That buzzfeed article @dmd77 was hilarious. I’ll be sharing it with my daughters. We are all ‘of a certain size’ and oh boy, can we relate! We only shop at a lingere boutique now. I have been to a Norstrom’s once but it’s far from my house and they don’t carry as extensive a size range as they do online.
Saint fan, that bra looks terrific.
I keep some bras for years. Especially those in colors, which don’t get worn that often. I never heard of the 6 month rule.
Attention, bra shoppers. If there is an Intimacy boutique in your neck of the woods, it might be worth stopping by. Their semi-annual sale starts tomorrow. Sadly, there is not a single one in my state. 
I usually get bras at Nordstrom Rack where I only have to pay around $20 for a Natori or Wacoal. They carry the small band size but larger cup size options in the 30-32 DDD-G range. I also got a Chantelle there which is amazing.
Nordstrom has certified fitters in their stores. Just go to Lingerie and ask for one.
I recently had my first-ever fitting and wow! Was I ever wrong about my size! The fitter said almost everyone is. What a difference, wearing a well-fitted and well -made bra.
First time I ever had a fitter, she had been at a store in downtown LA for 30+ years and didn’t need a tape measure.
Do any of you have any recommendations for places other than Nordstrom’s? They’re the only non online retailer I know that carries a G cup with an average band size. I’ve tried Macy’s but for whatever reason they never seem to have my size.
^^ a bra whisperer!
True, good fitters do not always use measuring tape, because fit is very brand- and style-apecific, e.g., I get 32D in Marie Jo, but have to go down to 32B in PrimaDonna.
The one limitation of the fitters is that they will likely try to sell you something that they have in their inventory, whether or not it’s your ideal fit. Nordstrom seems to have a larger range of smaller bands with larger cup sizes than most of the stores in our state. I may go and give them another try. Last time I went to them, they changed my bra size; I suspect it will happen again, even though I’m pretty happy with and comfortable in my current size. The calculators and charts say I should be wearing a smaller band and bigger cups. It’s REALLY hard to find smaller bands (below 32) with bigger cups (above DD) in inventory!
I took an inventory of what I own–quite a few different sizes, depending on the style. Some are “sister sizes” and some are not. The sister size concept and though have having to tailor or alter bras is something I hadn’t seriously considered. Maybe I would if I was uncomfortable with what I currently own and can get.
It’s funny–when you are wearing a bra that fits you pretty well, folks may think you’ve lost weight, improved your posture or some other indefinable. 
Too bad men don’t have a parallel struggle to find important garments that fit.
"The one limitation of the fitters is that they will likely try to sell you something that they have in their inventory, whether or not it’s your ideal fit. "
In my experience, quality boutiques carry more than just a few brands. I am not that impressed with what our Nordstrom sells, and they are usually out of many sizes, so the chances of getting “ideal bra” are even smaller.
“Too bad men don’t have a parallel struggle to find important garments that fit.”
LOL, there is Tommy John and Spanx for men. Beer bellies do look better in those undergarments. I knew a guy who suddenly lost weight - for a day - apparently he had a hot date.
Yes, quality boutiques may carry several brands but not many of the “outlier” sizes, like 28FF, 30F and 32E. If you’re lucky, they may have one or two of any of those “unusual” sizes, so not a lot to compare. Now, if you’re a 34 or 36 C or D, you probably have a myriad of styles and brands and color options and nearly everywhere, including clearance sales, etc.
Intimacy, Charmelle, etc. all carry quite an assortment of bigger sizes, because that’s where the demand is. Finding a B to D bra is not always easy - especially on sale.
Small band sizes are definitely a “niche” market. I’ve taken to checking out the bra section anytime I’m in the vicinity of a Ross store. Each one has it’s own different inventory. It’s amazing what is there sometimes if you are patient. I’ve gotten some Chantelle, Wacoal, Vanity Fair and other brands there in varying sizes. You definitely have to try on each bra, as they can fit differently, even different colors of the same style and brand (which is nuts). I’ve not tried mail-ordering bras yet, but may try that when my current inventory starts aging and needs replacing.
I still don’t have any of the bras in the size the bra calculator recommended for me but do have 3 that the boutique recommended–2 purchased from them and 1 that I found on a sale rack for 1/7th of the price, same fabric, fit and appears to be the same construction but different brand.
Agree with BB, quality boutiques that specialize in undergarments do carry a variety of brands, styles and sizes. Ime, they couldn’t thrive otherwise. (I’m not talking Soma, which I wasn’t impressed by, or some shops that just want to sell a variety of sexy things to the easily sized women.) Both of my shops will special order so you can try something, or call you when an item similar to what you prefer comes in. What I find is that a dept store, even Nordstrom, is catering to the women who really can just walk in and buy off the rack. Anyone who hasn’t experienced a specialty shop- and has the need- should go try one.
We only have one specialty shop but it really didn’t have much that fit me properly–one bra in two different colors. They did try several different ones on but I’ve had more luck with Ross, just trying on what I can find on their rack. There isn’t much in my size, so I try anything near my size and have gotten things that I find pretty comfortable.
Here’s a different calculator that comes up with sizes closer to the ones I currently have and I believe fit me pretty well. It comes up with sizes that are quite different from those on the reddit site because it doesn’t add 4 inches to the band size that the reddit calculator did.
HImom, as much as you travel, maybe you include a trip to a good bra shop when away. Mine aren’t inexpensive, but they take at least ten years off my appearance, maybe more. And they’re pretty. Or if you’re ok with Ross, then that’s good.
BB, I may try to order Prima Donna online, from some site with lower prices, but my size tag has EU, FR and UK numbers, but only the FR seems to have a cup size.
The Wacoal and Chantelle I get at Ross are the same as the ones I had purchased at Nordstrom for a fraction of the price. Same with the Lily of France I found at Macy’s clearance–same size, material & construction for 1/7 of the price of Chantelle I bought from the boutique.
Yes, I’ve considered going bra shopping on one of the trips. Somehow, it just never happened so far this year, but will try to fit it in for a future trip. I’d be curious to see if there really is any significant difference. What I’m wearing SEEMS to fit fine to me–doesn’t ride up in the back, no grooves in my shoulders, straps stay on my shoulders, the cups mostly seem to fit properly and provide support, even though the stated sizes vary between brands and styles. They are within a band size and within a range of 3 cup sizes.
Well, went for a Nordstrom’s fitting. Didn’t really fit the bras well that she was trying to persuade me to buy and ended up more confused and left without getting anything because nothing fit as well or better than what I already own (mostly the bras fit worse).
Checked out Ross and was able to get a bra that fits for $12.99 + tax. There was only 1 of that size and even Nordstrom had very few in that size. The one I bought fit better than those I tried at Nordstrom, for a fraction of the price!