Of all the sizes in sizeland, none is more thoroughly misunderstood than bra size. To hear Oprah tell it, 114% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. You can’t beat Vicky’s tape measures off with a stick. Even Jezebel seems to be up in boobs about bra “vanity sizing” and everybody’s got jokes. (Why, yes, there’s nothing at all disturbing– or laughably illogical– about demanding a woman of a certain size “get a reduction,” but asserting that the boobs of a woman just one size smaller can only be the result of an augmentation.)
Okay, folks, in the interest of demystifying the whole business, I’m about to let you in on a little secret. A little secret that even I– a woman who has been reading fashion magazines since she was in an A cup*– was not aware of until just a few months ago. You may be privy to this secret. If so, please sit quietly and do not spoil it for the rest of the class.
(Have I said “secret” enough? The Oprah references flow like Spanx and Garrett’s Popcorn**.)
But before I reveal The Secret©, a little quiz. Everybody loves a quiz! Especially a quiz full of leading questions!
Question #1: Which of these bras is bigger in cup size?
Bra Set #1
Question #2: Okay, which of these bras has the bigger cup size?
Bra Set #2
Question #3: How about these bad boys?
Bra Set #3
Ready for the answers?
Set #1 looks pretty even. Well… maybe that one on the left is a hair bigger. Let’s flip over the tags and take a closer look.
Bra Set #1, Redux
How about a close-up?
Left Bra
So (if we look just below the word “Loehmann’s”) the bra on the left is a 32DD? Okay, I’ll buy that. But what about the bra on the right?
Right Bra
Is that an… A? An A cup? But how can that be? A cups are only “almost” breasts, according to our enlightened email-forwarding brethren. How can they be nearly as big as DD (”double d@mn!!”) cups?
I’ll tell you why. The highly-guarded Top Super Secret of Bra Sizing is this:
Cup size varies based on band.
That’s it.
I’m sorry– did I oversell it?
I’m sure you’ve heard something to this effect before, but it’s hard to believe in a society that imagines A, B, C, D and so on are as definitive as IQ scores. So hard and fast that– pubescent booby jokes aside– they’ve become a part of our identities. Most of the discomfort and skepticism expressed in Jezebel stems from the fact that Maria doesn’t see herself as a “D cup.” A D cup, in many folks’ minds, is the domain of tight sweatered-girls with names like “Boom Boom” Bernarducci. A D cup is overtly, obviously sexy. For someone who has always thought of herself as a B cup, the sheer size of a D cup is intimidating.
Well, I got news. A D cup ain’t all that big. Especially when it comes attached to a 32 or a 30– or even (yes, they do make them)– a 28 band.
Here’s the rule: for a bra cup of the same actual dimensions, if you go down a band size, you need to go up a cup size, and vice versa.
What does that mean? That means that our 32DD, above, has an actual cup– I’m talking about the actual fabric booby sling here– that is the same size as a:
- 34D
- 36C
- 38B
- 40A
As well as a:
- 30DDD/E
- 28DDDD/F
That is why the two sets of bra cups pictured above– a 38A and a 32DD– are so close in actual size. In the photo, there is only one “real” cup size difference between the two.
Let’s take a look at another example. Remember Bra Set #2?
Bra Set #2
Once again, that’s our old friend 32DD on the left. And on the right? The much larger bra?
Right Bra, Set #2
It’s a DD too. A 38DD. But now that you know the Secret, you’re not surprised. Yes, it’s a full three “actual” cup sizes bigger than the one on the left.
Anyone still unconvinced of the non-hugeness of many D cups can take another gander at Set #3 (which, despite the color difference, is a photo of two of the same style of Natori bra).
Bra Set #3
The black bra on the left is a D cup– a relatively unhumongous 30D.
Ol' Lefty
Recalling the rule, we realize that this bra’s cups should fit the boobies of anyone who currently wears a 32C, 34B or a 36A. Not exactly intimidating.
The brown bra on the right is a C cup. It’s just a 38C.
Righty
If these cups were on a 30 band, they’d be DDDD.
So what does all this mean for you?
