Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Victoria's Secret bras don't even fit the models!

Victoria's Secret, for some reason, is hailed as the leader in bras and lingerie in the US. But they carry a very, very limited range of sizes and they have no idea how bra fitting actually works. And while I often hear people make reference to how "sexy" their lingerie is, 99% of it is hundreds of boring variations of t-shirt bras, in various colors. Yawn.

But poorly fitting bras are not sexy, anyway. And while VS tries to hide it with Photoshop, the bras clearly don't fit the models anywhere near properly. Take a look:


1-- you can clearly see her breast tissue spilling out the sides although they have tried to smooth it with photoshop.
2 --The center of the bra is not touching her ribcage.
3-- What is up with this? Somebody screwed up with the liquefy tool, it looks like she has a dent in her ribcage.



1-- Again, the center is not against her ribcage the way it is supposed to be.
2 -- The armpit fat has been removed, but the underwires are not high enough, and you can see that the cups are too small.


1-- More obvious armpit fat (aka breast tissue!) that has been weirdly smoothed.
2-- The back of this bra is riding up so much! The back should always lie horizontal. She clearly needs a much smaller band.



1-- Again, the center is not sitting as it should.
2-- Once more, the back of the band is riding up quite a lot.


1-- Again, more smoothed-over spilling breast tissue. In addition, you can see that the underwire is not enclosing all of her breast. The cup is clearly much too small.
2-- While they have 'fixed' it, her breasts would have been spilling over the cups "four boob" style in person. You can still kinda see it.


As you can see, although they try to hide it, VS bras almost never fit the models properly. This is problematic. If the images we see all the time of lingerie models don't show a proper fit, how are women supposed to learn what a well fitting bra looks like?

Between this, and the fact that they have an attitude of superiority and make anybody who doesn't fit into their small range of sizes feel bad about their bodies and as though they are strange, I choose never to shop at Victoria's Secret- even for non-bra items.

But luckily there are so many better choices out there. Why would you wear one of the above bras when you could choose any of these:



Fantasie Elodie Underwire Side Support Bra
sizes 30-40 D-H!



Ella Bra Navy/Orange (I love this one! Looks so pretty!)
28-40 DD-J

Showgirl Tease Me Bra Black/Purple by Curvy Kate
28-40 DD-J

Frankie Bra by Freya
30-38 D-GG

DiminitySO Bra
30-38 D-G


Panache Cleo Lizzie Bra
28-38 D-J


...And many more. The point is, why buy cheaply made, boring bras from a company that doesn't even properly fit its models, when you can buy gorgeous European lace bras that fit you spectacularly and actually come in a nice range of sizes? Sounds win-win to me...

(ETA: For some reason, a lot of people seem to be misunderstanding the point of this post, so let me clarify. I don't 'hate' Victoria's Secret and I'm not insulting those who shop there. This post also isn't about why photoshop is bad or anything like that. It's also not about insulting smaller busts. However, many people have this idea that VS are the ultimate bra place and that's simply not true. They do a particularly bad job with fittings. And their models don't wear bras that fit well at all, which means that people don't have any idea what a bra that fits is supposed to look like. So that's what I am criticizing them for. As for the next section, I have heard from a lot of larger girls that they feel sad they can't shop at VS because they think that only VS has sexy pretty bras- a myth VS has carefully encouraged. But you can in fact find pretty bras at other places, that have a much wider size range, and so that's what I was trying to show examples of. There. Does that clear up everything?)

172 comments:

  1. I have noticed bra ads too and thought "duh..." Once I looked at VS's size chart, and it seemed I would be a 42A...in real life I wear (about) a 36D/DD (one gal is quite a bit bigger than her neighbour, LOL).

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    1. Tracy! I have the exact same issue/measurements..where did you get your well fitted bra? I'm goin crazy trying to find a good store

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  2. LOL... I know, it's so obvious they don't fit right once you start looking for it, isn't it? It's amazing how far off their advice about sizing is, too!

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  3. This is very interesting. I'm writing an essay on the image that VS ads promote and came across this blog. I've heard similar beefs as those mentioned above coming from my girlfriend. Being well-endowed herself, she has trouble not only believing the fitting of the models that are portrayed in the ads, but actually finding a bra that fits her when she shops at VS. She has only been partially successful finding 2 bras (beige and black) that actually work for her at that store.

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  4. I used to think that my boobs were supposed to be all voluptuous in the middle like that. That there was something wrong with them...

    Then I started learning more and I realized that it was because of the wrong size, squeezing them inwards, Photoshop, and probably padding.

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  5. I get that victoria secret bras don't always fit right, but for flat chested girls (like myself) the bombshell is just what I need.

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    1. Agreed aha
      Only bras that made me look like I actually had boobs.
      But they're waaaay overpriced AND everyone I've had has had underwires coming out within a couple of months .

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  6. You have a good point, that they don't always fit right. But I'm sure every brand of bra has it's fair share of photo editing, the bras look nice and are comfortable to wear.

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  7. some other good reasons to boycott victoria's secret:

    1)they waste a lot of paper sending out their huge catalogs and they use old growth trees to print them

    2) they have sweatshops in the Gaza strip in Palestine where they manufacture their lingerie

    3) their models are all super skinny & have huge boobs

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    1. The Victoria's Secret models are only 5'9-5'10 that is almost an average hight for a woman. But i do agree they do waste paper sending out catalogs but not as much as say macy catalogs that are a few inches thick. am i right? Their models most likely do not have huge boobs they are probably a B or C in small sizes. My mother used to be a model she is 5'10 and used to have a 25 inch waist. and I hope to be like that and i probably will.

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    2. average height for women is 5'4, that's not almost 5'10

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    3. 59-5'10 is average height for a MAN.

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    4. Anyonymouse on May 3rd is an idiot! I don't promote obesity but give me a break she needs to research before posting an opinion. Good for her Mommy, I am sure that lil girl will never be 5'10" with a 25 inch waist unless anorexic;)

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    5. Actually, Oct. 9 Anonymous, I'm 5'10" with a 24-25" waist, and I'm not anorexic, just small framed with an hourglass figure. Perhaps *you* should do some research about the wide diversity in womens' body shapes and sizes before accusing people of anorexia and of being idiots?

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    6. Wow. I agree with Brittany. I am also 5'10 with similar measurements. I HATE when people just assume you are anorexic just because you are tall and thin. I actually do modeling and alot of models are NOT anorexic because of the fact that anorexica affects more then just your weight. But, you hair, teeth and skin. No agency will want to sign someone with poor features. Or someone that unhealthy. It's like to alot of people there is only anorexic, normal or obese people. No healthy inbetweens which obviously isn't true.

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    7. Most VS models are 34B's, they standardize their sizes in order to make switching clothes up in the catalogs and on the runway easier

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    8. I am 5' 10", 120 lbs, waist size 24", and 32D chest. It makes me feel so bad when people accuse me of anorexia. One time, when I was younger, I ate at home, then got invited to a BBQ, I got teased and called anorexic so much, I ate more food and felt so stuffed that it gave me a stomach ache!
      In college now, I always hear people say things like "skinny bitches" and "I'd rather be fat than be that skinny!" and everyone thinks it's okay.
      I've always wished I was more filled out. I think a healthy, fit body is beautiful. But we're all born a certain way and (for the most part) it's the cards we're dealt.
      Still sometimes I find myself overeating (I eat healthy foods, so it's not too bad.
      Calling someone anorexic can be as hurtful as calling someone fat. I love myself and body, I'm not going to abuse it by starving myself!

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    9. Everyone have diffrent bodies and some are smaller than others, just bsecause she has a small waist don't make her anorectic, and I think that their models are healty compeared to other models. And for myself as an eighteen year old girl, i love VS's fits because they are comfy and still make my boobs look great, and i can honestly say, that I would never buy, or wear the other bras that was supposed to be better fittet than the ones from VS. And i totally agree with the comet over from april 8. because i have always been a skinny girl myself, and i think that all the focus on not beeing to skinny is just as bad as focus and pressure on not being fat, as long as you have a healthy body that is all that matters!

      please exuse me if I have any bad mistakes, I'm Norwegian :D

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    10. I highly doubt ANY of those girls are 34 B, this (http://www.brabandproject.com/gallery/search/band/34/) is what a properly-fit 34 band looks like and the SMALL ones are D's. I wouldn't be surprised if they were properly fit into F cups (http://www.brabandproject.com/gallery/search/band//cup/F/age//brand//sister_sizes/0/page/1/)

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    11. I agree with May 9 2012. These two are nowhere near eachother. This girl had me feeling like a friggin' garden gnome.

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    12. @Anonymous Sept 25: Padding my friend. Only one of the Angels is a D cup, and the rest are A's and B's. (http://www.bodymeasurements.org/category/victorias-secret-models/). Lots and lots of padding...

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  8. I've been (trying) to shop at Victoria's Secret for years now and I haven't had ANY success! They're all like robots... They tell me the same thing every time I walk in. They tell me I'm a 34DD, but every single style in a 34DD that I've tried on (yes, I've tried ALL the styles available for 34DD) doesn't fit!!! All they do is shift their eyebrows up and down whilst scratching their head simultaneously. My girls get that quadra-boob action at the top of the cup and the band is FAR too large. They also tell me that I need to wear the 34's on the loosest clasp. The so-called "bra specialist" said to me, "try it on with a shirt. If you can't see the bulges, then it's fine." REALLY?! I don't want to spend $45 on something that SORT OF fits. I took all their advice and walked out with the "Incredible" bra. I wore it for ONE day and wanted to rip all the hair off of my head. The only thing that was "Incredible" about that bra was how INCREDIBLY WRONG the "bra-specialist" was. I had it on for about 30 minutes and noticed that the entire bra was sliding down and when I lifted it up, hello quadra-boob! Not to mention, I put it on both the tightest and the loosest clasps. I had to readjust myself every 10 minutes (which is NOT cool while you're on a crowded train)! Needless to say, that bra was returned the very next day. Why can't the associates help you find your CORRECT bra size rather than the closest to your bra size in THEIR brand..?

    It's so depressing for me to shop with my "normal-boobied" girl friends. I've yet to find and purchase a bra that fits me properly. Everything I've seen is either ugly and feels like a jet-pack or is WAAYY too expensive. I'm 21 years old and don't want "granny bras"! I usually just wear sports bras and tank tops layered on top of each other. I love my breasts, but they're absolutely IMPOSSIBLE.
    My measurements are:
    Under breasts: 30"
    Around breasts: 37"
    Everything I read online about measuring myself says something different... I am SO LOST!

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    1. According to your measurements you'd be a 30F.. you should try from there and troubleshoot from there, but trust me, when you try a 30F compared to the 34DD's you've been wearing, you'd be amazed at how comfy it'd be

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    2. Everytime I've gone into a typical North American store like La Senza or wherever, I get sized differently...it is never the same when I go from store to store...this is because they size you to fit what they have, not what you actually are...and North American department stores are extremely limited. I am 29 under my bust and 34 over...so I usually fit a 28DD because I would rather go for a tighter band (28 band) as opposed to one that's a tad loose (30 band). The only way to know your true measurement is to go to a REAL bra store boutique, NOT a department store one. Whenever I go to a small, locally owned bra boutique with various sizes (28-52 bands, AA-N cups), I am ALWAYS sized as a 28DD, keeping in mind that this varies from brand-style. If you measure under your bust as 30, then you need a 30 band, which isn't available in department stores...and if you are 7 inches breast out (37-30=7) then that is generally a G cup. My measurements - 29 bust, 34 over bust = 5 inch difference. 1 inch difference is A cup, 2 inch difference is B, 3 is C, 4 is D, and 5 is DD...see how you got my measurements as 28DD? Any good fitting bra specialist will tell you to find a well fitting bra that is supportive on the loosest hook...you will get more wear out of it because as time goes on and the band stretches, you can put the hook on the middle and when it gets looser, then on the tightest. Looking at me you would think I have B cups but really, it's 28DD...I am so thankful I went to a bra specialist and got a REAL fitting...go too; you and your back will thank you.

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    3. When you get measured make sure that they measure above your breast. if you measure below it's gonna screw up the measurement. I would try a 32 band size and see how that feels. the band size is a huge factor in finding the right fitting bra! i would not recommend the incredible bra because you can't adjust the straps. try a bra with a higher center piece between the cups. that helps a lot! Hope that helped!

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    4. I have those exact measurements and am a 30ff-g depending on the fit!

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    5. So so happy that this was talked about!! I have NEVER been able to find a bra that fits me right!! I have an extremely petite ribcage in comparision to my less than petite body and chest. My mom always yelled at me when I was younger when I told her I needed a 30D bra, saying that they don't exist!! I only wear sports bras now because it's so upsetting trying to fit into a bra properly!! Thank you so much for posting some links to some more, user friendly bras! ;)

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    6. Dont listen to Anonymous from April 8, measuring above the breasts like she describe is one of the reasons Victorias secret gets it so wrong. 30F is a good starting point for you i think, but every brand and shape is different. Also, remember that a 32E would have the same cup size as a 30F but bigger band, so if you can get any just to try on (i think Nordstom has more sizes?) then you should get an idea of what you actually need. European online shops would probably be your best bet (like brastop.com). When figuring out your size, ebay is a good starting point. That way you dont have to fork out on really expensive new bras that might not fit!

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    7. I agree with Anonymous from February 9, 2013 -- after countless unsuccessful trips to department stores (and wearing my mom's patience thin with my "unfittable" size) I finally went to Nordstrom and tried their selection. I got fitted there, and it wasn't a perfect fit, but it definitely got me on the right track to finding my true size. Then I went on eBay and got some of the ones that fit at bargain prices. (I still get most of mine from eBay, because the prices can be so good.) :)

      And while it's a decent method, you don't have to restrict yourself to calculating your size based on the difference between bust and ribcage measurements. The ribcage measurement is probably the best way to find your band size, but as far as cup size, I like to say it's more of an art than a science. For example, based on my measurements, (30" ribcage, 34" bust) I'd be a 30D. Yet I can't fit in a 30D; I'm actually a 30E (30F in some cases.)

      So basically all I'm saying is, don't be afraid to be a little flexible when trying on different sizes! :)

      P.S Here's another bra blog I've found very helpful: http://www.venusianglow.com/p/bra-matrix.html

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  9. try going down a size or two in the bad . cup size ,try a G or within that range.

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  10. Anonymous - buy yourself a 30F

    I'm not sure how Panache think they can sell THIS terribly fitting bra http://www.brastop.com/Manager/UploadedImages/panache-superbra-nude-bra.jpg

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  11. Anonymous, I am sorry you have had such a frustrating time find a bra that fits! You are totally right, Victoria's Secret salesladies are just that- salespeople. I don't think they care about actually getting you in the right size, and I don't think they even know how.

