About * Bras *

(I PMed &endeavor. to make sure this is an appropriate thread and got permission several days ago, in case anyone is worried )


While I'm not a lingerie expert, I've been educating myself on the topic and consider myself more knowledgeable than the average woman when it comes to bras, how they work and fit-related problems. (But if I get anything wrong, please let me know and I'll fix it! )

I want to start a safe, healthy discussion about this on soompi so that the conversation that bra-bloggers have been having for years can reach a wider audience. Here are the topics I'm covering in the first post, but anything else that's bra-related is relevant and welcome in the thread!:
How does bra sizing work?
How does a bra work?
How do you tell if your bra is the wrong size?
How do you measure your bra size?
What problems occur if you wear the wrong bra size?

There are a ton of topics about bras and breasts besides these, all of them important, but I think this is a pretty substantial start I'll link to any more infodumps here if they come up.


How does bra sizing work?
I want to talk about this before the technical parts of bras in order to clarify the myths and attack untrue stereotypes that surround bras and breast size. In particular, cup size: CUP SIZE MEANS NOTHING without a band measurement. Saying "I'm an A-cup" or "I'm a DD" is empty information; this says very little about how big your breasts are. Why? Because the A in a 32A and the A in a 36A hold completely different volumes of breast. What the cup indicates is the difference between a person's bust measurement and underbust measurement, and very little else. (Well, it might tell you how much trouble that person has trying to buy bras... Has anyone ever even seen a K cup for a below-40 band in a department store before?)

Also, different countries have different cup systems. US companies have this awkward obsession with Ds for some reason, so a US DDDDD is the same as a UK FF or a European H; a US N corresponds to UK JJ, but European doesn't go that far. And (oh happy news!) I just learned that American companies don't all adhere to one standard, so one US size might actually be different from another company's US size! Might be better to stick to UK sizes, then. Here's a nice write-up by a reputable Canadian bra company and blog about the mess.

I really want to get this point across so I will resort to the "TMI true story so please listen to me now" tactic: I have never been accused of being well-endowed or particularly busty, although people who spend time with me sometimes realize that I have larger breasts than the typical Asian woman. In general, though, my breasts are normal-sized. At the moment, my most accurate and comfortable bras are FF and G cups. My bra size doesn't make me any happier or sadder than if I were another size. (What you should get out of this is that although I got past "D" in the alphabet, I'm a rather ordinarily-proportioned human being.)


How does a bra work?
Here are the basic parts of a bra:

A. cup
B. center gore　
C. underwire　
D. wing/side panel (refers to the fabric that makes up this section)　
E. band　
F. strap　
G. clip　
H. closure/hook　

The underwire and band provide support. They should carry 90-100% of the weight of the breasts. The center gore helps separate the breasts. The cups are for coverage and lift and the straps are for further lift. The straps are NOT for support; if they carry any weight, they should be doing 10% or less of the work. The correct hook to use for a new bra is generally the loosest hook (this is the hook that accurately creates the bra band's length). The reason for multiple rows of closures is for when the elastic of the band relaxes and loosens, which inevitably happens over time (faster if you don't take particular care when washing it). As the band loosens, you hook it tighter for an accurate and secure fit.


How do you tell if your bra is the wrong size?
Most women wear bras that are the wrong size, usually with a too-big band and too-small cups. There are lots of visible symptoms of a badly-fitting bra.
1. The band rides up. [The band is too big.]
(Here are some pictures: VS, JCP)

2. Breasts are spilling out the tops, sides, and/or bottom of the cups. (A popular term in the bra-blogging community is quadraboob, referring to the breasts spilling out and getting cut in half by the top edge of the cup) [The band is too big, the cup is too small, you're not scooping your breast tissue into your cups, or a combination of those.]
(Here are some pictures: JCP, GG)

3. The center gore is not sitting flush against the sternum/breastbone. [The band is too big or the cups are too small.]
(Here are some pictures: LS)

4. The underwires poke your armpit and/or are sitting on breast tissue. They are not completely encircling the entire breast. [The cup is too small.]

5. The shoulder straps slip off often. [The cup size is too big, the band size is too big, or the straps are simply too widely set for your shoulders.]

6. The shoulder straps dig into your shoulders. [The band is too big and/or your shoulder straps are too tight.]
(Here are some pictures: CW)

7. The bra band is very (perhaps painfully) tight. [The band is not necessarily too tight. The band will feel tight if the cups are too small. Check your band but hooking your bra with the cups to your back; if the band still hurts, then the band is too small, but if the band doesn't hurt when the cups are n the back then the band size is fine and you should try going up cup sizes instead.]

