wearing too big in back and too small in cup. Also models like Anna prefer to wear bras to small as it makes your boobs spill out everywhere. A surgeon cannot tell you what size boobs you will have after surgery just because of the implants he puts in as bra size is based on your ribcage and your back.
I can no longer find size f cups that are ACTUALLY size f's. My actual band size has shrunk .5" and my cup size has remained constant these past six years. My daily wear bras are getting stretched out in the band so I went to purchase vanity fair brand minimizers after measuring myself and seeing I am still my former regular size of 38 DDD (f). I found I can not even find any bras with side support to keep me from rubbing against my arms, let alone an f cup that is not a DD, ordered a size G and find it is smaller than my old size F's.
What is the deal? Is the fatfree mafia trying to tell me my zaftig hourglass peasant shape is freakish or what? Are they trying to sell more bras to women by fooling a b or c cup she is larger than she is? I would love to be a c cup, not for fashion but for my active lifestyle, but do not dictate to me that I am a freak if I am not. I am honestly thinking of a class action suit against giganticorps that are cheating women out of material they are paying a premium for.
Betty, this is terrible! What brands are you buying?
I love your article! I myself live in the U.S.A. and wear, depending on the brand and fit of the bra, anywhere from a 32H to a 30J. It is pretty much impossible to find a bra from most places here in the states! There are actually, surprisingly, two stores here in my metro area that carry larger cup sizes, however, of course, they are not American brands! I have ordered several times from Bravissimo, but it takes over a month to receive orders and am charged for the exchange rate from my card carrier, so really don't like to. My dream is to open a store similar to Bravissimo here in the U.S. I know it would do well, however I have to find the funding from somewhere and the resources for making the merchandise. I absolutely love the idea though and would be totally on board if someone came up with a franchise like them here in America or even if something like that wanted to expand here!
Well, I hate to say that my sister and I are one of the few who can not find bra to fit. Unfortunately I’ve ordered bras and went to boutiques that specialize in larger sized cups, but no luck. Lots and lots of money spent on bras that seem to work at first and by the second week…saggy and baggy is my name. right now I think I am about a 40 M +. Aparently not though because the bra still doesn’t fit. What to do? Maybe I am a Z…LOL! Any answers?
[...] likewise it is said in varying sources that 70-80% of women are wearing the wrong size bra. Indeed, America seems to be in denial of sizes above a D [...]
I'm 18, I weigh 125ish, and I have a difficult time finding bras that fit me. I went to Victoria's Secret and one lady told me I was a DDD, but I was wearing a DD. I told her my size, and she said I could probably try both to see which fit better. Well, she recommended a bra for me, but they didn't have the correct size. Online, however, they offer my size, but only in select styles. I am saddened that the stores don't carry anything above a D cup. I wear a 32DD, but I don't own any bras in that size. I wear bras labeled 36DD. They aren't tight enough & they're from Wal-Mart.
I would love to find bras for a low price, because I'm not paying over 50 dollars for an undergarment. It's crazy.
Anywho, please let me know.
I'm 18, I weigh 125ish, and I have a difficult time finding bras that fit me. I went to Victoria's Secret and one lady told me I was a DDD, but I was wearing a DD. I told her my size, and she said I could probably try both to see which fit better. Well, she recommended a bra for me, but they didn't have the correct size. Online, however, they offer my size, but only in select styles. I am saddened that the stores don't carry anything above a D cup. I wear a 32DD, but I don't own any bras in that size. I wear bras labeled 36DD. They aren't tight enough & they're from Wal-Mart.
I was a 32 E when I visited the US. I got pestered by a Victoria Secret assistant who insisted she could get me into one of their bras. I finally conceded and she measured me as a 36C or D I think. It was hysterical. The bra only convered one nipple! Now I am a 34H-34I. I have been able to occasionally find bras at Nordstrom, but they are so expensive. I have given up and am having breast reduction surgery next month. I want to be a D cup, but I'm considering C, since a lot of retailers seem to stock mostly Cs. It's true that in the US, retailers think that big boobs = fat people, so while you can get 32-36 A-Cs, if you want DD-Es you have to have a band width of 36+. I miss the UK!
As an American, I was fortunate enough that after massive searches through the internet, I finally found out how to REALLY fit myself, and immediately went to Nordstrom, a place I knew had up to the elusive H cup if I so needed.
I now have a favorite brand, Elomi, and lately it’s the only thing I’ll touch. I even got their sports bra, and it’s been holding the girls in place more firmly than ever before.
It’s such a huge relief for me, my back, my sore boobs, and more importantly, my self esteem.
