Do you know majority of women wear wrong bra size? It’s because a large group of women don’t know how to measure bra size.
It is not their ignorance at all!!
In fact, measuring bra size is although not a challenging task but it does sound confusing for many women. So instead of measuring bra size with accuracy and in the right way, they prefer to try different bras on various shops to find the perfect fit.
Well, that’s certainly not the right way. So we have brought to you a step by step guide on how to measure the bra size. Since ill-fitted bras pose great health risks, so here you go with all the information about finding your accurate bra size without any hassles.
How to Measure the Right Bra Size??
Alright, so if you are confused with your current bra size and aren’t sure if what size is your perfect one, you can firstly consult an expert at the departmental stores and if you are modest or aren’t comfortable with anyone and want to self-analyze your Bra size; then the best is to do that via a Bra measurement chart or by DIY measuring.
THE ACCURATE DIY WAY OF MEASURING SIZE at HOME
The accurate measurement is based on two components: The band & Your Bust
Below are a few steps you need to follow while you measure your perfect bra size.
1. Make sure you are wearing your best bra: In order to get the perfect results, it’s very important to wear a bra that fits you perfectly, it should preferably be an under wired, slinky, and unpadded one. Also make sure that your breasts aren’t sagging, if incase you feel they’re drooping down then adjust your bra straps to make them tighter to get an accurate measurement.
2. Measure your band size first: Wrap the soft measuring tape around the circumference of your rib cage right underneath your breasts. Exhale to get the shortest measurement possible, round it to the nearest whole number. If it’s an even number then you would add “2” and if it’s an odd number then you would add “3” to get your band size. For example, if your measurement is 31 then you would add 3 to this odd number to get an actual band size of “34” inches.
Note: Here you need to know that after a 37 band size, your band size should be round off to the next closest higher even number to your actual measurement. For example, if your measurement is 41” then it will be rounded off to 42” band size.
You can see your actual band sizes in the chart below:
3. Measure your bust size: Wrap the measuring tape around the fullest length of your breasts at the nipple level and note that measurement. Be sure to round all the fractional measurements to the nearest whole number.
4. Measure your cup size: To find the cup size, you will have to subtract the band size measurement from bust size measurement. For example, 35 inches (bust) – 34 inches (band) = 1 inch. The difference of “1” represents “A” cup size, so your bra size will be 34A.
Here’s a chart of standard differences and their equation to cup sizes:
A brief example from start to finish: Let’s suppose your torso measurement was 35 inches but since it’s an odd number, you should round it off to 36. When you measure around your full bust, you get 38 inches .That means there’s a two-inch difference between your full bust size and your band size. The chart above says two-inch difference is equivalent to a “B” cup size, so your final bra size is 36B.This is the DIY measurement, if you want two accurate results then apart from this you can also refer to the bra measurement chart given below:
The Bra Measurement Chart:
How to measure bra size video:
Also if you want to find out about international cup-size conversion, then study the chart below:
How do bra sizes work - How to Get the Right Fit Bra?
So you have never got hold of the right bra or the brands that you’ve splurged your money on were never up to your expectations??
No worries let’s get down to a few do’s and don’ts that will help you curb your stress of choosing the right bra with the right size for you. I’m sure there is a bra somewhere out there that fits you just right!
The key is to measure your bra size accurately…
Recent studies indicate that around 80% of women tend to wear the wrong bra size (uncanny but true) that is because a big number of companies though not having the ill-intentions claim of suggesting you the right bra size, but there is actually a large amount of discrepancy between not only the brands, but by in large in the sizing method too. Also, some women don’t know how to measure their bra size accurately.
The two basic points while measuring bra size and getting the right fit should always be well-understood:
1] What is a Cup Size?
The biggest misconception is determining the breast size with the cup size of the bra that a woman falls into-for example, if you are a double D or a DD cup size, so you are labeled as ‘miss booby’ or ‘miss big boobs’??? HELL NO!!!! That’s because the cup size is not static thus a bra’s cup size is determined relative to its band size, for instance, a 36DD is NOT the same as a 30DD-the 36DD holds more volume than the 30DD
Each cup letter equates to differing in inches like (A=1, B=2, C=3 and so on) for e.g., you might think you are a 34B, when actually you could be size 28 DD (strange isn’t it) No actually both the sizes hold the same volume in terms of the cup size but obviously a slimmer woman with a narrower frame would obviously be a 28DD and the lady with a broader frame would likewise be a 34B
2] What is a band size and how important is it to wear the right band bras?
The band size is the key to good support around your body that supports your cups, the straps around your shoulders and plays an important role in making your breasts look uplifted and firm.
Bras like other fashion items are based on the idea of scaling proportion, but surprisingly the scale doesn’t center on the cup. It’s the band that’s the star here!
Signs You Might Be Wearing the Wrong Bra Size:
Like we all know that half of the women wear a wrong Bra size-which is bad of course because it leads to a hell lot of problems and discomfort.Although we must get ourselves fitted at leastonce a year by a professional fitter-but it’s also important to know the faults in some of our favorite ones that we already own so that we rectify the problems that we don’t know the reason of.Just like you hate wearing an ill-fitted shoe or a pair of tight or loose jeans, similarly why should you suffer wearing a poor-fitted bra? So down below we’ve stated a few never-fail signs you’re wearing the wrong bra so read them and try them out!