    Please check out my measurement guide here: http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/10/how-to-measure-your-bra-size-correct.html There are indeed a lot of different guides on the internet, but this is the correct one and the method that most experienced bra fitters would use.

    I agree with Dafty that your measurements would seem to indicate a 30F, but based on what you said about the fit of the 34DD, I'm guessing you are one of those people (like me!) that needs a slightly bigger cup size than that guide would indicate. This is probably because of your age and that fact that you likely haven't had any kids yet- so your breasts are "fuller" in shape. My best guess for the perfect size for you would therefore be a 30G. Check out this post: http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2011/02/where-can-i-buy-my-new-correct-bra-size.html for places to look for cute and affordable bras in this size. they may tend to be a little more expensive than Victoria's Secret, but the correct fit will be worth it and they are likely to be better quality and therefore last longer. I hope that helps and feel free to ask me if you have more questions. :-)

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  12. Wow! Thank you so much, Dafty and Brittany! You've been so much more helpful than any other "bra specialist" I've encountered! I'm actually excited to try new bras (for a change)! Thanks again, and I'll definitely be back if I have any more questions!
    =)

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  13. It seems that if the underwires are too narrow for a woman's breasts, she tends to wear the bra lower in the front, right? That was my experience.

    I also noticed that better quality bras have a band that goes all the way around, with the underwires on top of it, as opposed to a band that is two pieces just attached to the sides of the cups (3rd and 4th model).

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  14. Totally true. I agree with this article. I used to wear a VS 34DD, but I kept pulling up my bra at work, at school, on the train..... it wasn't funny. I finally gave in and went for a bra fitting at Nordstrom and Intimacy. Now, I'm very happy with a 28F Freya bra. Expensive.... yes, but totally worth it.

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  15. noticed this long ago. I kind of have this idea that, maybe, wearing small cups would make them look sexier...but it's definitely not recommended for everyday use...
    My problem was that I always found myself between two cup sizes, a C is too small for me, but a D would be obviously too large. Many people recommended me to try a full coverage C, but I really really hate full coverage bras... I hope one day they would all make half size bras...

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    1. Try a demi cup D. The cups are shorter I guess it the best word- less distance between the under bust & the top of the cup. Another option would be to try a D with the mini pushup "cutlets". They take up some of the room in the cup & might help them fit better. I've also learned that even though everyone says a 36C & a 34D are the same, they're not & feel completely different. Try to mix & match band & cup sizes until you find what works.

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  16. I have to disagree with your last paragraph in this post. I own several European lace bras, and I find their quality to be no different than Hanes. I launder them properly and do not use fabric softner, yet most, if not all of my lacy European bras have lost their elasticity and quality over the past year or two, seams have come undone and I've had to restitch, not to mention the straps on the inside when they meet the cup are VERY poorly attached and cause major irritation because they've got a single row of stitching a 1/2 inch up from the edge, leaving that extra 1/2 inch to dangle freely with all it's sharp elastic and cut into the breast tissue, and I don't even wear them that often because they're so thin, unsupportive and just plain uncomfortable. Now compare that to the rest of the bras I own, which happen to be all from Victoria's Secret, I've had them for several years now, the elastic and fabrics are still holding up fairly well and I wear them on a daily basis (they are not padded, just lightly lined, t-shirt style, and they don't use "cardboard" like Freya and Fantasie has in their t-shirt bras!). So I'm a little confused as to why people think our bras are crap compared to the overpriced and overly thin bras from Europe and elsewhere??

    I agree with you they do not put properly fitting bras on their flat chested (most of them are!) and anorexic models. That's the look America is going for I guess. If you wear a smaller cup size in a t-shirt bra you'll have a good amount of cleavage, granted you'll also have quad-boob, but that is why you will never see a profile shot of any of the VS models because you'll be able to see that. Otherwise they might be laying down or hunched over to create more room in the cup (seen above in the blue bra and hot pink bra).

    And I've gotta say, I'm way more comfortable in one of their t-shirt bras than any of my unlines Freya's. (btw, I have a comment, dated 6/17 on your "26 bands...could it be?" post. You can see the problems I have with my supposed "correct" size 28G, and it's the reason why I wear the wrong size instead)

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    1. I'm sorry but I completely agree with everything on this post except for you calling the victoria's secret models anorexic. They look that skinny and toned and perfect due to two things.
      1. PHOTOSHOP
      and
      2. IT'S WHAT THEY ARE PAID TO DO.
      they don't have to juggle a job and going to the gym and worry about not being rich enough to buy organic food, it is their job hence why they have such amazing bodies. From just a few posts up I thought the point was proven that you should never just go and assume someone is anorexic.

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  17. Wow! I am so glad I'm not the only one who has noticed this. I only really figured out what my TRUE bra size is in the last year...embarrassing. But once I learned exactly how my bra should be fitting and that there were sizes above DD, all those images of VS models were obviously ill-fitting.
    This is a wonderful blog post that all women should see!

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  18. Just wanted to add, VS is not the only company that might airbrush the models or put them in the wrong size.

    Check out the Fantasie Elodie bra above.

    1. Armpit fat - the cups on the bra are not coming up high enough on the model, not supporting the side boob.
    2. Quad boobs - not as noticeable from the front as from the side but the way you can tell is the fact that lace, seamed bras are not created to make cleavage, they do more lifting and seperating. Yet the model has cleavage in the photo above and it's spilling past the underwires by the center gore. = too small of a cup.

    The Ella bra doesn't look too bad on the model, but she'd probably benefit more from a smaller band. Also the straps look like they're pulled in towards her neck.

    Ok, I respect you making this blog and going forth with the effort to put this information out there for everyone...but why on earth would you post the photo of the Curvy Kate Tease Me bra??

    1. The cups are very obviously WAY too big! See how the right cup (our left) on the model is angled out in the center? Her left cup is sticking away from her bust as well, you can even see the top of her boob, that little tiny crease. The cups look about 2 sizes too large for her!
    2. Again, straps look like they're pulled towards her neck.

    The Freya Frankie looks like it fits the model, but it's also too far away to tell.

    DiminitySo bra also looks like it fits, but the model is holding her shoulders up and back. I do this when I need the cups to lay smooth against my upper bust.

    The Panache looks ok, but the band might be a smidge too big as you can see shadowing under the center gore. She might benefit from adding a dart in that though, instead of going down a size or tightening the hook and eyes.

    My point is...every bra company out there will make the bra look like it fits the model, whether that be through photoshop, inserts or making them pose at a certain angle. Also, I mentioned this in my above comment (June 18) that I find the quality to be no different between a Hanes bra (you probably already know how much they cost since you live in the US) and any European brand. American bras last longer because the spandex that's in them, which is just of the trims and the most importent part because this is what holds the bra together, is a higher content. The more elastic the longer they will last, and also the smaller they will be. You can get just as pretty of bras without the price tag over here with a higher content of Lycra (I haven't found any bras from European brands in my drawer that say Lycra so they most likely use a cheaper version of it). Whether they will last is up to the user/wearer. If you're forcing yourself into too small or too large of a bra it is going to put strain on the elastic no matter what the brand! The only plus side I see to European brands is their size range, as you mention. But it ends there!

    Comparing the origin of my Freya's and some of my Victoria's Secret bras = Sri Lanka. So what's the difference?? I'm not trying to argue with you but at least know your info before posting something like this, please.

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  19. I have to say I've noticed the I'll fitting bras on vS models but I think they do that to get the "sexy" cleavage.. I had been wearing a 36C for over a year and finally got fitted at VS last week. Turns out I'm a 32D. I returned to the store today and got their Body by Victoria Perfect Coverage bra and I'm loving it so far. I admit from the side view, the girls look smaller but that's just from them actually being held in place. I've never had a bra fit as well as this one and the customer service was great.. Every time I go in, I'm greeted with big smiles and tins of help. I think it depends on location.. Here on Oahu, they're nice. I will credit you on the fact that they don't have much selection past a c cup... But I wasn't looking for anything sexy. The fiancé just wanted one that would cover (tmi alert) my areola's.. Found one and I'm happy. But I do like the fact that someone else realized horrible model fitting..

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  20. Anonymous- To me, there is more to quality than just how long a bra lasts. There is also how well it fits, how supportive it is, etc. The fact is that lace, even the best lace, is going to snag more often than smooth cotton or such, and that elastic is just going to wear out after a certain period of time. That being said, most people I have talked to do feel that their European bras last longer.

    I have to disagree about the elastic, while that may be true in other garments I don't find it to be true in bras. If bras have too much elastic then they do not support as well, and they stretch out faster in the band which means you just have to throw it out faster, because the band is now too big to offer enough support.

    Ewa Michalak is actually my favorite brand in terms of quality. I definitely see several major differences in quality in their bras over Panache and Freya. The first big difference is that they are less stretchy, so the bands last longer and offer better support. The second is that they sew the cups differently based on different cup sizes. So they will use a different seam configuration on a bigger size than on a smaller one, so that each size gets the right support and shape for its own unique needs. Third, the underwires are better proportioned for different sizes. There are also a whole bunch of little signs that they paid more attention to details, like that the wires don't come up too high, therefore rubbing your armpits and making that fabric wear out faster. The soft bras are also made of cotton, not cardboard, with the exception of the strapless bra. This means that they are much more comfortable in heat.

    I realize that other manufacturers don't always fit perfectly, either. But my point was that VS models wear a fit that is truly atrocious. Maybe there are small details in the other ones that point to the bras maybe not being the best fit for the model, but that is understandable- you can't always find a fit model that is perfect for every bra. I am also not opposed to using photoshop to make the fit look better. But the VS models' fit is beyond photoshop. I just wanted to say that if you saw the models in person, the fit would be even more obviously awful.

    My main point, really, was that most Americans think of VS as THE place for both fittings and sexy bras, and they are absolute total rubbish at both of those things most of the time, so why bother with them? A lot of busty girls feel sad that they can't shop at VS, so I want to show that they are not the end-all-be-all.

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  21. While I do agree with you on the image VS portrays, I highly disagree on the elastic comment. I have bras with a higher elastic content in them that HAVE lasted longer than those with a lower content! The bands on them will be smaller because they will allow for more stretch, whereas with the brands that have less elastic, the fabric is longer, more to the size of the wearer so there isn't as much ease. I made a comment about this somewhere, but my size 32 bras are 1" longer in the band than my 28's...and I wear the 32's much more often, so it doesn't make sense that they would stretch out more when they haven't yet. It will happen to elastic like it will happen to any type of fabric. It is going to stretch over time, that is inevitable. If there is less elastic then you're relying on the fabric for support and this is not going to hold up on any type of bra because the fabric is much thinner than the elastic so there will be more pressure on it. Unless you have a bra that is made of 100% cotton or silk with no elastic in it at all, but those wouldn't provide a good fit because the elastic straps sewn into that fabric have to stretch with it, not against it. If it's stretching against it the fabric itself will have puckers because there is no ease and it will just be lying ontop of your skin offering no support.

    Like I said, I'm not trying to arue with you, but you could have picked different bras from VS. I have seen some bras in the catalog and online that DO look like they fit the models. Where are the photos or links to those? And where are the ones to the bras that fit just as horribly, if not more, for the European brands? (with the exception of that awful Curvy Kate one above) I'm sure you went to both extremes to have the reader see what you're trying to point out. I've seen some pretty scary fitting bras on other website where the models face is just as painted and blurred as her cleavage is. No one company is free from blame when it comes to covering flaws. Did you happen to watch the VS fashion show? Push-up bras aside, even the very thin models were wearing supportive bras. Fittings are made before a runway, but in a photo shoot, there just isn't enough time so they have to make due with what they can and MAKE the item fit. This applies to every company out there.

    I actually find VS bras to be sexier than the sheer lace ones I have (I stick with my larger sister-size because it fits better than my "real" one, so I am still able to shop there. But only online, and it is depressing going in store to see if they even have the size in stock. 95% of the time they don't). There's nothing hott about nipple showing through thin, unlined lace that discolors your skin and causes your boobs to sag or poke someones eye out. The seams running vertically would be more attractive in the soft cup styles, but I rarely see any of those.

    Models are intended to model the clothes, but not necessarily fit in them. Although it does help when they do.

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  22. Busts 4 Justice did a post about bad fitting bras on Figleaves.com: http://busts4justice.com/2011/06/29/what-the-fig-bra-fit-problems-at-figleaves-com/

    But they are issued by the retailer not the manufacturer...

    And none of them even come close to how bad the VS ones are!

    What is scary is that like Brittany said THIS is how awful they are with all the clever photography and image editing just imagine how they would be in real life!

    *shudders*

    Yet another awesome post on Thin and Curvy! x

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  23. Really Cheryl? Are you sure about that? Did you take a good look at the girl in the CK Showgirl bra? I'd say that's pretty close to the ill-fits on the VS models. Except they forgot to give her some cutlets... And I can't even believe Brittany would include that as a good fitting bra in a post about the complete opposite! I'm sure she was just advertising the brand...she could have picked a better one.

    I'm just going to agree to disagree on this. Sure, I make fun of the VS models all the time, pointing out the flaws of the clothes to my husband, we both have a good laugh (that includes the outdated styles too). But I still shop there because I can alter the bras down to my size, they fit more comfortably than Freya and Panache (the extent of my "European collection"), they're affordable, they look good and they last a long time! I've actually had experience with their bras. Have any of you? Or are you just basing your opinions of the merchandise off of their inability to fit correctly in store and on the models? Who cares about that? If you can fit in their sizes, then go in, grab what you need and don't bother with the sales associates. Nordstrom fits incorrectly too y'know...and they're overpriced. I could list other stores.

    My recent purchase from VS -
    http://media.victoriassecret.com/product/prodpri2/V320418_CROP1.jpg - Size 32DD in black...guess how long the band on it measures unstretched? 23". That is THE SAME length as most of my unworn European brand bras in a size 28!! And the fabric is super soft! The only flaw is because it's a Demi, the cups cut me off slightly, but it's nothing a dart in the center gore won't fix. Not to mention it is pretty and functional! =)

    Don't knock it before you try it. I hate lobster...never eaten it, but does that mean it's disgusting?

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  24. Hi! Thanks for answering so fast :).
    well... I put it on again on the loosest setting and...
    There is some armpit fat spilling, the band fits perfectly between my boobs but it feels tight.
    however it feels better then my Gilligan O'M 34D (my favorite).

    I need a bigger band for sure but, does the armpit fat thingy means i need a bigger cup? :/
    Lucy.

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  25. Lucy- it does sound like you might need a bigger cup. In fact, it also might be the too-small cups making the band feel tight- try putting it on backwards to test for this. If it feels too tight still, then definitely try a bigger band size, and keep the same cup (so if you have 28F now try 30F) but if not, then try the same band size but a bigger cup size. :-)

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  26. This is in response to Anonymous, mainly because she asked if anyone has had experience with VS or if we just want to bad mouth.

