Bra sizes--am I the only one who didn't know this?

[rubybeth]

While on vacation, one of my cousins was explaining to me and some other cousins that bra band and cup sizes don't work how we were thinking they work. She was explaining that the volume of the cups on a 36B and 38A are the same, and likewise with a 32C and 34B, or 42D and 46B. This was kind of blowing my mind. I always thought cup size remained the same even as band size went up, but not so. So, for example, my sister and I both currently wear B cups, but different band sizes, so we aren't at all the same size. This post explains it better: http://www.breasthealthonline.org/cgi-bin/mwf/topic_show.pl?tid=48932 Am I the only one who didn't know this? This makes me want to go bra shopping, and I hate shopping!

 

[justginger]

I was under the impression that the band size was your rib circumference in inches. And then the difference in inches to your bust, that equaled the cup size (one inch difference = A, 2 inch difference = B, etc). So 30B was 30 inch ribs, 32 inch bust. 38D was 38 inch ribs, 42 inch bust. Is that not right?

 

[iheartscience]

I was under the impression that the band size was your rib circumference in inches. And then the difference in inches to your bust, that equaled the cup size (one inch difference = A, 2 inch difference = B, etc). So 30B was 30 inch ribs, 32 inch bust. 38D was 38 inch ribs, 42 inch bust. Is that not right?

Me too!

And if you're interested in getting fitted for a bra, I highly recommend the Nordstrom bra department, or a specialty bra shop. I was definitely wrong about my size!

 

[partgypsy]

This actually makes sense to me, even if the increase in inch size remains the same the volume changes which could affect fit.
I'm basically a 36 a/b, but I got a 34" a/b bra and and though the size around the back was good, I keep kind of spilling out of it (cups too small) which I didn't understand. If I thought about it, I should have gotten the next cup size up.

 

[rosetta]

Oh great. According to this I need a 34F and not DD like I thought. Argh more bra shopping!!

 

[rubybeth]

I was under the impression that the band size was your rib circumference in inches. And then the difference in inches to your bust, that equaled the cup size (one inch difference = A, 2 inch difference = B, etc). So 30B was 30 inch ribs, 32 inch bust. 38D was 38 inch ribs, 42 inch bust. Is that not right?

Me too!

And if you're interested in getting fitted for a bra, I highly recommend the Nordstrom bra department, or a specialty bra shop. I was definitely wrong about my size!

No, apparently not. If you measure around your rib cage under your breasts, you have to add 3" inches to get the band size, like this: http://www.herroom.com/bra-fitting-advice,901,30.html (this is how I've done it before, but it's not a simple 32" rib cage = 32 band size). Victoria's Secret recommends measuring around your back but on the top in front: http://www.victoriassecret.com/bras/how-to-measure-bra-size/

I have read that 8 in 10 women wear the wrong size bra, and no wonder! I've also read that your bra should fit best when fastened on the middle hooks (not the tightest hooks, and not the outer hooks) on most days, the others are just there for slight size fluctuations.

 

[VRBeauty]

While on vacation, one of my cousins was explaining to me and some other cousins that bra band and cup sizes don't work how we were thinking they work. She was explaining that the volume of the cups on a 36B and 38A are the same, and likewise with a 32C and 34B, or 42D and 46B. This was kind of blowing my mind. I always thought cup size remained the same even as band size went up, but not so. So, for example, my sister and I both currently wear B cups, but different band sizes, so we aren't at all the same size. This post explains it better: http://www.breasthealthonline.org/cgi-bin/mwf/topic_show.pl?tid=48932 Am I the only one who didn't know this? This makes me want to go bra shopping, and I hate shopping!

I don't know the "mechanics" of how this works, but it does - and it gives you a lot more options in finding the right fit. For me, the most important thing is that the underwire fits right - and that could be accomplished with, in your example, either a 32C or a 34B, which seem to have the same underwire. However, the "volume" does go up as you increase cup size, so I'd be leary of the B-to-D conversion, at least for me!

Another thing to keep in mind is that your body changes over time... so it's important to get re-measured periodically.

