Bra Sizing Craziness - and Hopeful Video Help and New Order - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Dressing

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Bra Sizing Craziness - and Hopeful Video Help and New Order

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

So bra shopping has never been a favorite of mine. And I don't have access to go get fitted so I have to rely on my own measurements. I've done this before, ordered at least 10 expensive bras in various sizes, only to send every single one of them back. Anyway, I came across this video and thought I'd share. I'm hoping that this time around I can get at least the right size ordered. Maybe I'm just a slow learner on this particular topic. I don't know, but it certainly is frustrating.

Has anyone else been wearing the completely wrong bra size? I mean really, I thought I felt comfortable in a 36" band but apparently I'm supposed to be wearing a 32" or 34" and a waaaay different cup size.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jk55ep4XUQ

Dressing

58 replies

Latest reply was from

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I have been preaching this for years! Many women in the US are wearing the wrong bra size - going too wide in the band and too small in the cup. Good info, Tex.

lisaflex

Veteran

agreed. i go to nordstrom 2x year and get measured. sometimes its a 32 others its a 34...d .or dd..all depends....craziness!

i was mis-measured at soma for a 36 c......looked and felt awful!

Joyce B

Veteran

That's very good info, thanks for sharing it.

Astrid

Veteran

I know that video, it's very informative. I always wore a size 75A (US size 34A) because that is what all German charts suggested and that's what stores offered. When I look back I can say that the fit was truly awful, but it was never a big problem because my boobs are small enough that having little support didn't bother me much. When I found a German forum about bra fitting a few years back I fitted myself and ended up with a 65DD/E (US 30DD?). Huge difference! Sadly I now can't shop in most department stores, I'm ordering most of my bras from the UK.

ETA
Okay I went and had a look and they actually still have my before and after post up. https://busenfreundinnen.net/v.....038;t=9410
This is me six years ago, starting with a bra in 75A, the other is a UK 30E. Both are unpadded. I had them fit me, but wasn't very active there afterwards.

(And my boobs actually look much nicer now after years of wearing the right bra size and getting all the migrated breast tissue back.)

carter

Veteran

Really big difference here too. Down 4" on band size and up a whole bunch of cup sizes. I can't imagine I'll actually be able to breathe in a band that small, but we'll see!

Anonymous

Ahh!!! Thankfully my bras fit properly. I measure that way, and it really works. Also,, different brands fit differently. I stick to the ones that work for me.

Astrid

Veteran

Carter, why shouldn't you be able to breathe? Modern bras have stretch in them... I mean you don't buy your swimsuits too big either. Of course it feels different to what you are used to at first, same as wearing new glasses for example. But I find that afterwards it's actually more comfortable because there just isn't anything sliding around.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Texstyle, lots of women make that mistake. We all learn the hard way. 34 and 36 band sizes are widely available, so that's what we buy to start with. In my 20s, I used to buy 34C, and the cups did fit, but found that the back would ride up. Eventually I figured out that I need a 32D, which is the same cup size as 34C but a tighter band -- so no more riding up. Nowadays I even sometimes buy a 30E (again, same cup size) in certain brands. They do seem to differ slightly.

What size have you been wearing in the 36" band? It's pretty easy to convert. For every band size you go down, you go up a cup size to get the same volume for the cups. For example, 36B = 34C = 32D = 30E. The 30E has the same cup volume as the 36B, but a way tighter band.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Thank you for sharing that. I thought I knew about bra fitting, but there were a couple of really useful things in that video.

I've been thinking of going for a fitting because it's been about two years since I last did that, and I've definitely had body and hormonal changes since then. I took some measurements based on the video, and was surprised to see that my band size has not changed, but my cup size may have actually increased. Ugh, like I needed any more. But it makes sense because I've had the nagging feeling that my old bras are no longer quite right.

minimalist

Veteran

TexStyle, here's a list of bra blogs, ordered by size range of the blogger:
http://brasandbodyimage.com/bl.....ize-range/

I used to actively prefer small boutiques for my underwear needs, but after a couple of non-optimal fittings (they needed to move inventory), where I was also stupid enough to buy the items they were pushing, I've migrated to Nordstrom.

Anonymous

Oh I'm totally guilty of not getting it right. I've been fitted before, and the first time was a total ego deflater. A D cup? No way. At that time (probably 10 years ago now) , that signified big matronly breasts and no way was I having any of that. I had been happily wearing a 36 B. Hahaha - as if!

