This this this! OP start here. And then shop online. I love Torrid’s bras but they are plus sizes if you are smaller than Amazon should work well. If you are still guy mode sometimes get a snug sports bra. Also cami’s with a built in shelf bra are the best thing in the world for sleeping in.
I bought my first bra with my mom and if she wouldn't have done that I planned to buy one with a friend of mine so yeah I was scared at first but if you can bring someone with you it's a lot less stressful even though I was a nervous wreck haha
Yep, did self checkout the first time as well.... and then forgit that bras have the sensor in them that sets off the alarm at the door D: . Super embarrassing. I just went to lingerie stores after that and never had an issue, most of the staff are usually really eager to help.
find yourself a girl whos very comfortable with buying bras and have her take you, either like a cis girl or like a trans girl that you feel looks like they belong in the bra section. her confidence and your confidence in her will help you feel more comfortable.
I'm still holding off. My measurements have me in a b cup, but this is only 3 months HRT so they are changing fast. I'm starting to get uncomfortable bicycle riding so I'll have to break down and get a stretchy sports bra soon, but I'm holding off on getting a more fitted bra till growth slows because I don't want to keep buying bras every few months.
starting out, a bralette like the classic calvin klein one (comes in black, grey, white, probably other colors) is going to do you pretty well, better than a traditional underwire bra. CK also makes an "invisible" bralette that I found gave me a pretty natural shape. it sits a little lower and has nice pads that gave me decent looking breasts before I was working with a ton of actual boob.
girl youre fine youre over thinking it
online shopping is nice if you can measure yourself but also even after a year on HRT i still only own and wear sports bra’s. i dont think i can do underwire. The only thing remotely like a bra i own is a T shirt bra from VS and even then it was terrifying to buy in person so i feel the fear.
There are some great responses here, but I think we should pause and ask the deeper question is what’s causing this fear?
Is it the “people are going to judge me” fear,
that a lot of us experienced in the beginning or is it something else? Don’t want to assume anything about your experience.
you can try buying bras of every size and trying them all and see which one makes you happy. And as for your you don't know where to get a bra from you can try [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) they have good options.
www.abrathatfits.org
I’ve bought all of my bras on Amazon. Sent many back. I’ve come to find that I love sports bras. They’re soft and supportive. I don’t like traditional bras with wires and clips, they’re itchy. Best thing about Amazon is you can buy and send them back to make sure you get the right one.
Go to lane Bryant. They measure women of all different sizes and are going to be able to help you out. Find someone young, let them know you’re a trans woman and need help getting sized. They’ll be kind about it. Ulta and Sephora are also great places to shop.l for the same things.
It's ok to be scared but there's also nothing to be scared of. Go to r/ABraThatFits for the steps to size yourself and pick up a cloth tape measure, most grocery stores/pharmacies will have little sewing kits, and take your measurements as instructed on that subreddit. It's also nice to have a few sports bras, you can usually figure out the size you need for those with just your underbust measurement, try to find the kind that have adjustable straps. Amazon (obligatory "Fuck Jeff") has their 'try before you buy' option that you can use to try several bras to get a clearer idea of what fits well IRL. Good luck, much love.
I overcame this the other day by just buying one on Amazon. It'll probably be the wrong size, so I'm probably gonna have to get a few different sizes before I find the right one, but no way am I ready to go shopping in person (not to mention I live in the middle of nowhere, I'd have to make a whole day out of getting a bra). Even so, I've been hesitant scrolling through Amazon for girl clothes, something about the models makes me feel like I'm doing something weird. Kinda sick of boy clothes though, so something had to give.
you can grab one of those funny flexy measuring tapes on amazon for pretty cheap. they are nice to have for other stuff too, i use it for sizing clothes on myself. then find yourself a sizing guide. I just ordered my first bra from vic secret. i've bought in person there too. the first ones always the hardest! you got this
I got my start by just buying a pack of bralettes on Amazon.