    I would like to start by saying my problems and dislike of VS steam from the image they market to women, but I will try to keep that out of this and stick to answering the question.

    First, I've purchased two bras from them and after my last purchase I will never buy from them again. My first was 7 yrs. ago and way before I knew anything about a comfortable fit. The bra was horrible but at least it wasn't any worse than the other ill fitting bras I owned at the time (so really this one could either be the bad make of the bra or the fact that I wasn't fitted correctly at all; the world will never know). The second I purchased was after I finally got fitted right and understood how a fit should work. I needed a halter top bra and VS had one in my size. I will say at that time I was wearing a 36DD and what I got in the mail wouldn't even fit my B sister-in-law. The cup was flat, as in no curvature to it at all! The last time I checked boobs were round, especially large cup sizes. I couldn't figure out where my breast went and I had spent $50 on something that was clearly not designed to fit well from the start. I also have been in the store recently, as in literally the last month (I had a report and I chose lingerie), and I can say the DDs have a bit more curve but still not as much as it should. I will give them comfort, though. The last bra that I looked at a month ago had the softest fabric, so I could see the appeal.

    The smaller things I wanted to point out and was really more a question on my end, is that you obviously have sewing skills but you have to remember that most people do not and they can't afford to have someone alter they're bras. Are you saying then that VS doesn't fit unless you alter or do you prefer buying any bra you like and then altering it? For me this is critical to how you view VS's fit.

    Lastly, we probably didn't watch the same live VS shows because all I saw was bad fit after bad fit with a total of maybe 4 decent fits that I really just gave them cause the camera moved around a lot and the lights made it difficult to see really well? I also saw a few moments where it was pretty apparent that fashion tape was used. Unless, of course, their models just have breast that don't move and lay weirder than a lady who has had a bad boob job.

    Either way thanks for listening to my small options.

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    1. I know it probably wont do much, but I went to Victoria's Secret the other day and the lady who was doing the fittings told me that VS goes up a size. I'm assuming she meant that if you were a 32D, at other retailers you would be a 32C? As I was fitted as a 32D (which fits incredibly better than the 32A and B bras I've been wearing for that past forever), and comparing them to my sister, who is a 32D, mine look nothing like hers.

      Delete
  27. These are some intriguing arguments.

    I'm pretty much your average ignorant male, and this answers a lot of questions I've had.
    It's tough to ask serious questions about women without being branded a perv, thank you very much for posting this.

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  28. I have finally in the last 3 months gotten two diehard VS shoppers to come with me to Dillard's and be fitted by the experienced ladies there. While I live in a decent sized city Dillard's here is about the best variety of bras and lingerie at reasonable prices around, there aren't any of the higher end boutiques anymore here.
    These ladies know what they are doing and can give a great guess before they ever put a tape measure on you. Amazingly enough the sizes that these ladies measured were completely different, as was the experience compared to VS. In the first case the young lady was very nervous and had only been professionally fitted at VS in the past. She was amazed at how different the process was, first the fitter talked to her about what she did and how much coverage and support she wanted, then she was measured along the ribcage and across the breasts while still wearing her older VS bra. She was further shocked when we (myself, the fitter and another assistant)then scoured the entire deptartment to find many different styles, coverages, shades of beige, cream and white (her preferences) for her to try on. She went home with 3 that fit better than ever, not perfect but much better than she had ever had before.
    The 2nd friend used to work for VS and was a diehard VS shopper. I dragged her into, again Dillard's, as a birthday present to myself. I had been with her at VS before and she had tried bra after bra for over an hour with her finding 1 ok and 1 she thought was good. Here, I tossed 7 bras at her in the size that my boyfriend who is a genius at guessing correct sizes suggested. 2 were ok but one of them was perfect! She is 30 years old and it was the first time a bra had ever fit her between the breasts and touched the breastbone correctly. She bought 1 in each color. Total time spent in the store was 30 minutes!
    I don't knock VS for some things, my favorite swimsuit came form there. However, I am not that curvy and finding things that fit well in their bras is incredibly frustrating. I prefer to spend money on items that are well made, comfortable and last. So I will not buy the bras there until the manufacturing improves. Pajamas, small gifts for freinds, camisoles, or swimsuits but not bras.
    Thank you,
    Jasmine

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  29. @ Penguen, I think the fit problem you may have had with VS is because of what their bras do. They mold to you rather than you molding to them. This is more noticeable in the European brands such as the Freya Deco and the Fantasie Smoothing Balcony - they both feel like cardboard so it doesn't matter if you're lumpy, sagging or have implants...they'll make you look curved like the bra's cups no matter what.

    The reason I buy VS more than Freya or Panache is because of the cups being as soft as they are, this means not just the fabric. The foam they use for their lightly lined bras is thin enough to somewhat conceal (if I'm cold it is still noticeable, and I don't have pancake nipples). They're not at all padded (lightly lined styles only). I prefer this over a stiff fabric, and they give a better look as well. If you have the Freya or Fantasie style you might notice they give a bit of a hard, pointy look - though nowhere as pointy as their lace, seamed styles.

    Regardless of brand or image, if you wear a 34D (for example) in one brand, chances are you're going to wear that in a variety of other brands as well, with the exception of those brands that do run smaller or larger than average. I know VS measure like crap, but they still make bras in sizes a lot of average shaped women wear. And I find them to be more comfortable than most smaller sister sizes. Not sure if I mentioned this above, but another reason I prefer an ill-fit is because with VS especially, their cups and straps on a 32DD are proportioned better on the bra itself, and for me, than bras in a 28F and FF. I just wish the straps were thicker/wider. I hate that with Freya and Panache the straps are at the edge of my shoulders and the band on their 28's actual measure the same exact amount unstretched as the 32DD's I have from VS, also unstretched. But because VS bras are not made with very tall wings, they tend to dig in and ride up on me.

    On the subject of bad fits...I have Freya as an interest/like on my FaceBook account. Every time they post a picture of a new bra I can see various fit issues with the bra and the model. On one of them, the bra was obviously too large in the cup on the model because she wasn't even filling out the bottom of it! So it is not just the retailers choosing bad photos with horrible fits. It's also the manufacturer. Of course, your average consumer probably won't even notice this because they're looking at the style of the bra, not how it fits the model.

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  30. Thank you for this post! VS is horribly restricted in size, style, and shape. The bases of my breasts extend farther to the side than VS and other mainstream lingerie brands care to acknowledge, which means that they give me the choice of 1) not completely enclosing the breast tissue, or 2)forcing everything to move medially including my nipples which are then no longer in the apex of the cup (and outside it if it's not full coverage). I've found the bras at Frederick's of Hollywood to be much more compatible with my shape.

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    1. I have this issue as well. Until I worked as an art director at a fashion design company (I actually did a lot of the retouching and Photoshop trickery we're used to seeing everyday on clothing and lingerie ads for women), I did not realize that I was wearing the wrong size. The director of our couture lines measured me and told me that, au contraire, I was not a 34D or 32/34DD like I kept thinking: I was a 30F at minimum. I have always loathed bras because the cups in most mainstream lines, whether they're from VS or Macy's or Target or some little lingerie boutique in Queens, feel much too far apart, and I can literally feel my tits spilling out the bottom. I've been wearing camisole bras for 10 years and gave up on underwires completely because I found I was spending the better part of my work day feeling awful and subtly trying to pick at the underwires and move them around in the hopes of some relief. I also found that when I wore bras that made my boobs higher on my chest and larger, it was impossible to find clothing that fit properly.

      I do not know that I will try underwire bras in a 30F or 30G. I am the main income-earner in the family and we're on a fixed income presently, so even VS is out of reach today, save for cotton underpants. Also, I am able to buy shirts and dresses in standard ladies' sizes with the camisole bras, since they do not add lift, volume, or definition. I'd rather not have to shop at special stores and pay out the nose to get the garments tailored. Finally, since I have very broad shoulders and am otherwise boyishly built, I can get away with and have come to prefer a more tomboy look. It also helps me avoid sexual harassment and discrimination on the job, which I have been the target of on multiple occasions. I've met very few other women who have to watch how they dress and act, lest they get bullied like I do. My family and spouse think it may be that I have shown an exceptional artistic talent from a young age (there are photos of me painting photo-realistic deer and landscapes in kindergarten), and am seen as "showing up" the guys, which would explain why I've been a target of male bullying since college. Also, the current American workplace culture demands that the highest blade of grass get cut down. (It's a lose-lose situation, because if I DON'T give my usual 110%, to make 60 cents for every dollar my less-qualified male counterparts make, I am harassed into quitting. Can't win.)

      Delete
  31. Today was my first time shopping at Victorias secret. My reason? I was sick of wearing the "grandma" bras from all the department stores I usually got mine from. Im young and I want to look and feel more sexy for the man in my life. So none the less I went to VS lured in by their promise of sexy underwear. And I ASSUMED they would carry a wide range of sizes cause ya know it's a freakin bra store for gods sake. But nope. I wear a 40D and the girl told me they didn't carry my size. Kind of a self esteem dropper cause thy sends a message to me like "nope you're to fat for our merchandise" couldn't even find XL panties. They do carry my size online but I can't even try them on first. Disappointment.

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    1. VS Kenwood Bra SpecialistJanuary 10, 2013 at 10:15 PM

      We carry 40D online. It used to be carried in store but wasn't selling at the high velocity of other sizes so it was taken out of the stores and remained online. I agree that we should carry a style run of all of the things we carry online in those 40" band sizes online but that is a decision made by someone who doesn't experience what we do on a day-to-day basis. My suggestion to you would be to try a 38DD with a bra extender to at least feel approximately how the cups would feel. This would give you a better idea of what you would be ordering. Our store carries 32A-38DDD. I hope that our sizes will expand soon as we can accomodate less women everyday with our limited size range. I am saddened that so many of you have had a negative experience at VS and hope we can right that wrong in the future. We take sizing and customer service very seriously at our store and wish it was echoed across the company.

      Delete
    2. Hi kenwood specialist, i was measured at kenwood as a 32D- the lady said I have a 33 waist but they round down to 32, and I have about a C and a half cup so the round it to a D cup. I purchased a Body push up bra in a 32 D and noticed after my first whole day wearing it that I had red marks around my ribcage on my sides and under the sides of my breasts, from the band which I think was too tight. Will my 32 stretch out with wear so I don't get stretch marks? I believe the cups fit me well.
      thank you,
      Victoria

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  32. Glad to hear that there are other people out there who feel the same! It was hard enough being a teenager, much less one with large breasts. I, like many, assumed that because VS was really the only 'bra shop' I had heard of, that they would be the best place to go for help. I spent years of my adolescence feeling like I was the problem because of the way VS portrayed women. I used to look at catalogues to try and find other girls who looked anything like me, but in stead the message was clearly for me to fit into the 'average size' mold. Not only did I never get fitted by VS properly, but even when I later learned my real size, they never carried anything remotely close. They would always say, "Oh, just try a bigger band and smaller cup", but this left me feeling self conscious from breast spillage. I spent most of my high school years hiding and wearing two underwire bras at the same time to get the best fit. Now, it is 2011 and many companies have realized that there is a market that they previously didn't cater to. Many department stores now carry extended sizes in these 'European' bras. I still pass by VS and think, you claim to be the place for women to buy bras, but you excluded and essentially demonized a large population of women who are naturally big-breasted. Why??
    We still have a long way to go toward large bust understanding and acceptance, but this blog is a great place to start the dialogue! Thanks to everyone for posting about this issue!

    Oh, btw, in regards to wanting to feel sexy. For us, the large busted community, we are always sexualized, no matter what we wear. When it comes to undergarments, we don't need any help in that department!

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  33. Excellent post! From a personal standpoint (and not as a specialty retailer), I've always had trouble with Victoria's Secret. As a teenager, they would fit me into 38DDs when I should have been wearing 30GGs/Hs. I look back at my high school pictures and cringe because it is so obvious the support wasn't there. Many of my customers are VS refugees who come in hating their bras and thinking they wear DDs, and most leave with bands in the 28-34 range and F+ cup sizes. The kicker? Majority of these women believed the DD size was correct before coming in because that's what a fitter told them. This whole "80% of all women are in the wrong bra size" statistic has inspired women to get fitted . . but not always at places that will be honest with them about what size they need.

    In terms of quality, I've always had better experience with UK manufacturers, but the bras don't last forever. I wear mine between two and four times a week, so if I only get a year and half's worth of wear out of it, I'm happy. A $60 bra worn 3 times a week for 78 weeks breaks down to a cost-per-wear of less than 26 cents. Besides, that $60 bra fit me better than the $20 or $40 counterpart, so it was time spent without feeling miserable in my bra--a benefit in itself!

    I think all retailers are guilty to some extent of retouching photos to change the fit of the bra (for better or worse). From what I've seen the ones who are the most guilty, usually cater to younger women, and they'll often "cleavage" it up with the fit to give a sexier look. Nevertheless, I feel that retailers like Freya, Curvy Kate, and Fantasie (among others) do a better job of showing a semi-decent fit than Victoria's Secret. At least there's some cup coverage and better tacking on the center gore. Also, just an observation, but I think Fantasie added the cleavage on the Elodie. If you look at the center, there's some strange denting going on there that doesn't look quite right.

    Regardless, every woman should take the time to find the bra and the size that is right for her--be that a Victoria's Secret bra or a UK. We gotta wear those things all day, so we gotta be comfy! :-D

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  34. It is totally ridiculous - it's amazing how many of my US ex-pat friends here in Europe still cling to Victoria's Secret and look forward to 'stocking up' when they go back... in spite of the fact that I've refitted them as E+ cups, they've spent a fortune on Freya et al, and that VS don't believe they exist. There's a huge VS poster at our airport that's such a terrible fitting you could actually carry a whole pipe of Pringles in the gape between her sternum and the band. I love this post - thanks for doing such a great job of highlighting this xx

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  35. I had to learn the hard way that their bras do not fit. I spent hundreds of dollars buying various sizes from them. I went in to get sized and i was falling out of a 34D and the band was to loose. They tried to tell me i was a 32C. I couldnt even strap into it!! i went to Fredricks of Hollywood and it turns out im a 32 DD (A size VS dosnt care in there store and only has 1 bra for online) Never shoping from there again.

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  36. For a long time I thought I was a 42A (according to the VS sizing charts) and was looking for an almost unheard of bra size. Then I finally learned that the sizing chart doesn't work so well when you have a large frame & small bust. So after many years of uncomfortable, ill fitting bras I've finally found my true bra size to be a 38B, and it has made all the difference. So now, in reference to VS bras, I've been wearing the Body By Victoria line for quite a while now. The latest redesign has been for the better in my opinion. They used to to super thin (which made them comfortable), but not all that supportive.