 

[LJL]

Theyre called "sister sizes" .. so when youre shopping that Vicki's sale and they dont have your size, you just take the other one! I learned about it a couple of years ago sometimes it makes a difference depending on if your chest is wider/narrower, but generally, it works.

 

[rubybeth]

While on vacation, one of my cousins was explaining to me and some other cousins that bra band and cup sizes don't work how we were thinking they work. She was explaining that the volume of the cups on a 36B and 38A are the same, and likewise with a 32C and 34B, or 42D and 46B. This was kind of blowing my mind. I always thought cup size remained the same even as band size went up, but not so. So, for example, my sister and I both currently wear B cups, but different band sizes, so we aren't at all the same size. This post explains it better: http://www.breasthealthonline.org/cgi-bin/mwf/topic_show.pl?tid=48932 Am I the only one who didn't know this? This makes me want to go bra shopping, and I hate shopping!

I don't know the "mechanics" of how this works, but it does - and it gives you a lot more options in finding the right fit. For me, the most important thing is that the underwire fits right - and that could be accomplished with, in your example, either a 32C or a 34B, which seem to have the same underwire. However, the "volume" does go up as you increase cup size, so I'd be leary of the B-to-D conversion, at least for me!

Another thing to keep in mind is that your body changes over time... so it's important to get re-measured periodically.

The bolded part is what I am confused about, because the things I'm reading back up my cousin's assertion that the volume does NOT increase as you increase cup sizes, it's all related to band size. As the Wikipedia entry on bra measurements says, "The volume of a brassiere cup is the same for 30D, 32C, 34B, and 36A." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassiere_measurement#Breast_volume_variation This is what I find so crazy. I could theoretically be a C or D cup, when I've been wearing A and B my whole life. The chart at the bottom of the wiki entry blows my mind.

 

[Deia]

I used to be a 36C when I weighed more. (I probably should have been using a 36D because I spilled out of the bras alot but I had no clue) Once I lost weight, I started using a 34D because the 36C was just not tight enough around my back and wasn't supporting me properly. I also have a 34DD bra that fits just fine, cup and all.

Problem is there are sooooooooo many variations between brands that it makes it hard to really know what your bra size is. When I go into a lingerie store, I get the same bra in 34D, 34DD and 36C to try on. Some are perfect being a 34D but some just too tight around the back so I get a 36C. But, sometimes, that 36C is too small in the cup... so there I am again back to the starting line lol... it's a pain being a woman sometimes! I don't think there is a solution to this other than perhaps finding your right size with a brand and sticking to that brand.

Also, the part that is in between your breasts...should lay FLAT on your chest. Not gape out like it does on almost all the VS models. They don't wear the right size bras, usually because VS are trying to make their breasts look bigger than they are.

 

[TooPatient]

I hate bra shopping. Time to do it again though

Last time, I tried measuring myself using various online instructions..... yeah.... I was apparently somewhere between a 30A and a 42F . I eventually gave up and just ordered three different styles of bras online and got like 5 sizes each. Tried them on in the comfort of home and shipped back the 10 or so that weren't right.

I think this time I'm going in for an actual fitting!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I cannot find the size I need locally--28 (C or D depending on style)--so I end up wearing a 30. I could buy online but each bra fits/sits differently that I am not going to chance it, notwithstanding the brand you like might not be made in the size you need.

cheer--Sharon

 

[Laila619]

While on vacation, one of my cousins was explaining to me and some other cousins that bra band and cup sizes don't work how we were thinking they work. She was explaining that the volume of the cups on a 36B and 38A are the same, and likewise with a 32C and 34B, or 42D and 46B. This was kind of blowing my mind. I always thought cup size remained the same even as band size went up, but not so. So, for example, my sister and I both currently wear B cups, but different band sizes, so we aren't at all the same size. This post explains it better: http://www.breasthealthonline.org/cgi-bin/mwf/topic_show.pl?tid=48932 Am I the only one who didn't know this? This makes me want to go bra shopping, and I hate shopping!

