Best Places for a Bra Fitting in the UK

What makes a fitting good

Before comparing shops, it helps to know what you are looking for. Research at the University of Portsmouth found that fitting by tape measure and the traditional formula was unreliable, and recommended assessing fit on the body using professional criteria. The best fitters work that way.

A good fitting usually involves:

• Fitting by eye and by feel. The fitter looks at how a bra sits: the band, the cups, the centre panel, the wires and the straps. A tape measure may be used to choose a first bra to try, and should not have the last word.
• Several sizes and styles. You should try a few bras, with the fitter adjusting the size and shape in response to what they see.
• An explanation. You should come away knowing why a size works, so you can judge bras for yourself afterwards.
• The full size range. A shop can only fit you into what it stocks. If you are near the edge of its range, you may be eased into the closest size it sells.
• No pressure to buy.

The main options compared

Marks & Spencer

M&S is where a large share of the country buys its bras, and its fitting service is free and available in most larger stores. Appointments can be booked online, and M&S also has an online bra fit tool. For someone in the middle of the size range who wants an affordable everyday bra, it is the most convenient option there is.

Reports from customers are mixed, as you would expect from a service delivered by thousands of staff. A recurring complaint in online discussions is being fitted into a band that is too loose. Go in knowing the fit checks and you will be able to tell. Our M&S bra sizing guide covers the service in more detail.

John Lewis

John Lewis stocks a spread of brands, which gives a fitter more shapes to draw on than a single-brand shop. Its service has included separate appointment types for general fittings, first bras, maternity and post-surgery fittings, which makes it a sensible choice at those points in life. Our first bra fitting guide and nursing bra calculator will help you prepare for either. Book ahead, as appointments at busy branches fill up.

Bravissimo

Bravissimo sells only to D cups and above, and its ranges run to much larger cups than the high street carries. Its fitters are known for fitting by eye, without a tape measure. If you have ever been told a shop "doesn't go up to your size", this is the most widely available specialist. It will not suit you if you wear an A, B or C cup.

Rigby & Peller

Rigby & Peller is a long-established luxury lingerie retailer with a reputation for experienced fitters who assess by eye. Expect an unhurried appointment and premium brands, at prices to match. It is worth considering for a special purchase or if you have struggled elsewhere, less so for stocking up on everyday bras.

Independent lingerie shops

Good independents are often the best fitters of all. Many owners have decades of experience, stock brands and sizes that chains do not, and are used to fitting after surgery, during pregnancy, or for hard-to-find sizes such as small bands with large cups. The difficulty is that quality varies and there is no register. Look for recent reviews that mention the fitting itself, and ask which size range the shop stocks before you travel.

Individual guides: John Lewis bra fitting service and Bravissimo sizes and fitting. High-street lingerie chains such as Boux Avenue also fit in store.

Virtual fittings

Several retailers have offered fittings by video call. They are useful if you live far from a good shop or prefer to stay at home. A virtual fitter can see how a bra sits on you through the camera, but cannot feel band tension, so you will be asked to do more of the checking yourself. Have a tape measure, a couple of your current bras and a mirror ready.

How to get the most from any fitting

1. Measure yourself first. Know your starting size before you go. If the fitter suggests something very different, you can ask why.
2. Say what you want the bra for, and mention anything that bothers you about your current ones.
3. Ask to try the neighbouring sizes. A cup up, a cup down and the sister size.
4. Check the fit yourself. Take the fitting checklist with you.
5. Notice the method. If the size you are given comes from adding inches to your underbust, be cautious. Here is why that method misleads.
6. Do not buy a bra that fails the checks because it was the nearest size in stock.

Signs of a poor fitting

• You are measured over your clothes or a padded bra, given a size, and left to it.
• You are only offered one size.
• The band you are sold rides up at the back, or only feels secure on the tightest hook.
• Your concerns about comfort are dismissed.
• You are told a size "doesn't exist" when the shop simply does not stock it.

If that happens, the fault is with the fitting. Try somewhere else, or work through how a bra should fit on your own.

Frequently asked questions

Are bra fittings free in the UK?

At the main high-street and department-store retailers and at most specialist shops, yes, and there is normally no obligation to buy. Confirm when you book, particularly with boutiques and independent fitters.

Do I have to undress for a bra fitting?

You will normally be asked to try bras on in a private fitting room, with the fitter checking the fit once the bra is on. You can ask the fitter to step out while you change, and you can decline to be touched or measured. A good fitter will work with whatever you are comfortable with.

Why did two shops give me two different sizes?

Because fitters use different methods and each shop fits you into its own brands, which are cut differently. Some fitters still add inches to the underbust measurement, which gives a bigger band and a smaller cup. Judge each fitting by how the bra sits on you.

How often should I be fitted?

About once a year, and whenever your body changes: pregnancy, breastfeeding, a change in weight, menopause, or surgery.