IamA bra fitter at a chain of bra stores. AMA!

Have you ever had a customer that made you feel uncomfortable?

Well it's usually a surprise when you walk in to a changing room and the lady is naked to the waist, but you very quickly desensitize to that (or at least learn not to squeal as though elvis just jumped out from between their tits!)

Luckily I've never encountered a true creeper, but older, or post pregnant women tend to tell your faaaaar too much about the health of "the girls", how they changed, lactation etc.

Occasionally a guy asks "do you think these will fit" in regards to boxers, I just avoid eye contact with his crotch, and direct him towards the sizing charts.

Also, when I am making small talk with a guy, who looks a bit at odds with the whole bra shopping experience, and I say "bet you wish you weren't here", all I expect is an uncomfortable laugh. Not a comment implying he's gonna "get some tonight". TMI dude.

Ha! At odds with the bra shopping experience. You would love (or hate) my boyfriend. He LOVES picking out lingerie for me. Like, I had to ban him from dragging me into lingerie shops. He is not awkward at all about it and will grab piles of stuff for me to try on. I had to replace all my bras this year (my last batch wore out after 5 years of wear and tear) and he had a BLAST. Me, not so much. The sales associates at the shop always act very sympathetic to him. I can assure them, no sympathy needed. It was his idea to have me spend 3 hours trying on lacy things. He also has a thing for me in dresses. I have to drag him out of clothing shops sometimes.

And he likes to critique project runway with me.

I prefer a guy like that who is confident in their sexuality to the guys in my D&D group who freak out if I loan them my pink and purple dice when they forget theirs.

Man he sounds like a keeper! There's honestly no reason to feel awkward in a lingerie store, we honestly don't think guys are shopping for themselves. (Unless they are, then we know) You arent gonna lose your man card for buying your girlfriend some sexy lingerie!

My wife spent years working at Victoria's Secret, and she said her favorite were guys that would hold lingerie up and look at her and say "you're about my wifes size". Has this happened to you?

Not me personally (luckily!) but we do get a lot of lost looking men. The real winner is when they bring up a bra in a 36F and a pair of XS panties.....either she looks like an ice cream cone, or there's some wishful thinking going on.

This might be obvious, but what should I look for when buying a bra? How will I know if it fits right?

There's a couple of quite easy things, but if you don't know what you're looking for it can be overwhelming :)

1. The cups should not dig in, or be that noticable under clothing. If they are digging in, go up a cup size. If they are gappy, go down a cup size.

2. The centre panel (gore) should be centre, and usually touch your breastbone (not every style, but most) If it does not touch the breastbone, try going up a cup size.

3. Always fit the band on the loosest hook. The band should sit horizontally across your back, and you should be able to fit about two fingers under the band. If it digs in, go up a size. If it rides up your back, go down a size. Some issues are just because you are trying an incompatible style, but if a bra almost fits, try it's sister size. This means going down a band and up a cup, or vice versa. 32C, 34B, and 36A are sister sizes :)

I had a saleswoman tell me the opposite at a high end custom store, claiming it had to dig in so they lasted longer. She was awful to me, pushing me around like I was an amateur at having tits. I really appreciate this AMA.

That's horrible!!! Wearing bras can be bad enough :( (although a comfortable bra should feel like nothing at all!!!) "

Digging in" should never be associated with bras. It's true that many women have never worn properly fitted bras, so "firm" is a new, but not bad sensation. And bras should stop pain, not lead to it!!!! Glad I could help :)

This is a career for me, not going to happen since I am a guy though. How did you get started?

Well, I was actually in the store getting a bra fitting of all things! Oh how the tables have turned.....Turns out that you need very few skills to start ths job, nothing else really translates to bra fitting. The store had some vacancies (it was Christmastime), I talked to the manager, and the rest was history.

My store doesn't hire guys (as far as I know), but there are some that do as sales assistants. Maybe you could get an alternate career as Katy perry's boob adjuster http://imgur.com/kbmIVW6

My store doesn't hire guys (as far as I know)

Blatantly sexist hiring discrimination.

Haha I know right. It's not like we never fit guys, so that's not an issue. But I believe the company justifies it as "women know how it feels to wear a bra, so are more qualified to sell them" or something like that....

I like the way you respond to this guy's untagged /s, on the off chance he's being real. You're good people.

Hey thanks! I figure it might help someone in this thread, if not this guy

It's not like we never fit guys, so that's not an issue.

wait . . . what?!