Well, if you’re anything like me, it means you probably are wearing the wrong bra, SRY2SAY. Most likely a band too big and a cup size too small. You’re doing something silly like wearing a 36D, when you should be wearing a 32DDD. Your cups fit– more or less– but you’re hoisting your straps up to your eyeballs because your boobs are practically falling out the bottom of your band. (Or maybe it’s something else. Check out this great bra-fitting guide on Bravissimo for help.)
And why?
Because the American bazoom industry is lazy (and greedy). They’d rather not make bras outside the 32-38 A-DD range (it’s more expensive to manufacture a wider range of bras), and they’re at least passively invested in maintaining the illusion that cup sizes are set in stone. Lots and lots and lots*** of women wear a cup size over DD (often paired with a band size below 36), but when we think about the prospect of wearing, say, a 32F/FF/G (*raises hand*), we balk. Because the “Definition of Bra Sizes” in our heads goes something like this:
- A– Adolescent
- B– Bare Minimum
- C– Common Enough
- D– Dramatic
- DD– Downright Dirty
- E– Enormous
- F– Freakish
- G– Grotesque
- H– Hideous
Yes, boobs bigger than a C or D cup are supposed to be ginormous– not to mention sluttastic. They’re supposed to put us in mind of our grannies, farm animals and major surgery. (Major surgery that might be a little less common if more women were wearing the right bras.) But it turns out that you can’t tell a woman’s bra size any more than you can tell her dress size or her weight– the folks who naysay Bravissimo’s “real size” campaign notwithstanding.
Bravissimo Ad
We could go on and on when it comes to the proper care and feeding of boobs– and don’t worry, we will! The subject of well-fitting bras is ripe (ha ha) for a whole series of posts. But if this one has planted a seed of doubt in your mind, my best advice is to get yourself to your nearest Nordstrom or specialty bra shop, ignore the fitters and try on every bra you think might possibly fit until you hit that sweet spot.
Viva la boobies!
—
*I have fond memories of the fourth grade.
**If the Garrett’s people are reading this: Please send popcorn.
***Also, lots.
—
See this update for a more detailed discussion on why the “1-inch rule” we were all taught does not conflict with this new “proportionate cup” theory.
Related posts:
- Size Chart Woes: Fun With Math!
- Size Chart Woes
- Size Chart Woes, Part III– Revenge of the Stitch
- Size Chart Woes, Part II
- 152 of 250
Wow this post was awesome. I love the attention to detail and the way you presented this. It is odd how cup size can be almost meaningless without a band size.
[...] First off, For anyone who wants to better understand how bra sizes really work, I recommend reading this rather amusing article. [...]
I am blown away by this post. Not even joking.
OH MY GOSH THANK YOU!
I routinely get told either that a) I’m absolutely NOT my bra size, or b) that my bra size doesn’t exist, by professional fitters. I wear a 28 E or F depending on the style of bra, and honest to god, that’s not that big. It’s a *little* large on my itty-bitty body frame, but only equivalent to a 34C or D–so not really that large volume-wise at all. But once I tell fitters that I’m looking for these sizes, or even a 30-band DD or DDD/E, they usually just look at me like I’m a circus freak. One actually started interrogating my boyfriend when he went shopping with me. “YOU don’t think she looks like an F-cup, do you?” The poor guy didn’t know what to do.
Sorry about the ranting, but I do completely agree that women, particularly in America, associate their identities too much with a cup size. We think in terms not of, “I wear a B-cup,” but rather, “I *am* a B-cup”. It’s a whole tangled psychological mess, to the point where even women who *professionally* deal with finding bras for other women freak out about it when it doesn’t fit their expectations. It’s pretty sad, really.
Brenna– I find it both sad and funny (and– what the heck– infuriating) that a bra fitter would say something like, “YOU don’t think she looks like an F cup!” Talk about someone who should know better.
But, well.
I’ve heard many a tale of a Victoria’s Secret associate– even one who does know better– measuring someone as a “sister size” just to sell her a bra. You know– by measurements she should be a 32DDDD/F, but VS doesn’t carry that, so the poor girl is told she is a 36DD. I’d like to do a little investigative work on that one– I do recall, years ago, when I was heavier, being told by someone at VS that I was a 40C.