I'm 25, and been having problems finding a good bra ever since I got out of high school. I am a chunkier person now, so that has a bit to do with why my boobs have grown from a pert 36C in school to the saggy baggy 46DD (probably incorrect size) I have now. It's impossible for me to find anything that pushes these babies up. The only bra with any push I've been able to find in that size are obviously too small, because I'm constantly stuffing 'em back into the cups. Everything I find in 46DD is a flimsy piece of fabric, no lift, no oomph, no nothing, not to mention ginormous cups that seem to cover from the bottom of my ribs to over the tops of my boobs. I want cleavage, I wear low-cut shirts most often, so I don't want a huge cup covering all my skin. Also, I've tried them on before, and from the way they look, I might as well not even be wearing a bra for all the lift they give. My poor boobs just hang there looking all flappy like. Why do bra-makers assume that all women with big boobs just want to cover 'em and not display 'em? I want my boobs pushed up high, a little closer to my shoulders than to my belly button. Ugh, and don't even get me started on the lack of pretty/sexy/cute fabrics. That's a whole 'nother tangent…
Oh Kit, I feel so awful for you in these terrible bras! Go and google "Freya" right now – they have lots of very colourful and pretty prints up to an H cup, and are pretty widely available in the US. Also, as you suspect I also believe that your bra size is wrong – try using our DIY Bra Fitting Guide http://www.knickersblog.com/the-do-it-yourself-br… but off the top of my head i'd guess that you're closer to a GG than a DD!
You might also want to look at Fauve, Fantasie and Elomi, which are all "sister brands" to Freya, so once you find your true size, you can buy the same size amongst these four brands with a pretty good confidence that the bra will fit. Good luck!
I'm sorry, but this is bullshit. Every store carries multiples of A-C on almost every style that I've EVER looked at. Especially, A's. If you want difficulty, honestly try finding a DD anywhere that isn't in a box or beige and hideous.
Try this site http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/10/how-to-measur… it's good for measuring yourself. keep in mind that measuring is just a starting point.
VS practices Vanity sizing. So their DD is really a D they just call it a DD.
Buy online that's what most people do. Or you if you want a store in the us then go to this site, it's a pdf list of stores but i'm sure you can find one near you. http://www.myintimacy.com/images/stories/intimacy…
http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/10/how-to-measur… this is the beast way to measure that i have found. give it a try.
BTW I'm not spammer and i'm not the owner of the site. just a busty girl that has had issue with bras like most of you.
Due to back pain, I recently spent a small fortune (around 300 US dollars, a lot for a student) on finding a bra that wouldn't make me spill out of the top of my bra and that was tight enough to reduce the strain on my middle-upper back. The closest fitting bra I have is a 38E from mio destino, the curvy kate collection. The cups land on the sides of my breast, though and I continued the hunt for the elusive bra. The 36DDD from a US company (name I can't recall) fits better in the band, except the cups don't fit. I like my Goddess bra (38DDD) except, again, the band isn't tight enough. I am playing at a guessing game, buying bras that usually are to small in the cups and too loose in the band. I am receiving a variety of bras in the mail soon, ranging from DDD and up, with band sizes 36 and 38. I don't expect all of them to fit, but I think it's worth it to eliminate the troubles of having breasts spilling out, bouncing when walking, pain in the back, breasts that feel constrained in too tight cups.
I have to shop online at places like amazon dot com, ebay, bare necessities, cacique (though they only go up to a certain cup size), and other online places that specialize in imported bras, usually from the UK. Going to a store in California is a joke, I never find anything that fits in the cups. My lingerie drawer is proof that US companies cater to the smaller figured women, despite evidence that overweight and busty women are pushing up the demand for large bra sizes.
I am just so grateful that the UK caters to the 36-38 E+++ sizes. The only "mega-bras" here in the States are plain, poorly designed, and nothing compared to the mio destino collection. Anyways, that's my piece. Thanks!
You might want to try going to Intimacy. http://www.myintimacy.com/images/stories/intimacy…
As a 30D (35-25-35, 5' 5" 125 lbs), from the US, I can relate to this and can only imagine how much more annoying it must be for larger cup sizes. I spent years believing that because I only wear a size 2-4 I must be only an A or B cup, something that my mom and sister (neither wear the right size, I think) also believed. I got sized earlier this year at an American Eagle store and was told I was a 34B. Right from the beginning, I had the band as tight as it would go and the straps as tight as they could go too. When I realized I was starting to spill out of those. and the back was starting to rid up a bit, I went to a store and grabbed a 34C. It was WAY too big. I stumbled across this site in a search for proper sizing information.Armed with knowledge, I went to a Dillard's, pretty much ignored the salesperson's inquiry if I wanted to be "fitted", and tried on a Wacoal 30D. I was amazed at how I looked. The unfortunate thing was this was the only 30D they had in the store, was rather expensive, and is a very plain beige. I was able to get a few 32Cs, but the cups are just a little to small, and I feel like I have to push myself back in. I've looked online, and I have found some very, very cute bras at UK sites, which I'm willing to try, but I'm a little nervous about import taxes and all that. I know a lot of the US women who commented on this buy from bravissimo or brastop or figleaves and just want to know how it works. I'm a college student, so I'm trying to save money. Thanks!