I don't know the "mechanics" of how this works, but it does - and it gives you a lot more options in finding the right fit. For me, the most important thing is that the underwire fits right - and that could be accomplished with, in your example, either a 32C or a 34B, which seem to have the same underwire. However, the "volume" does go up as you increase cup size, so I'd be leary of the B-to-D conversion, at least for me!

Another thing to keep in mind is that your body changes over time... so it's important to get re-measured periodically.

The bolded part is what I am confused about, because the things I'm reading back up my cousin's assertion that the volume does NOT increase as you increase cup sizes, it's all related to band size. As the Wikipedia entry on bra measurements says, "The volume of a brassiere cup is the same for 30D, 32C, 34B, and 36A." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassiere_measurement#Breast_volume_variation This is what I find so crazy. I could theoretically be a C or D cup, when I've been wearing A and B my whole life. The chart at the bottom of the wiki entry blows my mind.

Hmm, this doesn't make any sense to me. Of course a D cup is going to be bigger in volume than an A cup...all you have to do is visually look at the bra and you can see the cup sizes are way bigger on the D, you know?

 

[Clairitek]

I knew about this little trick but I only think it's reliable when you're moving between adjacent cup sizes (for example, 36D to 34DD). I do find that as my weight fluctuates one size is better fitting for me than another. I also have learned that it is best to buy a new bra that fits you in the band with the hooks out the outermost set so as the material ages and loses a little elasticity you can move in to keep it fitting well. This has really increased the lifespan of my bras, provided I handwash, don't use the dryer (heat reallllly destroys elasticity), and just take good care of them.

 

[stargurl78]

I knew about this little trick but I only think it's reliable when you're moving between adjacent cup sizes (for example, 36D to 34DD). I do find that as my weight fluctuates one size is better fitting for me than another. I also have learned that it is best to buy a new bra that fits you in the band with the hooks out the outermost set so as the material ages and loses a little elasticity you can move in to keep it fitting well. This has really increased the lifespan of my bras, provided I handwash, don't use the dryer (heat reallllly destroys elasticity), and just take good care of them.

Ditto this. I did know about the trick with the cup sizes and actually found out when my old boss told me to always buy bras that fit you on the outermost hook when new, like Clairitek said, so as they stretch you can still wear them by continuing to move the hook. Based on this, I went from a 34 to a 32 and I thought that a B cup was the same for both. The salesgirl at VS told me that if I was wearing a 34B previously, I needed a 32C to have the same cup size. I happily obliged And now my bras fit perfectly, this one is my fave:
http://www.victoriassecret.com/bras/body-by-victoria-collection/demi-bra-body-by-victoria?ProductID=67402&CatalogueType=OLS

 

[SC86]

I knew about this. Your ideal bra size also depends on what type of bra it is. For example, I am a 34DD in contour/molded bras and a 32F in lace bras (because they are stretchy). Also the band of your bra is supposed of sit low on your back, instead of straight across - this helps lift up the "girls" and allows the bottom of the bra/underwire to sit where it's meant to. One of the best things I ever did was go to a bra specialty store (Intimacy is GREAT!) and got a bra fitting. A bra fitter will pull a bunch of bras for you (in different sizes) and help you pick the right size in every type/style of bra you want. The bras are not cheap! But I was able to replace at least 10 bad-fitting bras with 2-3 great fitting ones. Intimacy (and probably other stores like it) even offers free alternations, which is great if the straps are too long, etc.

 

[soocool]

I was properly fitted a couple of years ago and glad to find out I was a 34DD (some brands it is a 34F). Amazingly wearing the correct bra makes you look slimmer.

 

[AGBF]

Funny you should mention this.... A couple of weeks ago a couple of women friends decided that since I have lost weight and started to wear more fashionable clothes that I had to get rid of my old bra. I had an impromptu fitting in one friend's kitchen, with her husband barred from the room and her own 36C bra used as a temporary model. That Saturday she escorted me to the Victoria's Secret in her town which her daughter-in-law (my godson's new wife) manages! My godson's wife measured me for a bra (the first time in my life I was ever measured) and I ended up two cup sizes larger than I had thought I was (which was still only a C)!

