Bra Fitting 101, Part 3

I’ve recently educated myself about bras – their sizing, fit, cut, etc. The most shocking thing I learned was that 80% of women are wearing the wrong sized bra!! Guess what... I was one of those 80%, but not any more! 

This is the final part of a 3-part series in which I have tried to be as informative as possible about bra fitting, without being too overwhelming (I hope). Part 1 was a nice intro on some bra basics. In part 2, I talked all about my old bras that were all the wrong size, and compared some signs of an ill-fitted bra to a well fitted bra with pictures. Today I will be sharing how to measure yourself to find your real bra size (you’ll be shocked at the size you come up with... I was). 

Sizing 

Don’t go get a pro to size you, ok?? 9 times out of 10 the pro doesn’t actually know how to properly measure you. Usually they don’t even know that they’re doing it wrong! They do the best they can, but you can do better all by yourself at home. All you need is a cloth tape measure, a pencil, and a scrap of paper. I learned this method of measuring from this video by Caty135. 

First, get naked! Your bra sits right against your skin, so should your tape measure. 

Next, wrap the tape measure around your torso where your breast tissue meats your rib cage. Make sure the tape is parallel to the ground all the way around. Breathe normally. Pull the tape as tight as you can without hurting yourself or restricting your breathing. That measurement is your band measurement. If it is an odd number, round up, since band sizes only come in even numbers. Write down that number. My measurement is 29”, so I’m rounding it to 30. 

 Make sure the tape is parallel to the floor. 

Here’s where things get awkward... Bend over so that your torso is parallel to the floor. Try to keep a flat back, not rounded (bend your knees if needed). Wrap the tape measure around you so that it comes across the point of your breast that hangs closest to the floor. This time the tape should be just snug enough that it won’t slip around, but not so tight that you deform the natural hanging shape of your breast. That measurement is your bust measurement. Write that down too. My measurement is 36”. 

 Ya, that picture was awkward to pose for... 

Now we need to do some math. It’s not hard math, I promise! (you can put a shirt on for this) Take your bust number and subtract your band number (so my calculation would look like 36-30=6). This number is your difference, write it down. 

Here’s a chart. Don’t get intimidated. Find your difference number in the chart to find out what cup size you should be. 

You can click on the table to make it bigger. 

Did you know that when you go down a band size, you need to increase your cup size to maintain the same ratio? Cup sizes are completely dependent on the band size, so a 32C has a smaller cup than a 36C. Mind blowing, right?? My mind was blown when I found that out. 

According to this measuring technique, I should be wearing a 30E bra... That’s a far cry from the 34C I had been wearing for the past decade! People I’ve talked to have been all like “E... whoa... you can’t be an E”, but when you know how cup sizes are actually determined, it’s really not that big. Guess what, I got a few 30E bras, and they are amazing! I’m never going back! 

You know what is truly unfortunate though? Bra stores do not carry the bra sizes most women need! The smallest band size you’ll find in store is usually 32”, which is equivalent to about a size 10 dress size, and you’ll be hard pressed to find a cup bigger than DD. So my bra shopping has become an online adventure.

So far I have shopped at brastop.com. This is an online warehouse based out of England that specializes in “fuller” sizes. They have a good selection of *cute* bras (and matching panties) for prices very similar to what I paid for my old bras in store. They also have a small selection of sports bras, bathing suits/bikinis, and maternity bras. And their customer service is excellent. (I’m not getting paid to write that, no affiliation) 

So that’s it. Bras. Let me know how it works out for you in the comments below. Or if you have an online bra shop you swear by, leave a link in the comments below.