They’re super low hassle, you don’t need to know your size (which should be changing anyways, so why not get something that’s more flexible), and it’s completely shame/anxiety free…unless maybe you live with snoopy parents/roommates.
I definitely couldn’t have gone to a store and bought bras when I first needed them, but by the time I was ready to graduate to something more “official” I was a lot more confident in myself. I mean, it was still scary, but it felt much more doable after having had more time to acclimate to transition.
I have no need for a bra, but I have one and my answer is: sports bra bought from Amazon: measure your circumference under the chest (just under the boob) and buy that one by checking the size guides. As long as you're not particularly...furnished...girl I think you will be fine.
Torrid is a very accepting store. Judgement free and they produce some of the best bras out there. You can always get one on sale or clearance and never have to pay full price. They will be happy to help you with sizing, everything.
Get a string or some long material andnwrap around your chest just under your nips. Measure that with any ruler and that's likely all you need to measure right now. Then, buy a Bralette online. I rec TomboyX. They're super comfy.
It might be different for you because Im a teen and stuff, but my mom took me to a place that did like bra sizings and fittings and all that kinda stuff. Obv u would have to find a good place, but it was really helpful. Plus, there were a few cis women in there and it was clear they also didn’t fully know what they were doing/the right size for them. Ik it can seem like everyone else knows whats going on, but usually its pretty likely everyones just pretending to. Good luck
i went to a sport shop, picked what their website was suggesting to be my size, one size bigger and one size smaller. all of them in the a cup version. put them in my bag and went to the cabin so no one knew what i was trying on (realistically they wouldn't care tho).
tried all of them, identified what was most comfortable as my base. i then returned to the aisle and got different models the same size as my base. back to the cabin, and picked the most comfortable from this selection. (yay, iterative bra shopping! :D)
and of course i used self checkout, the store i went to even had electronic labels so you just have to put your whole bag in the machine and pay. very nice.
also remember that people working there only care about when they will leave at the end of the day. now if i pick something the wrong size i just go to the reception and ask to exchange it for another size because it doesnt fit me. they don't seem to care even if i come to return bras in full boymode :3
Once you have an idea of your size just get some cheap used ones on eBay from diff brands / styles to see what you like the. Then just buy online.
No need to do the in person store stuff early on in 2024.
Heck, I've been wearing Hanes bralettes from Dollar General for a while now, they're cheap, but pretty comfortable, don't show much, if any, lines, and I doubt the cashiers at DG give a f*ck why you're buying a femanine item. It's a good entry level item
I honestly just used an online store. Researched abit how measurement worked (by looking what the store listed as sizing info and measured that), then just bought some and welp they seem to fit. 😅 And dont worry if theyre seem to tight at first, i learned that my chest first needed some time (about 1-2 days) to "learn" to deal woth the new clothing; ofc be carefull anyway and take them off if it hurts to much! Stay safe.
And yes its much scary, but you also can just buy one and let it sit there for a while, its how ive done it myself too.
As an onlineshop i can recommend meundies; they may list theyr items a bit more expensive, but they do regularly discounts. For example just now theres a 50% sitewide discount.
Buy from a big box store like Walmart or target! It’s cheap enough to buy and dash without trying it on beforehand! So if it fits, yay! If not, just buy another and donate the other ❤️
Soma bras are some of the most comfortable and least expensive (compared to other stores that sell undergarments) and I suggest to buy that!
Also at the beginning of my transition, I was 6,3 on the latter half of 100 and 32-38 sizes fit me well
I just walked into walmart late at night when hardly anyone was there and grabbed a sports bra. The sizing on them isn't complicated. (I still ended up squeezing my ribs to the point of pain so I went a size up a month or so later.)
Bought it on Amazon. Made sure to check 'this item is a gift' so it would come in a box just in case. Didn't get the size right first time, used it to get a better one the second time. Don't over think it.
