Find your bra size

Step 3 Getting a Better Bra

This chart will help to determine what bra size you need.

A few things to remember:
1. The center portion of a bra should fit between the breasts and should sit against the skin, not gap outwards.
2. Straps should not dig into the shoulders or hurt. If they do, try loosening them slightly, or try adjusting the band of your bra to make it looser.
3. The back band of the bra should sit across your back below the shoulder blades. If it pulls upwards, try loosening the shoulder straps.
4. If your bra has underwire, they should not dig in to your body or feel uncomfortable or painful - this is a sign that the bra does not fit you well.
5. The fabric of the cup portion should not bunch up (it's too big) or not cover the breast (too small).
6. If you gain or lose a lot of weight, you should re-measure and consider getting new bras as ill-fitting ones are rather uncomfortable.

Comments

[ninjarabbit91]

this doesnt make any sense to me. why add 4 or 5 inches? i did that and my bust is 40 and band is 39, that means im a b cup which i am not. they way i measure bra sizes is around the bust, 40 and around the band, 36ish, tht number difference is how i calculate not by adding numbers, the difference is about 4inches and that puts me at a d which i am. not a b.

[shesparticular]

I'm sorry that you don't find that this method works for you - personally I've not had a problem with it.

[Tiktaky]

The shape of your breast plate is also a factor, flat breast plates can affect the over-bust measurements , while the cup sizes stay the same. To avoid this, Try and be very vigilant about keeping the measuring tape flush with your skin.

Ultimately, you only know what bra size you are when you try on a bra and it lines up and fits perfectly. But this is a great system to know which end of the clothing rack you should start looking.

[tezcatbus]

The problem with this is that it doesn't actually work. The vast majority of women aren't wearing the right size bra, and the only way you're going to get the correct size by measuring the bust portion is if the bra you're wearing supports you properly without the underwire popping out from under the bust, poking out from the middle of your chest, or digging into your ribs on the side. If any of those are true, you're very likely wearing too large a band size and far, far too small a cup size. In other words, you can only find your exact bra size with a measuring tape if you're already wearing the right size!

Also, your bra sizes stop halfway up the scale - it's possible to buy bras off the rack that go to J cup. It has nothing to do with being fat, and everything to do with how much breast material is present.

According to the above measurements, which I always followed, I'm a 40DD, because DD was as high as my cup projection ever allowed, and I suffered through 20 or so years of discomfort and pain as a result. 5 years ago I was hired on at a lingerie shop, and I was immediately fitted by the owner as a 38I.

40DD and 38I are not near each other, but the former is what I got from a measuring tape, and the latter is what I got from an experienced fitter who didn't touch a tape. :D

I have since lost about 45lbs, and I am down to a 36H, which is another matter... women think they're losing cup size when they lose weight, when most of the sagging, bagging, and unhappiness comes from swimming around in a HUGE band size. Your band SHOULD be tight - it's where your support comes from. Bra straps are for shaping - if you have to tighten them to get lift, you need a tighter band and a larger cup, probably.

Anywho, just thought I would mention that. Sizes over F are really common - stopping at triple-D is like not showing women's shoe sizes over an 8.

Good luck and thank you for the info either way, its good to see people who want to inform others!! :)

[shesparticular]

Thanks for your comments!

I'm afraid I'm not sure what you mean "doesn't work" or why you would need to be wearing the right size bra to fit yourself using a measuring tape. As noted here, you should measure while not wearing a bra (unless the shape of your breasts would make that difficult - in which case they could be supported with your hands while someone helps you measure, or with a bra that lifts them and is as well-fitted as possible). Step 3 here also provides some additional information about signs that a bra doesn't fit well (straps digging in, the center gaping away from the chest, etc.).

Regarding larger sizes, I am personally well aware of the scale for sizing going larger than indicated here (before I had surgery I was a 34FFF). I only made the chart/list go as far as DDD because I could not fit more information on it. I should have indicate that the "pattern" of sizing follows the same way - adding one inch to the difference between the measurements means adding a letter size.

As noted in the tips in step 3, gaining or losing weight is for sure a reason to re-measure yourself. That said, the band of your bra should be snug and it should fit against your skin well/comfortably, but should not be "tight" - it should not dig into the skin or feel like it is digging in. Also, it should not pull up across your back, if it does, the shoulder straps of the bra are likely too tight and the band may be too large.

Thanks again for all your comments!

[DASHDONEIT]

Thank you from a guy Shesparticular. The next time my wife goes shopping for a new bra, at least I will know something that might help.

[shesparticular]

So glad it's helpful!