How To Measure Your Breasts & Get The Correct Bra Size

How To Measure Your Breasts & Get The Correct Bra Size

Learn how to measure your breasts correctly in this comprehensive bra fitting guide by Belle Bisous

Wearing the right size of bra is vitally important. A badly fitting bra can lead to a number of health problems from poor posture, nerve damage, headaches, digestive issues and even permanent breast sagging.  It can be painful, it can be irritating and it’s risking our health. That’s why it’s important to ensure that you get properly fitted for a bra, or read a bra fitting guide so you can do it yourself. Did you know that at least 80% of UK women are still wearing the wrong size bra?

Get more tips on choosing the right bra size at Lovehoney.com & Lovehoney.co.uk

One reason we are wearing the wrong size of bra is that we are placing too much emphasis on the measurements we are given instead of concentrating on the fit of the bra.  With this in mind, I have written a helpful and easy to follow bra fitting guide to help you choose a bra that fits properly and looks great.

Getting your specific measurements is a good starting point, don’t get me wrong. Let’s find out how to calculate your bra size using the traditional method – with a measuring tape.

How To Measure Your Breasts With A Tape Measure

It’s always recommended that you have a bra fitting with a professional but you can check your own measurements at home. To check the measurement of your underband, use a soft measuring tape and ask a friend to help. For those who are shy, you can leave your bra on as long as it isn’t a padded bra or underwired as this will affect your measurement.

Ask your helper to measure around your chest, directly underneath your breasts. Ensure that the tape measure is lying flat against your skin and sits snugly around your body. Pull it quite tight so you get an exact measurement.

Make a note of the measurement in inches, if you measure as an odd number round UP to the nearest even number.

How To Find Your Cup Size

Measure around the fullest part of the breast with the tape lying horizontally around your back. Leave the tape a little looser this time and do not squeeze it tight. This will determine your cup size.

To get your bra size, you need to subtract your band measurement from your cup size.

For example:

My chest measures at 32 inches

My bust measures at 31 inches

That leaves 1 inch difference (Yes, I am aware that they are very small!)

That would make my estimated bra size a 32A.

However, in my experience I have worn bras comfortably at 34 inches and some bras in this size are far too big. That’s because the style of a bra affects how the bra will look on your body, we are all shaped differently and therefore the bra will not fit the same on two different people.

I would recommend using the numbers as a very loose guide when choosing a bra and use the fit itself to determine whether the bra is suitable.

Time To Ditch The Tape Measure

Using a tape measure to work out your size rarely provides consistently perfect results because every bra is so different. However, a measuring tape can give you a good starting point for choosing the correct bra. Continue reading my bra fitting guide to discover how to determine the size of your breasts without a measuring tape.

How Does The Bra Look When Worn?

Stand in front of a mirror and look at yourself in your bra. Look at your posture and how the bra sits on your body.

A well-fitted bra:

• Fits snugly around your body
• Will not have you pulling at straps or the underband all day
• Will not ride up at the back
• Will allow you to put no more than 2 fingers in the underband. Any more and the band is too big. Go down a size.
• Will sit flat against your breast bone
• Will have no creasing or gapping in the cups.
• Will not move when you lift your arms
• Will fully encase your breasts in the cup and underwire
• Will not be painful or uncomfortable to wear
• Will leave a smooth line where the fabric at the top meets your breasts
• Will not leave indentations in your shoulders

Look at the bra that you currently have on. Does it fit properly and do you feel supported? Are your breasts properly encased, and is it comfortable? Looking at statistics, chances are that you aren’t currently wearing a bra that fits properly. A well fitted bra will totally change your shape and posture, leaving you with a beautiful silhouette and feeling like a million dollars. It can also help to alleviate shoulder and back pain, giving you a whole new lease of life.

It’s worth a try, surely? 