En yeah, I agree with you. I'm much smaller than yours, really embarassed. Numb3rs Season 5 DVD Boxset
Hey geek with curves, I've ordered from Bravissimo many times, and have heard good things about Brastop (cheaper bras there!) and Figleaves. From your measurements, I'd actually say you may want to try more like a 28FF or even a 26G (but the only brand I know that makes 26 bands is Ewa Michalak). I measure around 27 underbust and 36 overbust and wear a 30G or 28GG. You can try using this guide to measure your size correctly http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/10/how-to-measure-your-bra-size-correct.html” rel=”nofollow”>:http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/10/how-to-measure-your-bra-size-correct.html
I would recommend ordering several different sizes of the same bra at a site like Brastop and seeing how they work; that way, you can get a better idea of what your size would be in that bra. The sites you mentioned all have good return policies. Hope this helps!
Hey geek with curves, I've ordered from Bravissimo many times, and have heard good things about Brastop (cheaper bras there!) and Figleaves. From your measurements, I'd actually say you may want to try more like a 28FF or even a 26G (but the only brand I know that makes 26 bands is Ewa Michalak). I measure around 27 underbust and 36 overbust and wear a 30G or 28GG. You can try using this guide to measure your size correctly http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/10/how-to-measure-your-bra-size-correct.html” rel=”nofollow”>:http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/10/how-to-measure-your-bra-size-correct.html
I would recommend ordering several different sizes of the same bra at a site like Brastop and seeing how they work; that way, you can get a better idea of what your size would be in that bra. The sites you mentioned all have good return policies. Hope this helps!
Here's a link to a do-it-yourself measuring guide that I've found helpful: http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/10/how-to-measur…
Here's a link to a do-it-yourself measuring guide that I've found helpful: http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/10/how-to-measur…
Here's a link to a do-it-yourself measuring guide that I've found helpful: http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/10/how-to-measur…
Here's a link to a do-it-yourself measuring guide that I've found helpful: http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/10/how-to-measur…
Some Nordstrom's (and once in a while, Dillards) will carry some 30G's – worth checking out!
Some Nordstrom do a fairly good job – they're about the best store besides smaller boutiques for measuring. Some Nordstrom stores carry band sizes down to 30 and cups up to GG (or even higher). You may have had a bad experience with a particular Nordstrom; however, it is true that some tend to not be as aware of smaller bands/larger cups as others.
I had a bad fitting experience at one Nordstrom (they put me in a 34F when I was really a 30G), but have had better luck at other ones.
Cup size depends on band size, as well. Cup sizes are all about proportion – a DD cup just means about a 5" difference between band measurement and overbust measurement (so the girl here might measure 31" underbust, 37" overbust, for example).
Lammy, you say your overbust measures 40 but you wear a 40D. The number in the bra size should reflect what your underbust measurement is, and your cup size should be the difference in inches between your underbust in overbust. So, say your underbust measurement is 33inches while your overbust is 40inches – then you should really be wearing about a 32FF or 34F (UK sizes).
Woops, should be 31"underbust and 36 over!
Thanks for the help, Christine! I couldn't find any 28 bands at Dillard's, but I did find a brand that runs really, really small (as in their 32 band is smaller than most 30 bands) and I like the fit way, way better, so I might really be a 28. And also thanks for the link to the blog! Most of my friends are thin and pretty curvy, and the blogger also does computer art, like me!
I worked at Hanes Brands Inc. for almost 2 yrs, (at one of their outlet stores) and they do go up to a G cup in some styles, and they have many styles in DD and DDD with small and large band sizes. In reading some of these articles, there seems to be much confusion about bands sizes, and equivalency, as I know European sizes are lettered and sometimes numbered differently. I am a certified bra fitter and this is how it breaks down: We carried AA, A, B, C, D, DD (which IS an E), DDD (which IS an F) and G cups. Different businesses and companies use either the D scale, or D, E, F scale. This is why when so many people come in to get a bra fit they would be confused when we would tell them they wear a different cup size than they think. Also, the bigger the band size of the bra, the bigger the cup itself gets. For example, the cup size of a 40DDD is much larger than a 34DDD due to proportions. Also a 38 C in cup size alone, is almost equivalent to that of the cup size of a 36 D. They even say that 50-75% of women do not wear the correct bra size, and have never been professionally fitted. Another problem we would often run into is women having breasts of completely different sizes, this is actually extremely common, although, never discussed, and what one has to do in this situation is bra fit for the larger breast so that both are supported and covered. You can order additional sizes online or in their stores http://www.onehanesplace.com/ I myself am a 36-38DD depending on the style of the bra. I am not overweight, I am athletic, and everyone in my family has larger breasts. This misconception that people are "fat" if you are over a D cup is ridiculous, and Victoria Secret really does not have the needs of the consumer in mind when they exclude such a large market of people.
A US G is the same as a UK F.