8. The cups are wrinkly. [The cup is too big OR too small; it can be either problem.]

9. Space inside the cups. [The cup is either too big OR the wrong shape; if your breast is heavy or round up top, it may be filling up the top but not falling to the bottom of the cup. Try different cup sizes as well as different bra styles.]

Here are a few more reliable places with great descriptions of bra problems.


How do you measure your bra size?
It's great to get properly fitted by a professional fitter at a reliable bra boutique (generally, bra bloggers agree that Victoria's Secret is a terrible choice for fittings; it's actually a popular bashing victim...). However, if you can't make it to a retailer who does fittings, you can measure yourself at home and calculate an approximate size; from there, your wisest move is to try on bras in that and close sizes to see what is accurate and what you're most comfortable with.

Here are some reliable online calculators:
Sophisticated Pair bra calculator
Curves and Corsets calculator

Here is a webpage that carries charts to calculate your bra size:
Venusian*Glow (I realized that the herroom and barenecessities pages I previously linked to actually had some pretty bad advice, sorry!)

Some pointers:

• Many bra retailers or boutiques may fit you into bras that they have in stock even if it's not accurate. Make sure your fitter knows what they're doing and make them justify their suggestions by pointing out any symptoms of badly fitting bras and asking them how their specific bra works for your particular figure or purpose. They should also start the fitting by teaching you how to put the bra on correctly. (Also, don't be afraid to get a fitting and leave without purchasing anything!!!)
• Your bra band is either your exact underbust measurement (tightly taken) or very close. Don't let your fitter or calculator add more than one inch (for US/UK style sizing) unless you've already tried the band and decided it doesn't work.
  
• The shape and firmness of your breasts will affect the size and style that works best for you. There is a great blog post here that explains the different cup styles that work best with each breast shape.
• When you put your bra on, make sure you scoop your breasts into the cups of the bra and tug the back of the band down.
• A correctly fitting band will have just enough space for two fingers to fit under the band.
• If you've found your correct bra size and it is a much smaller band than you're used to (which is often the case), adjust your underwear drawer slowly. The new size may feel extremely constricting because you're so used to a too-loose band; you might need to start working your way down by wearing bra bands that are one or two sizes up from your actual size for a week first, and gradually work your way to your true fit.
• After some time wearing the correct size, you may find that your breasts have gotten larger; this would be the result of migrated breast tissue remigrating back (this is a good thing). It happens to many, many people, so take it slow (read: no shopping spree yet) when you're starting out with a new bra size.
• For a familiar face on this topic,
  from a soompi favorite, fromheadtotoe.
  

What problems occur if you wear the wrong bra size?
1. Breast tissue, if not contained and well-supported, will migrate away from the breast area. This results in what looks like armpit fat. Sometimes, the breast tissue can keep going and end up in the back and look like back fat. In a few people, breast tissue can migrate inward; if the breasts are not properly separated (if, for example, the center gore is not flush against the sternum and thus not doing its job to separate the breasts) the breast tissue migrates together and is "smeared" against the center of the ribcage.

2. If the bra band is too big, the weight of the breasts is not supported by the band and travels instead to the straps. In that case, it's the shoulders carrying the weight of the breasts. In many cases, especially in larger and therefore heavier breasts, this means pain in the shoulders and back.

3. Too-loose or too-tight straps and bands that rub against your skin will leave red imprints or rashes at best, and permanent scars at worst.

4. Sagging breasts, an altered figure, bad posture and a funny-looking silhouette are some of the visible effects. Lowered self-esteem, embarrassment at an individual's own body and humiliation from societal pressures are problems that grow silently and out of sight... of course they aren't problems restricted to people who don't wear the correct bra size but a poor education in breasts/bras certainly contributes to their severity. Breast reductions and breast augmentations are huge topics in the online bra/breast community, and I've heard so many stories where an individual who has undergone surgery might have made a different decision if she'd been better informed about her breast and bra size.


That's about it for now. My sincere thanks for staying with me through this arduously long PSA
If anyone is interested in further reading after this monster of a post, I'll be happy to recommend a whole slew of friendly and charming bra bloggers.

