Do you know how to fit a bra?

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  • I worked for a lingerie store during my college years.

    Measure underneath your bust first. The tape should be even all around you and a bit snug but not too tight, it should not rise up in the back at all. If this number is on a half mark, round up. Now comes the adding...If the number is even, add only 4. If the number is odd, add only 5. Whatever the outcome...this is your band size. You need to know your band size first before finding your correct cup size.

    Now to measure for your cup. First place the measuring tape over the fullest part of your breasts, again make sure the tape is even all around you. Now lean over so your back is parallel with the floor. The reason for this (and no stores that I know of even know about this nor do this) is because you are measuring ALL of the breast tissue. And you want ALL of your breast tissue to be supported in the bra, not just part of it otherwise the cups will most likely be way too small for you. Try not to pull the tape too tightly. If the number lands on a half mark, round up.

    The differences in inches for each cup size (difference between the added band measurement and full bust measurement) are as follows: (And they are in US sizes)

    Less than 1/2" - AAA cup or training bra
    1/2-less than 1" - AA
    1" - A
    2" - B
    3" - C
    4" - D

    etc....
  • That's a good guideline to start with but I think it's really important to try on a LOT of bras in a range of sizes smaller and larger, cup and band size, than what you technically measure. By those measurements, I end up in a bra that is HUGE on me, no matter what style but it was a good place to start.

    Also, styles fit differently. The perfect bra size for me in one style may not be the same in another style.

    Patience also helps. I have tried on a LOT of wrong bras to find the one that lifts, doesn't dig into my shoulders, doesn't show under my clothes, doesn't cut me in half, create uniboob or that four boob spillage situation and no rolley back fat. Whew. That's a lot to ask of one garment. As I am constantly telling my mom (who is also a hard fit) - if it FEELS like you're not wearing a bra, it probably LOOKS like you're not wearing a bra so keep trying. You can ruin an outfit with a poorly fitted bra but you can look ten pounds thinner in the right one.
  • Quote: I worked for a lingerie store during my college years.

    Measure underneath your bust first. The tape should be even all around you and a bit snug but not too tight, it should not rise up in the back at all. If this number is on a half mark, round up. Now comes the adding...If the number is even, add only 4. If the number is odd, add only 5. Whatever the outcome...this is your band size. You need to know your band size first before finding your correct cup size.
    Nononono! This advice is not correct! Adding inches to the band size is an antiquated method of finding one's bra size and doesn't apply to modern bras! This is part of the reason so many women are wearing the wrong size.

    Your underbust measurement IS your band size. So if you measure 34 inches, that's your band size! If you're in between you can go up or down.

    If I follow your advice I end up with a 34C bra. There is NO WAY that would give me enough support! I NEED 30 band or I'll go nuts! Even my 32s drive me crazy!

    My 30FFs (US 30H) fit me perfectly.
  • hum....I measure 32 and I take 36

    If you were to put me in 32, it would not be a pretty sight. Plus I could not breathe.
  • If you've been wearing a too big band, then you're used to it that way. If you measure a 32 then you're a 32 band. It might feel tight, but once you get used to it you'll never want to go back to a looser band again.

    Otherwise the advice is the same, the cup size is the difference from the band size. I measure 30 for my underbust, 37" for my bust. I need a G/H in US sizes, F/FF in UK sizes.
  • I agree -- the measure under the bust IS the measure in US bras. There is no longer a need to add with modern stretchy fabrics and given that 90% of the support comes from the band, you want that fitting right not loose.

    A.
  • You must refer to this:
    Bring the measuring tape around your back to the front, keeping it under the arms and bringing it up across to the middle of your chest. If you get an odd number, round up to the next even number to get your band size. This measure is on top of breast and usually comes to same as under breasts +4.
  • Quote: You must refer to this:
    Bring the measuring tape around your back to the front, keeping it under the arms and bringing it up across to the middle of your chest. If you get an odd number, round up to the next even number to get your band size. This measure is on top of breast and usually comes to same as under breasts +4.
    You don't add inches anywhere. You just measure underneath the breasts and that's your band size.
  • Here is a link to Victoria's site http://www.victoriassecret.com/bras/...asure-bra-size

    I used to work for them and they spend a lot of time training their staff how to fit a bra.

    Looks like you need to go bra shopping
  • This was the old advice and a lot of sites still say that but it is wrong. It was for when bras used to be a lot less elastic.

    I have a 34" underbreast/rib cage and I wear a 34" band. There are some great sites that use modern measuring and all of them are more specialized for women with the bigger bra sizes.

    What happens if you are chesty is that the loose band will feel OK for an hour or two and then the elastic/material will give and the the bra strap rides up the back and the boobs sag. I had SOOOOOO many fittings at bra shops that added inches (especially with nursing bras) that within 5 hours the bra strap was up between my shoulder blades and my breasts were to my belly button almost. Ridiculous.

