You know, I went for a bra fitting at Nordy’s for the first time last year. I have always bought/worn a 34C. She took my measurements and announced that I was a 32D. She then went out to the racks, brought back a bunch of bras for me to try on in my new size, AND NONE OF THEM FIT ME. They were too tight. You know what did fit me? The 34C’s. I can’t decide if I should try again or not.

This is so funny. I finally got a bra fitting, too, and I am not the 36B I’ve been wearing for 15+ years but a 34C, and I bought two Wacoal bras that are like a gift from the white-bearded guy upstairs. They keep everything so… immobile, and smooth. Two boobs up for bra fitting!

A good bra fitting = instantly fabulous tits. I never knew what I was missing out on until I went for a fitting at Intimacy here in Chicago (I think Seattle has one, too–I highly recommend them, particularly for the larger-busted among us). I’d been wearing a 34 B or C, found out I was actually a 32E. Uh. Well. Felt like a bit of a moron.

Now, miraculously, that band between the cups actually lays flat against my breastbone, like in the ads! My boobs are actually supported! They don’t fall out over the top of my bras!

Sometimes there is laughing. When I told the sales lady at Nordstrom that I was wearing a 36 D, she actually did a visible chuckle and then proceeded to bring me 38 FF. And now I can put my bra on my head and wear it like a skull cap. Having each of your breasts be exactly the same circumference and depth as your head is a cool party trick.

And a note to Shannon… some of the 34C’s I tried on were too tight. But then I found the magical Wacoal bra, which fits like a glove (on my boobs? Hmmm). So maybe it just depends on the actual bra make/model…

I love Nordy’s they would actually have someone baby sit my kid while I shopped for cloths. I wonder if I would get the attention if I was looking for a jock? ;-)

Oh, uh huh. I am SO SURE your male readers are going to skip “the one where we see a photo of Sundry with her shirt off in the dressing room, and also get to know her rack size.”

You’re a size 2/4 with huge D boobs?

Wow. You’re, like, Barbie or something.

Shannon, it might just be that you’re not used to wearing them as tight as they’re supposed to be. You should get most of the support from the band, and you should only be able to pull it away from you about two fingers’ width. It took some getting used to for me, but now I don’t notice them being tight.

I love the Nordstrom’s fitters! I was wearing a 40C and they measured me as a 36DD. I ended up going with a 38DD for comfort and just waering it on a tighter hook (I actually bought the 36, wore it, and exchanged it the next day with no problems). Still, its thrilling to know I could wear the 36 if I wanted to! And also, I had no idea my boobs were so huge!

I buy my bras at Victoria’s Secret because they are the most comfortable bras (depending of course on the style) I’ve ever worn. Anyway much to my disgust I was fitted and discovered that I’m a 36DD. Oh! Anyway… it’s nice to have a bra that fits and that my boob doesn’t flop out of :)

Bra fittings are so weird. I love how you described it – JB and Pete and the rest of your male fans will love it.

I, too, was wearing the wrong size. I was wearing 34 B forever, and the lady at Nordies told me I was a 32 C. C! She said most people are a size bigger in the cup size and a size lower or two in the band or whatever you call it. Of course, now I’ve gone thru major deflation and I am a 32 A – I went for another fitting. I regressing to training bra territory.

You look fab, even with the dorky word placement!

Ha! You say “male readers skip this one”, that’s just telling us to read on! That’s like telling your kids not to look in the closet before Christmas.

Ha! This cracked me up because apparently it’s pretty common. I’d been wearing a 38 B since I was a teenager and recently had trouble finding ANY 36, 38, or 40 B’s that would fit me AT ALL. So I decided to get measured. And, uh… yeah. No wonder my boobs hung by my ankles before and there were mysteriously placed rolls under my shirts, for I am apparently a 42 D. WTF.

[Mr. T. voice] You look mighty good in them jeans. [/Mr. T. voice] Uh, seriously — you’re so tiny!

Yay for Nordies and fittings. Also, your Lemondrop page is in my Google Reader; I just don’t comment much.

“Temperature shielding” qualities are the first thing I look for in a bra. I just don’t wear any bra that isn’t lined. I don’t know how anyone can stand to.

Its posts like these that remind me why I love this blog!! The picture with text is too perfect.

Are we twins? I went to Nordstroms recently to get fitted, even though I knew I was a 36C. The fitter also proclaimed me a 32D and I scoffed at the idea. But it fit and it is so much better. Now if I could just be as fit as you.

