Eighty-five percent of women are wearing the wrong bra size. Find out how to measure yourself for the perfect-fitting, most flattering bra.
Why is Knowing Your Bra Size So Important?
Wearing undergarments that fit properly is about more than just accentuating your attributes and concealing trouble areas; as the foundation of every woman's outfit, a properly fitting bra affects your posture as well as the health of breast tissue.
A bra that is too loose will allow breasts to sag and cause back problems due to strain; if it's too tight the elastic and underwire can pinch and poke sensitive areas leading to discomfort, bruising, and even breast health problems, such as blocked milk ducts.
Most Women Wear the Wrong Bra Size
According to a June 27, 2006 article on Time.com, "If Your Bra Doesn't Fit, Go Shopping," up to 85 percent of women are wearing the wrong bra size. That means if you're a woman who wears a bra, you're most likely one of the boob offenders, treating your breasts badly by squeezing them into too-small cups or letting them swing haphazardly due to lack of support.
How to Measure Your Bra Size
Follow these steps to finding the correct bra size, as explained by Le Mystère founder and CEO Michael Rabinowitz in The Handbook of Style (Quirk Books, 2007):
Step One: Measure Band Size
- Measure yourself while wearing an unlined or thinly lined bra.
- Using a soft measuring tape measure around your rib cage in inches – just beneath the bust. Ensure that the tape is snug, smooth, and level in the front and back.
- If your measurement is even, add four inches to this number to get your band size; if your measurement is odd, add 5 inches to this number to get your band size. Fuller figured women with rib cage measurements of more than 36 inches may only need to add 1 or 3 inches to get to the next even numbered band size.
Step Two: Measure Cup Size
- Keeping the measuring tape straight and snug, measure around the fullest part of your bust.
- Subtract this measurement from your rib cage measurement.
- The difference is the basis for your cup size; each inch of difference is equal to one cup size.
You can look up your cup size here:
- less than 1 inch = AA cup
- 1 inch = A cup
- 2 inches = B cup
- 3 inches = C cup
- 4 inches = D cup
- 5 inches = DD cup (E)
- 6 inches = DDD cup (F)
- 7 inches = DDDD cup (G)
Get Fitted for a Bra
Your lingerie retailer should have professional staff equipped to provide you with a complimentary bra fitting consultation. In addition to measuring you for your accurate size, the staff should also be prepared to help you find bra styles for specific outfits or occasions.
Just because you have a bra fitting once doesn't mean you're finished. No, the experts at La Senza say that women's bra sizes change up to six times during their lives. The lingerie retailer's national online survey results revealed that 45 percent of women surveyed have never had a professional bra fitting and 64 percent of respondents have been wearing the same bra size for up to five years.
Puberty, pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight gain, weight loss, menopause, and variations in fit between different brands and styles… there are many reasons why you should regularly go for a bra fitting to ensure proper fit and comfort throughout your life.