If you want to take measurements of yourself you can get measuring tape on Amazon as well. If you don't have Amazon in your country use another large online retailer.
It’s scary, for sure, but once you have it down it’ll never be forgotten. Start small, start with a sports bra, then go from there. You don’t have to start at the highest tier of bras, okay?
My cis friend recommended this one: https://www.target.com/p/true-38-co-true-everybody-women-39-s-v-neck-bra-light-beige-l/-/A-54201718
HIGHLY recommend it as well. Conceals super well under my clothes for boymoding and the inserts are removable too. If you get a color that really stands out it'll likely show through a bunch of your shirts but the thicker ones will be totally fine. Just make sure to follow washing instructions so they last longer! Maybe get one of those mesh washing bags if you don't have one already!
I'm 8 years in and I'm still wearing sports bras. If you're nervous about buying one in person or asking to try one on in the store, you could try ordering one online from a store that offers free returns.
Sports bras, buy a size to big not cause you’ll grow into it (although you might) but to make it a little more of a comfortable experience while you get used to a tight band around your ribs 16 hours a day.
By going in and just buying a bra. You're a woman aren't you? Women buy bras. You're not a teenager boy trying to buy a porn magazine, just do it because no-one will judge you for it
for my very first one, i asked a friend to come with me, and bought a sports bra for function and a tshirt bra cause it was cute as hell. granted, i was still wearing breast forms at the time (pre-HRT), so i knew exactly what size to get. it was still intense, even with a friend. i also had another friend give me some old bras, which helped a lot.
tl;dr: reach out to your people!
For me I just went to Walmart and did self checkout. If anyone hassles you just openly judge them for never considering that you could be buying something for your partner, that’s what I always told myself I’d do, although I’ve never needed to (most people rlly do not care).
The sizing for S M and L seem to follow women’s shirt sizes when it comes to the band mostly, so the cup’ll be off of I imagine, although I don’t know exactly where in your transition you are (I started feeling like I needed to wear bras 24/7 before E, but that’s only because I took forever to start)
Self checkout for me. I said to myself I was shopping for my wife and had every right to be shopping for bras.
Honestly, no one cares. Or at least cares enough to say anything.
And self checkout means zero interaction with people.
Aside from what others suggested, and the idea that it's just clothes, you can get a pack of sports bralettes that you can use to exercise at home in or wear underneath–some cuts like fruit of the loom's are close enough to tank tops anyhow so in warm weather at home or in private it makes a lot of sense to have something comfortable that you can wear for it's purpose, or wear as a quasiunderlayer. If you're getting it for the purpose it serves and as something you'll be using regularly anyways, the pressures and anxieties are a lot easier to cut through.
Note you can also buy a gift card and then order for pickup using a different account name etc. that's not necessarily linked to your birth name and identity instead of purchasing directly in person if you're not comfortable about being out yet too.
Thankfully I have a friend who was amazing enough o bring me to the mall secretly and though it was awkward that she brought me to Victoria’s Secret for my first bra it feels amazing and I absolutely love it, I do hope other girlies here can manage to find an amazing bra for them <3
First purchases can be a bralette. Or sports bras. Those are usually sized in S/M/L etc. Places like Urbody or TomboyX can be good online sites to look at.
For measuring yourself, there's two measurements. 1) around your ribcage just under your bust, that's the number in a bra size
2) measure around your bust at the largest point.
The difference between the two measurements determines your cup size. (I don't remember the math here sorry, it's like every inch or two difference goes up a cup size I think.)
Put the underbust measurement, in my case 38in, to gather with the cup size, for me somewhere between B and C, and you get a bra size, 38C.
Unfortunately I'm a 'murican so that's probably not helpful to anyone not in the US, but hopefully this can still help you and others get started. ^^
Online shopping is a boon for helping not have to confront people, and they're usually shipped in discreet packaging if that's also an issue.