    Now I find them much more supportive, and the assembly quality has also gone way up. I've been wearing the latest style (7 bras in rotation) daily for almost two years, and they are holding up great. The elastic hasn't stretched; the seems are not coming apart; the cups have kept their shape, and I wash them on the gentle cycle in a front loader washing machine inside the special "bra pod" lingerie bags.

    I agree with everything said about their marketing issues, but I've also discovered that if you ignore what the sizing charts say, and just try on a whole bunch of bras until you find a size that fits comfortably (i.e. correctly), then you look at the tag and find out what size you actually are. Just use the sizing chart as a starting point if you really have no idea where to begin.

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  37. I went to VS once to see what size they'll give me. The lady wanted to give me 32A just looking at my chest (it was dark in this place in the store and I had a t-shirt that was covering up my entire chest). Then she measured me with my t-shirt on and ask if I want a 32B. I said:"Bring me 32C, please". It was too small, underwires were way too short and my boobs were squeezed. She saw that. I asked about 32D and then other lady had to come over because she freaked out little bit. She wanted to give me 34C and I said, no, I don't need a band any bigger, 32 is already too big. They had only one 32D (that finally didn't cut my boobs) in entire store which I returned next day in different VS (I live half way between two malls). I wear 28E, sometimes F. I don't have big boobs but I can't fit in the sizes above and VS 32D was the only one that wasn't too small (only because I removed those stupid gel pads). I tried to find some 32D and tight up a band but the quality was waaaay worse that Freya and those super elastic wires... Calvin Klein was made so cheap, I mean I have some clothes from CK and thought that their bras may be good but they were not. Freya Deco is what I wear almost every day. The other bras try hardly to make the top of my breasts flat and the wires between really want to increase the distance between my boobs:) I don't care that it's not cotton which is weird because I can't stand acrylic/spandex clothes, socks, and panties. I mean it doesn't really feel like it's not a cotton. And in our humid weather during the summer I have to change clothes and underwear right after I get home, I hate humidity.

    I wish those bras were cheaper though. I'm a college student and $50 for a bra when I have to have about 10 of them, it's really a pain... They last long but I hate that if there is new color coming out (that I want to have) I have to buy it right away or my size is gone and they'll never bring it back. Being within 28 range sucks. You know how many bras in size 28E are on ebay in oppose to 30DD? 69 (and most don't fit, the others aren't the right color i.e. I look horrible in orange, or I already have) in compare to 1,138... I wish the price of bras went down to no more than $30...

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    1. I'm so healous, actualy. Where I come from (Israel) Freya and the other European brands ( which are the only ones who actualy provide good bras for the larger sizes) are not only hard to come by, but they cost about double that or more! and it's not like we are a nation of thin flat chested women ...

      Delete
    2. Yeah, I'm not sure I've EVER been measured at VS. I have been "eye-measured," whereby a saleslady will "eye" my chest, declare that I'm a 36B or 34C, and demand I only try on those sizes. I've always headed straight for the 32DD racks. That size is still too small in most styles. My husband and I had a hilarious encounter once in a VS when I thought I might go as Dolly Parton for Halloween, and tried on a padded bra with ridiculous push-up abilities in a 34DD. I spilled out of it and looked like a Guinness Book of World Records setter for "America's largest breasts."

      The saleslady was very annoyed, mostly because it was obvious that even the largest size they had was too small – and so what did that say about the chain's ability to fit customers with even larger cup or band sizes? (I am of the opinion that half of the women in America would find VS bras too small, at least cup-wise.) She said, "Well I hope YOU are having fun!"

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    3. I'm 28D... the only bras that are sold in that size are for "big busts" (have large underwires that go all the way up your sternum etc) ... 28D is NOT a "big bust" but what most people would think of as a "small A cup." D ISN'T BIG. Not 28D! http://www.brabandproject.com/gallery/search?band=28&cup=D

      Delete
  38. These faults are completely opposite. Seeing as these models hve b-cups, their boobs would never be "spilling over the bras" they enhance their breats as much as possible with photoshop and stuff the bras until they're falling off their chests so they can increase them in editing. Ive also noiticed that vs bras create a pointy-boob look

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  39. I was fitted last year in a large VS. The woman fitted me as a 36 nearly B. I told her that perhaps she should measure again, as I was sure I was above a D. You know the bra boxes they give you in the fitting rooms? Well the measuring woman told the fitting room attendant my 'size' and then I was given a B bra box. Only after much coaxing did I even get a C bra box. At that time I was probably about a 34F in US sizes.

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  40. Funny story, I love VS clothing, but their bras never fit. I was professionally measured as a 28F and LOVE my European bras (Freya, Panache, Harlequin, etc.).

    However, I did order some 32DD (closest to my size) Very Sexy Push-Up Victoria's Secret bras that were on sale online, because I wanted epic cleavage. The padding is comfy, and they have a nice plunge. But as is, they do not lay flat against my breastbone in the center, and feel too bouncy when I walk. I tried "tailoring" the band on one of them, but the center still would not lay flat, and my boobs hurt after wearing it (perhaps too deep a plunge?).

    I also made the mistake of letting VS employees help me with sizing (just to figure out the cup size so I could then tailor the band). The first time, an employee insisted my cup size was equivalent to a 34C. After tailoring the band, I had a very uncomfortable quadruple-boob.

    The second time, I was looking at the Miraculous Push-Up bras (add 2 cup sizes). I tried on a 34D (that was the smallest band) and the cups fit fine, but the lady there insisted on putting me in a 34C and a 32C. The 32C hurt my breasts, and when I informed her of this, she said "no pain, no gain," explaining how she feels she has to dress up in uncomfy push-up bras for her husband so that he doesn't look elsewhere.

    Lesson learned: no more Victoria's Secret fittings for me!

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  41. Just wanted to say that I can give VS credit for one thing: the frustration led me to this site!

    I went earlier this evening, hopped around the store grabbing one of every style in my supposed size (a 32DD, which VS didn't even have a couple years ago, so honestly just finding that on labels is an improvement), and tried them all on just to be disappointed. I had the same problem with the quadra-boob effect. The fitter I think meant well and tried to be helpful, but she could do nothing more than look confused and apologize.

    I've been measured as a 32DD three times, twice at Dillard's and once today at VS. I'm pretty happy with the band size but with the poor fits I'm getting and your info about fuller, younger breasts often needing bigger cups, I'm going to try going up a cup size. Unfortunately this means I'll have to order online, but the risk is better than walking out of a store only half satisfied.

    So thank you for what you're doing! I hope eventually stores and fitters can be better educated as well as the general public. In high school I thought I was a 36C (way off!), but even then my larger friends made fun of me and basically called me a liar, insisting that my breasts were too small for a C cup.

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  42. The reason the bras don't fit the models is because the models are very thin & have tiny rib cages, but they are not flat at all as some rude poster above stated. Since when is a B-C cup on a thin, size 2 model who is 5'10 remotely flat chested? As a 30C, which visually looks like a small B cup, I assure you, a too-small cup size WILL make me overflow.

    What they do is put the models in too big a band & too small a cup, which is how you get the center band lifting up, boob bulging out the side, and the back band riding up. This is exactly what they tell me to do when I've shopped there ("try a 32A"). They don't make 30 band sizes, even though I bet many of their models need a band size that small (or smaller). VS is not a place for small busted women with small rib cages either.... To make it worse, I've measured their 32 bands & they run big (other brands in size 32 measure around 24" unstretched, but theirs are more like 26"!!!).

    FYI, there are way more options for larger busted woman than smaller ones. Most brands are increasingly carrying lines with bigger cup sizes & small band sizes. Finding flattering small sized bras (read: C cup & smaller) without 5 inches of padding and with small enough bands (read: 30 & smaller) is a MUCH harder challenge.

    VS, IMO, is for women who are not particularly thin nor busty, but rather average & proportioned women. I suppose that is why it is so popular & successful; they have no need to make bras for the outliers. Still, it is funny how their sizes exclude their own models....

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    1. That would be me. My appologies if the term "flat chested" was offensive. If you've ever seen real life photos of the models they are very small, and they do look much smaller than a 32B cup. Photoshop and inserts are most commonly used to make the models look more busty. Also, some of the models *appear* to be a 28 or 30 frame, but if you've ever done a bit of research, and I'm not talking googling their stats/measurements, you'll find they are just as "average framed" (32-34) as most other women. Sometimes you can tell just from looking at a photo how wide a persons frame is, especially when there are other objects or body parts to compare it to. And yes, there are some models of theirs who would do better with a 26 or 28.

      Also, you should be informed that they do make size 30 bras. Mostly in A and B but there are a couple of styles that go up to C and D. This is somewhat new. I first remember seeing the size 30 bands early in 2010 (so you're a little late in finding that out). And if you're familiar with VS bras and how they measure up, they're not that far off in terms of band length than UK bras in a smaller band size. I may have mentioned it above, but a size 32 band from VS measures 22" unstretched - contrary to what you stated, and the maximum amount of stretch, we're talking stretched that the band becomes shorter in height and the fabric is nearly translucent, measures 32". Technically if you don't want to be suffocated, a person with a 28" ribcage (without adding or subtracting) can get away with wearing a 32 from them. Their fabrics are very stretchy, and as long as they don't have a lace band, they last pretty long (with proper laundering. If yours are falling apart, take care of them better).

      I'm not so much rude as I am an informed consumer...

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  43. I went to VS the other day. I tried on a bunch of different bras and couldn't figure out why the bras that were supposedly my size didn't lay flat in the middle. I felt self-conscious about it, but I let one of the VS associates see the problem that I was having so that she could help me. She said that because I'm thin, but large chested, and I work out, my rib cage is expanded, so it makes my figure "awkward" and bras just won't fit properly for me. What a moron. I left feeling incredibly uncomfortable about myself.

    (I later went to a different location a week later with my mom. We found a super helpful associate who actually seemed to know what she was talking about. Instead of upping the band size like everyone else recommended, she went up a cup size, and I was just so amazed by how well a bra could fit. I've never felt so comfortable in a bra before!)

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    1. I thought this might interest some of you... Here is a candid photo of VS model Candice Swanepool on a VS bikini photoshoot. This pretty much proves that they put their models in too big bands and too small cups and then photoshop the bulges out. It does not look to me like she has bra inserts in her top either. This bikini does not appear to be a tie top, and the XS runs like a 32A-B there. There's no way this girl, with a reported 23" waist (which LOOKS that tiny) has a 32" ribcage - just no way.

      This is not a flattering shot on an otherwise pretty girl (she's slouching, for one), but the bikini top fit is still atrocious in itself... Her the back is riding up and her boobs are smooshing out at every angle.

      http://www.changr.com/files/images/Candice%20Swanepoel4.jpg

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  44. I thought I was the only person who had so much trouble with VS bras. I'm 5'7, 100 pounds, and my measurements are 33-22-34, so it's a pain for me to find anything that fits right anyways. I was measured at VS once about 3 years ago when I was 15. I had on a thick sweatshirt, I told them I could take it off but they said it was fine. After measuring me they told me to try a 34 B. My mom told me to try it anyways, and there was way to much popping out everywhere. My mom, (even though the lady who measured me thought she was crazy) brought me a 34C, the cups were better but the whole band moved. I've done every type of bra measuring I can find and everything tells me I'm at least a 30C if not a D (though I really don't think I look like a D). I've still yet to find a 30 band size in a store, I'm really tired of settling for all these big bra making companies that carry so few sizes. For now I wear a 32C but if they have padding I usually get ugly bulges. I've come to the conclusion that all bra companies are evil and that I'm a lost cause.....

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    1. Most of us 28-30 band-wearing ladies buy our bras online, usually ordering a variety of cup sizes to cover the likely range. If there is a specialty store near you such as Intimacy or BraSmyth, you can get fitted there. The bigger cities usually have additional lingerie stores. Do try to go to or order from somewhere that carries 28 bands, you could very well be a 28DD+.

      Delete
    2. After taking my measurements I have a 24 inch band size, my chest is 33 inches. So that gives me a difference of 9? Which if it was made would be a 24G I guess. That's really funny considering how many people thought I was flat with my clothes on. I often got a different reaction in the locker room though, since I'm fairly bold and had no problem with another woman seeing me in my undergarments (most girls in my class put on their gym shirt and then maneuvered out of their regular clothes, to avoid being seen I suppose.) The "I thought you were an A cup" thing, I heard a lot , then strange ogling from everyone, maybe they actually had a good idea with the t-shirt thing. Not to mention so many girls at my school wore those "add two cup size bras" which just seem like unnecessary torture to me, but I'm rambling. I'm looking at the Freya Deco Underwire Molded Plunge Bra 4234
      maybe in a 28F, still sounds so big though, I'll have to save up for it.

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    3. Hi there, you sound exactly like me! I had the same problem...I was wearing a 32C because I thought you couldn't go smaller...then I went to a bra specialist (you can find these in pretty much any middle sized city) and got fitted. To get a true fitting, you need to go to one of those small/locally owned bra boutiques, as opposed to department stores...google bra boutiques in your area because the bra boutiques sell band sizes from 28-52 and cups AA-N. I am sized as a 28DD but if you looked at me, you would think they were A or B cups...this is because of department stores only selling cups A-DD...so people believe that DD is huge when in fact, it all depends on the band size. And think about this: department stores like La Senza only sell band sizes 32,34,36, and maybe 38...so they are only catering to THREE-FOUR sizes of women and the cup sizes those three-four types of women would need. Believe me, I know based on what you said as your measurements and weight that you can only find your true size at a REAL bra store. I live in Freya bras- they start their bands at 28 and cups at D. People don't think you have big boobs because you are tiny but based on your measurements I bet Freya would be a great fit. A warning though, bras at real bra stores are expensive (at least $100) BUT they last a super long time! Mine still look brand new and I've had them since the summer...and they don't stretch out like the cheap ones at La Senza or wherever...the band holds its elasticity. But as for 24 or 26 band sizes, that is something you would need to get online or even bra boutique stores could order them in for you...but go to a bra store and they can educate you on proper fittings and they will be honest and tell you if you're a 26 band or not; they always tell me whether something fits or not and would refuse to sell me something because they think it's a bad fit. I tried on a bra yesterday and when the saleslady came to double check the fit, she politely said "I would not feel comfortable selling you this bra. It doesn't fit here" and she proceeded to point out how it was ill fitting, even though it looked ok to me...but she was right, when I tried on the size in that style she recommended, it fit like a glove. I had bad back problems until I got fitted and wore the right size. You can also get extremely good prices on Freya bras on ebay, but I recommend getting sized correctly first...even if you go in and say you would like a bra fitting and to see what they have that would fit...they could put a bra on your "wishlist" on your file so that next time you came in, they know what bra it was that you liked.