- Straps that dig into your shoulders (That’s usually when the cup is small)
- Cups that bunch up or wrinkle (cup is big)
- Underwire that pokes inside your chest or your breast tissue (Your underwire should sit on your ribs and be aligned with the mid of your underarm so your breasts sit comfortably in the cups and if the metal wire irritates by digging around those areas then surely your cup is too small)
- Back bulge (It squeezes in your skin and the bra seems tight that’s because the band is too small)
- Bra gaps (Gaps between your bra and boobs mean that your cup size is too big, which is annoying as well as it looks super weird)
- Straps that keep falling down (stretching during wash could be the reason so first tighten them a bit, if they still keep slipping then go a band size down)
- You wear your bra on the last hook (You should feel most comfy in the middle hook. That way you can tighten your bra if it stretches over time, but if it’s already loose then go down a band size)
- The center of your bra is lifted off your chest (The middle piece between the cups (the gore) should fit flat on the rib cage. If there’s space then the cup size is too small. You should comfortably be able to lift your arms over your head without the underwire rising up)
- Your neck or back hurts (That’s another big sign of an ill-fitted bra, because you may not be getting the desired support)
How Does Wearing A Wrong Bra Affect Your Health?
Many of us are tempted to pick bras from our favorite lingerie stores that look smart and sexy with laces and net etc., but what’s important is to pick the right bra size for ourselves. Quite a few women are not aware of the adverse effects on health of wearing a wrong bra.
Poorly-fitted bras cause problems from back and shoulder pain to headaches and so much more-Let’s read how they actually influence your health so you pick the right ones for you:
Millions of women wear the wrong or ill-fitted brassieres which not only cause discomfort, but have definite health implications too.
So now the experts and physiotherapists are urging ladies to check their measurements before they buy their bras to help curb the uneasiness and premature sagging that only surgery can reverse.
‘Wearing the wrong bra size not only looks bad but also puts you at risk of various health problems, which can lead to neck, shoulder, middle and low back pain, pinched nerve in the neck and sagging breasts, says Sammy Margo, of the Chartered Society Of Physiotherapy.
- Breasts are made of tissues and ligaments that stretch from bouncing if not held firmly in position causing you to slump and fold your shoulders forward, and lead to painful postural disorders; therefore, it’s essential to wear a well fitted bra for a perfect posture and self-confidence.
- Rumor has it that the cups of your bra offer you support, but ‘no’ it’s actually the straps and the back of your bra that do the working.
- Studies show that poor fitting bras are seen to have an effect on your lymphatic nerve system that functions to flush out the toxins out of your body, which if not thrown out can lodge into the mammary glands, giving rise to breast cancer because the lymphatic vessels are very thin, extremely sensitive and are easily compressed.
- Similarly an ill-fitted bra can have a toll on your bones stressing the muscles, causing stiffness in the spine along with breathing problems.
- Besides other hidden pains bad fitting bras can also cause skin abrasions that result in skin rashes or blisters on the skin around the breast or where the straps rest.
- Tight fitting bras can also hinder in good digestion as they put more pressure on the diaphragm and affect the process of digestion and may cause heartburn.
- Another reason why tight bras shouldn’t be worn is because they can restrict blood circulation affecting the nerves and cause headaches.
- Wearing a loose bra can cause the breasts to sag spoiling the shape and size instead of lifting them up.
So in the latter taking these active steps and analyzing the above stated facts, make sure to wear just about the right bra for the perfect size and shape which will not only make you look and feel good but will help you maintain a good postural health too.
RECOMMENDATIONS DO’S & DONT’S:
- A woman is believed to wear or change up to six bra sizes in a lifetime due to various reasons that we’ve mentioned earlier like weight loss, pregnancy, age etc. So it’s advisable to access your bra size at least once a year.
- Manually position your breasts inside the cups to ensure comfort and good support.
- Make sure to wear a new bra for at least five minutes while trying, by lifting your arms up, bending down or bouncing to see if the bra and your breasts both stay in place.
- If incase you feel your bra straps of an old favorite bra or a new one worn for a longer period are causing you discomfort or pinching in, then place a shoulder pad under each strap to evenly distribute the weight of your breasts over the shoulder ,this will also help the strap buckle from jabbing into your skin.
- Your bra band should be snuggled and not overly tight so just in case if you want to adjust them to your comfort, make good use of the hooks, like if you feel the straps are falling down ,then tighten them and if you find the band rising up then loosen the straps.
- Buy and wear only the styles that fancy you don’t think what’s in vogue or outdated. This is one thing that only you want to feel comfortable being in, so if you desire to splurge over a set of lingerie be it a 2pc a 3pc or a single lacey vibrant bra, just go for it!
- If you are on a heavier side then look for bras that have a leotard band (one side scoops up instead of running across the back) or a bra with a wider back band.
- Handle your bras with gentle love and care. It is recommended to wash your bras by hand with cold water and mild lingerie detergent instead of tossing them in the dryer; best way of drying them is in fresh air and sunlight.
- If incase you are using machine then use the most gentle cycle, and use a lingerie bag and always fasten the bra hooks to avoid tangling.
- Since bras absorb sweat, it is advised to wash them every two days so that they’re bacteria & germ free.
- Don’t ever wear dark or vibrant colored bras under white or neutral tops/dresses; make sure that your wardrobe has 3 basic colors of bras white, black and nude.
- Do consider your sister size when your measured size seems a bit off.
- Don’t try the bra, using the smallest eyes and hooks because the bra stretches with time so you can use the tighter hooks later for a good fit and support.
- When trying a new bra, make sure the band is parallel to the floor and there is a two finger gap between your band and skin.
Final Advice:
Measuring your bra size is not a rocket science and once learnt and done accurately you will be amazed how much easier it was. So measure bra size with all the above-mentioned easy-to-apply information and flaunt every dress with charismatic confidence!