Fitting Challenge: ID Lingeri

I would like to give my 2 cents on  ”fitting challenges” – I will let myself be fitted at the various lingerie stores around here, to see if it is indeed impossible to find a good fitter.
The first will be “ID lingeri”: A single store located in the center of Roskilde. The appeal is that they stock several brands, for example Marie Jo (up to EU I-cup/UK G-cup) and Fantasie (Up to UK K-cup/EU O-cup).
I didn’t go there as part of a fitting challenge, I went there a while ago to see if it was possible for me to not have to order all my bras online. So, I come in, wearing my 80H (EU 80K/UK 36H) Ewa Michalak, with a band so loose I can take it off my head, so I ask if they have any 75L’s (UK 34HH). The answer is “Umm, can I take a quick measurement of you?”. She measured me loosely to 90cm (~35.5”) over my clothes, which seems reasonable, as at the time I normally measured myself at about 85cm (~33.5). But she then says:
“You definitely need at least an 85band (38band)”
“Really? Because this 80band (36band) is pretty big on me, and I usually wear 75(34)”
“Well, they can differ a bit between brands…”
^Yes, true, so why didn’t she ask what brands I usually wear? Instead she gives me an 85F (UK 38E) from Marie Jo. So, 2 band sizes up from what I asked for, and 4 cup sizes down? Really?
I struggle a bit to get it on, because the cups are so darn small: I keep sliding out of them when trying to close the band. The fitter asks me if I am done, and I say I am struggling a bit, to which she say “Yes, I figured you probably needed a bigger band”. That’s not the issue, lady!
When she finally sees the result, she agrees that it’s definitely not a good fit (hardly covering my nips, so I’ll say I agree!) She then calls in the whole team to examine “the problem” (=my breasts), trying to estimate how wrong the size is (only the cup, mind you, no one ever looks in the band). In comes the heavy armory, the only H-cup (UK FF-cup) in store, I assume (seeing as they didn’t offer me any others, even though they had stated earlier that size could apparently differ up to 4 cups depending on brand). Still sporting the four-breasted look, it was clear to the whole team that it wouldn’t work. What was their verdict? “We could order a 95H (UK 42FF) for you. The cups will be bigger on that one” Uhmmmm, what? Yes, true, that would sister-size us up to the cup size I asked for in the first place, but surely they must realize I am not an 95band? They have seen me in both 80 and 85, and I’ve told them I would like a 75.
I ask if they could order bigger cup sizes too, seeing as they have Fantasie, who do have the size I asked for. They respond no, they only do up to H in their store.
At this point, I am not a happy bunny. In fact, I am on the verge of tears. Bra fitting means a lot to me, and to most it can be a pretty private and intimidating thing. These ladies made me feel like a fraud, by not listening to a single thing I said (literally ignored my requests to look at the band). They made me feel like a freak, by having the whole team fussing over me, and refusing to even order bigger cup-sizes (I can understand if it is a problem to order from a whole new brand, but they already stocked Fantasie!). And yes, they made me feel very fat, by refusing to even let me try something as “ridiculous” as a 75, and pretty much insisting that a bad fit, must be because my body is too large.
So, to sum up: Bad experience for the costumer, bad at checking fit and caring more to make a sale than to find the right size. 0/10 to ID Lingeri!  

If anyone would like to share fitting experiences like this, or unlike this one, please do! :)

(Next week: Biubiu review! I was away when the parcel arrived, so I haven't had a chance to look at it before today, and I leave again the day after tomorrow, so I have to be quick to snap pictures, take notes on fit, and return what I don't need, and then I'll write the review when I am back home next week)

My first Biubiu order!

