I'm resurrecting this thread to thank Kathi for bringing up this topic. I read the entire thread and related posts with interest, but since I rarely filled out even A and B cups, I was skeptical that I could benefit from a larger cup size.

Boy was I wrong! It turns out that the A and B cups that I had been wearing are set too close together for my shape. I have little tissue toward the center of my chest to fill those closely spaced cups while I had a significant amount of tissue that wasn't covered by the small cups toward the side of my chest. I ended up shrinking the band size significantly and increasing the cup size to C and D, which spread the cups properly for my shape. Now I completely fill the cups, everything is covered properly, and I'm much better supported.

On the topic of stores and fittings, I visited Nordstrom's, an LLS, and Victoria's Secret to shop for my new bras. I'm pretty sure that each of the stores would have tried to put me into larger bands and smaller cup sizes had I let them measure me. Since I went in requesting specific sizes, each store helped fit me into the sizes that I was focused on.

I tried on 8 - 12 bras at Nordstrom's and the LLS. The"mature" staff at both stores tried to convince me that 90% of the bras fit me well enough in spite of the fact that I could identify major fit issues. These women ultimately became impatient with me and kind of gave up.

The much younger women at Victoria's Secret, however, really seemed to understand proper fit and were infinitely patient with me. They probably brought me 25 different styles and sizes until I found two bras that fit properly.

I'll stick with VS from now on, thank you. They have kind and patient staff, a plethora of sizes and styles, and the staff knows their products well. I just won't let me measure me