How Do You Measure Up?

OK, So today I did something I have never done. I went and got a professional bra measuring/fitting service. Its shocking that this is something I have never done before, given the fact that I have lost so much weight since last year and was quite obviously wearing the wrong sized bras. It has always been guess work when it came to choosing a bra. I would guess the cup size and just judge it by eye so decided that now was the time to get a "proper" measuring. After doing a bit of research online it seemed that BHS and Debenhams seemed to be the best judging by the reviews. After visiting BHS and being told there was no "fitter" available for 3 hours! (pointless) I decided to give M&S a go. I didn't have to wait to be seen and the lady that dealt with me was really good. There was no embarrassment or awkwardness at all.

I was measured around the under bust area to be given my back size and then informed that they no longer measure your cups as its just not accurate so basically it simply came down to someone else judging my size by eye and a lot of trial and error, trying on different bras. Yes the lady was very helpful, but it seemed she was more like a personal shopper and I could have quite as easy managed to get a good fitting bra myself by trying lots of different sizes on. (Because that's all I actually did!)

It was nice to get some advice but it all proved to be somewhat pointless as I was told that I could go into Debenhams after for a fitting and be given a completely different size as much like a dress or pair of jeans each size comes up different dependent on the shop/brand its from. So basically I had stood in a dressing room for half an hour trying on bras, found out my size which unless I purchased a bra from M&S actually wouldn't be my size elsewhere. Which did in fact ring true as I purchased 2 bras elsewhere which were both a cup size bigger.

I was also given some fairly drab and dreary things to try on which made me feel quite ancient. I'm 29 for gods sake!! But was being offered some very elderly woman looking, lacy, camel coloured horrors that were in this woman's opinion, their "Best Sellers" .. Why should I wear the bra that looks like it belongs on a 90 year old just because I have a large bust? Needless to say the bra I purchased afterwards was "SHOCKING PINK!"

I am glad I went and got measured finally but I can't say I got much out of it. Have you been measured? Do you find you differ from shop to shop?