Haha yep. Rarely is he a cross dresser, often it's a normal guy (who brings his girlfriend with him) who just wants a bra of his own. I've never personally fitted a guy, but they come in more often than you would think!

Are bras as wonderful as Frank Costanza made them out to be?

Sadly I don't know my Seinfeld that we'll, but I assume you mean from "The sniffing accountant"? Hahaha well one thing I can tell you, D is not the biggest!!!!! We sell a 44J, and I believe Norma Sitz is a 42ZZZ

Your store only goes up to a J? I'm glad the one near me has my size. I fit a 38L and there's only one store that carries it near me, I often order online from Breakoutbras.com since they have more choices and shipping is free.

Sadly, my store is seen as having a massive range, as no one else near by really carries above a DD :( I'm glad you found a store that carries your size! Often online is the way to go

Do they make them for women with 2 different sized cups?

We don't sell bras with two different cups, but I believe some places will custom make them. We do however sell half and full cup inserts, to even out a small difference.

The best advice I can give someone shopping for two slightly different sizes is to buy for the larger boob, as gaping is faaaaar better than squashing :/

As a dude I don't understand anything about bras. What kind of styles are there?

Well....Lots! Your main categories are sport, maternity, strapless, push up, soft, and moulded.

Heres a helpful chart https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSkeXcVj-pBJPrxnM5ED4jXFHqEnmhLHCjozZt7dui4Iwcx-naqqw90wFWYLA but they're all just variations on the good old "normal" bra, and it takes a pretty trained eye to spot the difference.

Have you ever had men come in looking at buying a bra for their "partner" but you're sure they're actually buying it for themselves?

Oh hell yes. Although it's a bit of a give away when they ask to be measured. Pretty sure your girlfriend isn't the same size as you! But we are perfectly happy to help, and most likely won't bat an eye at some guy buying himself a bra.

One guy came in, with his girlfriend, and asked for a fitting. He spoke quite broken English, but we eventually figured HE wanted the fitting as he "wanted some boobs of his own". Well fair enough dude.

At the end of the day, you just learn not to ask questions, if that elderly gentleman wants to buy himself a collection of lacy thongs, it's his business!

Commission is commission. I don't care who wears the clothing, so long as they pay for it.

Man I wish we got commission......even after fitting training we still get minimum wage. Commission counts as a "bonus"

what do you recommend for my pregnant wife who is in the beginning of her second trimester? She doesn't want to buy new ones b/c she thinks she'll outgrow them, but she complains of how tight her old pairs are.

She's right at the point where she should get a bigger size, or move into maternity bras if she hasn't already. (Warning kind of TMI): as her milk starts to get ready to come in/comes in she should get out of underwired bras. Wearing underwires, especially while breastfeeding, can lead to discomfort and blocked milk ducts! :(

Most places offer maternity fittings. But as a general rule, try to get her some bras with more rows of hooks, as opposed to 3 rows, more like 6 rows. The bras should fit on the third from tightest one right now, giving her three to grow out into.

I would suggest soft cups, as they are more comfortable and forgivig than anything molded, and will therefore last through more growth. Also, she should ideally be able to fit a fist into the top of the cup, and not feel too squashed. This is an indicator that she has enough room to grow. This may mean the cup "gathers" a little, due to the extra space, but this is important due to rapid growth during the third trimester.

Hope this helped :) she may not be able to avoid new bras, but this should help them last!

Is or will there be a market for handmade bras that can easily sell at places like etsy?

I'd say definately, especially made to order bras. If you can make a decent bra for less than $100+ (pretty normal for custom sizes) and offer sizes outside the "normal" range, customer will be happy to buy. Also cute brallettes are blowing up at the moment, so a cute one of those should sell easy!

As an H cup. Oh hells yes. I understand that at those sizes it's more engineering than clothing but there are so few choices for those of us who need them the most!

Yes! I would kill for a 40H bra that wasn't black or nude. Ugh. Whenever I'm on the LB site and narrow it down to 40H, they show me bras that are available in that size, but are sold out. I'd love some cute bras, but it seems like I always miss them. :(

You'd think they could more creative and make some real cute bras in bigger cup sizes- it's a bigger canvas after all! I dont know why bra manufacturers think "cute" == "tiny"

Nothing to do with hoots, but do you have a favorite vegetable and a favorite way to cook it?

Hmmm I'm torn between mushrooms and potatos. I mean yeah potatos 24/7.......but nothing really beats mushrooms sautéed in butter!!

The cool thing about that answer is neither are vegetables.

