Bra Fitting - More than just a number

I recommend getting a bra-fitting once a year (especially if you have had dramatic weight loss or a child), but how is it done? Well, that's easy enough to Google. Many people have seen the soft tape measure and know a measurement is taken under the bust and at the fullest bust point. I like to point out that this measurement provides a good starting point.

 I still measure at the store, or you can at home. Just get a tape measure (the soft kind, not metal, you're not building a shed here). If measuring at home, you will be most accurate in front of mirror, as all the measurements need to be taken with the tape parallel to the ground. Wrap it around the underbust. Round the number to the nearest whole inch. I generally prefer to round up at the half inch point.

If the underbust measurement is 35 inches or larger, your band size will be the closest whole even number. For example, 35 inches will be 36 band. 36 inches will be 36 band. 37 inches will likely be 38 band, but 36 may feel better in some brands or styles.

If the underbust measurement is under 35 inches, then it's a bit different. I'm not sure who created this shoddy measuring system, but if your curious, this is just how it's done. 34 inches, 36 band. 31 - 33 inches, 34 band. 28 - 30 inches, 32 band. Honestly, anything smaller than this and I would aim for a 30 band. You may be smaller, but unless you want to start making your own bras, it's going to be very difficult to find smaller band sizes. The Little Bra Company is one of the few available brands I can think of with 28 bands.

 Next measurement is taken at the fullest part of your breasts. Wrap the tape around your body parallel, find the measurement, and round to the nearest whole number. Subtract the underbust measurement (not calculated band size) from this number. For example, I measure 28 inches at my underbust and 34 at my fullest bust. 34 inches - 28 inches = 6 inches. Each inch is a lettered cup. 1 inch difference would be A, 2 inches B, 3 inches C, 4 inches D, 5 inches DD, 6 inches E.

*A note about the letters: The measurement I use are the most common, going from D, DD, E, F, G, H and so on, but some companies use DDD instead of E.

My bra size would then be 32E. Cool. Fun fact. However, I rarely like the fit of this measurement. The point is measuring gives a good starting point, but you also have to consider fit and style.

Bra fittings sound so definitive and concrete. Jeez, it must be since I have to do math. Anyone outside of a nudist colony knows different brands of clothes fit differently. Same with bras and panties. European brands are often a bit more snug, however the brand Gossard I find true to size in bras but have to move down a size in panties. In Kiss Me Deadly and Elle Macpherson, I prefer a 34DD. Just try a few brands on, and see what you like.

The below mentioned orb effect.

 Additionally, different styles fit differently. I'm not shy about admitting I've had a boob job. For me, that has meant bralettes still fit but differently. I find it disconcerting to see globe-like orbs floating with no support.  Prior to implants, I had a full cup size difference between lefty and righty. Because of that I only wore bras with contoured cups and generally opted for push-up bras or added a turkey cutlet to the smaller breast. The point is don't just try different brands, try different styles, too.