I still find the band size recommended (32, or sometimes a 34) ) so tight, but I have to admit it makes me look a whole lot better. And now I'm up to a DD, which makes me totally embarrassed when buying them . I really need to get over myself. The bras I like never seem to be offered in these sizes - which is the part that I find discouraging. All I want is a pretty, Calvin Klein type bra (nice prints, sexier looks) that doesn't cost $160 . Sorry, I think I just had a meltdown.

Anonymous

Breast tissue can migrate? I guess that explains why I have as much going on under my armpits as I do in front. Thanks for the share, Texstyle. Some very helpful info here.

Maybe this will lead manufacturers to increase offerings on smaller band sizes.

Anonymous

Oh my god Aliona. Hahahaha. I am migrating as I speak. Ah the wonders of the aging body. I often swear if I could find something that lifted me way up and pushed it all in without adding Victoria's Secret cleavage, I'd be a new woman.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Lisa, my size horrifies me (either a 30 or 32 since I measure 31) and I've been wearing an E or F, and the video measurements bump me up a little from there. I already have a hard time finding bras that fit, are comfortable, and are pretty (yeah, the bigger the cup size, the more the manufacturers seem to make things that look like armor). And add in the requirement that something look decent under a fitted tee? Almost impossible.

It's funny when I go for a fitting -- they always assume my band size will be bigger because I'm not exactly a petite, delicate thing.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I watched it and tried it and it is accurate -- I am wearing the right size. But I wasn't for years. I kept getting shoved into 32B bras when I really need a 30 (or 29) D. Or sometimes DD. I had to figure this out myself by trial and error and reading various blogs.

As Astrid said, the downside to knowing one's true size is that it can be impossible to find and very expensive.

Laurinda

Veteran

It is not surprising that so many women are in the wrong size bra since it is very rare to find a bra that fits my best size -- and I am not a freak of nature! Forget about major department stores or big-name US brands. Bras from Elomi, Chantelle, and Freya are about it. Thank goddess for Nordstrom.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

May I point out that I wear a D cup and am not large in the bust.

April

Veteran

And just to add a whole additional layer of difficulty to this issue, let me add that different bra brands -- in the exact same band and cup size -- will fit differently. Because some cups are shaped for breasts whose volume goes more "forward" and some are shaped for breasts whose volume is more spread out (mathematically same volume, just different shape.) This is why some bras on me will make me look very "conical" and will have empty space in the front of the cup, while the same size in another brand will fit properly.

This seems to become more of an issue as cup size gets larger.

On me, for example, a Chantelle 32D fits properly in the band but has too much space in the front of the cup, while a Simone Perele 30E is just right.

Maddening, isn't it? I so wanted to believe there were ways around getting fitted and trying things on, but there just aren't.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

April, you are exactly right. I have a couple of old 32DDD's (lace ones that are not frequently worn) that still fit nicely, while a 32F in another style gives me quad-boob.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Yes, April, you are right. I read the reviews very carefully and look for those that supposedly fit breasts shaped like mine. It's definitely a process of trial and error.

Aziraphale

Veteran

I just watched the video -- it's cute! I tried it and it told me 30E, which is what I wear, although I do fit a 32D in some brands.

You know what's silly? Having sizes like 32DDDD. I mean, come on. If you're going to use alphabet letters, it should be straightforward. None of this vanity sizing silliness. I get why this whole multiple-D thing started -- I assume it's because women were horrified to discover that their breasts might be a "matronly" size -- but if everyone just got used to F and G cups as being perfectly normal, average sizes (which they are), we could have a sizing system that made more sense.

Like the gal on the video says: the UK seems to have it together way better.

Anonymous

Wow. I feel like a whole new woman.
According to my measurements I'm a 28D. I've been wearing 34A's forever because I thought that was the smallest size without going to AA (which is way too small in the cup.)

It's such a difference I'm having a hard time processing this. Is this really true? Or is there some fudge factor? Like maybe a 30 or 32 band would be ok too in a smaller cup?

ETA: I now see Aziraphale's cup/band conversion explanation.

Mauvish

Thank you for sharing this Tex.

I thought i knew a lot about bra sizibg 101 but this video definitely had couple of extra and important pointers.