I just kind of laughed. I was heavier– but only 20 or 25 pounds heavier, and I don’t gain much in my upper body. There’s no way I was a 40 band. I was probably more like a 36F at that time, but, as I was still ignorant, was making do with 38Ds.
It’s amazing to me how few folks know about “the secret”– and I am a veteran shopper and fashion mag reader, so I was shocked that I didn’t know. Because they don’t know, I think there are a lot of women (and I was one) who try on, say, a 36DD and feel it’s too loose in the band. So they try a 34DD and, when they’re spilling over the cups (because 34DD ==> 36D), they figure they must have been wrong– “I’m clearly a DD”– and just buy the 36DD. You know? It’s so freaking confusing, there’s such a simple key to the treasure map, and (almost) no one is sharing it.
[...] running a public service message: he wants all women who wear bras to read this blog post over at the Pretty Year. It talks about how bra sizes are determined by cup size. And yes, indeed, it’s worth a read [...]
I hope you don’t mind that I post a link to this article on my blog.
I spent many years not understanding why my bras were uncomfortable and one day after nearly bursting into tears in the Penney’s lingerie dept a fairy godmother of bras recommended a specialty shop in town. I was finally fitted withOUT a tape measure but with actual experience! And was given bras that FIT!
I’m now proud to say that I’m a 34G and I only buy my bras in specialty shops where they can verify my fit every time!
Thanks for helping those not in the know get the info they need to be comfortable!
My understanding of (american) bra sizes has always been that the band size is the actual number of inches around your chest (rounded to the next highest even number), and the cup size is how many inches larger than the band size the measurement around your breasts is. So a 38 C means that one’s chest measures 38 inches around, and a measurement taken around the fullest part of one’s breasts is about 3 inches larger, or about 41 inches. This is how I measure myself, and it consistently gets me bras that fit properly. These measurement guidelines would also mean that cup sizes are proportionally the same, all A cups would be 1 inch more around than the band size, all B cups 2 inches more around than band size, and so on. I find it very difficult to believe that the cups of a 38A bra hold the same volume as the cups of a 32D as you’re saying they do.
You do the best recon work ever.
I love this post
I recently bought a couple of new bras after much ‘trying on’ and it’s amazing how cup and band size can fluctuate.
Yay, Emily! Thanks, Eb and Caitlin!
Hel– it’s all in the magic of ~*~geometry~*~!
The key word is volume. That inch system of which you speak measures the difference in circumferences and/or perimeters– not volumes.
What you’re saying is true, and what I’m saying is also true– they’re actually not in conflict at all. I’ll make a new post to clarify, because I’m sure you’re not the only one questioning the disparity. Trust me– I did, too! But in short: a 1″ difference in large perimeters/circumferences creates a greater difference in volume than a 1″ difference in small perimeters/circumferences. Why does this matter? Because we are three-dimensional beings, not one-dimensional, and that 1″ difference does not mean one’s boobs stick out an extra inch from her sternum, you know?
I feel I need diagrams, but basically, geometry is to blame. Since most of us aren’t doing SAT problems when we look at an article about how to measure our bra size, our brains say, “Huh. Well, then, if all A cups have a 1″ difference in bust and underbust measurements, then the actual cups of all A cup bras must look the same and hold the same volume of breast– they’re just attached to different bands.” And since no one tells us any different, we go on thinking that way, and our boobies are very sad.
But here’s the really short, see-it-to-believe-it answer! Go to a department store and try on a bunch of bras in your cup size, but with very different band sizes. Don’t even fasten the band if it’s too small, but see for yourself how much boob volume fits into the cups of a 32C versus a 40C!
Fair enough, I wasn’t really considering circumference vs volume.
I’ll give the trying on several in my cup size thing a shot sometime soon!
I actually have been a victim of that exact V.C experience! The bra I needed for a formal dress didn’t come in the size they “measured” me for (and they measure differently than other places!) so I was told to get it on their site in some weird jargon of numbers/letters. Over the course of the years I’ve gone between (IE – been told to wear) 32-36 B-C-D, back and forth depending on weight or “fitter”. I’ve tried to explore independently, but finally learned a tip from a professional bra store at an outlet mall – make sure the part between your boobs, usually with a lil bow, is against your skin comfortably. If it’s just hanging out there as a third boob, chances are it’s not fitting against you right in lots of places.
