Booby trap

I love my boobs, but they are not exactly the most beautiful pair in the world. My recent request on twitter for suggestions of bra manufacturers in the UK that make padded bras with backs over a size 40 sort of fell on deaf ears. The thing is that some fat women have big boobs that can be strapped into unpadded bravisimo style 3 section mega cups and still look nice, big and round. Then there are those of us who have squishy boobs that don't have enough firmness to look or feel right in that kind of bra. I find it so hard to find nice bras that fit me. I don't have particularly big boobs in comparison to the size of my body, and they're not in anyway firm or round.... they're insanely soft and flipity floppy! I also have a super wide back (46 inches to be specific) so when it comes to bras I nearly always need a 42 back. I cannot even begin to tell you the amount of times I heard the old 'size down on the back and up on the cup' speech, but that's no good if you can't even get a 40 done up over your massive back and the bigger cup size stabs you in the armpit! Let me explain....

My boobs are very separated, they are saggy, pointy, soft and start inwards of my armpits. My back is massive! Basically I need a band that will not cut into my flesh beyond what is obviously inevitable (because of the thick layer of fat I have!) and a cup that has enough space for my long boobs to be contained in, but not so wide that the underwire reaches my armpits. I am (generally, although obviously some manufacturers have odd sizing) a 42DD in non-padded bras and padded plunge bras but a 42E in most padded balconette styles.

I'm 32 years old and there are some things in life that I know to be true. My boobs arrived when I was about 9 years old and I've been wearing bras since around that time... I know my body well, and I know what size bra I need. Trust that I know my body better than anybody else.

The problem with my wide back / average cup size is that it's a chore to find bras. M&S seem to have completely given up on making 42 backs, and nearly all the bras for 'curvy girls' stop at a 40 back. My boobs are too soft for most unpadded bras. I like them for bedroom use because see-through and soft bras are pretty, but under clothes my boobs need proper padding (moulding is not the same as padding by the way, they just flatten my boobs and push them under my armpits!) because I like them to be like a shelf.... lifted up, pushed together, propelled forward with a round and smooth shape. Too much to ask? Apparently so, because with the exception of a hand full of Ann Summers bras the only place I've found affordable & well fitting padded bras in a 42DD/E is George. Thank goodness for George frankly, because I'd be wearing some seriously shit bras without them! I ordered a ton of bras to try and I've found some that I'm really happy with. I'll run through my whole order in case any of you find it helpful. All bras were 42DD / 42E and I got both sizes wherever stock was available.

This bra is pretty, but it was like a minimiser on me and completely flattened my boobs. In terms of fit it was perfect on the back and the underwire, but the cup itself is too shallow for my liking!

This is such an odd bra... the cup comes up really high but the shape is still flattening. Fine on the back though.

Gutted about this bra for a few reasons. The first is that I could only get it in a DD (which turned out to be a bit too small in this), the back was massive compared to the other 42 backs (must be the fabric), and although it is slightly longline in the picture, the big version is not at all longline. I would re-order this in a 40E if it were is stock though, because it is so pretty! A non-padded sexy bra, designed to be looked at!

Something I've learnt from this order... these kind of plunge shaped t-shirt bras do not work on my boobs. they flatten them and push them out to the sides. Would be much better on ladies who's boobs meet in the middle!

 I really only ordered this because it's black! I reminds me of the big-cup bras and I wasn't keen. The cups felt a bit loose too.

This un-padded bra is so cute, it's quite sheer and sexy. The back is a good fit, but it was only available in a DD and it's too small for me in this style. Nice bra though!

I'm sad to say that this is the worst bra I've ever tried from George. It's completely deformed and makes odd lumps where there are none. It's just very badly made. Shame, even thought it's non-padded, the bright colours would have sold it to me!

This is one of the three bras I'm keeping. It's more black in real life, and I desperately need a black bra! This seems to be as close as I'm gonna get right now, so despite the fact that it's non-padded and it isn't a shelf bra, the fit (42E) is really nice, so it's a keeper!

 This bra is lovely. It's padded, pretty, and is well on the way to being a shelf bra! The 42E is a great fit on me and I'm very happy with it!

Full on shelf bra! Yey! Love love love this one. It's more like a semi-balconette in real life, and less like the plunge look in this image. 42E for the win. It actually has lace all around the top of the cup, which seems to have been cut off of this image.