(And finally, a tiny bit of advertisement for my personal bra-fitting blog: CurvyHK )

This is very insightful.
And I was measured myself before from HerRoom when I found measuring tape lying around and I was not pleased. -__-
I was always self conscious about my breast size and finiding out my true size just made that shoot down lower.
Measured and when I looked at the chart, it said that I was a AA.
I have never seen that size in any store I have been in and only found that size on online stores.

So hopefully I can find some store around that carries those bras cause I always thought I was a 32 A when I am not.

Thank you bunches for putting the time to write this out. I absolutely agree with you about going to a professional fitter. After I went to one I found out I was wearing 1-2 band sizes wrong and 2 cup sizes off. For all the big chested girls PLEASE go get them fitted because I couldn't find a right bra for myself for years and being a poor teenage girl I didn't want to go get fitted because the special bras were more expensive. I didn't think that I was actually a 30 band size because my weight is over average for my height and not your typical skinny asian girl. After getting fitted I finally have a bra that separates my chest correctly because my old band was too big so the wires were too far apart. Also I used to wear tank tops that would stick to my body because I couldn't find a sports bra to support myself and after I found my size I no longer have to do that. I also really like the links you gave because their measurements seem to be more reliable. I would also like to point out that at home measurements may not give you the correct size because different people will have different chest shapes. My bra fitter did not measure me, she went by her instinct and her instinct was right! She told me that measurements are not always accurate. From personal experience I know a lot of people are wearing the wrong band size because a 32/34 is typically what is sold in store. In reality a lot of petite girls are probably a 28/30. Special bras are more expensive but after you get fitted you can remember the brand and look of the bras you try on from the fitting and buy them online. Paying a little extra for the bras at the fitters is worth knowing your true size. 

I don't like the online measurement guides. Apparently I'm like a 32A according to those sites, which I know isn't right because 32A bras do NOT fit me at all. 

I recommend Nordstrom's lingerie department if you're going to get a professional fitting. Victoria's Secret will usually either stick you with the wrong size or your "sister size" depending on what they have in stock (there's no such thing as a sister size by the way). When I went to Nordstrom's, the lady remeasured me twice because she realized she got it wrong the first time when she had me try on the bra that she brought me. She told me what was wrong with that size (the band was riding up, the middle part wasn't sitting on my body, etc), and went to find other sizes for me. She knew my real size isn't sold in many stores and that Nordstrom doesn't have many of it in stock, but she told me what it was anyway and recommended a few other stores for me to try out.

This is great! Too bad there are not too many people out there in stores that can be more helpful in this department.

If you have time, could you possibly go into the types you should wear with the types of clothes? I mean its pretty self-explanatory but I do have a problem that I don't know how to fix very well. Often times, you can see the outlines of my bra through my shirt. How do you all get rid of that?! I know VS has something called the t-shirt bra to for when you wear a t-shirt it isn't supposed to show through. Anyway,s is someone could shed some more light on these issues, it would be greatly appreciated.

Very insightful post. 
Bra is actually the first thing that I took notice off when I started (recently too LOL) looking into finding my style. I watched some videos and kept only about 2-3 bras... -_-" I didn't know most of my bras don't fit me correctly. I guess that might have been why I dislike bras because they didn't feel right. 
I have a few questions regard of the bra discussion since we are on it  
1) What about bra off time? I heard about how people talk about you don't want to keep bra on all the time. Like when you are sleeping, it is better to take bra off so you get some air and such. 
2) Bra pricing / brand - What do you think about the bra brands and pricing?  I usually get my bras from stores like online fashion shops, the prices are around $10 to $15 on average. I have always wanted to give VS a try, but the pricing is $25 per bra or higher, which not something that I'd want to spend $100 for 4 bras >.<" I think I do have one VS bra that I got on sale, and to be honest... they didn't feel too much different from my regular bras. Then again, I need get like the cheap affordable ones anyways ^o^

Mousy-Muso said: I was always self conscious about my breast size and finiding out my true size just made that shoot down lower.
Measured and when I looked at the chart, it said that I was a AA.
I have never seen that size in any store I have been in and only found that size on online stores.

So hopefully I can find some store around that carries those bras cause I always thought I was a 32 A when I am not.

Hey if you go to the PINK side of VS there are PLENTY of AA and there are even some AA sizes on the other side of the store too. I've seen AA cups at Walmart and target too. Just look in the teens section.