I’m sorry for the typo up there. I meant to say V.S not V.C
Argh, Rei– this is why I finally just 1) really studied at the Bravissimo guide to figure out what a poorly-fitting bra looks and feels like and then 2) tried on practically every bra in Nordstrom until I figured out my size MYSELF.
The funny thing is, once you know your bra size, it’s kind of a comfort, because it doesn’t vary nearly as much as dress size. It’s true that it varies a bit depending on brand and style (i.e., plunge vs. full-coverage), but relatively speaking, IME, it’s fairly stable (as long as your weight is fairly stable). I mean– I have clothes in my closet from size XS to L, 2-10 (and a vintage 12). But 100% of the bras that fit me are 32-34, and 90% are F or FF cups.
Seriously, amen.
I didn’t know *any* of this until just about 3 years ago, and I kept trying to squeeze into a bra about 5 cup sizes too small and 4 inches too large around the band. When I realized that cup size isn’t a definition of overall volume, but rather volume relative to the band size, I was flabbergasted.
I actually had good luck with Nordstrom’s fitting experience. The staff seemed to be very knowledgeable about how something should fit. I was also impressed because when I came back later and told them my size, even though it was hard to find in their store, the salesperson came back with a stack of 20 products she had grabbed from the back that would be likely to fit me – different sizes based on my measurements & her knowledge of how different brands/lines can fit.
This was such a great post! And I loved your reinvention of the boobal alphabet – hilarious.
Thank you! It took a long time (and some nagging from a friend who used to work at Bravissimo) for me to realize that I wear a 32FF-G instead of the 34DD-E I’d been wearing. I’m still getting used to the tighter band, but things stay in place so much better.
And don’t get me started on VS. I went in there soon after I’d been properly fitted and let one of the sales girls measure me, just out of curiosity. Her verdict? I wear a 38. Um, even wearing the wrong size, I’ve never worn larger than a 36! Also, the measurement around my breasts themselves is probably 40-41 inches, so if I wore a 38 band, I’d be, what, a B-C cup? Hmmm…
I just went and got myself a batch of new bras. I feel so much better! To be honest, I’m not 100% sure they fit as well as they could, but I’m in the process of losing weight so I know they are not permanent. Right now I have on a 34 C, but I’d be interested in trying one of the less conventional sizes- small band size, high cup number.
Lets also not forget to factor in the cut of the bras- that can affect fit tremendously. Basically, there is no consistency in sizing anywhere in the fashion industry. Everything must be tried on before committing to a purchase.
The scaling of the letter based on the band size makes sense to me, but I didn’t think it was as dramatic as you show it to be. I figured there were some basic size thresholds that would hold- like a D will always be noticeably larger than an A… I think it’s fine that the way it works is different- it makes sense to me because you really need to adjust size in three dimensions when it comes to bras, but as consumers we all need better education than we’ve been given.
[...] has a great post up about bra sizes. [...]
Here via the Hathor Legacy, because I can never resist going on about bra fit…
One of my friends bought bras while on holiday in the States – at one shop she told them her bra size, they laughed at her and said pretty much “don’t flatter yourself.” She thought that US bra sizing must be different… except the bras she brought back blatantly didn’t fit. OK, maybe not blatantly once you’ve got your clothes on, but the strap rode up a lot. That’s not the right size!!
As someone with a small frame and big boobs, I’ve always been very finicky about bras actually fitting, and lucky enough to have been sized by people who knew what they were doing. Ie when there weren’t any 32s that went up to my cup size, got me a 34 a cup size down and didn’t just stick me in it but told me to have the band taken in.
And then I found Bravissimo and that was the best thing ever.
Really? I mean, really really? I’ve spent several hundred dollars on bras recently and I still can’t get one to fit. I measure 38 inches around my chest but I’m currently wearing a 44″ band and a DDD cup and my bras *still* feel too tight! It seems like you’re saying that I should try a smaller band and a markedly-larger cup size despite what the store people keep telling me (and it always changes). When I was measured as a DDD I actually felt *ashamed,* but it seems like you’re telling me it’s not me, it’s *them.* I’m probably going to feel much happier about myself once I finish being stunned. Thanks!
