I know what you're thinking. "Oh god, here goes a woman with larger boobs talking about how…read moreDESPERATELY hard it is to find clothing that fits her chest. Next she'll be telling us how hard it is to be a millionaire and a member of Mensa. Poor thing." But all that scepticism aside -- it really is a nightmare. Imagine NEEDING to wear a button-down shirt for an occasion, and you pick up a nice size whatever shirt. Fits in the shoulders? Check. In the waist and back? Check. In the arms? Check. In the boobs? AGGGHHHH!!!! You can see have of Malaysia through the gap in the buttons! Having large breasts can also make you look fatter, if you don't have the right fitting clothes. So the first time I, like many heaving-bosomed, yet not quite Rubenesque ladies, saw the Bravissimo adverts, I was hooked. My first experience with them was in their Oxford Circus store, which I review elsewhere, but my local store is in Birmingham. What Bravissimo does, and does well, is make you feel not only normal, but celebrated, for being top-heavy. They take a look at your current bra, note the way it fits, note the size, and then find you a correct size. The staff member helping you stays with you until you find the perfect size, then helps you find styles that suit. The stores are always nicely laid out, though I do think the decor in a few of the London stores could use a tweak -- it's just very bland and drab. The changing rooms are nice and big, and there are a lot of them. Solihull is very cute, with pink decor, and nice mannequins set up in the windows, creating a really boutiquey feel. The staff are impeccably helpful, and smiley, which is very nice, and makes the process of buying "delicates" a lot easier. The one problem Bravissimo stores all have, across London and Birmingham, is lack of stock. Everything you see, they don't have in your size, and you have to order them in, which takes about a week. This is because Bravissimo started out, as a web retailer, and remains web-focused. This is a problem for the type of clothing they do; namely that for women who are unusually-sized in a certain area, so by nature, being an online retailer of that sort of clothing is a bit silly. They are rather expensive, and you will pay about £40 for a bathing suit, but the cut is so flit to flatter, you won't be getting rid of it any time soon. If you're in Brum and looking for a nice bra, swimsuit or dress, and have a large bust, Bravissimo in Touchwood is the place to go.

Stock bras from a D cup to a J cup. Some really pretty feminine bras, has matching underwear…read moreavailable on most of the bras. Has everyday ranges, sports bras and nice bras. When I had a fitting the woman was very professional and helpful. I would expect to pay around £25-30 for a bra from here so not the cheapest, but they do them in sizes that can be hard to find.

The internationally reknown surf brand billabong opens up it's doors in the Bullring. It's a pretty…read moretiny store compared to other surf shops in the city Like; O'neil's. It has the usual boardies, dresses, vest tops and a few accessories. There isn't many flip flops, bags purses etc, as you would find in other surf shops and the clothes are priced at a premium. Billabong clothes are well made and pretty funky with nice tailoring and special details. Unfortunately they are often ruined by the logo itself being rather unattractively slashed across the items of clothing.

I have only ever shopped in this store once when my niece asked me to get her a school bag from…read moreBillabong! The store itself was small-ish but they had a nice range of clothing and accessories that I can see people in Devon and Cornwall wearing! It is a very laid back surfer style shop yet the staff were really helpful, warm and friendly. The only reason for not returning is that I would not have anywhere to wear the clothes! I will probably have a look for some sandals here next summer as the staff were go nice and the quality seemed great

I like this Next location at the Bullring in Birmingham, the store has a nice feel to it, they have…read moreobviously spent more time and thought of the overall store look and feel, making it a much nicer place to shop than many other Next locations. Alongside the standard clothing offering, there is a Lipsy area and small Costa Coffee inside the store, although the overall facilities do lack compared to other stores, for example in Manchester, there is a Home section as well as Paperchase, Costa and a barber, the facilities overall are pretty good. I couldn't find a staff member anywhere on the shop floor which was pretty frustrating, the only time I encountered someone that worked here was at the checkouts! 4* - A relatively good store, it is laid out well, with some nice items for sale making it a good addition to the Bullring.

When I need to buy smarter clothes, either for work or formal events I've found after trial and…read moreerror for next to be the most reasonably priced whilst still stocking the selections I like. The store in the bull ring is one that has the most variety or work and casual clothes. Menswear is ground floor with its own entrance and ladies upstairs, there is an escalator taking you up but I've not yet figured out if you can go down inside the store. The staff here are attentive and pleasant, the clothes are kept reasonably tidy and organise giving that it's in the bull ring. I'm able to find most of the clothes here that they have on there website. And yes you should be able to do that, but the stores in Telford don't feel we need suits in the ladies section.