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  45. In an article several years ago, a Victoria's Secret swimsuit stylist said no matter what the actual size the model is, they always have to wear an extra-small so their cleavage and butt look more "voluptuous" and "bosomy" than they would if they were wearing their actual size. (I'm sure it's a little different with bras, but similar effects can be achieved with bra back extenders and careful pinning or clipping.)
    I'm also going to add my voice to the chorus of those saying shopping at Victoria's Secret is not always so awesome. A couple of years ago, I found a beautiful silk slip that fit me well, but when I gained a couple of pounds, the elasticized waist (which is supposed to be both forgiving and curve-flattering) was so tight it left marks on my ribcage. I have been weary of going back ever since.

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  46. Actually, i think Victoria secret bras are mostly about padding and creating that full look. Having purchases a few myself, haha. Not that i am flat, in fact,my size is 30F/28FF. I can easily get into a 32DD but its tight at the cup :P Their bras are either very padded or somewhat padded, unless you buy their designer line, which does not have pads. For flat chested girls or someone who wants more volume, but as you said, they don't have a lot of sizes and not even smaller backs like 28. I would guess the models are quite small chested in person, what makes them stand out is the extra padding in the bras, that gives them this full look :)

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  47. I have never had a good fitting experience at VS. I once went in there to get fitted, and I told the saleslady my current size, 34C. She got an attitude and loudly said, "You don't LOOK like a C. You look smaller." She measured me as a 34C (surprise!). I asked her if it would be better to wear a smaller band size, because my 34s are always too loose. Her response? "Oh, it's just stretched out. Bras only last about 6 months." I also asked about the fit at the front of the bra, where the wires wouldn't lie flat against the breastbone, and she once again demonstrated her (lack of) knowledge about fitting by replying that bras just do that, and that there's nothing you can really do about it. Um... what?! For the record, a 34C is horrible on me... 32D or 30DD fits sooo much better!

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  48. I don't understand why there is so much negativity towards the sales staff of VS. While I'm sure we've all had a particularly negative sales experience or two, these women are mostly college age girls trying to pay their bills, and trying to help customers based of the knowledge that THEY are given from their company. I know no woman who would go to work every day, and try to ruin womens' days just for spite. As someone who has worked in retail for quite awhile, I always feel terrible when someone leaves unhappy, but it works both ways. I strongly believe that if both customers and sales teams could be more understanding of one another, we'd have less issues.

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    1. I don't think people are directing it so much at the girls who happen to be in store, and if they do, that's very unfair. The negativity should be directed at the brand: They advice to measure band size one top of the boobs, they show such ill-fitting bras on their models, they don't educate their staff on fit (so they don't have a fair chance of actually helping people), and they have such limited sizing, while still branding them selves as THE answer to all bras.

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  49. The bras you picked are SO PRETTY. Can you recommend some for a B cup?

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  50. As a non-American, i've heard of VS as being this mythological bra store, where all your needs and desire are fullfilled. Having had a problem finding bras in my own country, i went to VS the first time i came to NY. Needless to say i was shoked by how limited the range was, how little the sales girls knew about bras and how padded everything was. I've been following thier shows in the past few years, and am suprised everytime at how bad the bras look on the models. I guess they think that over-flowing cups are sexy?

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  51. I went to victoria's scret and got measured recently and the lady told me I was a 34C but i was confused because I am a 34D/DD. I tried on the C and it was wayy to small and then I tried on the D and thought it fit better. Now that I wear it it feels uncomfotable. My boobs are pushed together my shoulders ache and I constantly pop out of the bra. I don't think I ever want to go there again because of the lack of experience. And now my boobs hurt constantly.

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  52. I shopped at VS for years, wearing a 34A when I was younger and a 36A when I had gained some weight. Their bras never felt good, but back then they lasted a long time. The last time I shopped there, I bought an underwire bra whose wires popped out on about two weeks, scratching my chest bone very uncomfortably. About three years ago I discovered Soma bras (also made in Sri Lanka). They measured me as a 38B, and for the first time I could remember I had a bra that fit. ( I hadn't gained any wieght). These bras last a long time and are pretty. Don't think they carry lacy, sexy bras, but for good everyday bras I love them. I converted my daughter, a VS fan. I sent her a Soma gift certificate for her birthday, which came in a pretty gift wrapped box. Not only was she impressed with the comfort and quality of the bras and panties, but she couldn't get over the reasonable prices. $48 for a good bra today is a bargain. I "burned" my bras in the 60's and actually went without one for years, and can't believe I'm spending time sending advice to a site about bras!! Anyway, good luck girls. If we gotta cover our boobs, let's at least make em happy.

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  53. I actually like VS, that may be due to the fact LaSenza stopped carrying my bra/band size for 2 years due to the fact ONLY fat girls have big boobs therefore carrying a 32DD is dumb (I was 16) I have boycotted them since unless I need something from their sale bin for cosplay...

    I went to VS and while their sales people were mostly dumb telling me I was an A cup (ahahahahahahaha) left to my own devices I actually found some well fitting bras, ON SALE, in a 36DD, and they're cute and give me support and lift and all that. Granted all these bras are now discontinued *grumble grumble* but during their annual sale I bought like 4 or 5 of them for the price of 1. It was their balconnette.... and thanks to poorly fitting bras as an early teen i have a small pouch of perma armpit boob fat bleh

    As a uni student I just can't afford paying 90$ or 200$ for a bra at SHE

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    1. I think LaSenza do 32DD'S (if your still that now). My friend is a 32G and she gets all her bras/Swimwear from LaSenza. So I think they do them now :)

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  54. Hello, I work at Victoria's Secrets. I haven't been there a long time, but I do know this. There are people there that honestly care about you. The people I work with honestly try our best to help you, as do I. I will do the very best I can to help you find a bra that fits you right and provides comfort and support. I apologize that some of you have been having a hard time at VS finding a bra that fits. And I understand that we do not have a wide range of sizes. I feel especially awful about that. It's the worst feeling in the world having to tell one of my customers that we don't carry they're size. And when that happens I try to direct them to a store that can help them, or even recommend a sister size that could also suit their needs.
    I, by all means, do not know everything about bra fittings. But I am doing everything in my power to learn about how bras should fit properly, breast shapes, and the most comfortable bras. Our bra measurements are not perfect science, and that is what I tell people when I give them a size that seems less than correct. And then I direct them to our wardrobe center, and let them try on a few bra sizes, and talk to them about what problems they are having with each size and bra.
    I know not everyone at VS cares, and I work with people that don't. And that is terrible. We work for a company that is SUPPOSED to care about our customers! I did not write this to try to convince people that we are a perfect company, or to try to keep you coming Victoria's Secret. I wrote this to show everyone that SOME people at VS actually do care about you and your wants and needs, and I will always try to meet them.
    Thank you for posting this article, it was informative, and thank you for reading this.

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  55. It was interesting reading this. I've noticed bras in the catalogs give you the "umph" but when I try them on after a fitting, they do nothing for me and feel like I'm wearing a bra. The only way I get that effect is to wear a bra thats 2-3 sizes smaller that usual.
    I'm 17 and I've been for so many fittings and got so many different sizes I have don't what I am any more. In La Senza I'm a 30F/FF. A 28F in Freya. A 32E in Debenhams and a 30C in Marks and Spencers! (That wasn't even close to what people said before). I just measured myself (I think I've done it right) and used a bra calculator and it came out as a 30DD but I'm wearing a 30E now and I've got the four boob effect. My measurements were
    Under- 25
    Across Bust- 35
    above Bust- 29 (I've never been fitted above however)
    Does any one have any idea what I could be? And where I could get bras from in my size? I can't seem to find any and and that I find cost £35+ and I can't afford that. Even if I still might grow. I've grown out of so many bras this year.

    http://www.85b.org/bra_calc.php This might help some people (The calculator. If this is right to help girls/women)

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    1. Anonymous, it sounds like you should be wearing a 26 band. Check out this post: http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/10/how-to-measure-your-bra-size-correct.html and this one: http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2011/05/where-to-find-26-and-24-band-bras-and.html

      I would say you are maybe a 26G or 28FF, but you would need to try on those sizes to be certain, and of course different bra bands can fit slightly differently. You definitely shouldn't be in a 30 band or above, though! If you check out the second link, and consider ordering from Ewa Michalak, their bras are pretty affordable. You could also look on eBay for cheap, new 28FF's.

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  56. I am a bra specialist at Victoria's Secret. We all know that the bras on our models are mostly not correctly fitted, HOWEVER, VS does know how to find the perfect fit for our customers! Did you know the VS is paid to teach department stores around the world on how to do fittings? I don't know how many fittings I have corrected from my clients that come in saying they got fitted at a bra specialist store (like some mentioned above) and were given a size not even close to their perfect fit. To prove my point, go in to VS and get fitted with a BRA SPECIALIST. We know what were doing and make SO many women unbelievably happy with what we do for them every day.
    In regards to the price, you get what you pay for! VS has incredible technology going into the bras they make! The brand new 'fabulous' has a cream lining that extends over the entire cup. This cream moves to the places that the wearer's breast tissue does not fill for a perfect fit.

    TRY BEFORE YOU BUY! My last point is that different breasts fit bra styles differently. When receiving a fitting, your associate should have you try the bras that are especially made for your breast shape. This is why we don't have just one push-up, demi, and perfect coverage style!

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    1. Anonymous,

      I have no doubt that there may be some wonderful people working at Victoria's Secret, who really do care about fitting women correctly.

      However, the measuring instructions on VS's website are laughably incorrect- I wear a 26HH and the directions there would put me in a 32DD! I'm not even sure I could get that on, the cups would be so small. Also, if a store is going to be able to be able to do a good job on fitting women, they need to sell a reasonable size range, at least 28-40 bands and A-K cups.

      I have heard from way too many fuller-busted women who got measured by a "bra specialist" at VS, and the bra fit horribly. And because they thought they had seen an expert, they assumed the fitting had been done correctly and that there was something wrong with their body. This is horribly damaging to women's health and self esteem.

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  57. I would like to say, in response to anyone defending Victoria's Secret based on quality etc, that the #1 reason why I don't shop there is because they DO NOT CARRY MY SIZE. They do not even carry CLOSE to my size. As a store that brags about their "bra specialists" (see a comment above!) and being "the leading bra company in the US," they should offer sizes for more than 1 body type. I'm not whining about quality, comfort, etc, I am upset because they tell girls like me every day that we are freaks that need reductions. It feels terrible.

    Before I learned about my correct 28F size (after I had been improperly fitted as a 32D), I went to VS and asked for any pretty/printed bra they had in 32D. The lady looked me up and down, and said "Oh, honey. You look more like a B to me. Let's go measure you." which was completely condescending. Why would I ask for such a "ridiculous" size if I didn't need it? Anyway, I was measured as a 34B, which was just awful. Four boobs, band riding up, boob popping out underneath the band, uncovered aerolas, etc. When I showed the lady who fitted me, she said "looks cute! I'll bring that up to the register for you!" Even if this woman was just a bad example of VS customer service, this has happened every time I've shopped there. I think that the entire company is just hopelessly clueless and can't figure out that there's more than one body type. I will stop "badmouthing" Victoria's Secret as soon as they make bras for more than 10% of the population, or acknowledge the fact that bra sizing/fitting is NOT their forte.

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  58. I've been working at VS for a little over a year now and have found this article to be a little disheartening. I feel terrible for all of the women who aren't comfortable in their bra. I know for a fact that there is no worse feeling. When I was first hired, I honestly knew nothing about bras. I knew my bra size..but I didn't think that different bra styles made a difference. Also, what most people DON'T KNOW is that the measuring, is just a guideline! It's a starting point! Most girls I work with don't measure what they wear, I myself don't!. So when you get measured (or when you measure yourself) please try the bra on! You wouldn't buy shoes without trying them on first would you?
    Also, About VS's size range..at our store we carry up to 38DDD. I wish we carried more sizes as well, I personally don't know why the corporate company doesn't get larger sizes. In fact, one of my co-workers is a 32F and can't wear VS bras, yet she loves the company.
    I'm sorry you ladies have had an unpleasant experience at your local VS's...I can't vouch for every store in the world..but I know at our store..the customer is #1 and we do our best to get you the perfect fit.

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    1. You also need smaller sizes -- 28 and 30 bands are not freaks :(

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  59. I have an abnormally large rib cage (at my thinnest, it measures at 35" for my under-bust with ribs sticking out). Years ago, I was fitted at VS and the store clerk said I wore a 38" band! I tried on that band size and at the smallest setting, it was miles too big for me. In fact, I had two inches of ease between the band and my body and whenever I moved, the bra moved with me. Years later, I was fitted again at VS. Again, I got the 38" band result. I tried to tell the clerk that no, I am not that huge but she wouldn't hear of it. Again, I had too much ease and the new clerk finally agreed that my band size was a 36. I am living proof that sometimes you can't always go by the "add 2" or "add 4" inches rule. Sometimes, you have to try on different sizes and not always go by the measurements.

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  60. Nordstrom sales associates are better at fitting you. At Victoria's Secret, they put me in a 32A, but Nordstrom put me in a 32D. Guess which one didn't cause me pain.

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  61. I'm a 34DD and was NEVER able to put on a VS bra and wear it comfortably. I agree with you 100%.

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  62. I went to Victoria's Secret for a bra-fitting after having 2 kids. Upon measuring me under the bust at 28 inches, the salesgirl embarrassed me my loudly saying, "I'm sorry but we don't have any bras in size 28. We start at size 32." I had to swallow my embarrassment and point out to her that she needed to add 4 to the under bust measurement in order to get my band size! She gets paid to do bra-fitting for a living and I had to tell her how to do it? I left without buying anything and went straight to Nordstroms, who correctly measured me to be a size 32A--and they had a large selection of 32A bras to boot!

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    1. Unfortunately, you managed to find probably the only sales girl who knew how to fit and measure properly. If you measure 28, then you are a 28 band. The 'plus four' method is incorrect and outdated when using our modern stretchy fabric. I wrote a post about it here: http://sophiajenner.wordpress.com/2011/06/12/simply-ill-fitting/
      You are more likely to be a 28C, and by the way, Nordstroms do sell lots of bras in a 28 band - ask them to try one on, then decide for yourself.

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    2. I wouldn't be surprised if you actually belonged in a 30B-C or 28C-D

      BTW Nordstrom doesn't have 28 bands yet. They should by the end of the year.

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  63. VS fitters do NOT fit women form 28-30 ribcages or D+ cup sizes correctly. +4/5 does not work. Never has, never will on women with D+ cups (and 32+ band sizes). VS will put you into a sister of a sister of a sister of a sister size just to make the sale. The person above that talks about how VS gets paid to train other stores "was" correct years ago when women in the US didn't know about the +4/5 addition being wrong. And sadly, VS trained all these "professional" fitters to do it wrong. How do I know? I have worked for VS for 9 years. I regularly fitted women into the wrong size because we were trained to do such. After I went to the UK and got a proper fitting myself, I became aware of the correct techniques and started referring women to specialty shops around the area that could fit them into a proper bra.