Cara– Bravissimo *is* the best thing ever. I love their selection, their prices (in general) , their models and their shame-free attitude.
Terra– I feel like you need a hug! I would be willing to wager you wear a 38H or so. Get thee to a Nordstrom or specialty lingerie store and watch your happiness increase exponentially!
[...] bra sizing is confusing. We got that, we tried to clear some of that up. But as Hel pointed out, there seems to be a major discrepancy between What We Were All Taught [...]
What a great post! As a bra fitter, and now a manufacturer, I often find these points hard to convey to women which is why I stress getting professionally fit for a bra.
You hit the nail on the head.
Well done:)
Thank you– high praise, indeed!
Great insight into what can be a confusing issue! I work directly with bra manufacturers and they tell me that as the band gets bigger, so does the cup. Also, keep in mind that there are no USA bra sizing standards so your “size” may not fit as well if you switch to a different brand than you normally wear. Plus, even small weight changes +/- can change your bra size.
Never measure yourself either. Always have a helper to make sure the tape is parallel to the floor all the way around and not too tight/loose.
Glamorise bras are some of the best. High quality, supportive, and most of all, comfortable.
Great, great post! I actually work in retail selling bras, and have noticed most women just don’t get the relationship of cup to band because no one’s taken the time to explain it correctly. For instance, I had a roommate whose mother was buying her 36A bras – the cup fit, but her ribcage is tiny, and whenever she changed in front of me I noticed that the band was riding really high up, even before I started work. After I was trained, I finally took her bra shopping and measured her as a 32C – much more comfortable, even though she at first couldn’t believe she was a C-cup.
I do have one request, though – I completely understand how it happens, but I wish everyone wouldn’t stereotype VS so much. I work there, and it’s gotten to the point where I don’t like to admit it because people who are well-trained in bra sizing automatically think I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s true that many VS sales associates advocate ’sister-sizing’ (though certainly not to the triple or quadruple-band discrepancy) and don’t know how to judge size properly, but there are more than a few who do genuinely know how to do it. I always advocate a measurement as just a starting point, and make sure they know they can adjust, based on fit, to lower band sizes, bigger cups, etc. And if I measure a woman as a size we don’t have, I point her in the direction of figleaves or other online shops that will carry them, and make sure she knows her 32F chest is really not huge at all. I often have to bring up my own size to convince them – 32DD to 34D, depending, on the individual fit of the bra, and that usually helps. As one woman put it, “but you don’t look all that big!”
As I said though, I definitely realize there are reasons for the negative assumptions about VS girls by those in the know. A just-being-trained girl asked to measure me to make sure she was doing it right, and she measured me as a 38B. And it also doesn’t help that a lot of the bras pictured on the models in the catalogue don’t fit them correctly, especially on Marisa Miller. I’ve looked at bras on her a few times and thought, “that just looks so painful.” The commenter who wrote about the center gore lying flat against the sternum is completely right.
If you do like VS bras, though, try the Glamour range that’s sold online. It generally has a few more sizes in very pretty designs which fit much better. However, my absolute favorite for everyday bras in my size has to be Elle Macpherson’s – and good news: she’s just expanded her range up to a G cup!
Again, fantastic, amazing article. Thank you so much for writing it so well!
Charlotte, you make excellent points. I haven’t had great experiences at VS myself, but I can appreciate that it’s a big company with a diverse sales staff, many of whom are quite knowledgeable. I think VS catches the flak that really should be directed at the entire industry, simply because it is the “face” of lingerie for most consumers. (And of course, by “the entire industry,” I mean “as a rule,” and not every individual or even every company therein. Kind of how we can criticize the “fashion industry” in general for doing a terribly inadequate job of catering to plus-sized women.)
Nordstrom can kinda work. For some. If you might possibly be over a DD cup though, don’t bother. I was fitted several times in England at a 36gg (and a 36J while nursing). Nordy’s tried to smash me into a 38 or 40 ddd. Ick. And yeah, I get told all the time that I ‘don’t look at that big’. ~shrug~ Whatever. VS is useless above about a D, since their cups also have more of a ‘junior’ shape, i.e. not a very full cup. At the other end of the spectrum, Goddess bras won’t work well unless you are also full-figured — they are sized and shaped for a softer, fuller, lower breast. Personally, as a smallish chest and large cup size they don’t really work at all.