I always feel so down on myself for being a 32G…it's not a bad thing, but I'm 20 years old and the fact that I can never find anything that fits me, or that couldn't easily be shared with my grandma just depresses me sometimes. Especially swim suits!! I went last year to a specialty store called Intimacy. They fitted me, and I actually felt good about it.. Despite only feeling comfortable in one of the billions of bras I tried on, I would say it was a good experience, and I always recommend it to my bigger-busted friends. My chest is kind of a sore topic for me, and I just wish I had more options in the US than constantly considering breast reduction. Thanks for your article!!
I am a 34DDD. I got properly fitted at Creative Woman Wizard of Bras in Monrovia, CA. I recommend them very highly if you are in southern CA. I wear Wacoal, Chantelle, and Felina bras, and have started making my own lingerie. If anyone is interested in doing that, I recommend searching on ETSY for bra patterns and supplies. I got a gorgeous sexy bra and bustier pattern in my size from Merckwaerdigh (bra maker in Holland).
I came across this and am amazed to see this has been ongoing for such a long time! I am glad we have places like herroom.com, Bravissimo, brastop.com, and on… however one thing I have noticed is that when you are a girl with 28 back size and g cup size, you blast through a bra in about 3 months flat and need a new one! If they want to widen their market and really defeat such a long-standing company like Victoria's Secret, more options at lower price brackets need to open up. People don't care if their bra doesn't quite fit right if they can go to Wal Mart or Target and get a new one for 10 bucks to throw away in a couple of months! I am just waiting for places like Bravissimo to come to the US and for the companies that supply these sizes to open their products to different price brackets. It would be great to get a 15$ bra just for fun again, and it would be the right thing for women everywhere! How can you go wrong if you get someone the support they need physically and make them feel better about themselves at the same time??
I am 31 years old, I love clothes and consider myself very "girlie". Yet to this day I have not found a bra that fits me right. You are exactly right about most stores not having large cup sizes. My chest is an "odd" shape because it actually gets narrower ("sunken in") under my breasts. I always end up with something like a 36 DDD and have the front completely gaping, or attempt to fix it myself by cutting it and resewing the back! I've always been afraid to order online because I can't try it on and I don't even know what my "real" bra size would be! After reading some of your posts, I have a bit of hope in finding a bra that fits me now. I always thought that I was just "deformed" because no bra fits me. Now I realize that it is the manufacturers that need adjusting. Thank you!!
Those in the Boston area should get fitted at Lady Grace. I had a great experience there getting fitted.
I'm a big busted woman and its so hard to find a bra that fits well. I just recently tried the as seen on tv bra called the genie bra and it offers both support and comfort although its not a sexy bra to be honest.
Mens Belstaff Jackets has Belstaff Jackets been making exceptionally designed Belstaff Leather Jackets outerwear since 1924, earning a cult following among everyone Belstaff UK from film stars to road warriors.The Belstaff Classic Tourist Trophy, Belstaff Mens Jackets which will sometimes be referred to as the Trialmaster Womens Belstaff Jackets because of its resemblance to the 602s model has both removable protectors in the shoulders and elbows, the jacket is Belstaff Trialmaster also re-enforced with doubled material at the shoulder and Belstaff Motorcycle elbow points.The Belstaff Jacken in its day was the jacket
Mens Belstaff Jackets has Belstaff Jackets been making exceptionally designed Belstaff Leather Jackets outerwear since 1924, earning a cult following among everyone Belstaff UK from film stars to road warriors.The Belstaff Classic Tourist Trophy, Belstaff Mens Jackets which will sometimes be referred to as the Trialmaster Womens Belstaff Jackets because of its resemblance to the 602s model has both removable protectors in the shoulders and elbows, the jacket is Belstaff Trialmaster also re-enforced with doubled material at the shoulder and Belstaff Motorcycle elbow points.The Belstaff Jacken in its day was the jacket
Mens Belstaff Jackets has Belstaff Jackets been making exceptionally designed Belstaff Leather Jackets outerwear since 1924, earning a cult following among everyone Belstaff UK from film stars to road warriors.The Belstaff Classic Tourist Trophy, Belstaff Mens Jackets which will sometimes be referred to as the Trialmaster Womens Belstaff Jackets because of its resemblance to the 602s model has both removable protectors in the shoulders and elbows, the jacket is Belstaff Trialmaster also re-enforced with doubled material at the shoulder and Belstaff Motorcycle elbow points.The Belstaff Jacken in its day was the jacket
i'm a 38ddd(F) and i try to stick with fredericks of hollywood in parmatown mall, parma ohio. their bras are sexy but the sexy ones dont provide enough coverage. i was fitted and told i need full coverage but i dont wear them because i dont think theyre sexy enough
26 bands do exist, but not in the states – http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2011/05/where-to-find…
26 bands do exist, but not in the states – http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2011/05/where-to-find…
26 bands do exist, but not in the states – http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2011/05/where-to-find…
26 bands do exist, but not in the states – http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2011/05/where-to-find…
26 bands do exist, but not in the states – http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2011/05/where-to-find…
26 bands do exist, but not in the states – http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2011/05/where-to-find…
I am a 36F and find it incredibly difficult. 40F, no problem=if you're "fat" it's normal and you can pay $18 for our bra. If you're "unusual", you pay $60+ and you can't bear to wear the thing for more than 10 minutes. I have found that my Bravado nursing bras are the most comfy, around $30, and will probably end up wearing them for years after nursing. I hate an underwire SO much, I can't stand 3-inch wide straps that show under everything, and forget a cleavage-bearing shirt when you're wearing a turtleneck bra in a size that fits… So sad.
