If you’re like me, you’re a woman who has searched her entire life for the best fitting bra.

Well, maybe not your entire life, but certainly since you started buying your own bras, not the training bras your Mama bought you.

My old collection of Vicki’s bras.

I know that you’ve probably been inundated with the ThirdLove bra ads on social media. I know that I have. So, I gave them a try. Keep reading below to see what I think of that brand.

When I was a younger me, I had decent sized breasts. Manageable size, if you will. Now that I’m a mom, the myth that your breasts reduce in size has been busted! My boobs seem to have a mind of their own (shockingly) and have increased in size with each pregnancy. I am now a 32I. How do I know this? I got a proper bra fitting.

I used to love Victoria’s Secret. I would go into the store and try on all of the beautiful bras in all the colors of the rainbow and their matching panties. I had a VS credit account. I spent a lot of my husband’s hard earned money at Vicki’s. So when I found out what was actually going on there, I was heartbroken!

Vicki’s secret is that she convinces us all that she has the size bras we need. We aren’t all D’s, Double D’s, or DDD’s. Vicki used to tell me I was a 40DDD because that was the “sister size” of what I actually was. Because my breasts were bigger than their bras, they insisted I was a 40” band size, and a DDD cup size. Not. Even. Close.

So, I wore bras that didn’t fit me. FOR YEARS. This caused so many issues. Bras that don’t fit can create divots/dents in your shoulders where the straps ride at the top. The straps slip. The band rides up the back. The cups need constant adjusting creating an issue where boobs fall out the top AND bottom of the bra. This causes pain in the back, neck, and shoulders. It can cause damage to your delicate breast tissues.

An ill-fitting bra can even cause headaches, chafing, and so much more! Just ask a chiropractor. My chiro says that most of my back pain and misalignment is a poorly fitting bra.

After a workout, with my super supportive Panache bra.

So what is a woman to do?

Find a real bra store. Google “bra store near me” and discard any Victoria’s Secrets immediately (unless, of course, you are a size C or smaller). I typically look for a boutique bra store. Oftentimes, the store will be within an hour’s drive and I gotta tell ya, it’s totally worth the gas money. Gather your gal pals and make a day of it!

Most of these types of stores take reservations and walk-ins. I usually make a reservation and let them know ahead of time what size I normally wear so that they can let me know if they have any in stock. My local store even has bra sizing parties. Bring a group of ladies and they will provide wine and cheese and all of the beautiful, lacy, delicate bras you can imagine!

My first experience with this type of store was amazing. I just walked in and because I live in Minnesota, I was wearing a huge parka. The saleslady asked what size bra I was wearing and I told her a 40DDD. She was exasperated. She looked me right in the eyes – while unrolling her measuring tape – and said, “You are not a 40DDD! I can tell by looking at you that you’re nowhere near that size!”

She promptly ushered me into a dressing room and instructed me in proper measurements. I removed my coat and shirt and she proceeded in measuring my band size by placing the measuring tape snugly around the top of my rib cage right under my breasts. Next, she measured at the top of my breasts – again with a snug measuring tape.

For a proper fit:
The center front gore on the bra should fit snugly against your rib cage between your breasts, also known as the breastbone.
The bra should fit snugly on the first hook and eye closure.
As the bra ages and gets stretchy, you should move the hook closer to the end so that it continues to hold you in.
There should be no overflow on the cups (that look that creates four boobs – the upper boob and lower boob), and there should be no overflow on the sides of the cups under your arms.
The band should not ride up your back.
The underwire should not poke you.
There should be no back bulges.
I was shocked to discover that at the time of my first fitting I was a 34G – not the 40DDD that I was previously told. I have fluctuated in my weight since then (8 years ago) and now I’m a 32I sometimes a 32H depending on the style of bra.

Here’s a good link to see more about how to measure.

Now, a really good bra boutique will carry brands like Chantelle, Freya, Panache, Wacoal, and Fantasie.

Freya Tootsie

These are my absolute favorite brands for your lovely lady lumps. They carry small and larger sizes in beautiful bras. I find that European brands are the best bras. They are more expensive but remember, you get what you pay for. If you’re looking for supportive bras that don’t hurt you and your breasts, you will pay a little bit more than Vic’s prices.

I think the most expensive bra I have ever bought was $88 and it was from Fantasie. It was worth every damn penny, too. I no longer have divots on my shoulders and I never had to adjust myself in public. My straps stay where I put them and my boobs have never looked better! My breasts are now firmly and lovingly hoisted between my shoulders and elbows.

One important thing to remember is that once you get fitted and find out the proper size, you can always head on over to Amazon and buy what you like. Sometimes I get good deals there. I usually always buy my sports bras there.

Another good point is that once you’re fitted for a bra and get the right size, you can also purchase swimsuits that are supportive for your girls from some of these same bra brands. My favorite swimsuit ever is this one with this additional top and these bottoms.

Panache is my go-to for running bras. The support I get is unparalleled. Some of my larger breasted pals who run have to double and triple up on their Target running bras. But, I do not. I wear a Panache sports bra and my breasts are cradled in the most comfortable way. I don’t worry about the “black eye” as we sometimes joke about when we run. I don’t worry that I’m injuring my breast tissue and I am always “locked and loaded”. The best part? I feel confident and I get that workout in without worrying about whether or not my boob will flop out.

I think my overall favorite bra for everyday wear is the Fantasie tee shirt bra.

But I also love this Chantelle bra for when I’m wearing a shirt that isn’t tee shirt material.

Panache sports bra.

Bra Ownership Pointers
Just a reminder that bras should only last you about 6 -8 months. And wash them! You must hand wash your bras in cold water to keep them in rotation up to 8 months.
Don’t wear the same bra every day (though I’m guilty of this as well!) because letting it “rest” for a day in between wears allows the elastic to bounce back so as to afford you better support the next time you wear it.
Keep 6-7 bras in your wardrobe. Different bras work for different tops. We all know that.
The softer cup bras (not molded ones like at Vicki’s) are so much better for you. They allow your breast tissue to be better supported and you’re not trying to fit your unique breasts into molds.
Every breast is different, after all! Even the two you have are different from each other.
ThirdLove Bra Review
I would like to point out that I have tried those ThirdLove bras. I ordered a 34H like they instructed me after I filled out their questionnaire. It only took a few days to get the bras I ordered and I honestly was excited to try them. The prices were right in my budget and I was interested to see how they fit. Boy, was I not really surprised to find out that their bras are not designed for larger breasts. They say they are but they’re not. There is little to no support for heavy boobs. They felt very stretchy and not at all high quality and they do not fit closely to the breastbone in the center front gore. Even their video ads on Facebook show improper fitting bras on their models.

So, I wasn’t completely shocked when their bras weren’t fitting me either. If you have smaller boobies, then they probably ARE comfortable for you. You’re the chicks who can wear bralettes without a bra on underneath while I am not brave enough to go out with just a bralette. My boobs don’t need to be at my belly button. My grading on ThirdLove would be a 5 star for service as they were quick to respond to my questions and request for return. And a 1 star for their bras. They just aren’t for us breastly-blessed ladies.

I hope I’ve given you some good ideas for wonderful bras that will be great for your big boobs! It’s my goal in life to tell all my big breasted friends about these amazing bras and how we no longer have to be in pain!

If you have any questions, hit me up! This is a topic I am so passionate about and I hope that I have helped you here.

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