Apparently I’m not alone but I had the same experience! I went into Bra Smyth and they told me the same thing. I always thought I was a 36B and now I’m a 32D as well. I have found that some of the new bras squeeze me a bit more than I like. Next time I will try the 34 as well but I have to say that my hooters are looking and feeling much better. Bra enlightenment! Ahhhh…

I was fitted and found out I was a 32F. Well, huh. What sucks though is that it’s impossible to find that size in stores and shopping online results in $100 bras that I just cannot afford. So I have one bra that fits perfectly and many ill fitting sag inducing bras for normal use.

A good bra that fits is worth its weight in gold, as you have discovered. It is amazing what a difference it can make. Glad you are enjoying your new well-encased girls.

Oh God Linda, you know the pervert boys will so be here looking at your “girls” in your new bra:)

I love bra fittings they rule:)

I thought for years I wore a 44 D but in reality I wear 38DDD, and because of that I was trying to stuff a shitload of boob in too small of a bra.

So let’s see your boobs now — with clothes on!

I’m a real, live 36C. Got fitted and everything. Only thing is, one of me is about a C+ and the other one of me is about a C-. Go figure. (pun not intended…) If I gain a pound, most bras, except my old, stretched out, discontinued Balis, don’t fit. And damn Bali for discontinuing them, anyway!

I’m sorry but..YOU HAVE TWO KIDS??? WTF. I’m putting your half nekkid pic on my fridge after I pop this next girlie out in March to get my ass back in shape.

Luv Ya!

Good luck getting male readers to skip a post containing a pic of you topless…

Anyhoo, I am having all sorts of bra fitting issues after my weight loss. I know the band size has changed and therefore I should probably have a fitting. After buying a cheap bra at Target (sound familiar) in a smaller band size but same cup, I found myself…well…let’s just say my cup runneth over. So I’m postponing the bra fitting excursion for fear I need DOUBLE LETTERS. Eek!

Bra fittings are nothing short of miraculous. (Except when you find out you are a 30 and NO ONE CARRIES THAT BAND SIZE.)

(FYI – for those of you with this problem, DKNY band sizes run small, so 32s fit great.)

*sigh* Just a wee bit jealous over here. I’m out of shape post-baby (the most I’ve been able to do/afford is walking and lame floor exercises in my living room), and my boobs have all but disappeared after I stopped nursing. So sad. I put 30 Day Shred on Netflix. Gonna give ‘er a go cuz dayum…it’s working for you!

I am afraid.

I wear a 36C and have been having annoying problems where my boobs come out under my bra if I lift my arms. I am thinking I may be a 34C. I would be afraid they would tell me I am really a 34II or something!

When I was pregnant I wore an F cup.

Same thing happened to me-thought I was a 34C for years, bras were becoming painful and I was getting a lopsided chest. Turns out I’m a 32D with one boob almost a DD. My native american name is Tiny Bigboobs-because seriously, me, a d?

PS-they are hella difficult to find. I currently only own 3 because I find my size kinda expensive.

Try going from a D to a DDD after a bra fitting. THAT was a total WTF?? moment!

I’m not surprised you’re a 32 considering the fitness achievements you’ve made. Those bra ladies are awesome aren’t they? They’re like no-nonsense mother hens; officials of bra-dom.

I tried to post at lemondrop, but it never approved my comment. At any rate, I think vintage-style clothing is incredibly awesome, but tend to be a little icked out buying used clothes. I like to shop for vintage-inspired things on etsy.com, and Google’s new collection of previously unpublished LIFE magazine photos provides good inspiration. For example, try searching, 1950s dress OR fashion source:life

Yeah, just last weekend, I did the same thing, and went from a 34 DD to a 34 DDD. Dude.

Surely I must win with going from a 36C to a 28/30GG after a bra fitting? In the UK, we have a store called bravissimo that caters for the larger chested woman and ohmygod their bras are heavenly… For about four months until the elastic tires of all that weight, gives up and – boing – back where you started with boobs on your knees and two slings strapped to your chest.

I think surgical intervention is a must, especially since I’ve only had one kiddo and any more will surely have my boobs rolling around on the floor like deflated footballs.

Anyhow, hope your elastic keeps the faith a lot longer than mine ;)

Reading all these women who’ve discovered they’re not Bs or Cs but Ds, Es, and FFs makes me wonder if the bra industry is affected by the same crazy size changing meanings madness that plagues the clothing industry. I hope not!

Ok, if I go in and have this done and find out my B-FFs are Es I’m going to be pissed! Hah.

So funny. I’ve never had a fitting, but I think I will as soon as I finish nursing.