I have found a few lovely shops — one in monrovia CA that does great fittings, and carries all the UK bras.
Remember, that the sizing is actually best as follows: measure under the bust. Add 2 or 3 inches to get a band size. Measure over the bust, that number should be about the same as the band size you got from the underbust measurement. IF ITS NOT, contact someone like Bravissimo as you will be more affected by variables such as how the manufacturer positions the cup.
Now that you have a band size, measure the largest part of the chest right across the breast. This may or may not be at the nipple. You may need another person to measure if they need to be held up.
Subtract the band size you got from the largest measure. ALSO subtract the actual chest measurement from the actual bust measurement. Your cup size will either be the first (band – bust) or the second (actual – bust). But either way will give you somewhere to start.
To give an example:
An underbust measure of 33″ plus 3 gives a band of 36″. The overbust measurement is 35.5″ so that would appear to be a good one.
The bust measurement is 45. That is a 9″ difference with the band. Going by the first formula that would give a cup of G (c-d-dd-e-f-ff-g) in the UK and possibly an H in some US sizes. With the underbust at 33″ and the bust at 45″ that is a difference of 12″ so I would also want to look at a GG, and maybe and H.
In this particular case (mine) the most comfortable and supportive cup is GG, without any spillage, and with the underwire flat against the rib cage, and NO riding up in back.
Hope this helps.
Teenycakes, thanks for your comment. I’m not sure I agree with adding 2-3 inches to get an underbust measurement– if only because I am about 33″ in the underbust and a 36 band is criminally loose on me. I’m not sure if this is due to the shape of/degree of “squishiness” in my ribcage or what, but there you are.
I like the idea of measuring oneself to get a starting point, but then heading out to Nordstrom or another store with a very wide range of sizes and just trying stuff on until you hit the sweet spot. Like if your measurements suggest a 34F, grab a 32E, 32F, 32FF and a 34E, 34F and 34FF and see if one of those works, going up or down in cup or band until you find your size (at least in that bra).
I only get bras at Lane Bryant & they only sell one brand (their own) and I still have to try on every bra every time b/c my size depends entirely on the style.
I’m so glad it wasn’t my imagination that Oprah’s steering me wrong
One of the best blog posts on bra sizing frustrations I have ever seen. Be proud of your research and the conclusions you came to – its exactly what my readers have been telling me (and I am finding out for myself) for years.
We are all finding very little consistency in sizing anywhere in the fashion industry.
I am linking to this article on the front page of hiddenfeet.com because I like it so much.
Bravo!
(not sure why people still believe this chart but its not the first time I have seen it)
* A– Adolescent
* B– Bare Minimum
* C– Common Enough
* D– Dramatic
* DD– Downright Dirty
* E– Enormous
* F– Freakish
* G– Grotesque
* H– Hideous
DD is dirty? lol. *sigh*
Sara, Thanks and Welcome! That “size chart” was my own attempt at wry commentary, but I linked to the “jokes” that inspired it toward the top of the post. *sigh*, indeed.
Great post.
I have a tiny back, and unfortunately live in a country which is even worse than the US for bra sizes . It’s taken me FOREVER to realise that the reason nothing fit properly was because a 32 was too big in the band. I’m a 30G, but I wear everything on the tightest hook, so perhaps a 28GG in reality (but that’s 10x harder to find than 30G). There is one department store constantly trying to fit me in to 38DD. sigh. 38? The bra is so loose I may as well not wear one. I balance out my bustiness very well (I’m 5″9″ and something like 39-23-38) , so people are perplexed by my size, but it is what it is.
38DD!?! Oy vey.
Brenna, I completely agree. People argue with me that I cannot possibly be a 30D/DD (or 28DD/DDD if I can actually ever find one). I keep explaining why this can be, but no one seems to believe me…except the wonderful women at Nordstrom’s. They get it!
