(24-09-2015, 09:09 PM)valerie anne Wrote: Buying a new bra, especially in a small cup and large band size, is fraught with problems.
Any new bra which seems comfortable at first is likely to stretch & sag in use and offer no support or boob uplift later on.
Your new bra should be very firm on the loosest clasp setting and the straps should be really snug. After the first wearing, if you do not show red bra marks on your back and strap grooves on your shoulders, the bra is too big!
The bra will become firm & comfortable after wearing & washing. You could try a band extender if the band seems too tight, but these extenders widen the strap base, so you could suffer from fallen bra straps, even if your straps are tight.
I have had good results by bidding for used bras on eBay. Very often these bras can be had for next to nothing and you can experiment with sizes, colours and styles as well.
As these bras may have been worn, you are spared the breaking-in process.
If they don't fit, you have learnt a fitting lesson, and they can go to the charity shop!
I have often found that the bra which I can't wear when I first try it on becomes a favourite after a couple of washes.
I find the topic of bra sizing very confusing...
I have a frame size of 44 and a bust size of 48 (the latter being measured over a non-padded bra that fits well) ... I used the calculator on herroom.com as well as a few other sites that, essentially, say cup size = bust - band sizes. then cup is 1 = A 2 = B, etc.
Now, then, the bra in question that i used to measure over my boobs is a 38C. That calculation above says 44D. Most of my bras (and I have a LOT cus well bras are kind of a fetish for me) that fit well have a band size of 40. I get that despite measurements and figure that my cup size is incorrect due to the shape of my boobs (very conical -- something I am trying to fix) but why the disparity with my physical frame size versus bra band sizes?