    I still work for VS but I send a LOT of women that we don't carry size ranges for to a bra store right around the corner from us. As a matter of fact, that store's owner has already posted on this thread and I am sitting in her store replying right now as one of my customers from VS is being fitted here. I buy my bras from her as well. I am a 30G and if I had to buy a bra from VS I would be wearing a 36C, uncomfortably.

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  64. I'm a bit late to the party, but I wanted to chime in too. I was a diehard VS shopper for years and years before I knew my real size of 28FF (now 28G). I was never actually fitted there (because I was young and was way too shy to let a stranger look at me with no shirt) so I can't speak to the fitting service. However, I can say that during my transition period into the correct size, I had numerous salesgirls telling me I should try a sister size when the 32D was too small in the cups (at the time, their DD's started at 34, not 32 like today). If 32 had been my correct band size, that means they were ENCOURAGING me to go up in the band just so I could fit into the cups. How is that good advice? This even happened with STRAPLESS bras. Wouldn't it literally fall down if I went up in band size with no straps to hold it up?

    All that being said, I have to disagree with the complaints about VS's quality. I always had good luck with that aspect, even if the bras were a laughable fit. There are a couple of things I loved about their bras that I really wish big-bust brands would try...like laser-cut bands made of fabric (it eliminates back bulge and lasts longer than mesh); and straps that attach toward the center of the cup instead of way out to the sides, where it cuts into my armpit and slides off my narrow shoulders; I also have trouble with correctly-sized bras nowadays being too shallow in the base of the cup for my very globe-like breasts, but I never had that issue with VS; and WHY are there so few cotton content bras for big boobs??

    The worst experience I ever had with VS is actually their bikinis. Again, this was during my transition stage. They make some really cute and colorful bikinis. Knowing that I could never wear a string or otherwise "teeny" bikini, I went for halters with thick bands, and cups that touch in the middle instead of being spaced two or three inches apart. I also only tried ones that tied or looked like they could be altered in the back so that I could buy them in size XL (the biggest they come in). Yet even in XL, my boobs were falling out of the middle and the sides! It was laughable. If that's the "extra large," I'd hate to see how tiny the XS would be. AND if my actual size at the time was 28F, well that's a sister size to 34D or 36C—a pretty "average" size (especially in their size range). So basically their swimsuits are only designed for women with very, very small breasts, not even "average" ones.

    My problem is not with the bras themselves (well, except for the bikinis), but with the company's marketing. They make themselves out to be the world's leading bra authority (THE WORLD'S!!), yet they don't offer anywhere near a complete size range. Then it makes girls (like myself, when I was young) feel like freaks—if the bra authority doesn't work for me, then there must be something wrong with me. I also hate all their "we know sexy"-style slogans. I don't believe that a too-small bra that forces your boobs forward into a cleavage shape is "sexy."

    Lastly, I actually have a friend who sometimes works as a photo retoucher and HE HAS WORKED FOR VS CATALOGS!!! It was very exciting to get the inside scoop haha. He said most of the retouchers are just freelancers/temporary contracts and some of them are seriously terrible at it, which is why half the models look deformed or have completely unnatural cleavage.

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  65. Being an American, I am sad to say how much I have tried to defend this store. I love how the bras look. They're beautiful and in this country there is a huge stigma that goes along with getting these bras. Young women here view this as the mature step to getting a bra whereas a department store is cheap and juvenile.

    I believe few people on this continent know how a bra is meant to fit.

    I have been measured forever as a 32B. 32B. 32B. I believe i recently grew... went back.. 32B... I measure 27 beneath, 30 above, and 32.5-33 around my bust (unsure how tightly to pull this since the VS instructions are unclear).

    I was again measured as -- YOU GUESSED IT -- 32B. -_-"
    Wearing a 32B bra is horrendous. I feel like I'm falling forward and my breasts feel squished. This is how accurate the measuring system here works.

    The bra specialists who seemed to actually know what they're doing at VS put me in a D and it felt sooooooo much better and LOOKED so much better!

    Nordstroms told me I was a 30DD. Intimacy told me I was a 30D (probably really a 28 she said). They both gave me bras that were "very accurate and true to size" so now I do not know. The bras at intimacy looked wretched. They were unflattering, unlifting, and actually made me look smaller in size.

    I ended up recently buying a VS 32D bra anyway because it was the prettiest and made me feel the best. My breasts are much more comfortable. The band still needs some work though..




    I think that with the sex-Ed we go through in the 5th grade here, the girls should be taught basics of how a properly supported bra will fit. All of 7th grade requires "health" and high school requires another "health" course. Why can we learn about sex, drugs, diseases, body image, mental health, body shapes -- and not be taught about bras. I was never once told how bras are supposed to fit. Not once until looking at these blogs which are mostly not even written from people in my own country. It's rather sad. I hope to get good bras soon!

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    Replies
    1. honestly working at vs my best opinion is that you would be a 30DD. But the thing is it is almost impossible to find that size which is why they put you in a 32D. It is the sister size meaning the cups are the same but you will take 2 inches off the band. Honestly I have the same problem and I have looked and looked and it is almost impossible to find 30's anywhere that aren't "plain". So I wear 32's and put it on the middle hook and it works fine :) I hope this helps.

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  66. I am appalled at how badly fitted these VS bras are. I live in England and a VS store is going to open on Bond Street, London. Everyone is very excited but I'm not! I checked out their websites and the size range is rubbish! No cup sizes beyond DDD at all, which is awful considering a lot of women are larger than that.

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  67. Ok I just have to say something. I am an employee of Victorias secret and have been there for almost 2 years. I am a "bra specialist" and had to go through training to get there. I have read through some of your comments and I have to put my opinion down. I understand some of your concerns about this company but all in all it is a great company. They do have their ups and downs and I completely agree that they do not have a good enough size range... I have complained about this on a daily basis and trust me my main goal is to make sure the customer leaves happy.. NEVER do i wish that I had someone put in the wrong size bra just to make a sale and honestly QUITE often send people away with some future help though on how a bra should properly fit and what size would probably work for them. I feel sorry for the customers that have experienced this with this company cause I have always been passionate about it and I know at our store we would NEVER do this. Also the ads do have models wearing the bras WAY wrong and we joke about that all the time but when it comes down to it... there are alot of things nowadays that are photoshopped to get people to shop there and want that item.. Thats just become the normal so saying victorias secret is in all a bad company cause they do that is just silly. We have people who come in all the time saying "i want a bra thats gonna make me look like that" but then we educate them and show them how a bra is properly supposed to fit and they are amazed. Never do we, at my store at least, let someone leave without a proper fit and we always say to let one of us check it because we do know how its supposed to fit.. and we have people who come in all the time asking for us specifically. We can't all be perfect, and nor should you expect us to be. But when it comes down to it experience is the only way anyone would be good at anything. But all in all. Its an amazing company to work for and our bras are made of such a good quality that I will never wear a bra thats not from there. Our main goal is customer service and I at least would like to speak in behalf of the company and say that I would do whatever I could to make sure you knew what you should know, you left happy and with something that only I would be happy wearing... Not something to just simply make a sale :)

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  68. I understand where busty women would get frustrated with the fact that the "#1 bra company" doesn't carry their size. However, other places do. So go shop there. I love VS and its the only place I purchase my bras. They are cute and comfy and I will continue to purchase bras from there until the day I die(:

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  69. :o I shop at VS and own a couple of the above bras.... and they fit me mostly like they do the models, particularly that Secret Embrace up top. I love the band style and enclosed underwire, but maybe the reason I hate normal underwires so much is that they are digging into the side of my boob because the bra isn't big enough....

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  70. Victoria's Secret made me cry! I'm from the UK and I am a size 30F. I was in the US visiting relatives and went to VS as I had seen adverts for the bra in the top picture and really wanted to get one (I had assumed that because they talk about VS Angels and make a big deal of them being all busty that they must do large cup and small band sizes).

    First I looked through the bras on display but couldn't seem to find any larger cup sizes, then I was approached by a couple of friendly shop assistants who asked what my usual size was. I told them it was 30F and they replied that in that case US bra sizes must be totally different to UK ones as I couldn't possibly be a size like that in the US. They told me to try on a 34C and not knowing whether the sizes were completely different I agreed to. Of course it didn't fit at all, so they brought me some other bras to try in different sizes, but nothing remotely close to a 30F (I can sometimes wear a 32E/30FF/28FF/28G depending on the style). Nothing they had was even close to fitting me so it was a complete waste of time. I could have coped with this, if it wasn't for the horrible behaviour and attitude of the sales staff. When I told them that nothing fitted so unfortunately I wouldn't be buying them, one member of staff said something about my body being unnatural not normal in a really nasty bitchy way and then she rolled her eyes at the other member of staff who said something about how maybe in 'Europe' people are different and they both collapsed into giggles. It was the tone of how they said these things that was so awful and I can't really describe that in writing. I was made to feel like I was the biggest freak ever and basically deformed or people from Europe are all trolls or something. I felt so depressed and abnormal that when I got home I actually cried.

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    Replies
    1. That was a terrible experience. Those little snots should hear about how unprofessional they were from their Manager. Your well-written letter to VS headquarters and the store manager will no doubt pop their little eyes straight and put them squarely back in their empty little heads. No room for such idiocy - put them in their place, which their manager might decide is in the unemployment line. I know that sounds harsh because jobs are so hard to come by but, really, were these two showing appreciation for the jobs they have? Chin up and stay perky.

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  71. Quite amusing indeed!! I'm from Australia and averagely wear a 34DD/36D
    According to my measurements for VS I'm a 36B!!! Why oh why do retailers in particular insist on NOT stocking these sizes as it seems that more and more woman are having the same issues :-(

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  72. I went into VS and tried on a bunch of ill-fitting bras, modeling for the girl helping me choose styles to try. I pulled my shirt over the last one I put on and modeled it; she agreed it was the best of the bunch and wanted to wrap it up for me except that it was the one I wore into the store; no sale. My little Bali Lace n Smooth won out hands down. That bra is a 34C, my Wacoal is a 32DD, my Felinas and Jezebels are 32Ds. I have 30 bras in a variety of colors, styles and sizes and bought each one only after trying it on with a top over it that would show the bra's "talents" to best advantage. It's all about shopping and a three-panel mirror.

    I would really like to find more styles that offer lift and support WITHOUT the cleavage - a low front profile for a low neckline, just not all pushed together in the center - I like the option of shape with subtlety - my personal favorites are unlined because they offer shape and support without added bulk.

    A note to Anonymous from UK: don't ever let a jealous little snot treat you like that again.

    The manager of that store would probably like to hear about your experience.

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  73. I'll be honest, VS bras fit me quite well and I have always been satisfied with the quality of their products. I do realize though the range of their bra sizes is quite limited and that they tend to target tall, thin women, both for their lingerie and clothing. They also notorious for overdoing the photoshop on their models.

    The article fails to mention, however, that the breasts of the models themselves have been modified to appear much larger than they really are. If you look at pics of the models without photoshop, their cup sizes should only be in the B, C or D range, yet they always appear to be DD or DDD size.
    I find it ironic that while they models tend to attract women with larger breasts, the largest cup size they offer is DDD.

    As for the customer service issues, I have found the location makes a difference, which is problematic, especially for stores located in not so affluent areas. I don't know much about the training process involved for their bra specialists, but lack of courtesy is bad for any business. VS obviously needs to step-up on training and being careful who they hire (photoshop artists included).

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  74. I think VS is as successful as they are because of availability (number of stores). All bras fit differently (even if correctly sized) and truly need to be tried on. I should wear a 28E, but cannot find anywhere that carries that size for me to try them on. Once I ordered 6 different sizes (ranging from 28D to 30E) and just returned all the ones that didn't fit, but that is such a pain. I'd rather go to VS, use my $10 off coupon and get a 32DD that fits reasonably well. Department stores will only carry 34s or 32B or C if I'm lucky. Specialty stores seem to focus on larger sizes.

    I wish Bare Necessities still had brick & mortar stores.

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  75. I would just like to thank the woman who posted this blog as well as everyone who commented! I stumbled upon this by accident and now I feel like a whole new world opened up to me. I'm 18 now, and until a few years ago I figured I would always just be an A. Then I tried on a B and BAM - so much more comfortable. I recently switched to a C cup a few months ago (I guess they grew), which is still a weird concept for me because my boobs don't look like what we envision C cups to look like. I followed the link in this bra to find my real bra size - turns out I'm a 38 or 40D (band size is 39, bust is 44.) I didn't believe it at all because I always envisioned D cups to be HUGE - but my mom has large boobs and so she has a bunch of D's in her drawer. I tried them on and HOLY CRAP they fit amazing. They don't make my boobs spill out the sides and they don't make me feel fat. Thank you for helping me to realize that good fitting bras aren't actually supposed to squish your boobs together as portrayed in VS ads. I now know that according to a proper bra fitting, a D cup is more of the average bra size here in America as opposed to a B, which is what I always thought, and many women who think they are D's are probably more along the lines of an F. Now I have to tell my mom that she's wearing the wrong bra size! Which makes sense because she always complains about bras. I don't mean to be dramatic but this is truly amazing. I feel like helping every woman in America now! Thanks so much. Looking at the bras on Freya and how well they fit the models - I can't wait to get new bras woo!

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  76. Dear Brittany

    Thanks so much for your blog and for this post on Victoria's Secret in particular - I stumbled across your blog through this post when searching for different opinions on Victoria's Secret bras..

    So here's my story: I've never been professionally fitted but thought that I guessed my size correctly (my first bra - 34C - ordered from VS was, in fact, too small in the cup - so I started ordering 34D from their online store which fitted OK). I've been a 'diehard' fan of VS bras for the past 2.5 years thinking that this in fact was my true size. I really liked how the all these heavily padded bras would squish my boobs in the middle to give them an enormous cleavage.. I would also get a quad-boob effect under my T-shirts, but thought that's the way it has to be with all these push-up bras.

    I started wondering whether I was in fact 34 D for two different reasons: (1). An article I came across about Sofia Vergara who claimed she had a 32F size. At first, I didn't even believe that this size could in fact exist! (that's how unknowledgeable I was about bra sizes just about a month ago)... I thought to myself: my rib cage is surely smaller than Sofia's - how come I'm wearing a 34 then?? and.. do they even make F sizes - when the biggest size you can get from VS is DDD??? (*now, after being properly fitted, I actually think that Sofia might be a bit bigger in the cup - but probably didn't want to shock the unknowledgeable readers like me...after all, Christina Hendricks claims she's a 36DD!!!).

    (2) The second reason why I started looking elsewhere for bras was that my VS bra bands started losing elasticity very quickly... I.e. when first purchasing the bra, it would sit across the chest quite snug, but only after a couple of months I'd have to switch to the tightest hook...