Loving the designs in here, especially the bras I must come and visit next week and purchase some…read moremore

The Candy Store is one of Birmingham's best kept secrets…read more This shop wont fail to surprise you, and has some great quirky t-shirts. The decor is tasteful and the shop is fitted out well. You can find several trendy pieces in here which is great for an independent outlet with a mixed price range. Friends or relatives can lounge in the large comfy sofa's whilst they wait., or just admire the store & furniture. I'd recommend The Candy Store to anyone visiting Birmingham. Spend some time in here and you will find something that catches your eye. The staff are very helpful, and also told me about the tailoring on some of the t-shirts I was admiring. Worth a visit!!

"Genuine Street Goodness" is the tag line for this urban apparel shop, but I think that's wrong. I…read morethink The Candy Store is more than goodness, I believe it's one of Birmingham's best stores and something to be proud of. Established in 2007 The Candy Store has been a beacon in independent street brands, stocking items that might not appear on any other high street rail. Stocking some of the best street brands in the world such as: 10 Deep The Hundreds Jilted royalty (owners brand) Crooks & Castles Diamond supply Fame Benny Gold The shop itself is slick and tidy; each brand has its own section/rails with select items laid on shelves to catch attention. There are some cool bikes and a great sound system in there always playing interesting and fresh urban music. Though it can sometimes be hard to tell the staff apart from the people hanging in the store, everyone has been friendly and happy to help whenever I have been in. An independent urban clothing store could be quite intimidating for a mom to pop into to buy her kid something, I've seen It happen, but the staff here have all the time in the world for anyone who might not have the insider knowledge on what's cool and what's not. The prices range from £15 for a tshirt upto £85 for a shirt it all depends on the brand/season of the item that you have selected. They take card and have an online store too. The sales are known to be really good so keep checking back at their website and inshore. http://www.thecandystoreclothing.com/

These bras are a bit on the pricey side sometimes but then you DO get what you pay for. This is…read morequality underwear for the girls who need it most - those with bigger bust sizes. Before I got pregnant I "qualified" for these sizes - now I don't as the vast majority of their bras are underwired. I can plan for later though can't I??? :) They have some fantastic styles, including the ones with clear straps, removable straps, changeable straps, shaped cups etc etc, and all the patterns are so pretty! They are starting to do clothing now too, shaped to fit properly if you have a bigger bust, which is really useful if gaping blouses is a problem. They also do supportive swimwear, hurrah!

This is a very small store, so there is not much variety here. The items are of very good quality…read moreperhaps a little expensive. They do some lovely jewellery items and hair pieces. Its an ideal place to find a present for a friend. They also do some childrens items although i am unsure whether they stock them here as its only a small store.

Accesorize is basically a girls paradise for earrings, necklaces, hats, bracelets, scarfs etc…read more Everything is really well made and pretty. The necklaces are really nice at the moment - costing probably 7-15. The only downside is that because the store isn't massive it can get pretty squashed, the other downside is because it's quite a popular shop if you get a bag or something here you have to get used to seeing other people wearing the same one.

I visited Primark Birmingham, service was excellent staff helpful. Due to customer being taken ill…read morewe were directed to other side of pay area. this was done efficiently by first aider. Jayne served me, very polite and helpful, even though I mis-layed my card and had to find it. I was so impressed with the whole experience I spoke to Sharon, saying how enjoyable my shopping had been. Thanks Primark, Birmingham. Clothing is reasonably priced, washes well and caters to all tastes. Range and quality much improved, I used to buy only vest tops and T shirts Also enjoyed a coffee and sandwich at instore Greggs outlet.

I always enjoy stopping by a Primark when I feel like finding something fun to wear. Especially for…read morea special event like Christmas Sweaters and Summer Festivals. Primark offers a wide range of clothing and accessories for every age; male and female! This location is really good with numerous floors of hidden gems. There are also cash tills all over the store, so if one queue is super long, just head to another level and find one that isn't. The customer service here is either really great or good. But I've never experienced anyone who didn't care about me or was rude. There are no toilets, but the Starbucks across the way might let you use theirs. Some hidden seating for The Spouse... but best to go alone or have them meet you towards the end of your shop. I tend to get carried away with all the cheap and discount deals and could be there for hours!