Plus size shoppers get a particular kind of shopping experience: a rack that stops at a 38, a salesperson who says the real selection is online, and a bra that arrives a week later and still does not fit. A good plus size bra fitting should end differently, with you leaving the store in a bra that works.

What a plus size bra fitting should include

It should start with the bra you are wearing and what is going wrong with it: a band that rides up, straps that dig, cups that gap or spill. From there your fitter brings in several shapes and sizes, because a larger band and cup need real structure, not a stretched version of a smaller pattern. You try them on, and you adjust until the band is snug and level, the cups hold you fully, and the straps are no longer carrying the load.

The sizes are on the floor, not on a screen

Allure fits across more than 150 sizes, with bands from 28 to 48 and cups from A through O. For fuller figures that depth comes largely from labels designed for it, including Elomi and Panache. Since the sizes are in the room, you are trying bras on, not guessing from a chart. Our guide to hard-to-fit bra sizes goes deeper on why standard sizing misses so many people.

Where to go in the Twin Cities

Edina is at 3400 Galleria, open Monday through Saturday 10 to 7 and Sunday 11 to 6. Saint Paul is at 1051 Grand Avenue, open Monday through Friday 10 to 6, Saturday 10 to 5, and Sunday 11 to 3. Fittings are complimentary and there is no appointment: walk in and a fitter will take it from there.

Our specialists have done more than 810,000 personalized fittings since 2003. Details for both Minnesota boutiques are on our Minnesota store page.

— Peter