Finding Your Bra Size
Posted on: August 3, 2010
Find Your Bra Size
Many women spend all day in pain or discomfort from an ill-fitting bra, and assume that all bras must be uncomfortable. But a properly fit, well made bra can be comfortable, even when worn all day. Learning to properly fit a bra can allow you to purchase the correct size bra for your needs. You may even find out you need a very different sized bra than the one you are currently wearing.
To begin sizing yourself for your proper bra measurements, measure for the band size. The band is the elastic and fabric strap and goes around your chest and holds the bra up from the bottom. Start off by putting on your best fitting bra. Don't use a push up, minimizing, or sports bra. You should tighten the shoulder straps of the bra until your breasts are about half way between the shoulder and the elbow. This is the best position for your breasts, as it relieves strain that can cause sagging.
If the bra you are wearing is digging in or is too tight, find another bra to use. The band should be snug but not so tight it digs into the skin. Using a flexible measuring tape, measure your chest right at the base of the bra. Expel all the air from your lungs before measuring, and make sure the tape is snug and straight all the way around. Round this number to the nearest whole inch. To find your proper band size, you will need to add a few inches. If the number you came up with is even, add four inches. If it is odd, add five inches. This is the band size you will need.
The other measurement that is key for a properly fitted bra is your cup size. Cup size can also be easily determined with a measuring tape. While wearing your best bra that is not a push up, minimizer, or sports bra, you simply need to measure around your chest at the point where your breasts are the fullest. Also, it is even more important for this measurement that your breasts are correctly positioned between your shoulder and elbow. Hold the tape measure so it doesn't cut into or press down on your breast, and round this number to the nearest whole inch. Subtract your band size number, for example 34 inches, from this number, such as 38 inches. This gives a cup size of 4 inches, which translates into a D sized cup.
Bra Size Chart
Size Conversion
Many women spend all day in pain or discomfort from an ill-fitting bra, and assume that all bras must be uncomfortable. But a properly fit, well made bra can be comfortable, even when worn all day. Learning to properly fit a bra can allow you to purchase the correct size bra for your needs. You may even find out you need a very different sized bra than the one you are currently wearing.
To begin sizing yourself for your proper bra measurements, measure for the band size. The band is the elastic and fabric strap and goes around your chest and holds the bra up from the bottom. Start off by putting on your best fitting bra. Don't use a push up, minimizing, or sports bra. You should tighten the shoulder straps of the bra until your breasts are about half way between the shoulder and the elbow. This is the best position for your breasts, as it relieves strain that can cause sagging.If the bra you are wearing is digging in or is too tight, find another bra to use. The band should be snug but not so tight it digs into the skin. Using a flexible measuring tape, measure your chest right at the base of the bra. Expel all the air from your lungs before measuring, and make sure the tape is snug and straight all the way around. Round this number to the nearest whole inch. To find your proper band size, you will need to add a few inches. If the number you came up with is even, add four inches. If it is odd, add five inches. This is the band size you will need.
The other measurement that is key for a properly fitted bra is your cup size. Cup size can also be easily determined with a measuring tape. While wearing your best bra that is not a push up, minimizer, or sports bra, you simply need to measure around your chest at the point where your breasts are the fullest. Also, it is even more important for this measurement that your breasts are correctly positioned between your shoulder and elbow. Hold the tape measure so it doesn't cut into or press down on your breast, and round this number to the nearest whole inch. Subtract your band size number, for example 34 inches, from this number, such as 38 inches. This gives a cup size of 4 inches, which translates into a D sized cup.Bra Size Chart
|
DIFFERENCE (BAND MINUS BUST MEASUREMENT) |
US CUP SIZE |
| Less than 1" | AA |
| 1" | A |
| 2" | B |
| 3" | C |
| 4" | D |
| 5" | DD |
| 6" | DDD (3D) |
| 7" | DDDD (4D) |
| 8" | DDDDD (5D) |
| 9" | DDDDDD (6D) |
| 10" | J |
| 11" | K |
| 12" | L |
| 13" | M |
| 14" | N |
Size Conversion
| US CUP SIZES | EUROPEAN | UK |
| AA | AA | AA |
| A | A | A |
| B | B | B |
| C | C | C |
| D | D | D |
| DD/E | E | DD |
| DDD/F | F | E |
| DDDD/G | G | F |
| DDDDD/H | H | FF |
| DDDDDD/I | G | |
| J | GG | |
| K | H | |
| L | HH | |
| M | J | |
| N | JJ | |
| K |
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