Well in that case tomatoes are my favorite fruit /s ;P

Do you cop a lot of flak when you measure a woman, and give her her cup size as smaller than her own preconception?

Surprisingly, often it's when you measure them as a larger size. Often women who have lost weight will be quite upset that they haven't lost a lot of weight off their breasts. I had one woman almost break down crying, a small she could not find a "cute" bra in her larger cup size, and was fed up looking.

Also, women who have been wearing the wrong size (often large back, small cup), will get measured, and actually need a much larger cup. Sadly, we do not carry alot of some sizes, and it simply is more difficult to find uncommon sizes.

People generally underestimate their cup size, because "DD" is perceived as porn star huge, when in fact the average bra size is around 34DD. This means I don't often have to tell a woman she is a smaller size than she thought :)

Fun fact, you start to get a feel (no pun intended ;D) for bra sizes, and only need to look at a woman to size her. However, I still use a measuring tape, as I don't want to tell everyone I just ogled their sweater puppies!

I did a bra size guess vs actual study for a statistics class. I was like 94.2% effective guessing. Some girls called me the "BoobJesus".

Ooohh back up guys, we got the messiah of mammary tissue over here!

Often women who have lost weight will be quite upset that they haven't lost a lot of weight off their breasts.

So much this. I lost a considerable amount of weight working out and one of my greatest motivators for losing weight was new clothing.

I spent hours fantasizing about the cute C cup bras I was going to get, only to discover that I was actually much larger cup size than I thought. :-/

Weirdly enough you can end up going "up" a cup size after weight loss....kind of. The cup size is a measure of difference between the fullest part, and your ribs. So if you lose a lot of weight off your rib cage, the diference gets bigger. You will need to go down band sizes, but up in the cup!

Where would you recommend someone getting a bra where the size is all jacked?

I'm a 42-44 B. I can never find a bra that fits so I have to deal with sagging cups when I get a C. Most bra sellers seem to think that if you're overweight you're going to have huge tits. But truth is, I'm a Lena Dunham.

If you can find a bra that has the right cup size, many places sell back extenders. This may not be a perfect solution, but does give you a bunch of extra hooks, so can make finding a bra a little easier. Even if you went for a 36C or D, and added the extra back room, that might work.

Hi there! I'm 8 weeks pregnant and have been having breast pain for a while. My regular bras are quite uncomfortable and so I have been looking for some soft cup bras (non wired) to wear instead. However, I have run into a bit of a problem. I have found that the vast majority of non wired bras are only available in really mature styles. I'm only 27, I don't want to have to get the same bras as my mum and gran just because I'm pregnant. Why is this? And where can I find decent looking bras that are also comfy?

Haha yeah this is always a tricky one! Elsewhere in this thread I commented on maternity fittings in general. I think bra makers have this stereotype in mind that only old ladies would want no underwires, and that only old ladies have big boobs AND that old ladies like ugly bras. This can make it hard for the rest of us!

In terms of specific bras, often "designer" styles like Hedi Klume offer a maternity range, and these are wireless, and a wee bit less frumpy. If none of your local stores have these, online stores often have a good range, with free returns and frequent sales! Otherwise you could try elasticy crop tops, similar to the aah bra. These are reasonably supportive for what they are, and very comfortable!

If worst comes to worst, you could (God forbid!) remove the underwires from wired bras. I don't know how well this would go, this should be a last resort! Even try some outlet stores, even an ok looking bra can be pretty for 80% off!!

Thanks for the info! I will check out Hedi Klume, and crop tops seem like a good idea too. I am not exactly small though so need good support lol. You'd think more manufacturers would have caught on to this gap in the market right?! Lol

It's not like the whole human race depends on pregnant woman or anything /s

Haha anyway good luck! Some ladies find sports bras to be a happy medium :)

Okay, in your expert opinion, what is the single most perfect pair of boobs you've come across?

These http://imgur.com/iAoxmIE

Missed opportunity for Drake and Josh reference

Ah yes my favorite boobs...wait....Megan? MEGAN??!??!?!?

You know, on a serious note, my cousin did bra fitting at JCPENNY and I heard from her about how it can be rally bad for someone if it doesn't fit right. I keep telling my girlfriend to get fitted because she wears hers so tight that it hurts her but she won't and keeps wearing ones that are too small and seem to cut into her sides and back. How can I get her to try it so that she would be more comfortable? All she says is that it hurts to be beautiful and soldiers on.