    So that's how I found this wonderful blog and finally properly measured myself (with 30 inches under bust and 37 inches across the but, my true size is 30F). I opened the whole new world of beautiful bras, thanks to Thin & Curvy, and was amazed at the huge variety of bras offered in online stores (my favourite stores are herroom, brastop and figleaves - mostly because all of them ship to Australia).

    I still don't get though - why, why VS (or in fact so many other bra manufacturers whose products are available at big department stores) only cater for women with band size 32 and above? I am a 30 band girl - and believe me, I don't look tiny AT ALL. So many girls around me have smaller rib cages - and I'm sure most of them wear wrong bras... The image of what the bra size should be is so distorted that if I come to Myer or David Jones (major department stores in Australia) and ask for 8F (equivalent of 30F here), the sales people would say that this size does not exist - or laugh at me for thinking I have an F cup (as my boobs don't look huge - they don't even look that big)...

    So thanks to Brittany (and all the other bloggers who write on this topic) for educating women on bra sizes and body image. Hopefully bra manufacturers will finally expand their ranges - or we will forever have to stick to specialized stores or online shopping.

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  77. Honestly, I don't really understand where this article is coming from. I shop at VS religiously, and their bras not only last forever and stay in excellent condition, they fit me really well, even given that I'm somewhere between a 32 and 34A (I wear the 34 but can wear 32 on the widest clasp). They're so comfortable and flattering I really can't imagine wearing anything else. Also, what exactly makes you say that 34 is a large band size? I'm very slim with small breasts, and as I said, I'm a 34. I'm rather tall, though, so maybe on a short girl 34 would look much larger.

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    Replies
    1. This post doesn't really apply to you. You are the lucky small group that can fit into their bras. However, the majority can't. And I'm a 28 band size and Brittney is a 24/26. So for us, it does seem like a big band size. It doesn't mean you are fat, your ribcage is just bigger. And since you are taller, it looks more proportional on you.

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    2. You're supposed to start out on the widest clasp. As the bra gets older, it gets stretchier, and you can go to smaller clasps. I'd bet you'd fit a 32B or C, though.

      I used to wear 34A but it turns out I belong in 28D. I hate seeing this happen to other people.

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  78. Love this Blog!!!

    My size is 28G but I tend to wear 30G which seems easier to find. Honestly the only mainstream mall store that carries all sizes and are perfect in sizing is a store called myintimacy.com. Would say to only shop there when they have the 70%-90% off sale unless you happen to be rich because the sote is way too expensive to do normal shopping for a bra. Well it was fine before the economy got screwed, now just spending $100 on a bra is not worth it anymore. Another option I would suggest is ebay for bras and just keep bidding min to get the cheapest offer.

    Truly feel the pain for VS bra styles. Will admit I fell victim on the fashion trends and actually spend countless dollars on bras I actually know will never fit. Think VS wants women to buy bra for intimacy alone, and not practical bras for normal everyday wear. Now I treat the VS collection I bought just for that, date night with the husband, and my normal bras for real wear.

    Oh also be careful buying bras on ebay which is actually my preference because there is a new trend of fake 30G bras that are not sized correctly.


    Hope that helps.

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  79. Brittany, your blog has been instrumental in my bra-fitting epiphany! Thank you! I really enjoy reading your posts.

    I have not tried fitting any VS bras. They do not have a store here in my country. I have tried their bra size measuring method, though, and got a 34 band size (I measured 33.5 inches). My bust measurement is also a 33.5. So according to how they measure, I would be a 34AA. That is problematic because my underbust is measures 24 inches. I wonder why they measure women this way.

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  80. I can't tell you what a huge relief it was to find this post. I'm a 32G, and relatively tall. I wish I could shop at VS, but because of sizing, it's not in the cards. The last time I attempted to shop there , an associate approached me and asked if I wanted to know my bra size. I assumed she was going to measure me, as she had a tape measure around her neck. I said, "Sure," and asked if I should go to the fitting room. She said no, and informed me that I was a 38A. She just eyeballed me. And I was wearing a winter coat at the time. I walked out.

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  81. I don't really think they are advertising their bras to look as though they fit properly...they are advertising them to look like their breasts are amazing and that if you wear their bras, yours will too..its about sex appeal, not proper fit. And obviously the smaller fit bras will push up their boobs to make them more appealing. Sucks, but hey it sells.

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  82. You wrote an interesting post. However, all the pictures you've provided were shot for selling the product, not the fit. The models range from cup A-C, but in pictures they all look C,D. They are just squeezed into smaller size bras to make it visually more appealing. I think the fit depends on the bra model & individual body features. As a designer, I know no matter how perfect it looks on the dress form, it'll not fit the same way the real person. I have some VS which fit perfectly & I tried some, which didn't work at all.

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  83. Hi here,

    I couldn't agree with you guys more about VS. I was actually crazy over VS bras when I was in the US shopping for their bras and apparently they carry very nice, sexy designs of bras with very good fabric texture. I immediately fell in love with it and decided to go for a switch from my existing Triumph bras. But when I learn about what it means to get a real fit for bra, I'm one of the 80% of the women population who actually wears the wrong bra size.

    In contrast, I'm not that busty, in fact I'm small and the smallest available size in my country is always 32A and I thought that's the smallest size ever exists on earth. But it was very true that despite for my small bust, I was never fitted correctly. My country has the worst fitters ever on earth and I'm not kidding! Very poorly trained and they always opt for that plus 5 inches theory on band sizes. As usual, due to my small bust, push-ups are always the only option for me and whenever I go, I was forced to squeeze in that size. I always hope I can be a true 32A without push-up without thinking it's not my true size. When I got myself fitted in one of the VS stores in USA, again 32A and insisted I'm definitely a 32A. Seriously, I love the look of their bras and feel of fabric but their 32A is seriously too loose for me on the band. I've to hook onto the very last hook to get a tightly feel but yet it will tend to ride up and I can literally pull 2 inches off the bands!! What really upsets me is the quality of their bras, it was really bad. Their fabulous range cups are not even on the inside, I can feel lumps of foam within it even it's a push-ups! Worst of all is their sizing various too much even within a collection series. Their bombshell range is one of the worse push-ups I ever tried, it gives me a nipple show even I'm small bust.

    When I measured myself I realize I'm a 30B/C or even a 28D since my underband is 27" and overbust is at 31". Without a second thought, I return all my recent purchases from VS.com and get my right size on figleaves.com. I got to know that different manufacturers make bras differently and sizing is not fixed across all but because there's no 30B/C, not even a 28 band sizes here I don't have a choice but to do this myself at home by getting various bra sizes from different brands to try on. I'm awaiting for my very first right bra size and explore my journey in finding my perfect fit for my small bust. VS is totally out for me even their bras are pretty.

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  84. I hate when women complain about having large boobs. Coming from a girl with average if not below average boobs but with a heavier set body, I'd kill to be able to look like the Ellas model, and have such a beautiful bra. They don't make gorgeous bras like that for me. I'm stuck shopping at victoria's secret or jcpenny for bras with plain colors or leopard print. I hate leopard print, more then anything. I'd kill to be any of your sizes then stuck being average.

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  85. To the Anonymous poster on 6 January 2013. It is a pain to have large boobs. I'm short. I'm 5 foot even with boobs that are a D to DD cup depending on the brand and style of bra. I'd love to have boobs that were smaller. I would love to be a B cup. Heck, I'd be happy with a C cup. Hopefully, one day, I can get a reduction and lift and get rid of some of the fat off the side. Seriously, having large boobs aren't fun. They don't stay as perky. They start to sag at an earlier age (depending on the size). It's also hard to find decent bra's that actually lift and support them appropriately. My boobs are a little smaller than an average sized grapefruit. They get heavy and your shoulders have imprints from where your bra digs into your shoulders.

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  86. Hey, different stores tell me different things and different online calculators tell me different things so I need help. VS told me I was a 32C, La Senza told me I was a 36D, Marks and Spencers said I was a 34DD and XIXILI said I was a 32F and online calculators have said that I am different sizes too, ranging from 34B to 30G.
    My measurements are:
    29- ribcage and 36 - bust.
    Help would be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks.

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  87. Everyone knows they shove their models into smaller cup sizes for the sake of fuller-looking chests. It's not like this is news to anyone. To be honest (and I'm sure this isn't your intention) your article seems to only be targeted towards women who are overweight. No woman with a healthy BMI would be a 40F like the bras you advertise. Their 36D's fit me very well, I've had other places measure me to be the same size. A few bad sales associates that these people have encountered shouldn't represent the whole company. Yes, VS carries a limited number of sizes, but I don't see you complaining about department stores not carrying larger shoe sizes (I'm a 10 women's so I've had this problem) or Forever 21 and Abercrombie barely carrying sizes over 8. It's great that you list the options for larger-chested women, but I have yet to hear of a company carrying all sizes from skinny to obese, aside from Walmart. It's just not cost effective. So this seriously comes off as an unfairly biased attack on a very successful company.

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    Replies
    1. Hi, I'm going to protest this as I am 5'6" and wear a size 28FF. She wasn't only advertising for people in a 40F, but anyone with a larger chest size (and in fact, even though my measurements are so ~*~crazy sounding~*~ my chest is not large), and actually most of these brands also sell bras for people with smaller rib cages and busts that are D/DD+. I won't even go into whether people who are 40F have unhealthy BMIs, as I have absolutely no personal experience with that.

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  88. I don't agree with the article at all. I bought my first bra at Victoria's Secret a while ago and it's definitely my favorite bra. It's so comfortable and gives me a great cleavage that other bras couldn't provide without looking fake. Comments here are saying that the store fitting generally fitted them as a smaller size, but in my case the lady said I was a cup bigger.

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  89. I know this is an old post but I've seen the comments and there is still a discussion so I thought I might put my 2 cents in.
    I have a big bust and I could NEVER find good bras that fit. I'm from Portugal and we have a bunch of stores that have only carried sizes 32-A to 38-C or something like this for a long long time. And it makes me laugh that now they advertise bigger cups and go all the way to a D. Oh, and nowhere ever is anyone going to fit you here. They just ask your size and bring you bras or even worse, try to guess sizes.
    Anyway, a few years back I went to live in US for a year and I found VS. I can say that for the first time in my life I had 3 bras that fit. I wore them all the time and simply tossed the ones I had brought from home. Unfortunately, I didn't live near a VS store and the bras were a little expensive and I couldn't buy any more before I left. I now gained some weight and probably could never fit in one of their bras, but still, I had good bras for a while and they fitted.
    Recently I found and on-line shop that sells brands that I do know (and have used before, when I was smaller) with bigger sizes so I order some bras. They don't fit 100%, but it's the best I have.
    They're now having a sale for affinitas parfait (and that's how I came to this blog) and I decided to get a bigger cup size and see what happens. I really hope they fit well because I'm so tired of this bra odyssey that is my life!

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  90. True, however this in my opinion only applies to those with a certain body tipe plus the alternatives you showed are only probable for big breasted women.
    I have a rather smaller cup size and I have to say Victoria Secret bras are by far my favorites. I find they fit me perfectly in every sense and are worth every penny. :)

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  91. I have to agree...just went to VS today and was surprised that a lot of their bras START at a 34 band size...I have a 27" ribcage and should be wearing a 32B but they didn't have that so the girl suggested trying a 34A- did not fit at all and the cups were obviously too small even though technically they should be about the same as a 32B. 34B fit much better and luckily I'm small enough that I don't really need support so a band a bit big isn't a huge deal. But common...your bras should at the very least start at 32...that is not a freakishly small band size by any means

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  92. 90% of you people are absolute morons. For one thing height varies from location to location. So men and women may be taller in one country or state versus another. I hope to god you people aren't adults, because that's just embarrassing. Second, VS models mostly don't have big boobs. You can take Candice swanopeol as an example. She looks very different in the VS photoshoots compared to artistic nude photos she's done. And for all you people complaining about how reading this made you feel fat.... You probably are. Like some famous comedian said: you don't need measurements and ratios and a scale to tell you if you're fat... All you need to do is look in a mirror. I don't care if you're fat, that's fine, be as fat or as not fat as you want, just don't hurt yourself. But what one could do instead of complaining about it, is maybe do something about it: like working out. Or not eating ridiculous amounts of food. Like crying into a bowl of ice cream your eating probably won't solve your body issues. Effing take charge, ya bunch of wusses. And to the woman who wrote this thing: love that you're trying to raise awareness. Shame people are too dumb to focus on the thesis... Or be able to recognize that there is one. The only thing that VS is selling is: Sexy, not healthiness. Every guy who sees it loves that the girls boobs are pushed up. Every girl who sees it thinks it's hot also and wants to recreate it. It's too bad that people think they're trying to sell anything else.

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  93. Of course, the bras and sizes that you show "better examples" all stop at 40 or under. I wear a 42 - and many other girls wear higher than that. So, even your examples are restrictive. I was excited when I found this article, because the advertising makes me sick that VS promotes that only pretty and model-like girls deserve to shop there. You have to be skinny and tall to fit into their items. I love the Pink line, but it's apparently only for the television stereotypical sorority girl who wears a size 2 and walks around half-naked in front of other size 2's in the shower - I don't see any reason why this line couldn't be made in plus size also (even if they hid the plus size version of it online like Old Navy does so, gasp, not too many fat people will come into their stores and "fatten" up their image :P). The fact is - like you've mentioned, they don't want fat people in their stores. They don't want curvy girls in their stores. However, may we have some examples next time of some plus-size widths also? I was thrilled that you had posted some larger bras in cup sizes that I could wear, but, per usual, I wouldn't fit in anything under a 42, so I'm excluded once again.

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  94. I was hoping that there would be some examples of some plus-size bras not limited to 40 inch band width. I wear a 42 and was excited to see you posted examples of sexy bras in larger cup sizes, and, yep, excluded once again. I too cannot stand the advertising the VS promotes - basically, telling the public that only gorgeous, tall, and stick-thin people are allowed in their stores and products. (Not to mention how badly I feel about myself if I even try to go look at the non-clothing products while the security guards are guarding the VS girls only and drooling all over the counters). It's a simple message - they don't want fat girls in their stores. I love the Pink line, and I don't see any logistical reason why this line couldn't be made into a plus-size line. VS could even hide it online only like Old Navy does, because (gasp!) once again - we wouldn't want fat people muddying up the stores. VS could lend their purported authority in quality bras to helping curvy girls and plus-sized girls, but it's a club in which most don't belong nor are invited. The Pink line is my biggest problem, because it's so cute and comfortable - and I would love to wear those items. Apparently, you can only be a stereotypically television super tall sorority girl in a size 2 who walks around the showers and common restrooms half-naked to wear this line also - VS excludes so many, and that is actually their selling point. I detest their company and the number VS does on the self esteem of the majority of women. Next time, may we have some examples of pretty bras over 38's and 40's please? Thanks for writing the article!

