What did you say about my boobs???

[NellieFL]

I've spent the majority of my life living as a 42DD Lane Bryant woman! Eventually, I crept up to a 44DD. Last year, after gaining even more weight, I went in to get some new bras and discovered that I now needed a 46DD! BTW, this was definitely a contributing factor to me deciding to have this surgery. The largest I had ever been was while nursing and they tried to sell me a 40G - I refused and tucked those jokers into a 40DD, since I was non-pregnant a 40D at the time.

So here I am walking around in my 46DDs when they are obviously too big now and decided to see if LB had any sales on bras, because this is just getting a little ridiculous. This young 20-something year old girl asks me if I know what size I'm looking for. I tell her I'm really not sure and she offers to measure me. I'm thinking great - I'm probably like a 42D at this point since I can probably fit my hand in my DD bra cups right about now. First measurement under my breast she says is a 40 - a 40??? Are you sure? I'm thinking really - I came down from a 46 to a 40???
Doesn't seem right - then she goes on to tell me that my cup size is not a "D" mind you, but an H!

Now I'm no rocket scientist - but how the hell do I lose weight so that my 46DD is too big and grow down and up at the same time??? Her explanation was that the cup size is not the same based upon the band size! So as I go down in band, I have to go up in cup! Still makes NO sense to me!!! However, to humor her (and to prove to myself that I wasn't crazy), I tried on a few 42DDs and one 42DDD from the sale rack. (Not paying $40 for a bra that I'm only gonna be in for a few more months, right?) Well, the DDD did fit fine - but so did one of the DDs. So now I'm even more confused? I mean seriously an H??? To get to an H, you have to go past DDD, E, F, G and then H. If I can wear a DD or a DDD, how in the hell could I possible be an H??? Whatever! I'm chalking this one up to her not really knowing what she was talking about!

Pfft - an H - I mean seriously!!!

[Granna1965]

she was obviously confused. We will be losing them not gaining them! LOL

[jactkb]

My daughter used to work at Lane Bryant and said that people that have lost lots of weight are the hardest to help size. It is true that moving up or down a band size you then change the cup size the other direction. So for example I am a 44DD, but if a style is not fitting then trying a 46D or a 42DDD may work better.

However the difference between an H and a DD is 4" difference, she obviously either mis-measured or mis-calculated. Likely the band size is correct, and she was just off on the cup size. Also for Cacique a DDD is the same as an E, then it goes to F, G and H.

[Kstrib]

Your encounter sounds very humorous. Since I'm a big busted girl, I totally identify with you. Now, the young girl may have been confused but I thought I would enlighten you a bit, since I used to measure bra sizes back in the day when "I" was a 20 something.

When you lose weight, you may lose in your rib cage at a different rate than you lose in your breast tissue. So, your band size may change and go down while your cup size does some other exercise (stay the same or decrease but at a different rate). So, for example, if you lost two inches in band size (42 to a 40) but only lost one inch in breast tissue it wouldn't be a direct correlation. If you were originally a 42D, your new size would be 40DD (each inch of breast tissue counts as a cup size). Here's a better way to describe it...
(won't let me post the link, so google "how to measure bra size" and try the realsimple dot com version)

Why not measure at home? To get an H measurement, your breasts would have to be 8 inches more than your rib cage. Now if you bought a 42DDD, that would fit someone who was 42" rib cage, 48" breast. But if your rib cage is really 40 and not 42, that 48" breast would make you an H. I know it's confusing and buying an H seems crazy. But, the band around your rib should fit tight enough so that you can't fit but one or two fingers in it. When buying, you should be able to only hook the first hooks because over time, the band will stretch and that's what the other hooks are for. The next thing to look for is that the underwire comes all the way past your breast tissue under your arm. The third thing to look for is that the center of the bra fits next to your breast plate.

It's so hard to find a bra for big busts that fits well. I empathize with you so much!
Next time you go bra shopping, measure at home first and then think about my tips when you go shopping. Good luck! And congrats on the weight loss.

Kat

[LealScott]

Even better than the sleeve was my breast reduction from a EEE To a C. Go to someplace like Nordstrom's. They know what they are doing. Don't buy, just get measured.

