Bra fitting at Nordies - Thanks Angie!

Angie, I took your advice about bra fitting at Nordies to heart and headed out there today. My last bra fitting was at a VS and they pegged me a 34D. Since then, bras have been better than before, but there was nothing that made me go "this is it!". Today, a very, very helpful lady at Nordies determined that I am infact a 32DDD/G! :-O Now I have, over the course of the past year put on about 6-8 pounds. And my cup size might have gone up a tad. But it wasn't like I was spilling out of my 34D bras. The ladies have always been well covered (full coverage bras!) and there has never been the "bubble" effect in any bra I have worn. But they just never fit right. And then today I tried on a Chantelle 32G and it was like the clouds just cleared. I could have cried. I brought home only one bra (http://www.herroom.com/Chantel.....-Bra.shtml) as I am starting to lose weight. Plus it was on sale, yay! Thank you so much Angie ((hugs)).

In my old Bali bra -
http://s273.photobucket.com/al.....G_2871.jpg

In the new Chantelle bra-
http://s273.photobucket.com/al.....G_2873.jpg

16 years ago

Maya

Veteran

You know, I'm starting to suspect that a 32D+ bra size is actually a lot more common than most people think it is. It's just that places like Victoria's Secret are full of BS (sorry Angie, but I know you agree with me!) and refuse to sell those sizes, so they just basically lie to you to make a sale. That means women who really are a 32D or bigger just don't know it and therefore, even though it is quite common, it seems like it isn't, because most women are simply buying the wrong size, thinking it's not even possible to be over a C when you're a 32.

In fact, I wonder if it's more likely to be a large cup size when your band size is smaller, because even though (for example) a 32D sounds big, in reality, the largest part of the chest is only 36" around, which is not big at all. When your band size is small, your chest can still project a lot, even though you are not big overall. Does that make any sense?

Well anyway, I'm glad you're sorted and it looks like that bra fits you great. I also had the Africa bra, but the lace really made me itchy so I have since moved on to other Chantelle styles. It's weird though: my Chantelle bra is a 32DDD/F rather than G. I thought a DDD was an F (and DD an E). Well, it doesn't really matter. Niva, I think the new bra makes you look smaller which is a good thing. Chantelle bras tend to pull you in, so you don't get as much sideboob, which I like (the pulling in, not the sideboob!).

Kari

Niva, that is awesome. I had the same experience a few years ago too, only I had been trying to stuff myself into a 36 B or C prior to the VS visit because I was totally ignorant about how a bra should fit me. I should have just gone to Nordie's straight away.

By the way, I recently found a Chantelle Tamarine T-shirt bra in 32DDDD, or 32G, at Nordstrom Rack for just under $30. I'm not sure if the fit is comparable to the Africa bra, but the style worked well on me and was such a steal of a price. If you're in the same size range as me and have a local Nordstrom Rack nearby, I heartily recommend keeping an eye on their lingerie department for sales on your favorite brands.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Fabulous, Niva! I’m happy you were professionally fitted and pleased with the results. (That's a sweet little tank top by the way). There is NO SUBSTITUTE for a perfectly fitting bra. That’s where good style starts. Enjoy!

As with clothing, forget about the size of the label. Concentrate on fit! I am not busty and wear a 30 or 32C (Chantelle only). C and D and DD cups are VERY normal.

VS bra fittings are SO awful, they are not worth the ink on this site.

Vani

Maya, kari, I totally agree about VS. They really are full of it. I used to feel intimidated by the higher end dept stores like Nordies and ended up at VS. I feel sorry about the $ I wasted on ill-fitting bras over the years. I have to confess, I bought 2 bras as recently as a few months ago from VS online (I was desparate!). Luckily I had a coupon and didn't spend more than $20 for both of them. They fit me horribly. Maya, the sideboob you're talking about? This bra was all sideboob...urrggghh.

Also Maya, you're probably right and I'm a DDDD! I was trying on DD and up in different styles and brands (Panache etc) and in the Chantelles the G fit me best. And I totally agree with your analogy about cup to band size ratio. Lesser room to spread = greater projection!

kari, unfortunately the closest Nordstrom Rack to me is 3 hrs away. But I made a note of the models that I liked the fit of and will be stalking them online.

Thanks ladies!

neatnic

Active Member

Another 32 DDDD/G here! I also wish I had known sooner about VS and their horrible bra fittings. I hate to think about all those years that I was not getting the proper lift/support.

It also surprises me that it isn't easier to find 32 D+ bras -- especially with the number of tinier women having breast augmentations these days.

Niva -- You look great!

cciele

Congrats, niva! You look awesome in your new bra.

HannahC

Niva, congratulations on your new bra! You look great!

I am 32H, and it took me years (yes, literally) to find out my real size. Somehow, there are still too many salespeople who suggest "sister sizing" (which is - one band size larger and one cup size smaller) because they don't carry the right size. Grrrrr... I had constant back pain and dents in my shoulders because the whole weight of the chest was supported by the shoulder straps, instead of the band, how it is supposed to be. The back pain miraculously went away the day I started to wear a right band size. The dents in the shoulders will stay forever, but at least my shoulders don't hurt anymore and I don't have red marks on them at the end of the day.

Maya, did you read the article about bra fitting and sizes on Bravissimo site? They claim exactly the same - that 32D+ is very common. And in fact, it makes a lot of sense: the cup size in 32DD, for example, is the same as in 36C (because 36 is two band sizes up from 32, hence the cup that is equal in size is two cup sizes down from DD, which is C), so no, it is not big at all. It LOOKS bigger because the contrast between the back size and the chest size is bigger, but the cup itself is of the same size (might be of a different shape, because when the back is narrow, the cup should be narrow too - otherwise you will have breasts spread all the way to your back).
So yes, it is a very common size (even unrelated to breast augmentation). Of course, 32H is still huge, no matter how you look at it (pun intended)

Kristen

Look at your girls standing tall and proud! *g*

A good bra fitting is a life-changing experience. I love the before-and-after shots you did -- if anyone isn't convinced after that, they must be without a pulse!

Thank you much for all the love ladies

Angie, must have missed your post while I was working on mine. You're right, no more talk about the lingerie store with entirely too much marketing monies. I love that I haven't had to adjust my bra one time so far this morning Again, thank you!

neatnic, HannahC, I completely understand your pain. Painful shoulder dents from ill-fitting bras suggested by incompetent SAs should be made punishable by law.

carissa

Good for you Niva, that is fantastic.

That reminds me, Hannah: I made my shoulder straps too short last week, so the little plastic adjuster was right on top of my shoulder, and now I have a lovely little red mark to show for it It was a terrible pain. I don't know how I put up with it all day. I can't even imagine putting up with that for years! The bra is very supportive and I never usually have problems with it, but that little plastic thing should not have been up there.

I am actually in a bit of a weird spot because I find that both DD's and DDD's fit me well, in the same brand and style. I get the sense that the difference between DD-DDDD cups is less than it is between an A, B, C, and D. Maybe that's why they just duplicate the letter?

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