How to Find the Perfect Fitting Bra

We've all heard it... over 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size! But, how can you tell if this is the case for you, personally? Well, I have a few tips which I think will make shopping for a bra much easier in the future! Let's start at the beginning!

Measuring
All bras are sized with a numeric size and then a letter size (such as 40 D). This is based on measurements that should match up to your body. Knowing that, it makes sense to get measured, or measure yourself. Measurements will tell you what bra size to start with and adjust from there. There are 2 approaches to measuring; however, I am only going to present the one that I have found effective for me. When measuring, you want to have a bra on, but no shirt or chemise over it.

Band Measurements
Start by measuring to determine your correct band size. Place the measuring tape around your back pulling forward to end directly below your breasts where the band of your bra usually sits. Hold the tape so that you are not squeezing your skin, but firmly resting on top of it. Band sizes come in even numbers only, so, if you measure 39 inches, you would round UP to get to your band size of 40.

Cup Measurements
Once you have determined what your band size is likely to be (in the case above, we would use 40 even though the measurement was 39 because the band would be sized up to 40), we measure for cup size. To measure for cup size, place the measuring tape around the fullest part of your chest (around your back and the fullest part of your breasts). For every inch above the band size, you want to go up in cup size, starting at "A". So, if you are in a size 40 band, and your fullest part of your chest measures 41", you would measure as a 40 A in size. If you are 2" larger than your band size, (42" in the case of the person with the size 40 band) you would be a "B" cup, etc. See the chart below to make it easy once you have your measurements:

Inches Larger than...

1 = Cup Size A
2 = Cup Size B
3 = Cup Size C
4 = Cup Size D
5 = Cup Size E
6 = Cup Size F
7 = Cup Size G
8 = Cup Size H
9 = Cup Size I
10 = Cup Size J
11 = Cup Size K

There are probably cup sizes here you have never heard of, however, YES, they really do exist and are made! Some manufacturers use DDD for an E, or GG for an H, but some of the better European brands (which I am most familiar with) use no double letters, just a straight A-K lettering system.

Once you have measured yourself, the fun part begins! Trying the bras on! The measurement is a starting place. The look and feel are the deciding factors to the actual fit of the bra. Before assessing the fit of a bra, you have to make sure you have adjusted it to your body - and then adjusted your body to it. This means, you lift your breast into the cups from the outer, lower corner up and in towards the center of your body to fill the cup. You can lean over if you want, but, you will still need to then lift and place your breast into the cup. Once you have done that, the straps should be tightened until you can put 3 fingers vertically under the strap. Turn sideways and look in the mirror. Your "headlights" should be even with the point that is halfway between your shoulder and your elbow when your arm is hanging at your side. The band should be positioned over the flesh on the back and the extra tissue under the arms. Once this has been done, you will want to adjust yourself into the cups one more time and start to look for the following:

Does the center of the bra where the two cups meet lay flat against your body, or does it stick out showing some cleavage or space between the breasts? It should be flat. If there is a space or cleavage between your skin and the bra, the CUP is too SMALL. Some women may opt for this look of a too small cup when they want a sexy cleavage for a revealing neckline - but, for an everyday supportive bra, it still means the cup is too small.

Do the top of the cups lie smoothly against the skin, or is there skin that is coming up over the edge of the cup creating a 2nd mound of flesh above the breast? If there is this 2nd mound of flesh, the CUP is too SMALL.

Are there wrinkles in the cup or big pockets of space where you are not filling the cup out even after you have adjusted yourself into the cups? If so, the cup is too LARGE.

Lift your arms into a "touchdown" position and look in the mirror. Did the bra slide up? This is where it is supposed to be positioned, so don't yank it down in front. Is the bra lifting away from your skin under the breasts? If so, the BAND is probably too BIG, or the bra is not a great shape/fit for you. You risk your breasts falling out of the cups and sliding below the band which is both painful and unsightly. Or, the band may slide up in the back which means the breasts will slide down in the front (which will add about ten pounds to your silhouette).

If you can, have someone pull on the back of the band for you. They should be able to fit their fist between the band and your back (or pull the band out 2 inches). If they can pull it out much more than that, the BAND is probably too BIG.

The band is too SMALL if you can't close it (obviously).

The band is too SMALL if you can't wear it because it is digging in under the breast or back, and hurts. This does not mean that you should not feel your bra on and the wires under your breasts at all, ever. Most people will feel a piece of metal or plastic (bra wires) pressed against their body, period. Ditto for a squeezing band of elastic bound around their body forcibly held together by fasteners (like the hook and eye of a bra strap). Feeling it is there is OK, but it should not be painful, rubbing, or digging.

Check for chafing of material under the arm or at the top of the cup between the band and the strap. If you have rubbing there, skip the bra immediately. It is not cut to fit your shape, at least not in that size.

Please note: Most women who have never been measured wear a band size that is too big for them (and usually have problems with it sliding up their back or their breasts slipping out of the cups near the wire) and a cup size that is one to four sizes too small!

One last example once you start trying bras. If you measure a 40 D and have the following experiences, you would need to try different sizes. Understanding that a cup size goes up and down with a band size means you could try to do a bunch of math to figure out the next size to try, guess, or... use this chart.

So, what size do you try if you measure a 40 D and have these experiences:

Band Felt - Cup Looked -Try Band Size -Try Cup Size - Bra Size

Small - Small - Up one - Same - 42 D

Small - Big - Up one - Down two - 42 B

OK - Small - Same - Up one - 40 E

OK - Big - Same - Down one - 40 C

Big - Small - Down one - Up two - 38 F

Big - Big - Down One - Same - 38 D

Last, but not least, buy your bra on the loosest hook. When you try it on, it is the tightest it will ever be. Your bra is worn out when it is no longer snug enough to support you. If you buy it on the loosest hook, you will know you can tighten it a couple inches as it starts to stretch out. Give your bra a day of rest between each wearing; it slows down how quickly it will stretch out. Lastly, hand wash if you want your bra and its supportive powers to last!

Questions are always welcome! Please direct them to: Rachel@thegreaterlawoman.com

This article originally published in the May 2009 Plus Model Magazine Shape Issue! You can see it again at: http://linkbee.com/Y9UE

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