How To Improve The Fit Of Your Bra

It’s extremely important to try on every bra that you pick up before purchasing it. Just because one size in the same brand fits you, it doesn’t mean that another will. Different styles of bra and even different material can all affect how the bra fits your body, so it’s wise to give yourself plenty of time to shop.

If the department store has a professional fitter, enlist their help in choosing the correct bra.

They have the training and expertise to help you choose the perfect fit.

Getting The Right Bra Size: FAQ

When I put clothing over my bra, I look like I have one big squashed boob. Why is this?

Also known as the ‘uniboob’, this effect is caused by your cups being too small and squashing everything together. Try going up a cup size and see if that helps.

Why does my bra give me rolls of back fat?

Where are the rolls? If below the band, the underband is too small. If they’re above, between the shoulder straps at the back, this could mean that the underband is too big. The large band is causing your bra to ride upwards and squash together skin that it isn’t meant to touch. This would not happen if the bra fit you properly – try going up or down a band size, as appropriate.

Why do my bra straps dig into my shoulders and leave indentations?

If your straps are digging in, this illustrates that the band is too small. Your shoulder straps should only do about 10% of the work when wearing a bra so this indicates a lack of support. Try going up a band size and see if this helps.

Why do my bra straps keep sliding off my shoulders?

This indicates that the underband may be too big or your straps are too long and need adjustment. Another reason is your body shape, do you have sloping shoulders? This could cause some styles of bra to slip down at the shoulders.

Try a different style of bra that has the straps closer together or has a multi-way function. Again, experimentation with different styles will really help here.

What causes the ‘quad boobs’ effect?

If your breasts are pouring out of the top and sides of your bra, making you look like you have four breasts. It’s definitely too small. This can be caused by cups that are too small or an issue with your underband.

I would recommend starting from scratch and throwing out your bras. Book an hour with a professional bra fitter and have a proper fitting so you leave with a size and shape of bra that suits you best.

Why do my breasts pop out of the bottom of my bra when I move around?

You band may be too big which is casing the bra to ride up, or the cup is too small and not fully encasing your breasts. Try going down a band size and see if that helps, if not, try a bigger cup.

The underwire digs into my breasts and it’s really uncomfortable. How can I stop this happening?

The cup may be too small and isn’t completely encasing your breasts, try going up a cup size. However, it may be that the style of bra that you’re wearing isn’t right for your body. Try a different shape of bra and see if that helps.

My boobs are different sizes and I struggle to find a bra that fits. Help!

Most women have one breast bigger than the other. I would recommend measuring around the larger breast to find a size guide and fitting the bra to that breast. Add some light padding to the smaller breast to even out your shape. Once you have your clothes on, it’s hardly noticeable.

Why do bras with the same size on the label often fit me differently?

There a lot of reasons why each bra is different. Some of it comes down to the different materials used as some is a lot stretchier than others. Other times it can be the cut of the bra and the shape of the cups which make the bra look different. The list is endless. One thing that won’t change is that the key to finding the perfect fit is working with your body shape and trying on the bra.

Should I wear a bra at night?

If you have smaller breasts it’s always nice to remove your bra at night and enjoy some ‘freedom’. However, larger breasts can benefit from a light, cotton bra at night to help keep their shape and prevent sagging. It’s a personal choice and there is no definite answer, just do whatever feels most comfortable for you.

How often should I arrange a fitting for a new bra?

You get around 100 uses per bra, and our bras quickly become tired. It’s very important to have a selection of well-fitting bras to choose from and to never wear the same bras for two days in a row, let it rest.

You should have a bra fitting every six months, particularly if dieting as this will change the size and shape of your body.

Where can I buy larger or smaller bras?

Bras for large breasts

Bravissimo

Curvissa

Maristota

Simply Be

Bras for smaller breasts

Little Women

Know Knockers

Wear Pepper (US Only)

Mastectomy Bras & Post-Surgery Bra Shops

Nicola Jane

Pink Ribbon Lingerie

– Belle Bisous

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