You are right. Both my friend and I are having a hard time finding beautiful bras in our DDD sizes here in the U.S. I am a 34" DDD (U.S. sizing) athletic instructor, my friend a dancer, and it is almost impossible to find a bra to fit us because of our small back measurement in comparison to our cup size. The other thing missing are camisoles and bra top dresses for us. Victoria's Secret carries some wonderful dresses and camisoles with a shelf bra inside and if someone offered them in a larger cup size here in the U.S., I would buy them. I would love to use the Victoria's Secret products, but though they look sexy on the A or B cup model, they just tend to look trashy on a DDD, even when I order an XL and sew the shelf bra band tighter, (and insert a strong, non-rolling elastic into the shoulder straps of the dresses). Most cami's, bra tops and bra top dresses don't offer enough material on the top portion of the shelf bra or bodice portion to look simply sexy and not show too much decollete. Anyone coming into the off-the-rack arena in the U.S. is going to make a killing on products like these sized for bustier women, especially ones with smaller backs.
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Here in the US you would think we would have come a lot further by now. Unfortunately I believe I am the only grown woman that does not want a push-up, padded bra. I can NOT stand them. I have worn a particular style by Vanity Fair for years. The style was discontinued years ago but I was able to find some at an outlet store. I bought all they had in my size. I have worn them completely out with the exception of 3. The design lifts and separates which is what bras are supposed to do. There are 3 knots in the middle of the front and they break because of weight? friction? I keep sewing these little knots back together by hand. I'm at the point of taking one apart and using it as a pattern because I am so frustrated with bra shopping. I have looked at all of the websites listed through this blog, and not ONE of them has anything remotely close to what I am looking for. The painstaking frustration I have felt for years in my search for the correct fitting undergarment has me in tears every time I have to shop for one. Are we to settle for over priced, ill fitting undergarments?This seriously should NOT be the end for us.
I'm a 34 F/G, and Nordstrom is generally my best bet for finding bras that fit me. They also have fitting experts on staff, and that helps. On a whim I did an online search for stores that would sell bras in these sizes in the Los Angeles area and found a great one: http://jenettebras.com/. Their bra sizes start at D. I'm not sure what they go up to, but there was no problem whatsoever with my size. They also have a great selection of bathing suits.
I probably tried on 8-10 bras in my size by different manufacturers and ended up finding 1 that was an amazing fit and another that was a really good fit. I could have tried on more bras, but I was primarily looking for something seamless. Also, the ladies at this store really know their inventory and women's bodies, and I was shown all of the bras that they thought would work for me. The person helping me was even able to accurately guess my size as soon as she saw me in my bra, and she didn't even need a tape measure to do it.
I know visiting the store isn't an option for most people, but I thought I'd get the word out in case people aren't aware of it. I wish there were more stores like it, and I can't wait until I'm in Los Angeles again and can visit the store.
I just found out a year ago that I am a 36H, previously I was wearing a 40DDD from lane bryant that was killing my shoulders because it was four inches too big around and all the weight from my breasts was pulling on my shoulders. I have to buy my bras at specialty shops in a big city about an hour away. I have a beautiful seamed Freya bra and an Elomi molded cup bra now and I am currently in a fashion crisis. The Freya bra pushes me together more in the middle and makes me look smaller but the seams show under all my tank tops and T-shirts which I think is kind of tackie but my j cup sister assures me is fine. The Molded cup Elomi bra makes everything nice and smooth but I am much wider…which do I choose? I don't like going back and forth between the two because the percievied size difference is so much
We are complaining because we can't find bras that fit not because of breast size Though I shouldn't speak for anyone else, I love my size, I hate trying to find a bra my size without having do drive an hour into the nearest big city and then spending over a hundred dollars for a couple bras that actually fit! Also I get tired of people suggesting I wear something that is ill fitting so I can buy at regular stores. I am not a 40DD I am a 36H and wearing a bra too big around and to small a cup size is not flattering. I would never ask a girlfriend to wear a shirt that was three sizes too small why am I asked to wear a bra that way?