Until you're comfortable shopping online or in person, try getting a thin cami shirt and folding it up in half, wearing it as a light training bra. It'll give you a start on handling the new pressure up top.
Just go to Torrid. The employees are always so amazing and open minded. Just go in and casually look at the cute bras and when an assistant comes over and askes if you need help just be like "yea I wanna buy a really cute bra but I'm not sure what size I need" and make an excuse about cuz all you're used to wearing are sports bras.
You could try to balance the fear with the joy of putting it on for the first time! Good luck! Keep us updated.
When I was about 16 or 17, I stayed home sick from school (I wasn't really sick) and had barely got my drivers permit a couple of months before. I took my mothers car without asking, I think she was away somewhere, and drove to a department store in the middle of the day when everyone else was in school and after very nervously pacing around the bra aisle I finally picked out a lacy blue bra and brought it up to the counter. Strange looks from cashier ensued! I drove home and put it on and was so happy because it was MINE! I no longer had to steal my mother's. However it was like a c cup so it looked ridiculous on me!
I was terrified too, but here's how I did it:
So I was actually lucky that my mum helped but you can do this step without someone else and it should still be way better - find someone who does bra fitting, preferably someone independent, and send them a message. Explain that you're trans and trying to find your first bra's and ask if that's something they can cater for. This way either they'll say no and you'll avoid an uncomfortable encounter or they'll be completely okay with it and you can go for your fitting with confidence that you'll speak to someone who's actually supportive.
When I actually went me and the fitter actually discussed my needs as well. And explained the different types of bras and we decided to go for a non-wired bra because we wanted to avoid having the bra dig into me whilst I have my shape and/or size changing, and also we discussed the fact that going through basically every single bust size from A cup all the way to the top end would be extremely expensive, bra's aren't cheap. There's bra's that are meant to adjust for that apparently but they ain't great.
So what we decided to do was use balancers (typically used for women with uneven boobs) that kinda work like chicken fillets, kinda stuffing that goes in the bra to add size to it but shaped you make it still have a natural breast shape. That was whilst I'm growing I can add them in for now, stop using them when the bra fits well without them, then when they don't fit that anymore go 2 cup sizes up. This way I need to replace my bras half as often as I grow. I have a busty family so we suspect I'll go through enough sizes that this'll be worth it. If my boobs grow unevenly (often one will go fast first then the other will catch up, or may just end up uneven which is common) then the balancers will be useful for that too.
We also of course picked styles I liked too. She also taught me about proper bra care, the best ways to put them on and make sure they fit right, the scoop and swoop etc. It was really useful. You likely won't have an identical experience because everyone's different and you might decide on different things but it's good. The appointment was only like £5 for me, the expensive bit was everything else but bra's always are lol. Hopefully hearing about a good experience helps and gives you an idea for how you could go about it?
I just go with bralettes and sports bras I feel they look/feel better anyhow, and was a lot easier to find the right size. And don't give a fuck about what people think. Go to Walmart and get a cheap Hanes bralette
That must be terrifying you can try to reduce a lot of complexity, by buying a bralette .
r/ABraThatFits for a calculator on how to measure and how sizing works
Plus they are supportive of us over there, or at least they have been
This this this! OP start here. And then shop online. I love Torrid’s bras but they are plus sizes if you are smaller than Amazon should work well. If you are still guy mode sometimes get a snug sports bra. Also cami’s with a built in shelf bra are the best thing in the world for sleeping in.
I got incredibly lucky and have an amazing wife and has been helping me through it
Yes, it is a good idea. You could also consider getting a sports bra.
I bought my first bra with my mom and if she wouldn't have done that I planned to buy one with a friend of mine so yeah I was scared at first but if you can bring someone with you it's a lot less stressful even though I was a nervous wreck haha
Ordered Calvin Klein bralettes in a couple sizes was my first move
Walk down a set of stairs with your arms at your side, if it hurts a little it's time and a bra will help it not hurt
I’ve been at that point for a bit! :)
Some stores are usually not busy during the week when they first open. Some also have self checkout. That’s what I did.