It shouldn't hurt to be beautiful, that isn't a trade off she needs the make! Wearing the wrong size can actually cause breast tissue migration. So often "flab" in the armpits is actually escaped boob! Wearing a well fitted bra can actually cause the breast tissue to move back to where it should be.

The most convincing factor is actually trying a well fitted bra. Once she tries the right bra, she won't be able to go back! Good luck helping her on this boob journey :)

How do you recommend laundering a bra to keep its shape and promote longevity?

The best way is handwashing with gentle soap, and then drying them flat.

NEVER put a bra in the dryer. Treat it like a precious pet. You wouldn't iron, line dry, or tumble dry your chihuahua, so don't do it to your bra! The best way to dry them is loosen the straps, do up the back, reshape the cups, and sit it on a towel to air dry. If you must hang it up, hang it folded in half, so the gore is supporting it. Never hang it by the band!

The best washing method is by hand, with gentle bar soap. Many women their bra into the shower, and wash it while they're in there! Otherwise, you can wash them in the machine, with gentle detergent, on the handwash setting. If you are going to machine wash your bras, do up the backs, fold one cup into the other like a "bowl" (one will be inside out), and put them in a washing bag. This goes for all bras, except for ones that can't be turned inside out eg. Pushup bras, just put them in the bag right way out.

Washing a bra well helps it retain elasticity, and drying them well is important for retaining shape! Never wear a bra more than one day, so it can rest :)

Protip: you can use a pillow case instead of a washing bag, just put the bras in there and knot it up!

Hey, can you tell me how a bra fitting usually works in your shop? I've only seen bra fitting at VS- where they always get it wrong for me- so can you tell me what's different about your store's training/procedure? How do you measure girls with breasts of uneven cup sizes?

We measure over the bra, or a thin shirt. This does put the measurement off a little, but we know how to account for this, and most women feel awkward enough getting fitted without being naked!

The most important thing the measurement tells us is the band size, which is still pretty accurate over clothing. The initial measurements are really only a guideline, as every bra fits differently, this just allows us to start bringing you things to try. With enough experience, you don't actually need the tape measure, you actually know a woman's bra size (roughly) from the moment you see her.

We help with every bra, not just the initial measurement. We keep bringing sizes until it fits. Every bra fits differently, and the measuring tape is not perfect. Yes there is some trial and error, but we get to know the bras quite well, and know pretty quickly if they will fit a woman.

Our training consists of watching the head bra fitter do a heap of fittings. Then when you know how it all goes down, you do the fitting, and she just watches and helps. Then you do fittings on your own, but have to get the head fitter to double check one bra for each woman you fit. This "double checking" period continues until you have completed atleast 5 fittings for EVERY BRAND IN THE STORE plus maternity and sports. After all this we have to do reading on bra structure, breast structure, and breast types (tissue softness, projection etc). This means we have a lot of experience, before we are even fully qualified fitters!

Everyone has two different sized breasts, but rarely is the variance more than a cup size. We just measure, and then get her to try a bra, and keep trying different sizes until one fits. You always fit for the bigger breast, as squashing is horrible. We do sell half cup and full cup boosts, which can help even out the difference

We don't do any of this +4 crap, we tell you your real size. I think alot of issues athat VS come from their limited size range. However, I believe comfort comes before the sale, and I have referred customers to stores that are more likely to carry their size.

For more measurement help, fit help, and bras near you, try /r/abrathatfits

TLDR; measurements are less important bit, we help women find their size in every bra, which could well be different. We do lots of training.

This is really cool and informative, thanks!

I've been to so many stores looking for a bra that fits and finally found one at VS that worked- and still works, I've been wearing the same model/size happily for the last 6 years. Now I wish I could have gone to you guys instead!

Is the "breasts need to be re measured every 6 months" thing also BS? I figured it was but never had anyone to ask.

Thanks for answering in detail this is very interesting.

That's ok, glad I could share my niche!!! As bra wearers, its our business to make sure we are doing it right!

Hahaha I have never heard that breasts need to be remeasured every 6 months, but some bras need replacing after this long. After weight gain or loss of around... 5 kg? I would suggest a refit, but you will probably know at this point.

Do you have any advice for a woman with an odd bra size, one that's not commonly found in stores?

I would advise you ask stores what size range they have, as many have a surprising stock. We are actually an outlet store, and stock 28-44, AA-J. But honestly, the larger end of the scale has very little range :(

There are plenty of boutique stores that will custom make bras, but these are quite expensive. Blogs like http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2013/08/bra-sewing-tutorial/ show how to make your own, but finding underwires is almost impossible!