[Lori44]

you are so funny! Loved reading this post. The first time I lost my weight I went from a 44C to a 36B. I was upset that I lost so much boob because I actually have cleavage as a bigger woman. Never really spent the money to have nicer, sexier bra's but I think this time when I am down to where I need to do be the bra's and undies will definitely be sexier than the plain old white ones I have been wearing for years. lol

[NellieFL]

Kat -

Thanks for the explanation. So here's my issue with measuring. It's much easier to get a correct band measurement than the breast measurement. I was standing there in, albeit it, an incorrect fitting bra - but she had me raise my breasts up so that she could measure my ribcage. Then after lowering them back down, she measured across my breasts - the same breasts that are hanging pretty low due to the non-support of the 46DD bra that is "supporting" them (or not). If she was following the path of my ribcage to nipple, she may have had to go to the next room to find them! If she was just taking a visually circular path, then she would be cutting out all that is south-of-the-border.

I really do appreciate your feedback. I think I'll try measuring myself in one of my new bras and see what it comes out to be. Although won't that affect it too? I mean if I'm squeezed into a 42DDD - won't that prohibit the measurement? You know what - nevermind - I'm not gonna worry about it! This is all part of the journey! Thanks again! I'll try to remember your comments for the next fitting! LOL

[NellieFL]

Jen -

Thanks for making my point!!! (Although Kat kinda co-signed on the possibility of her being right, with the whole if I am a 40" band size and a 48" breast, then I am an H cup!) Ugh! I'm sticking with my "how do you accurately measure breast size in an ill-fitting bra????

Hey - at least this made for interesting commentary! LOL

[Batmanswifeisloosing]

I no longer let them measure me at LB because they are ALWAYS off by a lot I went in as 44C and was told I need a 46H I laughed so hard and really thought she was kidding. She was very persistent to the point of following me around and while I picked up my actual size and making comments about how that will never fit, very rude by the way, so to shut her up I took her 46H in the dressing room and put it on. Well after that she apologized for the very wrong measurement. I think the way they measure is all wrong. Good luck to you all

[pack89]

Something else to add...by going up a band size and not cup size, the excess breast tissue is actually in the band and not in the cup. I like to watch make-over shows and every time they do a segment on bras, large busted women are generally wearing a larger band than needed and not a large enough cup, which is what leads to the droopy boobs syndrome.

I was a 38DD, but that was before my bilateral mastectomies. I had the flap, where they use your belly fat, and the dr said that since it was my own fat, that as I lose weight, the boobs would lose too. Now I'm either a 34D or a 32DD, but it's hard to find the 32DD. I am getting a revisional surgery, a lift, after losing 114#, they have dropped again. Thankfully, since it is still considered part of my breast cancer and they are a little lopsided, my insurance will cover it.

[turtlewoman]

The most uncomfortable and ill-fitting bra I ever got was from Lane Bryant after getting a fitting there. And it was crazy expensive. I'm going to remember the measuring tips and figure it out for myself next time. Thanks.

[NellieFL]

Very good point Peggy! But you do know it's hard to know what's true boob and what's side fat when it all blubs together! LOL

Sorry to hear you've had the experience of breast cancer, but grateful you survived it and are continuing to work towards good health! Best wishes for your continued success!

[mlrisser]

That's so funny! I USED to be 48DDD in LB bras. Then when I started shrinking I decided to buy a couple victoria secret bras off ebay in a 42DD and you know what, they were too big! They were in excellent condition so, not stretched out or anything like that. I went to VS and they measured me. Told I was a 38DDD - Uh! I had just bought 4 40D VS bras and they all fit me perfect! I'm not going back to triple digit cup sizes - ain't gonna happen. 40D's fit me perfect and until that band size is too big I'll stay there.

[leesooim]

Yep, your encounter makes sense. I don't trust the fittings they do in stores like LB or Victoria's Secret or Soma because, quite frankly, I don't think they are accurate enough, but it makes sense if the band size goes down that your cup size may go up if you are lucky enough not to lose a lot of fat in your boobs.

Me for instance, I was a 40DD from LB pre-surgery. Now I am a 34DD or 32DDD pretty much everywhere, and it's far from perfect. 34DD is too loose in the band, but 32DDD all cups even if I am good in the store and the girls check me out, once I am home and wearing the bra for an hour or so, I start to overflow from the cup. Drives me nuts. I've tried 36D but that's way too big. 34DDD is also too big. I am seriously contemplating going out and having bras custom made because I don't seem to fit into the generic commercial store sizes properly anymore.

[greenmomma]

Let's just all agree to burn our bras and let the girls roam free!