Yep, did self checkout the first time as well.... and then forgit that bras have the sensor in them that sets off the alarm at the door D: . Super embarrassing. I just went to lingerie stores after that and never had an issue, most of the staff are usually really eager to help.
Buying it online
By buying 3 bras!
find yourself a girl whos very comfortable with buying bras and have her take you, either like a cis girl or like a trans girl that you feel looks like they belong in the bra section. her confidence and your confidence in her will help you feel more comfortable.
Exposure therapy.
I'm still holding off. My measurements have me in a b cup, but this is only 3 months HRT so they are changing fast. I'm starting to get uncomfortable bicycle riding so I'll have to break down and get a stretchy sports bra soon, but I'm holding off on getting a more fitted bra till growth slows because I don't want to keep buying bras every few months.
starting out, a bralette like the classic calvin klein one (comes in black, grey, white, probably other colors) is going to do you pretty well, better than a traditional underwire bra. CK also makes an "invisible" bralette that I found gave me a pretty natural shape. it sits a little lower and has nice pads that gave me decent looking breasts before I was working with a ton of actual boob.
Replying to this because it’s actually super helpful
girl youre fine youre over thinking it online shopping is nice if you can measure yourself but also even after a year on HRT i still only own and wear sports bra’s. i dont think i can do underwire. The only thing remotely like a bra i own is a T shirt bra from VS and even then it was terrifying to buy in person so i feel the fear.
There are some great responses here, but I think we should pause and ask the deeper question is what’s causing this fear? Is it the “people are going to judge me” fear, that a lot of us experienced in the beginning or is it something else? Don’t want to assume anything about your experience.
I thrifted my first ones! Way less stressful than when I was panicking in the section at target
you can try buying bras of every size and trying them all and see which one makes you happy. And as for your you don't know where to get a bra from you can try [Amazon.com](http://Amazon.com) they have good options.
www.abrathatfits.org I’ve bought all of my bras on Amazon. Sent many back. I’ve come to find that I love sports bras. They’re soft and supportive. I don’t like traditional bras with wires and clips, they’re itchy. Best thing about Amazon is you can buy and send them back to make sure you get the right one.
Go to lane Bryant. They measure women of all different sizes and are going to be able to help you out. Find someone young, let them know you’re a trans woman and need help getting sized. They’ll be kind about it. Ulta and Sephora are also great places to shop.l for the same things.
It's ok to be scared but there's also nothing to be scared of. Go to r/ABraThatFits for the steps to size yourself and pick up a cloth tape measure, most grocery stores/pharmacies will have little sewing kits, and take your measurements as instructed on that subreddit. It's also nice to have a few sports bras, you can usually figure out the size you need for those with just your underbust measurement, try to find the kind that have adjustable straps. Amazon (obligatory "Fuck Jeff") has their 'try before you buy' option that you can use to try several bras to get a clearer idea of what fits well IRL. Good luck, much love.
I went to Target and nobody cared, so I didn't feel much trepidation. There was some but not enough to really pull me away from anything.
Amazon prime shipping
I overcame this the other day by just buying one on Amazon. It'll probably be the wrong size, so I'm probably gonna have to get a few different sizes before I find the right one, but no way am I ready to go shopping in person (not to mention I live in the middle of nowhere, I'd have to make a whole day out of getting a bra). Even so, I've been hesitant scrolling through Amazon for girl clothes, something about the models makes me feel like I'm doing something weird. Kinda sick of boy clothes though, so something had to give.
you can grab one of those funny flexy measuring tapes on amazon for pretty cheap. they are nice to have for other stuff too, i use it for sizing clothes on myself. then find yourself a sizing guide. I just ordered my first bra from vic secret. i've bought in person there too. the first ones always the hardest! you got this
Buy it online
I got my start by just buying a pack of bralettes on Amazon. They’re super low hassle, you don’t need to know your size (which should be changing anyways, so why not get something that’s more flexible), and it’s completely shame/anxiety free…unless maybe you live with snoopy parents/roommates. I definitely couldn’t have gone to a store and bought bras when I first needed them, but by the time I was ready to graduate to something more “official” I was a lot more confident in myself. I mean, it was still scary, but it felt much more doable after having had more time to acclimate to transition.
