I am completely confused. I have been wearing a D-DD since the age of 25 before that a full C and now after going to on-line calculators (at least 5) I've discovered I'm an AA or A. Could this even be right? I have a size D bra that barely covers me, I can't even imagine an A never a AA. What the heck am I doing wrong? I measured and remeasured 5 times. I am so confused.
ETA: had DH measure for me although it's not a AA it did come out C pushing D. SO maybe it's time to go shopping for the girls
Do yourself a favor, and go to a place like Nordstroms and get fitted. Don't go to VS, they don't know what they're doing. Those calculators tell me I'm a 38C. I got fitted at nordstroms and I'm a 34F. http://www.lindasonline.com/bra-fitting-calculator.html is a tad better, but it says i'm a 32J, and I'm certainly not that big, haha.
Kelli, wow what a difference that made in calculations. I think I'm more confused I don't have a Nordstroms and I have super tough time letting strangers touch me...sort of a phobia/panicky thing. I don't do VS even if I could fit their stuff But I love bras like candy or cake and I dropping 40lbs I think I need new stuff.
Here's another question, can you try on bras? I'm not sure I want to know the answer. Ugh, I just made myself squeamish...
Kelli, wow what a difference that made in calculations. I think I'm more confused I don't have a Nordstroms and I have super tough time letting strangers touch me...sort of a phobia/panicky thing. I don't do VS even if I could fit their stuff But I love bras like candy or cake and I dropping 40lbs I think I need new stuff.
Here's another question, can you try on bras? I'm not sure I want to know the answer. Ugh, I just made myself squeamish...
I wouldn't buy a bra without trying it on, actually. I guess I can understand the phobia. My moms the same way but I kind of forced her to get measured. She hadn't gotten a new bra in years, and was wearing a broken 36C that made her mastectomy noticeable. I had her get sized, and shes a 38D and her new bras hide her mastectomy pads well.
If you really don't want to get sized, I would say to measure your band right underneath your breasts and add around 2". Then you would go to a store and use your band, and your general idea of your size (D, DD) to find a bra that fits. So say your ribcage is 34", you would start with a 36D bra and see how that fits. Then go on from there. This site has nice tips on fitting a bra right: http://www.007b.com/bra-fitting.php
I went to Victoria's Secret to get fitted! I can barely fit into their 36D bra (I use a 2 inch extender)... but even if they don't have your size, they can still measure you, and give you an accurate sizing!
Mamakat, you can try bras on. I think it's the best way.
That calculator just told me I was a 36G. I know I'm not that big. I've tried on bigger bras before, and they're, guess what, too big, with extra fabric in the cup.
Right now I'm wearing a 38D, and I have a 36DD that fits too. Bigger than that I think is pushing it.
In all this bra searching I found out something cool. I've always known I had a big body on a petite frame which cause problems in the bra area. Sometimes the straps didn't lessen enough...I thought it was short shoulders Well now I know that petite bodies need a petite bra (underwire) for proper fitting. So now I need to find places that sell Demi bras, balconette bras and petite bras. This is getting interesting.
I think a lot of the problem is that some of the bra calculators use the antiquated measuring system of adding 4-5" to your underbust measurement. According to those calculators I would also be a A or a AA cup—when I'm busting out of C cups. Doesn't really make sense then.
I got measured at JC Penny's because I literally had no idea what bra size I was after losing weight. They put me at 40D—my old bra size! I knew that couldn't be right as my 40Ds were too big and didn't fit properly. I wonder if it didn't help that I was wearing a 40D when I got measured.
I measured myself and according to guidelines I should be a 36D, but I have a 36D bra that is slightly too small in the cups. The calculator puts me at a 36DD/E (and I've always suspected that I should go up a cup size) which is a bit of a headache as it's no man's land once you go above a D cup as the manufacturers can vary quite a bit from the "standard" at that point :<
My underbust measurement is 35" though, I'm sure I can get away with 38Ds just fine as well.
No! Don't go to Victoria's Secret! I had a lady there tell me I was a 36B. I haven't been a B since elementary school, but, whatever, tried it on. Sure enough, still not a B. I had a boob in each cup, and another boob and a half hanging out the top of each one. She told me I just needed to adjust it more... This was after she told me they didn't carry my bra size (32D) because they only carried "natural" bra sizes. Ugh.
I went to Fredericks, where my natural breasts were measured at, and fit super comfortably in, bada bing, a 32D.
Fredericks seems to have good measuring folks, so does Cacique. (And man, do I miss my 32D days!)
Do yourself a favor, and go to a place like Nordstroms and get fitted. Don't go to VS, they don't know what they're doing. Those calculators tell me I'm a 38C. I got fitted at nordstroms and I'm a 34F. http://www.lindasonline.com/bra-fitting-calculator.html is a tad better, but it says i'm a 32J, and I'm certainly not that big, haha.
That calculator was dead on for me. In reality you shouldn't add any inches because there is so much strech now -a-days in the material that there's no need for it. The band size should feel tight on the largest hooks and you shouldn't be spilling out of your bra at all in the cups. Most women wear bands that are too big and cup sizes that are too small (and I blame the stores for this because they just don't care a lot in larger cup sizes even though most women need that! ).
Like others said, it is best to try on bras before buying (I wish that was an option for me but I can't find my size at all in stores! ).
Oh, and one thing that has worked wonders for me? I alter my own bras! The cup size that works best on me is a 38F/DDD but the band is 5 inches too big so I just cut off 2.5 inches from the band and sewed it back together. Viola I now have bras that fit. If you have any sewing skills it's a lot easier to do that because you can find the larger cup sizes at Lane Bryant for relatively cheap.
Do yourself a favor, and go to a place like Nordstroms and get fitted. Don't go to VS, they don't know what they're doing. Those calculators tell me I'm a 38C. I got fitted at nordstroms and I'm a 34F. http://www.lindasonline.com/bra-fitting-calculator.html is a tad better, but it says i'm a 32J, and I'm certainly not that big, haha.
I'm keeping the link for that calculator, because it's the only one that was accurate. Thanks!! The stupid other ones were telling me C and D. Good grief! I've been a DDD and higher for as long as I can remember. Interestingly, I was a 34G when I got married 12 years ago. I'm a 34DDD now, so I've actually shrunk.
bra calculator?
I think I'm more confused 
I don't have a Nordstroms and I have super tough time letting strangers touch me...sort of a phobia/panicky thing. I don't do VS even if I could fit their stuff 
Well now I know that petite bodies need a petite bra (underwire) for proper fitting. So now I need to find places that sell Demi bras, balconette bras and petite bras. This is getting interesting.
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If you have any sewing skills it's a lot easier to do that because you can find the larger cup sizes at Lane Bryant for relatively cheap. 