NO F and DDD are not the same
I shop for bras at Lane Bryant, and their bras have been "re-sized for customer convenience". What they actually mean, though, is that they shrunk the sizes to appeal to the smaller cupped crowd. Apparently, it's not alright to be a 40 DDD, but being a 40G is much more acceptable. One year ago, I was a 40F at Lane Bryant, but now I can't even fit a 40H.
the brand Wacoal and B-tempted by Wacoal sells a wide range of sizes. even sizes that are probably unheard of i.e 30D, larger cup size like G cup, they even have a line of petite sizes.
some styles of the brand Maidenform makes 34DD.
another option is Playtex. This brand also offer full figure sizes
Surniyyah where are you located? would love to visit you, just moved from the uk back to the US and since i am losing weight, have lost 20 lbs in 2 months, my bra sizes are going crazy, i have 36GG 34H 34GG and 32H GG and G, the 32 G is a bit small in the cups the 332GG one fits well the other ( a differnt bran) is too small in the back the H is a little larger in the cups and all the 34's and 36's are way too big on the back so i actually took needle and thread to them and shortened the backband of the 34GG's but in a few more weeks i will be in trouble as wont have anything to fit properly, would love to see your range, What i dislike the most about the current market in the us is the lack of choice i found a few H cups online most plain boring beige or very flimsy, I like balconet padded types as they hold better, I am 34 have 3 kids I LIKE SUPPORT I am afraid now when i go back to my pre pregnancy weight and back to a 28G or so i might not find a thing to wear that is not a nursing bra
thanks
http://birthandbaby.com/
http://birthandbaby.com/
I used this site when I had my son 3 years ago. They are very flexible with returns and have more options than anywhere else I found.
I am terribly sorry for you. I have a similar problem, except I'm a bit older so I can just order them myself online. Nobody on either side of my family has big boobs, let alone big boobs and and a small band size ( I'm a 34E). My mom doesn't believe me when I tell her that her own bras don't fit, and that my little sister's don't either. My sister is wearing a bra with the back band up close to her neck! and cup sizes all wrong. She gave me the same talk, "I'm older and I know better than you, just tighten her straps". I think perhaps voicing your concerns at your next check-up (with your mom out of the room) would be a good idea, but then again, you may get a similar result. Maybe go to Norstrom's and get fitted there? Also, look to your mom's friends, and relative and try and find someone with a similar build. If you can convince her that the sizing of you (and maybe her) needs to change you can get an ally. Good luck!
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I have a high standard I abide by for choosing reading material, especially online. Your article met my standards then flew right by them. Youve written a great article about Bras
with loads of great informational content. With your permission allow me to grab your RSS feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the enjoyable work.
Good Bra is so important, it must give support to the breast and improve the posture and health of women. Women often face a problem of deciding which bra to wear before selecting a dress to wear. The correct bra provides you with the good support to the breast and the most desirable look. There are numerous types of Lingerie in the market, such as full coverage bras and adhesive cups. They are all designed to cater for women's fastidious requirements. Here is a list of several guidelines for choosing the right bra for you.
Growing up in America with big boobs is a pain – literally! I had back pain, neck pain, I slouched because I was self conscious and because my bras didn't support me breast weight, and developed some major medical issues. I was wearing a 34DD at Victoria's Secret for years, and was pretty loyal, until I finally got a proper bra fitting at a local boutique called At Last! Bras and Lingerie. Surprise! You're a 30G! G!!! Instead of being horrified like American retailers seem to think at my 'vulgar' sized breasts, I felt vindicated that all the pain and torture I went through as a teenager was justified because my boobs really were THAT BIG.
Not only am I made to feel like my big breasts are a gift by those around me, and I'm the 'lucky one,' I'm expected to travel hours out of my way, pay double or triple, and suffer with back pain, especially if you give up and just wear the wrong size from the mass retailers. Now I buy Fantasie and Freya (my two faves) from UK retailers including Bravissimo and Fig Leaves. They're still expensive, the overseas shipping is even more, and returns and exchanges are a nightmare. But it's worth it to have properly fitting bras.
It's so sad that so many American women (my friends included) seem indoctrinated into this big breast cult, but are completely disconnected to the physical and economic realities of having large breasts. Not to mention that if they take a shortcut and get implants, their boobs are perky enough that bra fitting isn't such a big issue, and they don't usually get the pain because implants are lighter than natural breasts.
It's time to grow up America, and face up to the fact that not only are big breasts out there, but our society asked for them, so it's time to give them some properly fitting bras.
I was a 32G (UK sizing) pre-pregnancy; now I'm in 34H, and I haven't even delivered the baby yet! I'm a little scared of what'll happen when my milk comes in; I cannot find a single bra for sale on any website above a UK K cup, which is only four cup sizes (HH, J, JJ, K) above what I'm currently in.
wow, you can laugh but it's really big problem if your breast are to big !
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why you said denial? i'd not say it's like that…
this is a great fact. thank you for sharing
i deny taking this for granted! but nice article anyway
I'm an American and I've been shoving myself into a dd for too long! This article has convinced me to visit a local bra boutique. I can't wait to find out my true size and get a better fitting bra!
Your understanding on this topic is outstanding, is there any way I could ask you a few questions about it?
Good to be reading your blog. Could you provide more information about americas denial of larger cup bras?