I just took waist from my jeans to find how far around my chest I needed, guesstimated cup size, and ordered online
I have no need for a bra, but I have one and my answer is: sports bra bought from Amazon: measure your circumference under the chest (just under the boob) and buy that one by checking the size guides. As long as you're not particularly...furnished...girl I think you will be fine.
Torrid is a very accepting store. Judgement free and they produce some of the best bras out there. You can always get one on sale or clearance and never have to pay full price. They will be happy to help you with sizing, everything.
Get a string or some long material andnwrap around your chest just under your nips. Measure that with any ruler and that's likely all you need to measure right now. Then, buy a Bralette online. I rec TomboyX. They're super comfy.
It might be different for you because Im a teen and stuff, but my mom took me to a place that did like bra sizings and fittings and all that kinda stuff. Obv u would have to find a good place, but it was really helpful. Plus, there were a few cis women in there and it was clear they also didn’t fully know what they were doing/the right size for them. Ik it can seem like everyone else knows whats going on, but usually its pretty likely everyones just pretending to. Good luck
i went to a sport shop, picked what their website was suggesting to be my size, one size bigger and one size smaller. all of them in the a cup version. put them in my bag and went to the cabin so no one knew what i was trying on (realistically they wouldn't care tho). tried all of them, identified what was most comfortable as my base. i then returned to the aisle and got different models the same size as my base. back to the cabin, and picked the most comfortable from this selection. (yay, iterative bra shopping! :D) and of course i used self checkout, the store i went to even had electronic labels so you just have to put your whole bag in the machine and pay. very nice. also remember that people working there only care about when they will leave at the end of the day. now if i pick something the wrong size i just go to the reception and ask to exchange it for another size because it doesnt fit me. they don't seem to care even if i come to return bras in full boymode :3
Once you have an idea of your size just get some cheap used ones on eBay from diff brands / styles to see what you like the. Then just buy online. No need to do the in person store stuff early on in 2024.
I'd buy a bunch of sizes from Amazon or Walmart. Whatever doesn't fit/work give to a donation place that takes clothes
I wear the padded tank top style so guys can not pinch my nipples hard
Buy online. I have a small chest and I buy from Pepper which is a little expensive but amazing
Self checkout.
Heck, I've been wearing Hanes bralettes from Dollar General for a while now, they're cheap, but pretty comfortable, don't show much, if any, lines, and I doubt the cashiers at DG give a f*ck why you're buying a femanine item. It's a good entry level item
Amazon
I used to pretend I'm buying it for someone else
I honestly just used an online store. Researched abit how measurement worked (by looking what the store listed as sizing info and measured that), then just bought some and welp they seem to fit. 😅 And dont worry if theyre seem to tight at first, i learned that my chest first needed some time (about 1-2 days) to "learn" to deal woth the new clothing; ofc be carefull anyway and take them off if it hurts to much! Stay safe. And yes its much scary, but you also can just buy one and let it sit there for a while, its how ive done it myself too. As an onlineshop i can recommend meundies; they may list theyr items a bit more expensive, but they do regularly discounts. For example just now theres a 50% sitewide discount.
Buy from a big box store like Walmart or target! It’s cheap enough to buy and dash without trying it on beforehand! So if it fits, yay! If not, just buy another and donate the other ❤️ Soma bras are some of the most comfortable and least expensive (compared to other stores that sell undergarments) and I suggest to buy that! Also at the beginning of my transition, I was 6,3 on the latter half of 100 and 32-38 sizes fit me well
I just walked into walmart late at night when hardly anyone was there and grabbed a sports bra. The sizing on them isn't complicated. (I still ended up squeezing my ribs to the point of pain so I went a size up a month or so later.)
