Bra fitting guide

Studies have shown that nine out of ten women do not wear the correct bra size. In one study it was found that 100% of women were wearing the wrong size bra. Some 22% have never been measured. An ill fitting bra can cause problems such as wires digging in, chafing, pain in the neck and shoulders and discomfort in the breast. These problems can also lead the wearer to believe that they may need a breast reduction operation. So it is very important to make sure that your bra is really fit for its purpose. You should make sure that your breasts do not overhang over the cups creating 2 extra bosoms. Your breast should sit comfortably in the cups, without the wire cutting in. You may need a bigger cup size and a smaller back size for a perfect fit. Straps should not dig into the shoulders. The majority of women wear bras that are the wrong size. As you age, your body shape changes. So you will need to make sure that your bra size and fit changes with your body shape. But even if you think you know your correct size each manufacturer will have a different interpretation of fit and cut. The best way to get a bra that fits is to have a fitting with a bra fitting expert in a store. But you must find yourself a really experienced fitter as even they too could get your sizing incorrect. It is not an exact science. But the chart below can give you a good guide for fitting yourself. Measure yourself wearing what you feel is a good supportive non-padded bra. To find your Back Size, measure underneath your bust around your torso. Once you have your under bust measurement, round it up to the nearest inch. For example: Your underbust measurement is 33.3 inches. Rounded to the nearest inch gives 33 inches. If the measurement is an odd number - add 5 inches. If the measurement is an even number - add 4 inches. This is an odd number, so add 5 inches. This gives you a back size of 38. To find your Cup Size. Measure around the fullest section of your bust. Then work out the difference between your bust measurement and your under bust measurement, rounded to the nearest inch. Difference: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Cup Size: A B C D DD E F FF G GG H HH J For example: Your bust measurement is 43.7 inches. Rounded to the nearest inch gives 44 inches. Your back size was 38, so the difference is 6. From the table this gives an F cup. Your complete bra size is 38F. Measurements in Centimetres Back Size. Once you have your underbust measurement, rounded to the nearest centimetre, compare it to the table below to get your back size. Underbust: 63 to 67 68 to 72 73 to 77 78 to 82 83 to 87 88 to 92 93 to 97 98 to 102 103 to 107 108 to 112 113 to 117 118 to 122 123 to 127 128 to 132 Metric: 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 French: 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140 145 For example: Your underbust measurement is 79.4cm. Rounded to the nearest cm gives 79cm. From the table, this is between 78 to 82 giving a Metric back size of 80 and a French back size of 95. Cup Size. Cup size is found by taking the difference between your bust measurement, rounded to the nearest cm, and your Metric back size. Use the table below to find your cup size. Difference: 9 to 11 12 to 13 14 to 16 17 to 18 19 to 21 22 to 23 24 to 26 27 to 28 29 to 31 32 to 33 34 to 36 37 to 38 39 to 41 Cup Size: A B C D DD E F FF G GG H HH J For example: Your bust measurement is 105.8cm. Rounded to the nearest cm gives 106. Your Metric back size was 80, so the difference is 26. From the table this gives an F cup. Your complete bra size is: Metric - 80F and French - 95F. If the size you found using this system is different from the size you wear now, try some different brands in this new sizing and see if you feel more comfortable both with the fit and appearance.