You have some great information, I am grateful you have decided to share it with the rest of us. Thank you.
Your post was so wonderful that I decided to bookmark this site, so I can easily access this blog for further updates about larger cup bras.
Your post is wonderful; I hope to read more of your articles in the future. Keep up the good work!
I use to be a 32D back when I was a teenager and it was impossible to find them and that was in the late 60's, early 70's and there was hardly anything back then. I use to buy the cheaper 34's and actually sew the back on either side of the hooks so they would fit. I too have been so frustrated with VS showing large breasted women but they have nothing for us really. I've been wearing 36DD balconette bras from Lane Bryant and was so thrilled that I could actually find a bra that fit and I still had some cleavage, but now I see that size isn't working so well for me now either, I swear at 58 my boobs are still growing. My daughter laughs at me. I'm actually going to Lane Bryant after work today to see if the 36DDD will fit me and I hope I'm wrong, but kind of have a feeling that size is going to be too big on me. I want to ck out some of the links on here. I know so many women want big breats and would be jealous but I'd so love to have a full C or D and not have all the hassles of trying to find swimsuits and bras to fit. Ah well I am thankful for what I have though.
What is the cost of this product?
Fantastic article! I got lot of stuff here with details, I understand whole article easy.
I’m so glad to have stumbled across this post – it was exactly what I was looking for.
This is such an informative post. Where did you learn so much about larger-cup bras?
Such helpful information. Good to see your take on this subject.
Always a delight reading articles from this blog. Thanks for posting this one.
I love the way you discuss this topic, anbviously you're very knowledgeable with the subject matter.
I wander to see this blog,I am definitely referring this blog to my friends and family. It was very informative, and I think everyone should read it and enjoyed this blog.
Hi, I'm a petite woman somewhere in the size 34 DD or E region. I've always had trouble with the straps being too long, and not able to cinch short enough for my short torso. This causes my straps to fall or excess sagging. I've seen makers of "petite bras", but they only go up to cup C. Can you point me to a maker that is sizing for petites with large bust sizes?
I'm a 30E, and live in the UK. It's not just an American problem, as I'm not particularly big, and don't need the support of bulky, large strapped bras, which is the only thing available on a limited budget. Reading this was refreshing! I'm embarrassed to buy bras, having been asked 'are you sure?' when telling a female shop assistant my size, upon asking if they were available. I've been fitted several times, so was indeed very sure, and felt embarrassed being treated as an idiot, and ogled at! This is a definite problem which convinces women they are not 'normal' or are over weight, when in fact they are not. I wonder if it's a problem that larger sizes mean more material, and turn less of a profit margin than smaller bras? Great article.
So glad I found your blog as I am having hard time finding a Bra in the US. I am only a 36F which even Lane Bryant doesn't make over a 36DDD. Which are to small it is so frustrating that I have to go up a band size in order to find anything that fits. Then they don't last because I am wearing them as tight as possible. A sports bra it a nightmare unless I want to spend in the range of 60 dollars for one bra come on! I am going to the gym for pete's sake I don't want to wear the same sweat drenched bra everyday but I'm not rich either. Hope your blog makes a difference in America's stores.
Most US companies don't go above a DD or below a 34 In D and DD cups. And it's not like stores don't know that they are not fitting women properly.
I have found just buying a regular sports bra over a normal full cup bra works really well when working out. http://confessionsofacurvygirl.wordpress.com/2011…
You really should measure yourself and so you can be sure of your starting point. http://confessionsofacurvygirl.wordpress.com/2011…
have your tried buying on ebay. you can find some good deals. brastop also have tons of sale on you size and at least 100 bras/.swimsuits in your size.
This is really more of a North American problem, Canada is the same. I am a 32G, which can only be found in speciality boutiques (only available in major cities). The cost of such bras is completely outrageous ($80 for plain bra and $180 and up for pretty bra), with maybe only one bra actually available in store. For this reason most women I know walk around with the wrong bra size. Victoria Secret, while they have pretty lingerie, is only for the under 25 skinny crowd, not for the average women.
You should try ebay. I just ordered a 32L For $20 uSD. It's comes form The the UK so it might take a while. Another option is to get a tax id and buy the bras from the distributor. Then you could also sell a few bras as well if you like. It wouldn't have to be a large business. Just selling on ebay or online could net you a bit a bit of money.
I so relate to this…. I need a 28DD/E, which is actually the "sister size" to a 32C, so not "big" either. I call mine a "modest hand full". Many of the bras in this size (UK brands online, as it's not found outside of specialty boutiques in the US) are cut to fit "large" women, so they have thick straps & hefty seaming for extra support, which a woman my size does not need. I want delicate, dainty bras for my thin frame and modestly full boobs, not an over-the-shoulder-bolder-holder.
The other issue is not the lack of DD cup selection, but lack of SMALL BAND SIZES!!! The most common fit problem women have is too big of a band & too small of a cup, which means if many of us were sized correctly we may need a band smaller than 32, and often with a "large" cup (D+). Although, as a side note, I prefer to refer to D+ cups as "high" cup sizes, since some of us with D+ cups have rather modest boobs that would not be called "large" by most people.
