Best London bra-fitter for odd sizes?

October 20, 2018 12:41 AM

Hello! I am looking for a London bra fitter for my fairly unique bra size. Some plus-size women carry all their weight in their boobs; I seem to carry it in my ribcage. (I'm size 16-18 UK. ) I also have narrow shoulders. Finding the proper band size/cup size combo is a nightmare; throw in "must cater to shoulders narrower than a rugby player's" and it's nigh impossible. I am willing to spend a lot to get something that is comfortable and looks good. Please give me your recommendations...other than Bravissimo, who I understand are wonderful but don't go below a D cup.
posted by rednikki to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (13 answers total)

I can't assist you with location specific stuff, but consider looking for bras with J-hooks. I know that a lot of the bras made by Elomi have them. It's a hook clasp on the straps that lets you convert a regular bra into a racerback x-shape strap. This brings it a lot closer in towards the neck and allows for narrow shoulders.
posted by Mizu at 12:52 AM on October 20, 2018

Hello, I would just get fitted in Bravissimmo anyway if you haven’t been. They don’t do below a D cup, but their whole mantra is that women have been fitted wrongly all their lives, so you may be surprised what your actual cup sizes is. I know that for me, my cup size moved three cups up and band size four sizes down. Fittings are free and they are great people.
posted by moiraine at 1:48 AM on October 20, 2018 [3 favorites]

Best answer: I've never been, but I've heard very good things about Rigby and Peller (may not be ideal if you're on a budget, though). Agree that Bravissimo are great, but their stock may not suit you if you really are a small cup size.
posted by altolinguistic at 2:18 AM on October 20, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Rigby and Peller is great. They do go in for super snug band sizes so don't be afraid to tell them if it's cutting into your skin. But yes, not a budget option.
posted by tavegyl at 2:21 AM on October 20, 2018 [2 favorites]

I know this isn't directly answering your question, but are you familiar with the subreddit r/abrathatfits? It's an amazing resource, and if you haven't tried to measure yourself using their guidelines, I would recommend it as a first step. You could also try asking this question over there if you don't find satisfactory answers here.
posted by litera scripta manet at 4:02 AM on October 20, 2018 [6 favorites]

Best answer: I loved Rigby and Peller when I lived in London. Their fitters are great. Maybe splurge on one bra after being fitted properly and then you can budget shop once you’ve been given ideas of brands and sizes?

Also I’m not sure whether ThirdLove does UK stuff but I’ve been wicked impressed with the bras I’ve gotten from them and their online “tell us about your weird boobs” interface is pretty good.
posted by olinerd at 6:18 AM on October 20, 2018

Best answer: I actually had great luck at the Selfridges lingerie department. I have a very, very narrow ribcage and (apparently) huge knockers. The woman at Selfridges informed me that I was in fact a 32E through 34F rather than the B cup I thought (!!). They stock a really wide range of sizes, too. They introduced me to lingerie brand Chantelle, which is reasonably priced and comes in a huge range of prices, and that's where most of my giant bras come from now.

I've also heard great things about Rigby & Peller but have yet to try them out because I don't feel like selling one of my norks to pay for a bra.
posted by nerdfish at 6:58 AM on October 20, 2018 [2 favorites]

I have narrow shoulders (although am a 32G) and I find that racerback or cross-back styles work better. You can look for a convertible style bra and then experiment.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 7:36 AM on October 20, 2018

If your rib cage is broader than a 36 band and your cup size is smaller than a C, that can be pretty difficult to accommodate - one option is to get a 36 band that works cupwise and get a bra extender.
posted by cotton dress sock at 6:56 AM on October 21, 2018

I wear a 38B. Consistently fitters bring me 36C and then the clasps don't reach or the band squeezes like hell - this idea that "everyone is wearing too big a band and too small a cup" gets really annoying to keep hearing since I need exactly the opposite. It's just outside of the normal manufacturing range and it is a hassle to find even that, it definitely gets worse out into 40A (what I used to wear before bc hormones) and beyond.

I did find one I like on Third Love, so once you have a good sense of your fit they could be a good option. Also the exchanges for different sizes went well (after they, of course, sent me a 36C and the band hurt). So you may need a little patience to find the right size but it's worth a try.
posted by Lady Li at 1:29 PM on October 21, 2018

Response by poster: Thanks everyone! I've made an appointment with Rugby and Peller.
posted by rednikki at 6:25 AM on October 29, 2018

Response by poster: Just a quick update: I started at Rugby and Peller, where the staff were amazing and found perfect bras for me in minutes. (This is extraordinary; I've been to Nordstrom in the US, spent hours and found nothing.) To my surprise, I was a D. So I went down the road to Bravissimo and padded out my bra collection with...a couple of double D bras? Really?

Which is to say: if you're an American and used to being somewhere between a B and a C with your standard Warner/Maidenform/Wacoal bra, you are probably going to be a D or DD at either of these places. In the States when I try on bras with the dimensions I'm rocking I could smuggle the skulls of several linebackers in them.
posted by rednikki at 12:45 AM on November 27, 2018 [1 favorite]

To my surprise, I was a D.

I feel totally and completely validated and you 100% should favourite my previous comment :)

I would say this is a totally common experience for a LOT of women, not just Americans, and hence why I recommend Bravissimo to all my friends.

This is because bra fitting is stuck in ways of measuring 20 years ago, before the invention of elasticated bras. The common way bra fitters measure you is that they add an extra 4 inches to your rib cage. This in turn affects your cup size (cup sizes are dependent on rib cage size).

So if you are actually a 32D, they would add 4 inches to your rib cage and you'll be a 36B in the eyes of most inexperienced bra fitters.
posted by moiraine at 3:28 AM on November 27, 2018