How to measure your bra size?
Using a measuring tape right above your rib cage measure its circumference: being sure it adeheres perfectly to your skin and it’s straight on the back, then pull it a bit until you have a small extra squeezed “fat”…why this? Because with time the bra fabric will lose elasticity so this way you’re making sure your bra will last longer.
So what’s the number on the measuring tape?
I’m going to measure myself to guide you through this process: my under-bust is 27 ½ inches, let’s simplify then to 27 inches. Now let’s measure the cup by putting the measuring tape on the wider part of the chest (basically on ones nipples) and be sure the measuring tape it’s still straight on the backs. My size it’s 33 inches (yeah I know, I’m tiny).
Now let’s cross these measures in the chart below: you can easily see that I have a middle size so now what will determine my final choice? The shape of by breasts.
I have a “wide” breast so it looks smaller than it actually is and knowing that, I will then prefer a 32 C or D cup bra instead of a 32 A cup bra.
This means that the chart it’s just an initial guide but then it’s the shape of your breast to determine the right bra’s cup fitting.
This means that the chart it’s just an initial guide but then it’s the shape of your breast to determine the right bra’s cup fitting.
Any cup must be perfectly filled, nothing must escape on the side, below, in the middle or above, the bridge (or gore) must adeheres to the chest, straps shouldn’t leave dents on the skin and the wings level should be placed right in the middle, not too high, not too low and not too loose.
How to find the right cup for you.
As an extra help, here’s also some breast shapes and their best fitting cups.
– Standard Shape: This kind of breast is entirely proportioned with fat equally distribuited and so a lot of bra models are a great fit, from the pre-shaped cup bra to the underwire bra, balconette, a classic soft cup bra, demi cup bra, a full cup or a minimiser bra.
– Swooping Shape: Fuller in the lower area with nipples pointing at the stars. It’s the most commong shape among breastfeeding moms. Also important weight loss can give you breast this kind of shape. This kind of breast is empty in the upper area so you should avoid bra models that would increase this emptiness like demi cup with the straight plonge cup. Try instead a plonge push-up bra or even better a padded bra that will just push everything up, filling the whole breast. Be aware please to choose the right size and not a smaller one thinking “this way it will look even more plump” while instead it would look like two sets of mini boobs per boob.
– Sagging Shape: This happens when gravity wins. So yes, this actually happened because the breast is heavy, because of genetic, due to aging, lack of appropriate support or menopause. Also this kind of breast is popular among breastfeeding moms, important weight loss and elderly ladies. It’s important to get all the support needed otherwise the tissue loses elasticity and surrends to the weight, dragging everything lower. Wearing the right bra won’t solve the problem but it will slow it down a lot. The right fit shouldn’t feel too tight or too loose and must pull everything up. The most suggested bra models are then the soft underwired cup ones. A soft cup bra also comes seamless and feels even more comfortable. Soft cups give to this kind of breast a natural effect while instead a pre-shaped or a push-up bra because of their stiffness would feel uncomfortable
– Large Shape: Entirely full breasts starting from a G cup and more. Focus more on the details rather than the bra models: the bridge (gore) must be wide and must distances your boobs, cups should frame the whole boob and the band should be large, comfortable and placed lower on the back.
– Small Shape: Small breasts. Usually mignon size women (aka “petite”) have this kind of breast, but there are also some overweight women with small breasts. The most performing bras are those with the hightest support such as push-up or padded models. Do you know the difference? A push-up bra’s cup is is filled at the bottom so it creates volume as it pushes and gathers your boobs. A padded bra instead has the entire cup stuffed; this way it creates even more volume, lifting and filling even more your breasts.
–Tubular Shape: (aka Snoopy’s nose boobs) This kind of breast is elongated in shape, overly “droopy,” or have very large or protruding nipples with a larger-than-normal areola. It’s not a common breast and the main issue here is the empty space between the higher part of the breast and the bra’s cup. The most suggested model is the demi cup if you want a sexier look, otherwise if you’re looking for comfort a full cup bra it’s the best choice.
–Empty Shape: also known as concave or pigeon breasts have lost the skin elasticity, giving an almost flat shape despite the presence of some fat tissue. Usually this is common among women who had a mastectomy and among very elder women. The most common mistake it’s to choose a small cup bra because they think there’s not enough boobs to fill it, but that’s the trick of this breast’s shape. You do have some fat, you can still fill a bra (in the majority of the cases). The right bra’s cup must be soft, completely underwired for the same reason I explained for the tubular shape.