For me as a 34 G, what I would absolutely love in the States are more affordable options other than black, tan, and white bras! I look at some of the lovely colored and patterned bras offered by some American retailers and wonder why they cannot offer them in a wider range of sizes (such as the out-of-price-range specialty shops or the UK/Europe/anywhere not here! What does a girl have to do to get some more options!
I was so happy to find this post today. I used to wear a 36D from Victoria’s Secret but I eventually switched to a 36DD from there which was last year when I was in my senior year. Since then I started birth control and an increase in my bra size meant no more Victoria’s Secret. Right now I am wearing a 38DDD from Macy’s but I know the band is too big. Today I drove an hour and a half to go bra shopping in Philadelphia, PA. I had the Lane Bryant experience of finding a 38DDD and all the other bands were 40+ which is way too big for me. I found the {Intimacy} store and had a fitting done there. They told me I was a 34H! I couldn’t buy any bras there because they were too expensive. The only ones that were comfortable were $160 and higher, which isn’t within the budget for a college student.
I wish places like Victoria’s Secret would sell larger sizes and price them how their bras are already priced in the 40-60 range.
I hate the feeling of being a freak because I can’t buy bras in a normal store and also because I am unlike any of my family members. My dads side is overweight with large chests but I live with my mom’s side who were all 100 pounds when they graduated and have worn B or C cups their entire lives.
I am somewhere in the middle..and it’s such a problem. The market really needs to be changed so 18 year old girls like me don’t have to seriously consider boob jobs. I have started a gym routine to maybe try to lose some extra pounds which could help reduce my breast size to just make my life easier.
I feel all of your pain!!
The reason that I had driven that far anyway was to go to Fredericks of Hollywood in King of Prussia to Try to find some nice lingerie to wear for my anniversary because I had seen great reviews online from full figured women. I went there and felt so defeated and it was a bust. No pun intended… I didn’t see anything over a DDD/F there. I mean they had a better selection of lingerie like corsets and teddies and things compared to Victoria’s Secret but still none that would fit me.
This article is so true. I have had a hard time with buying bras for forever. I don’t think I ever rest had the right size until I went to Nordstrom and they did the best fitting in the world where they measure and fit you and you don’t leave until you fit in a bra with the correct size.
In the past, I went to a normal dept store and they would measure, would always be wrong and then I didn’t know what to do.
I still don’t have a big selection in bras. It’s sad to say that I’m used to that. I am a 34 HH and I just recently bought two nude colored boring bras bc those were the choices at the store…blah. also I had to spend $130 on
2 bras bc that’s the only place that sells my bra size.
The other issue I have is that it’s impossible to buy any kind of lingerie other than bras anywhere. It all stinks. Any suggestions on where to buy something cute for the bedroom?
mine is 36DD . Is this correct? I am 23 years of age.
Wish I lived where you were. Where I am in Canada, most stores here only sell B to DDD. I see TONS of DD's. Most bras are C to DD, which is bigger than average, and a ton of giant watermelon sized ones, whatever that is… they fit on my head. I'm totally jealous because all the big ones are gorgeous lacy things, whereas the B's are pretty, but ridiculous amounts of padding, like the whole thing is filled.
Any stray A's I find are horrid, ugly tan, or worse, with underwire. Underwire is very uncomfortable and unnecessary at that size. Often the wires poke into your ribs.
I saw an AA once. It was a fortune and ugly tan or white with zero detail. I've also seen super tiny band size with big cups once in a while, but the 'odd' sizes are so rare. I'd hate to be a 40AA or a 28DD. I understand they don't sell as much, but I see tons of women who are a few sizes outside the 'normal' range and believe they should expand the range. I don't see why 34A is nonexistant when a B used to be the average size not too long ago.
Sadly, I'd rather go braless than buy online. 99% of bras never fit remotely right on me. They usually make a 34C and just scale it up and down which does NOT work, but us ladies keep buying them because it's the 'closest' we can find to fit us and our needs. I have so many 'one outfit, one night' bras.
I live in Canada and if the States has crappy lingerie selection, well, things are only much worse on the other side of the border. Certainly I would have been stuck with a slouchy figure my whole until I was fitted at lingerie store in Hong Kong stocking large cup bras from Japan. After returning to Canada, I did find some spotty lingerie boutiques that supposedly carry large cup bras with normal to smaller bands, but selections are invarably small, usually comprised of boring nudes and grandma designs. We have a chain store called Changes that carry prettier, more colourful styles in larger cup sizes but even still, their cuts fit horribly. We definitely need more new players in this kind of market in North America.
In a way, we can understand the retailers and sizing.
my wife has the same issue, she will open a store on long island (sunrise mall) to help resolve that issue.
website: http://www.helenoftroybra.com. The store will open on 4/01/2012.