The way to measure bust is actually ... Umm.... interesting too.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Yeah, that bending at the waist technique to measure cup size is helpful. I'm not sure how to feel about that.

Astrid

Veteran

I remember that in the forum they had you measure the bust measurement three times: standing up, lying down and bending at the waist as she suggested. I have wide spread volume and the bending down measurement was a big difference. If I would wear the sized down equivalent of my 34A bra I would be covered at first glance, but if I would do the scooping thing she did I would have the worst case of quadboob going on. No way everything would fit into the cup. Oh and Uk 30E sounds big, but you saw the pictures of me wearing that bra, I definitely don't have big breasts! People who don't know about proper sizing say I'm an A Cup.

Btw, I agree with the things April said, a lot depends on shape too and every brand is different. Most of the time I need a 30E to have the wires fit, but then the cups are often too deep.

April

Veteran

Mini rant.

I get so annoyed with the way this country acts like "DD" is the end of the line in terms of cup size, and that anything else is such a freakishly huge specialty size that it cannot be purchased in your average department store. Bless you, Nordstrom, for breaking out of this mold.

I'm not particularly busty, and I'm wearing a 30E. I have a sister-in-law who IS particularly busty, and wears a plus size, and who is (incorrectly) wearing a DD because some department store clerk assured her that that's just the biggest size any human could possibly need.

Please.

kerry

Veteran

Great video. I knew most of this stuff, except measuring the fullness sitting with torso parallel to the floor - that's new. I'll have to try and see if I get a different measurement. Even knowing your proper size does NOT ensure a good fit. My measurement is similar to hers in that my band is an uneven number (33 in my case). Usually I get fit for 34 bands but find they stretch out quickly and I'm soon on the tightest hooks. But the biggest issue for fitting a bra on me in the centre gore. I think my breasts are very close set. Most bra styles are too wide in the gore and therefore sit on the inside of my breasts instead of sitting flush on my breastbone. This can also be a sign of cups not being deep/big enough. Right now I can only find one bra brand/style that works and it costs a bomb!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Kerry, I get the same thing -- the gore sometimes sits on my breasts and creates more cleavage even though I don't really need it. One problem seems to be that when one needs a relatively small band size, the variation in cup placement really doesn't have much room to account for different builds -- I don't think I'm particularly wide or close set, just narrow, so some bras either push me apart so much that it makes my boobs look like they're trying to escape under my armpits, or they smoosh me together and give me the extreme cleavage look. I measure 31 around the band at the moment, and find that even within a given brand I might need a 30 in one model and a 32 in another.

After doing that measurement last night, I tried on every single one of my bras, and four of them are now in the donation bag. I have some really pretty lacy ones (with matching panties) that fit very well, but I don't wear them often -- I'm going to try to bring them into regular rotation. What am I saving them for?? But I really do need a good t-shirt bra that doesn't give bumps or seams under smooth tops. If anyone has recommendations for something that would accommodate a 30/32 E/F-G, I welcome them!

Anonymous

I'm really enjoying hearing all your bra stories.
The fit issue I've had with my 34A is that the straps always fall off. In order to get them to not fall off I need to reduce the length of the straps but then what happens is that the bra rides up my back and so do the cups and then I get quad boob from the bottom!

I always assumed this problem was because I had sloped shoulders but I'm now realizing the problem might be that my band size is 6" too big! Crazy is right, texstyle!

Another problem I've had is that most 34A cups are too wide apart for me. So I end up compensating by wearing heavily padded bras to sort of smush things to the middle and fill things up a bit. But all the smushing gives an unnatural look under tshirts--the padding is in the wrong place and I still don't fill out the cups properly. It looks like I might be able to get things to lie flat and naturally if I get the right cup size.

I guess I'm just excited that they make bras in such a wide variety of sizes even though they're expensive.

I wish there were more bra sizes to choose from on the rack. I never got myself fitted because I didn't know that these sizes even existed. All I've ever seen is the basic 34A, 34B, 32AA. My thought process was: "the 34A comes the closest, so I guess that's what I am".
I know people talk about getting fitted for a bra, but I honestly never thought it applied to me since I have such small breasts. I thought bra fittings were for more well-endowed people where measurements would be harder to take.

This will be a great thing to teach my daughter when she's older.

I

12