I've seen many good reviews of Biubiu, namely from June , Georgina and Brittany .
I've held back a bit though, and in this time, they have updated their page, and more and more reviews have praised them, so I took the plunge! I was a bit unsure of what size to go for, as I don't really fall square in the middle for either the bust or waist, and because my lower belly and hips come up much, much larger than the suggested measurement on the size chart. I wrote to Biubiu on facebook, and they suggested that I should go for 44BBB, and suggested the Paris or Ponti dress as more bottom-friendly choices. Since then, I can see that they have added a description to a lot of their tops and dresses whether they have extra room for the bottom half. Whether this is because of my inquiry or not, I am really pleased that Biubiu listens so much to what we customers look for! :D
I really really wanted the green Ponti dress, as I also prefer a bit of a sleeve, but unfortunately it was sold out in my size :( If I have succes with this order, I will probably order it if/when they restock it!
My order ended up being:

Paris Noir: Only now do I see that it comes in gray, my favorite color to wear! I added this one to my order last minute (past last minute, actually, had to cancel my first order which I had already payed, causing a little bit of a mix up, but Kinga emailed me, and we got it sorted)

Toscana Azure: If someone had told me to describe my dream casual T-shirt, I would probably have described this one, so I am stoked about this one!

Fado Lazure and Orange: Thrilled about these too! I am hesitant of sleeveless, but my biggest problem with them are the huge armholes, which this one doesn't have, so I think it could be a success! Also, looking forward to see how cleavage-y it will be on me, to see what occasions it will be appropriate for...

Fuego Violet: There are pro's and con's for this shirt: The good side is that I love the shape of the neckline and I need long sleeves. The negatives are that I would have preferred it in the Raspberry, I have a peeve about violet and lilac colors: I think at some point those were always on sale, and I now associate them cheap stuff, so I really hope it will feel high-quality when I get it! And, also, it was sold out in 44BBB, so I'll give it a shot in 42BBB. My underbust probably fits the 42, but I fear nothing else does! So, I really hope it will impress me when I get it :)

So, these are what I hope to receive just before my vacation! Which means, I won't get to review this before I get back either, so sorry for already going on a hiatus!

How to find your bra size

First up, you have to know that it is just a starting point. Bras and breasts can vary a lot, so nothing beats trying it on. However, it is very good to have a starting point, as many of us have to order online, and it can also help to figure if a fitter is way off. So here goes:

Measure under your bust, all the way up in your breast crease, and make sure to keep it parallel all the way around. Measure this snugly.

Lean forward, so all your breast tissue is gathered. Measure across the fullest part of your bust in a straight line all the way around your body (so this is higher on your back than the under bust measurement)

Now you have 2 measurements. They need to be in inches. If you measured in centimeters, divide by 2.54.

 Subtract the two measurements as so:

Bust – under bust = cup size

If there is 1” difference = A, 2”=B, 3”=C, 4”=D etc.

For UK sizes, it looks as so:

It is just a starting point, so it is a bit of a moot point to discuss what to do with uneven numbers. Most who have a bit of extra padding on their ribs, and a heavy bust, will get better support by rounding down, and most skinny girls, with more exposed ribs, prefer to size up in the band. Generally, if you round down for the band (say, you measured 33, but went for a 32) you probably need to round up in the cup (so if you measured  37.5, you should go for a DD), or visa versa:

If you try a bra, and the band is too loose, you need to pick it’s sister size: that means going diagonal in the chart, as shown with colors.. If the loose-band bra was 34D, you need 32DD to get the same cup volume on a smaller band.

This is explained here and here, too.

^That means that it doesn't make much sense when people say things like "DD's are huge!" because a 28DD is the same size as a 36A for example.

Now, go out and get some bras in your estimated size, and follow these tips by Brastop!
Remember, you must always "scoop and swoop", or determining the fit is utterly meaningless. I cannot stress the importance of this enough.
Check here, here and here. 

“But wait! I am not in the UK!”

Convert cups:

Convert bands:

^You may notice that EU centimeter mesurements do not match up with UK inch-measurements (for example, 75cm is less than 30", yet a 75 band is 34", like the 34band) This is why it is so important to get a band that matches your measurement in inches, rather than cm!

I hope this can be of help :) If you have any questions or need advice, feel free to make a comment, and I'll answer you! :D