Many seamstresses can alter a bra that nearly fits, our store does this for a few dollars each alteration. Also, https://m.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/ has a wonderful community of knowledgeable people, and a plethora of resources for buying bras online.

Bottom line, I would recommend ordering bras online from places that give free returns :)

Do you get to see lots of pairs of breasts?

I know that is probably a dumb question, but I honestly don't know if you help with the fitting before, during or after the customer has undressed.

Followup questions:

1. If you do indeed see the breasts, do you tend to see more 'nice racks' or do you tend to see more '65 year old grannies with quadruple L cups'?

2. How varied are the nipples and areolas?

The average fitting starts with meaurements over the bra, or a thin top. Its actually harder to measure "free hanging" breasts, and we can easily account for an exisiting, poorly fitted bra, so that's no issue. Although in truth I don't need the tape measure, you can tell size just by looking, but the tape measure is a good double check.

Well most women under about....50? Don't want you to see their boobs at all, so helping them with a fitting can be quite difficult. I had one lady try on her bra over a singlet top #innovation But most women will call you back in when they have each bra on.

This excludes ladies who have had children. The elderly and mothers have no shame! Theyes often strip off before you can even measure them, and I swear they would leave the fitting room like that if they could!

Older women, or people who have shoulder/back issues often need help putting on bras, but as ever, the boobs you see aren't the ones you want to!

Nipples are all unique, but you have to avoid eye contact with them. If eyes are the windows to the soul, nipples are portals to the land of the great spaghetti monster. Don't Anger Them.

TLDR; nice racks are always contained in a bra, but I've had many eyefulls of saggy older puppies.

Is there anything wrong with Victoria's Secret, aside from their fairly unskilled fitters? From reading /r/abrathatfits, it seems like nobody who wants a quality bra shops there.

Also, personal bra fitting questions. Once when I was measured at Victoria's Secret, I was told that I was actually a 30 band, which they don't carry. They explained their "sister sizes" and put me in a 32 D. Are the sister sizes bullshit; am I wearing bras that don't fit properly?

I've also never had a bra with a gore that touched my chest, and when I try going up a cup size, I get huge gaps. Could this be related to the incorrect band size/is there a solution?

Thank you!

Honestly, I have never shopped at VS, as we don't have one here, but I did hear they build their bras with a six month lifespan (capitalism aye!) I have shopped at similar stores, and the back bands are usually quite "soft" and stretch out quickly.

One brand that I adore, that carries a 30, is evolove, you can buy them from bendon (both brick and mortar stores and online). They do tend to run a cup size large.

Sister sizes work for some people and not others. Technically, a 30DD and 32D have the same cup volume, and will have the same overall circumference (both measure 36" overbust). However, the smaller cup will be shallower and wider, with a larger band to cup ratio. So...yeah it works for some people. Not great for projected breasts, or narrow roots.

The gore not "tacking" could be that the cups are too shallow, or simply the bra. Many bras don't tack, especially softer cup ones. The most important thing is that the gore is centre,not overlapping your breast tissue, and the cups and wires aren't digging in. You could try a moulded cup bra. If the bra fits alright otherwise, you could try Sister sizing, and go down in the back, up in the cup. I know a 28 would be hard to find, but this can sometimes add the depth needed to allow the gore to tack.

Best of luck finding your perfect bra!

If there is a gap between your breast and the top of the cup, does this mean your cup is too big? I pretty much only wear t-shirt bras, which are where the problem is most noticeable, yet when I wear a different bra, it's either not there or not as noticeable. It could be the latter as that particular bra is a different cut and not padded. They fit perfectly in every other regard, it's just that the edge of the cup is noticeable when I'm wearing a t-shirt.

It could be that that the shape of the cup doesn't match your breast shape, and so you might be squished at the bottom of the cup but with a gap at the top. I've tried on a bunch of bras that seem to have gaps in really strange places (like, there'll be loose fabric at the bottom of the bra, but I'm spilling out of the top).

I like to try on all the bras I buy specifically because of this. :)

Totally! Shape is really important. If you find that you have extra fabric at the bottom of the bra, this can be the "orange in a glass" effect. The cup is actually too small, and doesn't allow your breast to fully settle into it, leaving empty space at the bottom. Next time this happens, try going up a cup size!

Could I try on a bra over a thin shirt at the store? I feel very uncomfortable undressing in changing rooms

You will always get a better fit trying a bra on its own (that's how you wear it!), but I suppose it would be better to try it over a thin shirt than not at all. Another option: you could take advantage of the store's return policy. If you try it on at home, and it doesn't fit, we're happy to swap it for another size!

have you ever fitted a transgender woman and how did that turn out?