Everyone had kept telling me what a difference the right bra makes, and it's true! My daughter thought I was wearing a push-up bra, I think she thought it was a "wonder bra", and I wasn't!!!

Deb/AGBF

 

[natascha]

Please please people get properly fitted!!!

Oh and VS little tips about sizing is seriously wrong. You don't add inches to your measured band size, seriously why on earth would you want to have a band size that is bigger than your rib cage? It is supposed to fit tight ( the band should never ride up in the back) so that the weight of the girls is born by your core not by your shoulders, oh and the band is stretchy remember so often the right size is a little smaller than your actual rib cage measurement. Having a too big band size just leads to pain and bad posture.

Oh and sizing above your breasts what kind of stupid person had that great idea? The band should fit the area where it is supposed to sit at not another random place. Why don't we just measure our shoulders and go with that number .

The truth is that most retailers don't make your size bra so they stuff you in something that has a too big band size in order for the cup size to work. The same cup size is bigger the larger the band size. Just go look at some bras and compare the cups of a 32C and a 36C. Shops have been lying to customers for so long, telling a size 4 that she is a 34D instead of admitting that she needs a 30F just because they don't sell that size.

Please get fitted at a proper place, not Victoria's Secret. When I was a teen I just wanted to fit in so I would buy the pretty bras where all the other girls got theirs. I constantly suffered from back and neck pain and still 6 years later have indentations in my shoulders from the straps. I thought the pain, that sometimes was so bad that I would cry, was due to some feet issues I had as a child. That is until I walked in to a proper bra store. The first time I left in a huff without buying anything since they wanted me to go from the 36C I was wearing to a 32F (DD american). After finally caving and buying a properly fitted bra 90% of my back issues were gone.

One would think I learnt my lesson right? Well for years I still used a minimizer bra under a sport bra for sports . Finally caved last year and spent the money on a proper sports bra for my size ( they bare no resemblance to those sports tops you normally get) last year. When I tried it on I inadvertently gave the whole store a laugh since I shocked burst out " but but it doesn't hurt!!!" .

I am now a size 32/34 G/H (I think that is a FF american) and tell it to everyone who asks. Many react in shock since I am not that large, I do not look like a freak, which many expect when hearing that size. The truth is I look like completely normal busty girl and there are a lot of women out there with the same size though many stuff themselves into the wrong size and suffer in silence.

 

[Dreamer_D]

ETA: read the whole thing and my post is not really relevant anymore

BUT it makes sense a 30D could have the same volume as a 36B (or whatever). But the way the volume is spread would differ. In the 30D you would have very narrow and small half moon underwire but lots of volume sticking straight out from the chest. And in the 36B you would have a much larger half moon underwire and less volume sticking out from the chest.

I find the shape of the underwire fitting perfectly is the most important part. So volume is obviously not the whole story.

 

[yennyfire]

I had no clue, but I was professionally fit for my bras (of course, this was years ago, so probably time to get some new ones!!), so I never paid much attention to the size. They said it fit...it looked good under my clothes, so I bought three. Can you tell I'm not a shopper??? (at least of bras/clothes...now jewelry is another story! )

 

[distracts]

Yeah, bra sizes are weird. I used to be a 30D, which is really hard to find, so I had to wear 32Cs mostly, and they never quite fit because the cups were spaced farther apart than I needed. In the past several years I've gained 15 lbs, and now 32Cs fit me much better. Though my actual measurements are for a 30DD.

And I agree with Natascha that people find my bra size surprising - it sounds a lot more "va-va voom" than I really am.

I can't wear Victoria's Secret bras - they feel horridly uncomfortable on. The Calvin Klein ones and Betsey Johnson ones work best for me, out of bras available in regular department stores.

 

[Gypsy]

I knew that. It's counter intuitive and surprised me when I figured it out too.

 

[AGBF]

Please please people get properly fitted!!!

Please get fitted at a proper place, not Victoria's Secret.

I can't wear Victoria's Secret bras - they feel horridly uncomfortable on.