    Then I found an online site that told me how to measure (without adding inches) and finally, FINALLY my bras fit properly.

    You want the weight of the breast to fall mainly on the chest strap, NOT the shoulders. Adding 4 inches to the band puts all the weight on the shoulders which is no good.

    Look at these sites for sizing:

    http://www.lindasonline.com/bra-school.html

    http://www.breakoutbras.com/faq

    And this shows in pictures:

    http://www.breakoutbras.com/sizing

    By doing more reading, it seems that companies actually now "add" the 4" into the measurements. So, a 34" now was a 38" back in the day.

    Just for kicks, I just took my 34G bra and measured it. With measuring it flat, not stretching it, it measures 26" long. With pulling on the elastic (and not even pulling to the maximum stretch) it stretched to 36" long. So, it is amply stretch enough for my 34" rib cage.
  • Interesting, Melissa. I will check those out....

    I am wearing 36 D bra at the moment, and it seems to fit perfect. I don't get any bulges on my back side and my girls fill the cup without a spill. -- I measure 32 around and I don't think I could not fit into 32 without some serious fat rolls hanging over. Nearly 20 pounds ago, my ribcage measured 37 or 38 and I tried wearing 38 bras ( I did not want to invest on new ones) and I bent all the hooks and I had permanent bra marks around my body.

    I measure 36 if I measure from band to top of my breasts, and around the fullest part I measure 40. I buy my bras from Target and Victoria's. maybe those two companies size their bras the old fashioned way?

    So if I were to take 32 and my fullest part is 40, what size would that give me? 32FF? -- I think I will go bra shopping and have myself measured and try on different sizes....

    I will report back
  • Quote: Here is a link to Victoria's site http://www.victoriassecret.com/bras/...asure-bra-size

    I used to work for them and they spend a lot of time training their staff how to fit a bra.

    Looks like you need to go bra shopping
    I did. I got some nice 30FF bras

    No wonder why you're giving the wrong advice. Victoria's Secret measures people TOTALLY wrong. The way they measure people/give wrong advice is why I won't set foot in there again and it's also the reason why I tell people not to buy bras there unless (when measured the right away) they happen to fit into their narrow range of bras because their bras are pretty darn comfy. I don't really believe they're worth the price though...If you score some on clearance then hey, go crazy.

    Chances are at your height/weight that the fat tissue you're talking about is really migrated breast tissue. If you wear the right band size/cup size then after time your breast tissue will go back and you may even go up a cup size! When I wore the right size my band size decreased and I wound up having to go up a cup size from what I measure because my breasts are fuller. If a 32 feels too tight, you can always use an extender until the band stretches out a bit.

    Trust me, after getting used to a properly fitting band, I go nuts if my band is not tight because it rides up and does not support my breasts. when I wear the right size bra I literally do not have to adjust it the entire day (when I followed VS advice, I would have to adjust all the time!). I could run, jump and do cartwheels and the bra will not move--THATS when you know your bra fits right.

    It sucks that VS and so many places stock such a small range of bras, but only by not shopping there and buying bras from places that stock your REAL size will things change.

    There's rumors that VS may finally go above a DD (which isn't big at all), but I wouldn't hold my breath. People think sizes above DD are OMG HUGE but...just look at my pictures (I'm going to post some new ones of me at 117lbs). I'm an F or FF and my breasts are not huge at all.

    Edit: Yes, your measurements should be a FF, but you might want to try F and G cups as well.

    Those are UK sizes though. US size equivalents would be (if I have these right, please correct me if I'm wrong) F = G (or DDDD), FF = H (or DDDDD), G = I (or DDDDDD)

    Depends on the manufacturer..stuff gets weird above a DD cup
  • I do think that trying different bras on really make a difference. Also, if you try to wear a smaller cup size, you are going to need a larger band - the 'stuff' has to go somewhere.

    "If" you can, try to find a place where you can try a 32FF AND your usual 36D. Trying a 32D won't be the same comparison.

    I wore a 40G at my heaviest and now wear a 34G. All loss came from the ribcage (so far) not the boobies.
  • Quote: I do think that trying different bras on really make a difference. Also, if you try to wear a smaller cup size, you are going to need a larger band - the 'stuff' has to go somewhere.

    "If" you can, try to find a place where you can try a 32FF AND your usual 36D. Trying a 32D won't be the same comparison.

    I wore a 40G at my heaviest and now wear a 34G. All loss came from the ribcage (so far) not the boobies.
    That's where most of my loss came from too... I went from a 40D to a 30F/FF. 10" off the ribcage, 7" off the bust.

    What's funny is that I lost 10+ inches everywhere else...except my chest. I certainly do miss the days when bra shopping was easy!
  • Yep, lost the least on my chest. Well, not my "real" begininning measurements as I have no idea what they were at 275, and I didn't take measurements for a few weeks after starting at 255, but since about 247 I've lost 6" off my chest and 11" off my waist and 9" off my hips. My waist is still where I need to lose the most fat too.