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  95. I was hoping that there would be some examples of some plus-size bras not limited to 40 inch band width. I wear a 42 and was excited to see you posted examples of sexy bras in larger cup sizes, and, yep, excluded once again. I too cannot stand the advertising the VS promotes - basically, telling the public that only gorgeous, tall, and stick-thin people are allowed in their stores and products. (Not to mention how badly I feel about myself if I even try to go look at the non-clothing products while the security guards are guarding the VS girls only and drooling all over the counters). It's a simple message - they don't want fat girls in their stores. I love the Pink line, and I don't see any logistical reason why this line couldn't be made into a plus-size line. VS could even hide it online only like Old Navy does, because (gasp!) once again - we wouldn't want fat people muddying up the stores. VS could lend their purported authority in quality bras to helping curvy girls and plus-sized girls, but it's a club in which most don't belong nor are invited. The Pink line is my biggest problem, because it's so cute and comfortable - and I would love to wear those items. Apparently, you can only be a stereotypically television super tall sorority girl in a size 2 who walks around the showers and common restrooms half-naked to wear this line also - VS excludes so many, and that is actually their selling point. I detest their company and the number VS does on the self esteem of the majority of women. Next time, may we have some examples of pretty bras over 38's and 40's please? Thanks for writing the article!

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  96. Ah, I wish you had spoken toward thick and curvy also...my random thoughts regardless if you ever decide to cover it:

    I was hoping that there would be some examples of some plus-size bras not limited to 40 inch band width. I wear a 42 and was excited to see you posted examples of sexy bras in larger cup sizes, and, yep, excluded once again. I too cannot stand the advertising the VS promotes - basically, telling the public that only gorgeous, tall, and stick-thin people are allowed in their stores and products. (Not to mention how badly I feel about myself if I even try to go look at the non-clothing products while the security guards are guarding the VS girls only and drooling all over the counters). It's a simple message - they don't want fat girls in their stores. I love the Pink line, and I don't see any logistical reason why this line couldn't be made into a plus-size line. VS could even hide it online only like Old Navy does, because (gasp!) once again - we wouldn't want fat people muddying up the stores. VS could lend their purported authority in quality bras to helping curvy girls and plus-sized girls, but it's a club in which most don't belong nor are invited. The Pink line is my biggest problem, because it's so cute and comfortable - and I would love to wear those items. Apparently, you can only be a stereotypically television super tall sorority girl in a size 2 who walks around the showers and common restrooms half-naked to wear this line also - VS excludes so many, and that is actually their selling point. I detest their company and the number VS does on the self esteem of the majority of women. Next time, may we have some examples of pretty bras over 38's and 40's please if you decide to actually talk about the group that is COMPLETELY excluded from VS? Thanks for writing the article!

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  97. Thank you!!! I have been disappointed with VS for years. I am a 28D. I usually make do with a 30D but Victoria Secret only makes 32 at the smallest!!! So frustrating. Especially because the "sexy" appeal of VS seems it would attract small framed girls with boob jobs so I don't think my size is that abnormal. (No I haven't had a boob job) Whenever I ask for a fitting, they try to tell me I'm a 34B or something ridiculous. I take the tape measure and say to them my cage is 27 inches how am I a 34?!? They just look stupefied after that. also VS does not make bikinis in the same size they make their bras. When I do buy VS I get a 32C (which does not fit well) but they don't even make that in bikinis!!!! What is up with that! I think after reading this article I have officially decided to STOP buying VS and start buying from a company that will fit my size!

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  98. I have to comment on this: Look at the pictures you have posted above. All of the VS bras have low center gores, all of the other ones - don't. Now, here's my problem. I can't wear high center gores, I get wounds. And of course, good bras don't make that many low center gore bras, at least not in my annoying size! Oh, the frustration. It annoys me how they always need to have higher gores and balconette-styles for everything.

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  99. I work for VS and we are all trained to know that bras shouldn't fit how you have pointed them out. We don't sell them to costumers fitting like that and we don't buy them fitting us like that either. It could be because the VS models don't really have the "ideal size breasts" that society wants to see so they manipulate the models' bodies. Granted, we also understand that VS cab run smaller.

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  100. I'm 5'4" weighing 126.. I feel that's a very high number for me... I'd like to have the flat toned stomachs,legs, and arms like the VS models... But anyway for some reason even though I weigh so much I am a size 30B at VS.. For years I'd been buying the cheap target bras in a 32A... I was surprised after measuring myself and ordering my first VS bra which fit me PERFECTLY. I no longer had to pull the bra in as far as it could go it just fit! I got the wear everywhere pushup and it has a nice lift while being so comfortable it's like wearing a sports bra! I went into the store a while after just to see if by chance they sold 30 bands in store.. When I told the lady working there she told me there was no way I was 30 and that shed given girls smaller than me a size 32 and she insisted on measuring me..i was so embarrassed... she did so and measure exactly a 32... but i was wearing a big bulky sweatshirt... It was the only time I'd been treated poorly in the store... It reminded me of whenever I go into the store The Garage they always force clothes on you while your in the dressing room... they also always give me sizes 3-5 times bigger than I actually am... And I'll walk out of the room drowning in a size 7-11 pant....

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  101. According to the way VS says to measure your bust, I am a 30D....a size they don't even carry. I'm very petite and small busted so it's hard to find a nice fitting bra.

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  102. Omg this is so true! I mean I love VS, their perfumes are awesome but I had terrible trouble with their sizing. My band is 30 and my bust is 34 meaning I'm a 30D (34-30=4 amd 4=D). 30D works fine for me with any other bra because that's the correct way to measure your bust size but at VS I was so confused, it took me half an hour before I found ONE bra that actually fit me. SMH VS.

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  103. Well, I think that everyone complains about photoshop but really the key to them looking great is the small bras. So maybe instead of critiquing them for not fitting bras correctly you should think about the advertising and the market. Plus the models that you have may be wearing correctly sized bras but there is far less cleavage and they VS ones look way better. Plus you say a range of sizes yet you start at D. That's not fair to small breasted people. And it kinda sounds like your just putting down VS to market your bras. So before you critique them on their marketing techniques think about your own. And I work at VS and they do have professional bra fittings. Not trying to be rude just my opinion. Thanks for your time and the bras do look nice!

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  104. LOL. VS used to be my favorite brand, but ever since I found out about Panache I never went back to VS.
    The ones I wore were 32As and 34AAs, suggested by the "specialists." Of course I believed them, they are the fitters, right? I have small breasts, and those were the smallest bras in store. The cups were gaping yet the underbust felt very tight (and that's because the band was riding up!!)
    Well, I found out that I should be wearing 28C/D, and Panache Cleo bras fit like magic. No more empty spaces in the cups, no more underwire discomforts. So based on my personal experience, I completely disagree with the comment above that VS is great for small breasts because it is not. Funny how a person like me who have very small breasts can find a bra that fits from the company that starts from D but not from the one that starts at AA. Just one more proof that the letter D does not equal big.

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  105. As per the way VS says to measure your bust, I am a 30d....a size they don't even convey. I'm extremely petite and minor busted so its elusive a fantastic fitting bra.

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  106. Hi,
    It's a shame that people try to squeeze themselves into improper fitting bras. Do yourself a favour, go get measured at a real lingerie shop. There are many more brands of bras out there other than VS which are far prettier, more supportive, and about the same price if you find them online. I'm a 32 K (yes a K) and I used to wear the wrong band size and cup before I knew better

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  107. I went online before reading this and checked my bra size (just to see if my size was right. It is, by the way). I put in my measurements, and it told me I was a B... I'm a D so uh. No?

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  108. the measurement's i entered at the victoria's secret's website told me i was a 32B, and I tried it and it was WRONG. HOWEVER, they had fitting people there the day I went and she measured me and said I was a 32D. she gave me a C and D to try on to be sure and found that yes, I was a 32D and it fit really well! it's possible that us folks at home aren't measuring correctly, even though we think we are, and highly likely that in the magazines they want the boobs to spill out of the bra's as a way to look 'sexier' in the bra. when mine did that at the fitting i was told the bra was too small...and bc of their magazines i thought it fit! so yes, the magazines are misleading, but the bras fit fine when sized properly

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  109. I don't get what yo're saying about 34 being a large band size. I'm 5'6", weight about 107, and wear a 1 or 3 in juniors-sized jeans, a 1 or 2 in women's dress pants, and a 2, possibly a 4 in dresses, but I generally wear a size 34A bra. I'm pretty sure 34 is either a fairly average band size or on the small side. I have very small boobs. The only bras that fit me satisfyingly at VS are the "Very Sexy" push-up in 34A and the "Body by Victoria" demi bra in 32A because it has more stretch than most of their other bras. I wish I could find a 34AA in some styles. I agree that VS is terrible with measuring for bra size though. I was told I'm a 30C or D. Are you kidding me? The saleslady pulled the measuring tape too tight above my bust to be getting an accurate read, and measured me with a padded bra on and didn't seem to account for that. I just don't get what they tell me. I took what she said with a grain of salt and went with A-cups anyway because I know there's no way I'm a C-cup.

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    Replies
    1. The vast majority of women wear cup sizes that are too small and band sizes too big. There's a very good chance you're much smaller than a 34. I always thought I was a 36D but I got sized recently through A Bra That Fits on Reddit (http://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/) and found out I'm actually a 32G. Believe me, I'm fairly well-endowed, but by no means very big-busted. Like most people who find out their true bra size I was shocked - but once I got an actual 32G on it was like night and day. My bust looks better than it ever did in 36D VS pushup, and it's not even a pushup bra. It's about a billion times more comfortable too. A 30D is not as big as you might think... here are what women in properly-fitted 30D bras look like... http://www.brabandproject.com/gallery/search?band=30&cup=D&age=&brand=&sister_sizes=0&search=Search

      I doubt Victoria's Secret is on the money with your fitting but if you were to properly fit yourself I would bet you really are like a 28-30 D or beyond. The 34A has probably been "fitting" you because the too-large band compensates somewhat for the small cups, so your breast tissue just goes elsewhere - your armpits, back, maybe spills over the top or bottom a bit. Many women who thought they were 34A or 36A or what not turn out to be.

      Delete
  110. I suggest each an everyone of you do some research. VS was started as a company for men to buy their women bras. I think this is still the case! You might have to pay a little more but get fitted by a reputable lingerie boutique in your area to see the difference!

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  111. I don't understand all the hate for VS. All my bras are from there and I am very happy with them and with all their products.

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  112. I actually disagree. I've never shopped in VS, but the comments about the photoshopping apply to most bra stores. Bra's never fit in adds like VS, because they use smaller cups to make the breast look bigger. A lot of the girls are A/B cups in VS, but they wear a lot of padding and weirdly fitting bras to look bigger.

    Also, a 34 band is pretty small. A 34inch bust (which /is/ the circumference of your ribcage) is a US size 4, UK size 6. size 6 is the smallest size in most shops in the UK, and it's considered little.
    VS do have weird sizing, but saying a 34inch bust is overweight is mean and a lie.

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    Replies
    1. Of course most bra stores use photoshop. This post was never about "photoshop is bad!" or anything like that; it was about that VS isn't a good place to go for an accurate fitting, like many American women think it is. Also, I never said that a 34" bust was overweight. A well fitting 34 band (ie, a 34" ribcage) *is* rare in women who are not overweight according to BMI standards. A woman who had a 34" ribcage would roughly have a 30-34" waist, which would make her a size 12-16 in American sizing.

      Delete
    2. I think you're getting confused between ribcage/underbust measurement (measured directly under your boobs) and bust measurement (around your back and the fullest part of your boobs). Bust measurement is what is included on clothing sizing charts. A size 4 has a 34" bust (I can confirm this, as I am a size 2 or 4 and have a 34" bust). However, if your bust is 34", your ribcage is likely much smaller. Mine is 27". I wear a 28F. Saying that a 34" rib cage is over weight is ridiculous though... Some people just have wide ribcages. But most people of a healthy weight will fall into the 26-32 range as far as the actual measurement goes.

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  113. VS sucks! according to them I am a 36A ---- not so, I am actually a 30C, so I always have to go to a specialty bra store TIP: it may fit tightly at first but usually after one wash you're good.

    I find VS is great at body shaming. They are telling me, someone who wears petite sizes, that I am a 36. They told my mom, a size 6 in clothing, though she is quite busty, that she would have to go to a plus size store for a bra and she cried! My poor mum wanted to be an actor/dancer when she was young and was told she was too hefty at auditions because of her breasts and then she goes into VS and tell a perfectly healthy active woman she is plus size. CRUEL and RUDE.

    Btw my mum is actually a 32/34F. Far from plus size. SCREW VS AND THEIR BODY SHAMING

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  114. AMEN! Thank you for posting a realistic view of bras and how they should fit proper! BTW - anyone in England reading this should visit Bravissimo for a fitting - they're awesome!

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  115. Honestly I'm a 32 or even 30 band but DDD to E. Depending ranges of bra size differences of brands. when I measured the way they wanted to measure it, it came out as 34AA! COMPLETELY WRONG

    Although I wish that's my size. I hate being a big E for a small ribcage band... >:( finding bras in that size is bloody expensive. I can't wait for breast reduction when I'll finally be in my 20's. Which is 3 painful years from now...

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  116. Anonymous said on May 3, 2012 at 4:13 PM
    "The Victoria's Secret models are only 5'9-5'10 that is almost an average hight for a woman." Perhaps for a women that's a Victoria's Secret model. Not globally. At 20 years 95% of girls are less than 69 inches (about 174 cm).

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  117. Well, I thought it was just me, so I kinda feel better now that I know those don't even fit models lol Also, I totally loved Frankie Bra by Freya, so I think that's next on my shopping list. Thank you so much or posting this!

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  118. Some comments here are silly and mean. I personally have many VS bras and buying more. My size there is 34A. I'm 36 years old with a nice pair of boobs looking like teen. VS has a fine sexy romantic and sometimes laid back young design, attending a certain public that wears more cleavage. It's, in general, not made for aged professional ladies wearing on their office days.

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    1. No offense, but if you think the people who have problems with Victoria secret are older women who don't want cleavage, you're making really insulting false assumptions.( And you're also demonstrating a lack of knowledge of this subject.)
      This isn't about looking modest at the office.
      It's about finding a bra that fits, that doesn't cause discomfort or pain, and about enabling women( especially young girls), to not feel ashamed of their bodies, and to know that there isn't something wrong with them if victoria secret doesn't stock their size.
      Shame on you for trivializing their problems.
      A 36 year old adult should know better.

      Delete
  119. Can someone help me figure out my size? Underbust 24.5 Bust 32.5

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  120. Okay I hate the fact that they dont cater to plus size women. You know that plus size women want to shop there to right. Like come on guys learn a little and start catering to everyone not just sizes 0-8

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