I wear a 34-36G and i just want to know what a 36GG is? can someone help pls? and it is my real size unfortunately. ive been measured by people who actually know what they are doing. and if anyone is in las vegas there is a great bra store on Jones and Sahara its called bra boutique. but they have up to an H for sure maybe larger
Megan, a GG is a British size– check out the bras on Bravissimo for a good selection (their shipping is not bad) or Nordstrom. In the US, that would be a J cup, although there aren’t many US manufacturers who make a J. Better to stick to Bravissimo (figleaves also has some larger cup bras, etc.)– they have lots of pretty bras for (relatively) reasonable prices.
I can still hardly believe this. Before last night, I kept coming back to re-read this article to remind myself that this couldn’t be wrong. I even went to VS to test this out even though I’ve known for years that their bras just DO NOT fit me. I almost felt myself panicking again, and old fears resurfaced.
I think though that the associates there were knowledgeable – but for some reason whenever I said that I bulged out of their bras, they thought I meant the bra was bulging. I talked to them and they told me to go to Lane Bryant and Nordstrom, of course. I think they were just trying to do what they could for me, but they could only really say that I was a 40DD because that’s just how far their sizes go. This is really what probably confuses most women. They go in, get sized, and fully believe what they’ve been told – they don’t know any better, and thinking they’ve been sized correctly, leave to go to other stores to find the wrong size again.
They sized me at 40DD, but taking a peek at the bra I had been wearing, I was dumbfounded when I was reminded that – not knowing how the sizing sytem worked – I’d been wearing a 42DDD from Lane Bryant. I should have gotten properly sized when I had been there, but I was one of those girls who, when going down a band size, sighed, and went back up a band when I just kept coming out.
I do not wear 38DD(haha, what, lady?), 40DD, or 42DDD. I wear 38G, and I look and feel phenomenal in it.
I’ve been ranting and raving to all girlfriends and relatives about this article, and this will only cement my convictions. I’m taking one of my sisters out to get fitted as soon as I can because she’s always said she hated bras, and I know this because as soon as she gets home, off it goes! Well, no more, sis.
Yay, not 42DDD! I get way too excited about this subject. It’s almost like religious zeal. When I first heard that most women were wearing the wrong bra size, I figured that was a ploy by the bra industry to get us to spend more. But not so much. They’d rather go right along making their 32-40 A-DD (and that’s generous for some lines). That’s already 25 sizes per bra!
Anyhoo, I could go on about this all day, about the whole chicken-and-egg issue, how we get attached to bra sizes and what they “mean.” I was just telling my husband yesterday that the reality is pretty ingrained for me now. So even though I know the general public thinks a DD is humongous, it doesn’t sound all that big to me now. Especially when we’re talking about a 30DD or a 32DD. I mean, my mind just translates those automatically– they’re like a 36B or C. Big whoop. Which is why I got my mom (who always thought of herself as a A/B cup– maaaybe a C after she had kids) to try some bras on yesterday. We’re not sure yet, but I’d say she’s about a 34D.
In conclusion: yay! Spread the word! Shop Bravissimo! Etc.!
ps…how can there be more than 100% of women wearing the wrong bra size? doesn’t really make sense….
Just a little embellishment, J.
Okay, I just have to tell you – you rock. This is JUST the information I was looking for, and needed. To make a long story short, I have breast cancer, have already had surgery but am having reconstruction soon. And I’m going for an upgrade in size. But I was wondering if that meant all my 36B bras would no longer fit. Now, thanks to you, I know that that’s also a 34C, and since I need to lose weight to help prevent a recurrence, well, that works just perfectly. So, THANKS!!!
My question is for any woman out there who has a small cup, but a large frame… Is this size chart wrong for you? My sister is always told with her measurements (49 inch band and 52 inch bust) she is a 54B/52C, (One girl even tried to fit her into a 48D! What a laugh we had!) but she can not fill out the cup size to save her life. She always jokes that if she pulls her *more to love* from around her boob she could maybe fill out a B cup, but it never feels comfortable. I now make her bras for her (52A/52AA) because we can never find her size, and when you get up to the 50s in band size the bras are not really that pretty. A woman should feel pretty no matter what her size!
Thanks,
-C&K