I went into J.C. Penney’s yesterday to purchase a new bra. Since my weight has been in flux, I asked to be re-measured.
When I have been measured before (and in all catalogues I’ve seen), I have measured around the chest below the breast for the chest measurement, and then around the chest over the nipple to determine the cup size. My normal measurement is 46D (yeah, TMI, you’re welcome).
The sales clerk proceeds to measure me ABOVE the breast for the bra size and across the nipple for the cup size. According to her, I, who have lost weight and have exercised, am now a 50F. (And of course they did not have my size without an underwire - I refuse to buy them: I hate the ‘mutant happy face bruise’.)
When I asked her why she was measuring me this way, she said it was the new way to measure to make sure the bra fits properly. “Most women wear the wrong-sized bra.”
I then went into Lane Bryant and was measured the old way (according to them I am 44DD). (Still the damned underwires, though, so no purchase.)
Has the standard bra-measuring practice changed? If so, why haven’t bra labels changed? If not, any ideas where this method came from?
Havent’ heard that they’ve changed it officially, but unless they also changed the size system since I last bought one AND you’ve been wearing bras substantially too tight, I’d say the lady was full of it. While I have no difficulty believing that most wear the wrong size, I’d have a hell of a problem believing that ANYONE (let alone some one as bright as you) would be wearing one that many sizes off.
(ps - I’m with you on the no underwire gig - it’s a bitch finding them, isn’t it? and my doctor also agreed)
OK, there are two “standard” ways of determining bra-band size. The first is to measure around the area where the bra-band goes in inches and add 5 (or 6, if that gets you an odd number). The second is to measure right above the breasts the way the Penney’s clerk did, and only round up if you get an odd number. These two methods should get you pretty much the same number!
If you go to http://www.plussizebras.org, you will find an “alternative” bra-sizing method for those of us who are more ahem generously endowed. This basically involves measuring the bra-band area and adding only 2 or 3 to the number. This will result in a more supportive bra which doesn’t dig into the shoulders (the majority of a bra’s “holding power” should be in the band and not the shoulder straps.) This will also probably result in your needing a larger cup size, since cup sizes are relative to band sizes.
(The Master himself touches upon the matter briefly here, so to speak. :o)
I find it hard to believe that the Lane Bryant and Penney’s measurements would be so enormously different, unless someone was doing something terribly wrong, or you were wearing a very ill-fitting bra at the time (I could see how the “quadriboob” effect could affect the JCPenney method, for example.) Somebody, somewhere, screwed up. If the across-the-nipple measurement was the same in both cases, a larger band size should have gotten you a smaller cup size, at the very least. Something doesn’t make sense.
On the other hand, if you get bruises from underwires, perhaps your band size has been too small. Did you try on the 50F? Did you fall out? :).
A good non-underwire bra for larger cup sizes (my source sells “E”(DD)-“I”) is the Splended Florals Soft Cup (#110) made by Goddess. This is a very supportive bra, as supportive (and maybe more so) as any underwire. There should be a listing of retailers who sell Goddess bras at the Plus Size Bras site (link above). I buy them online, and I’ll e-mail the link upon request.
Thanks for the info, Tamex. I was wearing a decent-fitting bra (no spillage), and I’ve measured again myself just now - the LB clerk was correct. I had tried on the 50, but it was too loose to be comfortable, even on the furthest setting.
As far as the underwires, perhaps it was from an ill-fitting bra at the time (haven’t done underwire since one poked through the bra and jabbed into my armpit. Ouch.)
Thanks also for the website (although I originally read it as “plussi zebras” - ahem). I’ll check into that. Please do send me the other site: I would appreciate it.
wring - thanks for the compliment. And glad to see I’m not the only one who dislikes wires.
This is not related to the OP’s question, but I would like to point out that most maternity bras come without underwires and are furthermore the most comfortable bras I’ve ever worn. Japanese Weekend makes some good ones. FYI.
What percentage of the 99% (or whatever) of women who wear the wrong size bra do you think have been misled by incompetent sales clerks (who then have this “statistic” to back them up)? :rolleyes:
I still order my bras from The Silhouette Shop back in my college town of Quincy, IL. They carry Goddess bras in my size. The clerks are trained in fitting you correctly and not only measure (sometimes both under and over), but help you into the bra you are trying on and check for fit. I get a nice supportive bra form them that does not have underwires. If i don’t care about support and just want comfort there are some sport bras in Lane Bryant that will cover.
The over bust measurement is expected to be the actual band size and the underbust measurement the band size-5inches. This is not always the case. The measurements can vary by more or less than five inches. While measurements help guide you toward the correct size, there is no substitute for trying on the bra.
I had an idiot clerk at another store try to sell me a 52 DDD she said that no woman really had over a DDD cup. Lots of clerks just push whatever they have in the shop.
Unfortunately, the LB in my area has cut back severely on their in-store stock of bras (they quit carrying slips completely). They had about 6 sports bras (none in my size) and lots of underwire satins. [Great, I’m going to have a bra that will slip all over the place.] Guess I’ll have tokeep looking in the stores, or resort to ordering on-line.
elmwood - But I like talking about the Bills and butter lambs.
Chronos - Um, no. No photos. Not this time. That I know of. :o
I’m not sure that it comes in your size, but I am very pleased with the Playtex 18-Hour “Custom Comfort” soft cup. Supportive and comfortable, and I am (currently) a 42DD.
Too Much Information.