Discovering your true bra size can be life changing. This might sound a bit over the top, but it is easy to underestimate how much your figure, the way your clothes look and the way you feel about yourself can be transformed by the right bra.
Our boobs change for all sorts of reasons over our lives (age, weight variations, pregnancy, and use of the contraceptive pill) and you may not be the same size for longer than a few months, let alone a lifetime! So, if you want to look and feel as good as you deserve to, you should look at your bras regularly and use our three step check to ensure you've got the perfect fit.
Our three step check for the perfect fitting bra:
The strap around your body should be firm but comfortable. When you stand side-on at a mirror, the strap that runs around your body should be horizontal and should not ride up at the back at all
The wires at the front should lie flat against your rib cage and should not dig in, rub or poke out at the front.
Your boobs should be enclosed in the cups and you should have a smooth line where the fabric at the top of the cup ends and meets your bust. You shouldn't have any ridges or bulging over the top or sides of the cups, even if you are wearing a balconette or lower cut style.
Size Chart
Bra Size Conversions
US
UK
France
Australia
International
32AA
32A
85A
10AA
70A
32A
32B
85B
10A
70B
32B
32C
85C
10B
70C
32C
32D
85D
10C
70D
32D
32DD
85DD
10D
70DD
34AA
34A
90A
12AA
75A
34A
34B
90B
12A
75B
34B
34C
90C
12B
75C
34C
34D
90D
12C
75D
34D
34DD
90DD
12D
75DD
34DD
34E
90E
12DD
75E
36AA
36A
95A
14AA
80A
36A
36B
95B
14A
80B
36B
36C
95C
14B
80C
36C
36D
95D
14C
80D
36D
36DD
95DD
14D
80DD
36DD
36E
95E
14DD
80E
38AA
38A
100A
16AA
85A
38A
38B
100B
16A
85B
38B
38C
100C
16B
85C
38C
38D
100D
16C
85D
38D
38DD
100DD
16D
85DD
38DD
38E
100E
16DD
85E
40A
40B
105B
18A
90B
40B
40C
105C
18B
90C
40C
40D
105D
18C
90D
40D
40DD
105DD
18D
90DD
40DD
40E
105E
18DD
90E
Hosiery Size Chart
A
B
C
D
4'11"-5'4"
4'11"-5'4" or 5'5"-5'9"
5'5"-5'9" or 5'10"-6'0"
5'1"-5'9"
88-122
123-150 or 99-134
132-162 or 119-139
154-183
S
S
M
L
4'9"-5'1"
5'0"-5'7"
5'1"-5'11"
5'2"-5'11"
80-110
90-135
115-165
155-200
Finding Your Bra Size with Breast Implants
You and your doctor may have agreed on the size you want to be, but factors can affect what bra size will actually fit you properly. Implants tend to run wider than a natural breast. Therefore, even if you feel like you are a C cup, you may need to go up to a D cup to get the right size underwire. Also, doctors will claim you as a “full” cup, which means that you now have an additional 1/2 cup size increase. This can also push you to a larger cup size. Breast implants are measured in cubic centimeters (ccs). 175 to 200 ccs is the equivalent to one cup size increase. Knowing the size of your implants will also help you determine your new cup size.
Measuring Your Band Size with Breast Implants
Calculating your band size with implants is performed exactly the same way with a tape measure horizontal around your torso directly under your breasts. If the result is an odd number, add 5”. If the result is an even number, add 4”.
Measuring Your Cup Size with Breast Implants
Measuring for your cup size is not the same. With your tape measure parallel to the floor, you will measure your breast from where your breast begins in your cleavage, across the nipple point, then over to where your breast ends near the armpit. With this measurement, and your band measurement, use the table below to determine your cup size.
Fitting Comments
For some women, one breast is larger . In many cases one breast may even be one cup size larger than the other. In such situations, you should choose the cup size that fits your larger breast. The smaller breast can be increased in size with supplemental padding. Also, a molded cup bra will hide the fact and make both sides look the same in size.
As the band size of a bra increases, so does the actual cup size of a bra. Therefore a D cup in a 38D is going to be smaller than a D cup in a 42D. For example, if your band is too small, but your cup fits fine, go from a 38D to a 40C to maintain a similar cup size.
If you have a small back , buy a bra that fits in the cups, and then have your bra altered to remove the excess in the back and/or sides.
If you have a broad back , buy a bra that fits in the cups, and then purchase an extender to increase the size of the back of your bra.
Big busted women , after fastening a bra, should lift up their arms to see if any breast tissue falls out from under the bottom of the cup. If this happens, your cup size is probably a size too small.
Like new shoes, a new bra will probably be a little snug at first. As the spandex relaxes, the bra will become a little looser on the body. This is also why you want to rest your bras for one day in-between wearing - give the bra a chance to return to its relaxed shape, and time to air out.
If a bra is put in the dryer with high heat, it will affect the steel underwire which has been tempered (heat set) into shape. This could change the shape of your underwire. Also, if you don't put your bras in a lingerie bag, they could get caught on something in the washer or dryer and cause the underwire to bend and possibly break.
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