Looking back at my relationship with bras, one memory that’s cemented in my mind is watching my friends go into New Look to buy a “Me-to-You” teddy-themed bra (which now feels like quite a rogue choice) and knowing that nothing on those rails would ever work for me. From my early teenage years, I was aware that my bra size wasn’t the most accessible. While my friends could go to high street stores and raid the rails until their hearts were content, I was pushed aside to more specialised shops aka the only places that stocked my fuller size.
I was measured once (though I barely remember it), and then, for the next decade, I’d just make vague guesses at my size and watch the cup letter creep further up the alphabet. Growing up amid the era of the boob job boom, big breasts were considered the ultimate prize, and I felt lucky to have them without the price tag. But it didn’t take long to realise that, while people’s boobs were getting bigger, the bra options available to me weren’t.
Throughout my twenties, I’d wait for the reliable bra websites to launch their seasonal sales and stock up on an assortment of styles in a range of sizes that might (hopefully) fit for a fraction of their ever-growing price tags. Over the years, high street brands began to cotton on to the idea that women come in more shapes than an A-D cup and created sister sizes at more reasonable prices. Still, my underwear collection resulted in a mix of odd colours, questionable patterns, and an array of sizes, none of which actually fit properly.
I put on my beloved Curvy Kate bra and then a beautiful Reformation top over it, only to notice a telltale bulge of breast escaping from the top of the full-cup.
As I approach my thirties, I’ve made it my mission to level up my wardrobe. I want to say goodbye to the high street T-shirts and basic jeans and swap them for higher quality pieces that will last. One morning, I put on my beloved Curvy Kate bra and then a beautiful Reformation top over it, only to notice a telltale bulge of breast escaping from the top of the full-cup bra. I’d spent good money on that top, and it was being ruined because I couldn’t be bothered to buy a bra that actually fit. That’s when the mission truly began.
When I started looking into fitting options, I quickly realised the problem: a large proportion of stores don’t stock my size in person. I’d have to order bras into the store before even trying them on, and with fuller-bust bras often priced at £40 and above, my credit card wasn’t thrilled about that idea. The guessing game I was playing with my boobs had to stop. So I turned to my most trusted resource: TikTok. (I know, I know, eye roll). It turns out, measuring yourself is much easier than it looks. Armed with a tape measure I’d won from a Christmas cracker years ago, I took my measurements. The band size first in inches, and then measuring around the fuller part of the bust, using the Bravissimo size calculator to find my true fit. I was shocked – I’d been wearing a 32F and now I’m a 30GG.
Image Source: Layla Faruque
At first, I wasn’t convinced I’d done it right, but I started looking online at my options anyway. I went to the usual culprits and found what I’d always found: expensive full-coverage bras with more fabric in one cup than that viral Poster Girl dress from a few years ago. Refusing to capitulate, I dove even deeper into my search, training my algorithm to bring me the best options. The styles got better, but the prices did not.
That’s when I discovered that good old M&S had vastly expanded its size range, offering a large selection of small-band, large-cup sizes in its own-brand collection for around £20–£22, roughly half the price of the alternatives. I decided to test it out. I ordered three bras (full coverage to start, because TikTok had taught me that for balconette and plunge styles, you might need to size up if you’re fuller-busted), each in two sizes: the one I’d measured and one cup smaller, just in case my DIY skills had failed me.
Getting remeasured felt less like a revelation and more like a reset; a quick, easy way to invest in feeling good every single day.
When the bras arrived, my boobs practically sighed with relief; it felt similar to taking off high-waisted jeans after a long day. My trusty Christmas cracker tape measure was right. The size I’d worked out online fit perfectly, and I felt great. No more worrying about boob or underarm bulging. No more straps slipping off my shoulders.
“Your bra size can change more often than you might think. When your body changes due to life events such as pregnancy or weight gain or loss, your boobs can change too. That’s why we suggest popping into M&S for a BraFit every six to twelve months,” says Soozie Jenkinson, Head of Lingerie Design at M&S. “It’s such a simple way to make sure your bra fits perfectly and supports you as it should. When you’re wearing the right size, your bra should feel as comfortable at the end of the day as when you first put it on.”
It turns out, finding a bra that actually fits really does revolutionise your life. My clothes fit better, my shoulders don’t ache as much, and overall, I just feel more confident and put together.
“A bra fit is such a confidence-boosting experience, whether it’s your first or your fiftieth,” adds Jenkinson. While M&S has a 2,000 strong team of BraFit experts to help, there is also a super handy How to Measure Bra Size online if TikTok doesn’t serve you the way it did me.
Getting remeasured felt less like a revelation and more like a reset; a quick, easy way to invest in feeling good every single day. Something I’d been putting off for years was sorted in just fifteen minutes and one online order. Now to remember to measure again next year to keep the good vibes going . . .
Layla Faruque is a UK-based beauty and wellness writer with a focus on skin-care technology, ingredient innovation, and at-home treatments. She’s passionate about demystifying beauty trends and helping readers navigate the ever-growing world of skin care with confidence.