@pekkles: Sounds like a plan. I'll start looking up those sites now and see what they have.
Thank you.

hellokatie1618 said: Hey if you go to the PINK side of VS there are PLENTY of AA and there are even some AA sizes on the other side of the store too. I've seen AA cups at Walmart and target too. Just look in the teens section.

aldehydes said: I don't like the online measurement guides. Apparently I'm like a 32A according to those sites, which I know isn't right because 32A bras do NOT fit me at all. 

I recommend Nordstrom's lingerie department if you're going to get a professional fitting. Victoria's Secret will usually either stick you with the wrong size or your "sister size" depending on what they have in stock (there's no such thing as a sister size by the way). When I went to Nordstrom's, the lady remeasured me twice because she realized she got it wrong the first time when she had me try on the bra that she brought me. She told me what was wrong with that size (the band was riding up, the middle part wasn't sitting on my body, etc), and went to find other sizes for me. She knew my real size isn't sold in many stores and that Nordstrom doesn't have many of it in stock, but she told me what it was anyway and recommended a few other stores for me to try out.

@Mousy-Muso: Good luck!!
hellokatie1618 said: Hey if you go to the PINK side of VS there are PLENTY of AA and there are even some AA sizes on the other side of the store too. I've seen AA cups at Walmart and target too. Just look in the teens section.

So uhm...according to sophisticatedpair, herroom, and bareneccessities, I've been wearing bras 5-6 cup sizes too small, with bands 2 sizes too big.What even...someone tell my mom that she can't eyeball everything and be right. .__. 
Well, I guess it's time to get fitted professionally then go splurge. Gaaaaah. 

This is EXTREMELY helpful. I greatly commend/salute you for your efforts!

I actually learned that I was wearing the incorrect bra size from frmheadtotoe's video, a while back.
But just when I thought I had the right bra size (going from 32A to 30A), I still had problems! 
All the bras I bought either faced Problems #1,  #5 or #9, or a combination of all.
And this post was really helpful in determining why those problems occurred (& how much money I lost ()

One question though, is it safe to assume that the band is too big if the bra rides up in the *front?*

The calculators listed here have me at a 28B...which, I think, is a little more accurate considering how short and scrawny I am

I'm still a little irked at the fact that the U.S. doesn't have the same standard! It would've save me a lot of money :-w

30D....wow...no... I don't think that will fit me. LOL... The online measurements are weird. (I'm actually 32C? And I think they fit perfectly, hehe.)

I was talked up by a specialist about how bra size is effective to prevent breast cancer and ... but it was more like they wanted to give me awareness because I was with my mom and I am guy and I was the interpreter it was so awkward 

xue li said: One question though, is it safe to assume that the band is too big if the bra rides up in the *front?*

yeah! the cup thingy confused me a lot!! like 2 of my colleagues are heavily overweight and their boobs obviously are so much larger than mine! and i always thought that the bigger the cup, the larger your breast is?

so, i brought them to this lingerie shop that i always go to and get them measured as i said their bras are good. so, i am their 34G and i thought my colleagues could be bigger cup than i am.. but their bra sizes are 36F and 38E. so, i thought how could that be since theirs look way bigger than mine.. how could i be G and they are E and F?

so, their bands are bigger than mine; hence that shows their breasts are bigger in size than mine right? instead of the cup? but isn't that.. let's say one day they lost a lot of weights, wouldn't that be their breasts will get smaller too cus the fats at the band area are getting lesser? but what i heard is, your band can get smaller or bigger due to how much you lost or gained (weight) but the cup will never change? i thought the size of the breast is determine by cups. haha! i am still confused until now. lol

I also have trouble finding the proper bra one time at VS they measured me a 30A, the thing i notice about VS is it depends on the style of the bra b/c one of the bras that fit me was a 32B in the Pink collection they tend to run small. When I did my measurements the Band: 27in Bust: 29in. (without adding extra numbers like some sites) Also since I couldn't find a bra I tried the barely there bras in XS but I can still pull the back of the band pretty far. I'm 111lb 5'6. I want to find a prpper fitting bra.

This is the one I currently wear due to trouble finding the right size
http://www.herroom.com/barely-there-4068-customflex-fit-underwire-bra.shtml

I love the internet, it's so useful.

Anyways a couple years back, I really like this bra but they didn't have the size I usually wore which was 34A. The sales associate from a lingerie store suggested 38A, saying they're practically the same but the band for 38A is a little longer and looser but should still fit me. WRONG WRONG WRONG. It was huge! Over the years, I tried many different sizes and came to the conclusion that 32B fit me the best. Today I alternate between 34A and 32B (whichever is available).