You women are killing me! The Victoria's Secret bras fit sooo much better than my old bras and look so much better that I can't imagine anything better than these! And now you tell me there are bras even better? No wonder my friend wanted to throw my old bra into her garbage pail!

AGBF

 

[radiantquest]

How absurd that a majority of women don't know this, including me!!!

During health class in middle school maybe we could have taken one day from fallopian tubes and talked about how to buy a bra that fits!!

I have little girls. 34B and I notice that as my bra ages it will creep up in the front. I don't have the weight and girth to keep it down. Is this because my boobs are shrinking or because my bra is stretching out?

 

[VRBeauty]

I have little girls. 34B and I notice that as my bra ages it will creep up in the front. I don't have the weight and girth to keep it down. Is this because my boobs are shrinking or because my bra is stretching out?

Oh that sounds annoying and uncomfortable! If I were you, I'd go to Nordstrom's and get fitted! Is it possible that you're actually buying a bra with a band that's too small and stretching ti out too quickly? Or that "the girls" aren't as small as you think, and bra is creeping up because your cups are sitting on top of the girls rather than cupping them and being anchored under them?

BTW I've also found that I can get very nice, top shelf ( ) bras at bargain prices at Nordstrom's Rack.

 

[JulieN]

I have little girls. 34B and I notice that as my bra ages it will creep up in the front. I don't have the weight and girth to keep it down. Is this because my boobs are shrinking or because my bra is stretching out?

It is stretching out.

My bra creeps up like that when the band size is too big. I wear a 32B for a 28-29" under the bust. If it is already on the tightest hook, try a 32C; it should fit on the last hook when new.

 

[rubybeth]

You women are killing me! The Victoria's Secret bras fit sooo much better than my old bras and look so much better that I can't imagine anything better than these! And now you tell me there are bras even better? No wonder my friend wanted to throw my old bra into her garbage pail!

AGBF

I don't really like any of the current VS bras, because I dislike push-ups and padding. They used to make one called The Perfect One, and boy, it was the perfect bra for me. Fully lined with a light layer of padding, full coverage, nice comfy straps... then they discontinued it. I bought what I could, but now I'm on the hunt for a new brand. I got some Aerie bras at the beginning of the summer, and am happy with their 'Sofie' bra, but having learned this about sizing, I want to go to the Aerie store and try on a bunch of different sizes to see if anything is even more comfortable than what I already wear. I may be the only woman over the age of 25 in the store, but I don't care!

During health class in middle school maybe we could have taken one day from fallopian tubes and talked about how to buy a bra that fits!!?

 

[stargurl78]

You women are killing me! The Victoria's Secret bras fit sooo much better than my old bras and look so much better that I can't imagine anything better than these! And now you tell me there are bras even better? No wonder my friend wanted to throw my old bra into her garbage pail!

AGBF

I agree AGBF! I love the Body by Victoria Demi. Its a pretty underwire bra with a light lining and no padding. Now I'm wondering where else I could be shopping to get something better...

 

[Clairitek]

You women are killing me! The Victoria's Secret bras fit sooo much better than my old bras and look so much better that I can't imagine anything better than these! And now you tell me there are bras even better? No wonder my friend wanted to throw my old bra into her garbage pail!

AGBF

I agree AGBF! I love the Body by Victoria Demi. Its a pretty underwire bra with a light lining and no padding. Now I'm wondering where else I could be shopping to get something better...

I'm wearing that exact bra right now. I personally find VS bras to be very comfortable. I don't think that its fair to say that they aren't comfortable/are terrible for every woman. My boobs happen to look nice in them AND they are fitting me properly. Band not creeping up in the back, no tugging or adjusting all day to get it to stay put.

I was SO upset when they discontinued the IPEX. I wish I had hunted down as many as possible on eBay and purchased them. They replaced the IPEX in their line with the Body by Victoria Demi but it's not the same.

This thread is making me want to go buy new bras! I know I'm due because I lost some weight and I'm on the inner hook of all of my bras. I guess I know what I'm doing on my lunch hour!