Not that I know of. Any transgender women I fitted were passing very well, as I had no clue. I would imagine that, once they have transitioned, boobs are boobs, and it would be the same as fitting anyone else.

However, I have sold some bras to cross dressers. It's always a bit of a surprise when you are looking down at the till, see a dress in your peripheral vision, and then look up to find the scraggliest beard known to man kind. They even had immaculate lipstick and nails.

Is it okay to wear bralets all the time instead of regular bras?

I'm just a fellow boob owner, but since it's been 5 hours since you asked this, I'm gonna answer:

If you're comfortable and you don't feel pain when you move around, then I would say absolutely yes. The only reason you should be wearing a bra is to make you feel more comfortable. Don't believe any of the stuff about needing to wear a bra to prevent sagging or whatever other new thing they suddenly claim.

I have large breasts, and I need to wear a bra because the weight of my boobs without a bra is uncomfortable when I do everyday tasks like walking down stairs. I need to wear a really supportive sports bra when I'm exercising because otherwise running is pure torture to my chest. I have a friend who has small breasts and she often goes braless or wears cute bralettes, because for every day activities that's what's most comfortable for her.

starrymirth you took the words out of my mouth! It is just a comfort thing. Some women do find their breasts tissue migrates a little without a bra on, and ths is worsened by an ill fitting bra, due to squashing. And although this sounds scary, it is easily reversed by wearing the right size bra. However, this is mainly a problem for women with larger breasts, who are probably wearing a bra anyways for support. Go nuts with the brallettes!

I've always felt too awkward to go and get a fitting done (20f), so I really have no clue what my size is. Can you say anything at all to help clear my mind at all?

Those are excellent resources for measuring yourself, and will be a big help if you can't bring yourself to get a fitting. If you do come in however, you don't have to get a fitting, you can try on bras, and then get us to check the fit, without being measured first. Some people find this less awkward. We do so many fittings each day that we probably won't remember what your boobs looked like, if that helps at all! No fitter should ever make you feel uncomfortable; bra fitting is a vulnerable situation. Whatever you choose to do, finding the right bra should make you feel better about your choice :)

What is the smallest bra size you have fitted? I often hear my larger-breasted friends complaining about "finding the right fit", but would imagine that small-breasted women have similar struggles.

We carry a 30AA, so can fit most people. However, many people need a much smaller band size, especially young girls getting their first bra. I fitted a 26B once, we had to sister size up to a 30AA. I have never seen a bra in a 26 or 28 back in "normal" stores, on expensive custom boutiques. In reality there is a market for them.

Also, larger breasts have a wee bit of "leeway" it might be trouble finding your size, but many styles may fit. However, as smaller breasts tend to be a bit more self supporting, they tend to hold their shape. This means the bra has to be virtually the same shape as the breast, or it just won't fit. Many women are so relieved to find a bra that works, they will just buy that one bra in every color!

My wife with 38dd/f always has trouble finding bras esp if there is a sale.

Why are there so few bras bought in these sizes when they are popular?

Many bra manufacturers tend to stop making bras at 36DD, as they think it is "big enough". Not fair and not true!

However, the brands that do make these sizes will often run out, as everyone who needs them will buy them. In my experience, what bra manufacturers think is average, is actually on the smaller side of things. The alphabet doesn't finish at D!!!!!

I would suggest online shopping, as these stores will have an entire warehouse, so can stock more sizes, while brick and mortar stores only have a teeny tiny back room.

I've been wearing a 36 C for about 5 years now but recently had started to lose weight. Enough so that the cups have a big gap in them and the band is way too loose. So logically thinking I knocked it down to a 34 B. I got the bras online and when I tried them on it looked a cup size too small?

The 36C brand and the 34B brand are the same. Can bras vary in size because of brand just like shoes?

By going down a band AND cup size, you have effectively gone down two cup sizes. This is bevause the cup isze i relative to the band size. I would suggest going down in the band first, so try at 34C.

And sadly, all bras do fit abit differently, even within brands. This is partly because there isn't a true universal standard, so each manufacturer can do what they like! However, you will have more luck trying a similar style in several brands, than a completely different style :)

If you get stuck, try heading over to /r/abrathatfits for measuring help.

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Id say these tits are my favorite: http://imgur.com/YWjWBR8

And this pair of boobies are the worst: http://imgur.com/ZjUJ4c0