So I’ve heard about getting properly fitted, and have always wondered what it really is like. You didn’t go there, but you must give some details. Was there, in fact, a pillow fight? ;-) OK, seriously, do you get measured with or without an ill-fitting bra on? I mean, I’d be embarrassed to be seen in one of my cheap, poorly fitting bras, but I’d also be embarrassed to have to stand there while the woman measured my (horribly saggy, half-filled-water-balloon looking) boobs. So my anxiety about how it really goes down has lead me to never get fitted. And so I randomly grab bras off the racks and take home whatever feels the least uncomfortable. (Currently, a 34 NB. That’s a Nearly B. Sigh.)

Immediately upon reading this, my first thought was, “Linda really thought she was a C-cup??” because I am no Nordstrom bra-fitter, but I *am* a large B/small C cup, and your tits are way, way bigger than mine. I can’t believe no one in the 37 comments before mine has said the same! Anyway, a well-fitted bra makes all the difference in the world, and Target bras are crap. Cute, but crap.

I went to Victoria’s Secret about a year ago and got told I was way bigger than I’d ever thought. Funny how that works. I still don’t think it’s right, but they fit so whatever. I’ve got to tell you though that you are my inspiration now. Two children and your stomach is amazing. I swear, I have the body that the mother of two children should have. So again, you’re an inspiration.

Ah, if only we’d been there at the same time. (And I don’t mean that in a kinky sort of way). I was downtown about 3 weeks ago and finally had the balls (or boobs) to ask for professional help. I swear, it was like I was 14 buying tampons- sweaty hands, quivering voice, trying so hard to sound like an adult when I wanted to giggle wildly…. All that angst to hear the nice Nordstrom lady declare that I am a 36 DD rather than a 38 C. I think the skies parted and angels sang when I slipped into the new skivvies.

Once, I went to a bra shop to get fitted, and suddenly this little old lady was feeling me up. I guess it was traumatizing, because I walked out of there and having been wearing the same style of bras ever since.

lol, love the post,
now ( ahem) I have to go google WACOAL? BRAS.

Calvin Klein makes some hella great bras, which you can get at Nordstrom or Macy’s. I recently had a fitting to see if I was really in the right size (I worked in lingerie a million years ago and learned how to do fittings, but had long since forgotten), and I remain a 34B for most of the CK bras I’ve tried, but there is one style in which I wear a 34C, and so I bought two just to revel in the glory of it.

You’ve got some balls putting that picture up…and I looove you for it..I’m thinking I’m due for a fitting too..too much moving around going on..

Well, I have to agree with the first commentor-while you might get a REAL fitting and precise measurement of boobage, I have to say that a 34C is a 32D somewhere else. Unless, you go somewhere where all the bras are consistent in size. I’ve noticed that Target’s bras don’t last and are flimsy or oddly cumbersome. The last bra I got was a Hanes 36 NC. Like Nearly C. Or Nearly Car-razy. I’m 27 and haven’t found a good bra that doesn’t cost a preposterous amount.

I wear a 34GG… nuff said. And they didn’t go down after nursing…
Thank goodness for Bravissimo without whom I would have 4 boobs everyday.

Okay I just have to inform you that you have done an extremely perilous thing.

As soon as you spend $200 on a regiment of new 32C bras (not 34B or 36A) and dance around fondling yourself until they kick you out of the store, the then blog about your triumph, you will

GET PREGNANT.

At which point whatever’s left of your boobs will stage a wildcat strike – one will flee to your armpit and the other directly south. And after your next kid you’ll have to go and do it all again except this time, you’ll be able to make origami cranes out of your nipples.

It’s like some kind of law of bosom quantum physics. Figure out your size, adore your newly locked ‘n loaded bazongas, play too much hide-the-pickle and bingo. Tuck those gorgeous new bras away FOREVER.

Or maybe that was just me.

Dude, I could have told you a LONG time ago that you are not a 36….maybe during pregnancy or before you accomplished your fitness goals, but *HELL NO*, not a 36!

Wacoal rocks.

I used to work at Lane Bryant, and did tons of bra fittings. It was important to me, because I have huge knockers (so a good-fitting bra saves me pain), but some of my co-workers didn’t care at all. Beware the fitters who are just trying to cram you into an expensive bra. I measure myself, at home, every other month, and I range between a 38F and a 40DDD in the type of bra that I wear (right now I’m wearing a 40DDD, for instance, which at LB is not an F).

I’m glad you found a great-fitting bra. It really can do wonders!