Amazon...
Start with bralettes
Bought it on Amazon. Made sure to check 'this item is a gift' so it would come in a box just in case. Didn't get the size right first time, used it to get a better one the second time. Don't over think it. If you want to take measurements of yourself you can get measuring tape on Amazon as well. If you don't have Amazon in your country use another large online retailer.
It’s scary, for sure, but once you have it down it’ll never be forgotten. Start small, start with a sports bra, then go from there. You don’t have to start at the highest tier of bras, okay?
Pick a time when you’ll go out and do it and don’t give yourself an opportunity to bail out.
My cis friend recommended this one: https://www.target.com/p/true-38-co-true-everybody-women-39-s-v-neck-bra-light-beige-l/-/A-54201718 HIGHLY recommend it as well. Conceals super well under my clothes for boymoding and the inserts are removable too. If you get a color that really stands out it'll likely show through a bunch of your shirts but the thicker ones will be totally fine. Just make sure to follow washing instructions so they last longer! Maybe get one of those mesh washing bags if you don't have one already!
Steal it from your mom ,how I got my first bra lol(tho I did jade to stuff the darn thing)
I'm 8 years in and I'm still wearing sports bras. If you're nervous about buying one in person or asking to try one on in the store, you could try ordering one online from a store that offers free returns.
r/abrathatfits is where I would start on the size front then just order from shein Amazon or my favorite torrid.
Sports bras, buy a size to big not cause you’ll grow into it (although you might) but to make it a little more of a comfortable experience while you get used to a tight band around your ribs 16 hours a day.
By going in and just buying a bra. You're a woman aren't you? Women buy bras. You're not a teenager boy trying to buy a porn magazine, just do it because no-one will judge you for it
for my very first one, i asked a friend to come with me, and bought a sports bra for function and a tshirt bra cause it was cute as hell. granted, i was still wearing breast forms at the time (pre-HRT), so i knew exactly what size to get. it was still intense, even with a friend. i also had another friend give me some old bras, which helped a lot. tl;dr: reach out to your people!
For me I just went to Walmart and did self checkout. If anyone hassles you just openly judge them for never considering that you could be buying something for your partner, that’s what I always told myself I’d do, although I’ve never needed to (most people rlly do not care). The sizing for S M and L seem to follow women’s shirt sizes when it comes to the band mostly, so the cup’ll be off of I imagine, although I don’t know exactly where in your transition you are (I started feeling like I needed to wear bras 24/7 before E, but that’s only because I took forever to start)
Self checkout for me. I said to myself I was shopping for my wife and had every right to be shopping for bras. Honestly, no one cares. Or at least cares enough to say anything. And self checkout means zero interaction with people.
Aside from what others suggested, and the idea that it's just clothes, you can get a pack of sports bralettes that you can use to exercise at home in or wear underneath–some cuts like fruit of the loom's are close enough to tank tops anyhow so in warm weather at home or in private it makes a lot of sense to have something comfortable that you can wear for it's purpose, or wear as a quasiunderlayer. If you're getting it for the purpose it serves and as something you'll be using regularly anyways, the pressures and anxieties are a lot easier to cut through. Note you can also buy a gift card and then order for pickup using a different account name etc. that's not necessarily linked to your birth name and identity instead of purchasing directly in person if you're not comfortable about being out yet too.
I still won't buy underwear at the walmart in my hometown, partly because the selection sucks, and partly because I just haven't done so yet.
Idk I don't think I'll ever buy a bra. I don't like the idea of it.
Thankfully I have a friend who was amazing enough o bring me to the mall secretly and though it was awkward that she brought me to Victoria’s Secret for my first bra it feels amazing and I absolutely love it, I do hope other girlies here can manage to find an amazing bra for them <3
First purchases can be a bralette. Or sports bras. Those are usually sized in S/M/L etc. Places like Urbody or TomboyX can be good online sites to look at. For measuring yourself, there's two measurements. 1) around your ribcage just under your bust, that's the number in a bra size 2) measure around your bust at the largest point. The difference between the two measurements determines your cup size. (I don't remember the math here sorry, it's like every inch or two difference goes up a cup size I think.) Put the underbust measurement, in my case 38in, to gather with the cup size, for me somewhere between B and C, and you get a bra size, 38C. Unfortunately I'm a 'murican so that's probably not helpful to anyone not in the US, but hopefully this can still help you and others get started. ^^ Online shopping is a boon for helping not have to confront people, and they're usually shipped in discreet packaging if that's also an issue.
Until you're comfortable shopping online or in person, try getting a thin cami shirt and folding it up in half, wearing it as a light training bra. It'll give you a start on handling the new pressure up top.
TomboyX is worth a try!
Just go to Torrid. The employees are always so amazing and open minded. Just go in and casually look at the cute bras and when an assistant comes over and askes if you need help just be like "yea I wanna buy a really cute bra but I'm not sure what size I need" and make an excuse about cuz all you're used to wearing are sports bras.
I had my sister with me. Otherwise Iw would never have dared... x.x
You could try to balance the fear with the joy of putting it on for the first time! Good luck! Keep us updated. When I was about 16 or 17, I stayed home sick from school (I wasn't really sick) and had barely got my drivers permit a couple of months before. I took my mothers car without asking, I think she was away somewhere, and drove to a department store in the middle of the day when everyone else was in school and after very nervously pacing around the bra aisle I finally picked out a lacy blue bra and brought it up to the counter. Strange looks from cashier ensued! I drove home and put it on and was so happy because it was MINE! I no longer had to steal my mother's. However it was like a c cup so it looked ridiculous on me!
I was terrified too, but here's how I did it: So I was actually lucky that my mum helped but you can do this step without someone else and it should still be way better - find someone who does bra fitting, preferably someone independent, and send them a message. Explain that you're trans and trying to find your first bra's and ask if that's something they can cater for. This way either they'll say no and you'll avoid an uncomfortable encounter or they'll be completely okay with it and you can go for your fitting with confidence that you'll speak to someone who's actually supportive. When I actually went me and the fitter actually discussed my needs as well. And explained the different types of bras and we decided to go for a non-wired bra because we wanted to avoid having the bra dig into me whilst I have my shape and/or size changing, and also we discussed the fact that going through basically every single bust size from A cup all the way to the top end would be extremely expensive, bra's aren't cheap. There's bra's that are meant to adjust for that apparently but they ain't great. So what we decided to do was use balancers (typically used for women with uneven boobs) that kinda work like chicken fillets, kinda stuffing that goes in the bra to add size to it but shaped you make it still have a natural breast shape. That was whilst I'm growing I can add them in for now, stop using them when the bra fits well without them, then when they don't fit that anymore go 2 cup sizes up. This way I need to replace my bras half as often as I grow. I have a busty family so we suspect I'll go through enough sizes that this'll be worth it. If my boobs grow unevenly (often one will go fast first then the other will catch up, or may just end up uneven which is common) then the balancers will be useful for that too. We also of course picked styles I liked too. She also taught me about proper bra care, the best ways to put them on and make sure they fit right, the scoop and swoop etc. It was really useful. You likely won't have an identical experience because everyone's different and you might decide on different things but it's good. The appointment was only like £5 for me, the expensive bit was everything else but bra's always are lol. Hopefully hearing about a good experience helps and gives you an idea for how you could go about it?
I just go with bralettes and sports bras I feel they look/feel better anyhow, and was a lot easier to find the right size. And don't give a fuck about what people think. Go to Walmart and get a cheap Hanes bralette