Have you ever worn an ill-fitted bra? The discomfort of wearing the wrong size bra is just so annoying. Throughout the day you will feel very uncomfortable and this will make your day super duper annoying. Today’s topic will cover the way how to measure bra size at home.
But finding the perfect size bra is not easy too. It is not as easy as going to the store and pick up one that fits you perfectly. There are so many types of cutting and choosing the right size can be very difficult too. So, some women tend to choose the wrong bra size.
So how do you measure your bra size?
Measuring the bra size is not like measuring other clothes like your pants or shirts. It is not as easy as grabbing a measuring tape and instantly get your bra measurement.
Here are three simple and easy steps to measure your bra size.
Step 1: Band Size
The band size is the measurement of your under bust area. The band size can differ from one woman to another. The proper bra size will fit perfectly in the under bust area, which will make you comfortable and have the bra nice and tight.
Before you start measuring the band size, make sure you’re wearing an unpadded bra. This way, you can get an accurate measurement, without the interference of the current bra you’re wearing.
Snug the measurement tape across your back, and make sure the measuring tape is always horizontal. Bring both sides of the measuring tape forward and measure directly under your bust circumference.
Make sure you jot down the measurement.
Step 2: Bust Size
The bust size is the measurement of your bust circumference. This is important to make sure the whole bust area is supported by the bra. The right bra size would fit perfectly in the bust area, which will give the bust the right support.
The right support to the bust will also prevent the bust from sagging. This is very important as preserving the breast shape is important to gain confidence and ensure that the breast is always in good health and great shape.
To measure the bust size, you need to snug the measurement tape once again across your back. Then, bring both sides forward and measure across the fullest part of your bust area. This shall be the widest circumference of the chest area.
To make sure the bust size is perfectly measured, without having the problem of the bra being too tight, you need to take a few deep breaths during the measurement. This way you will allow for a bit of room for the chest to expand during breathing, and you would not end up with a bra that is too tight.
After being comfortable with the bust size of your choice, not too tight, but not too loose either, make sure you jot down the measurement.
Step 3: Cup Size
This is the tricky part of measuring and coming out with the bra size. Determining the cup size is a bit difficult, considering the different bra cutting and the different manufacturers can produce slightly different cup sizes. If you’re a C cup size in one bra brand, maybe trying another bra brand is not going to mean the same cup size. But fret not because the difference can be very slight, and there is just a slight size difference.
The easiest way to calculate the cup size is by subtracting the band size from the bust size. The difference between the band size and the bust size will determine the cup size. This can be done by referring to the bra size chart.
A bra size chart is usually produced by bra producers as a benchmark for their bra sizing. You can easily search the bra size chart of a specific bra brand and refer to your bra size from there.
Bust Measurement -Band Measurement=Cup Size
| Difference | Cup Size |
|---|---|
| 10 – 12 cm | A |
| 13 – 14 cm | B |
| 15 – 17 cm | C |
| 18 – 19 cm | D |
| 20 – 22 cm | E |
| 23 – 24 cm | F |
Bra Size Chart
As mentioned earlier, different bra brands can have different bra sizes. The sizing way can also differ. For instance, some companies produce bra that comes in Small, Medium, and Large sizes.
Sometimes, choosing your current bra size in a different bra brand can cause a bit of discomfort due to the difference in the size.
Hence, it is important to check the bra sizing chart of the bra brand first before buying the bra.
So, to complete the bra size measuring process, let’s find out your bra size!
With the bust and band measurement, as well as the cup size you’ve obtained earlier, refer to the below bra sizing chart to find out your bra size.
| UNDER BUST MEASUREMENT (BAND SIZE) | |||||
| 24 – 26 inches | 26 – 28 inches | 28 – 30 inches | 30 – 32 inches | 32 – 34 inches | 34 – 36 inches |
| AND YOUR BAND SIZE WILL CORRESPONDENTLY BE THE FOLLOWING: | |||||
| 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 |
CUP SIZE | BUST SIZE: | |||||
A | 29.5 – 30.25” | 32.25 – 33” | 34.25 – 35” | 36.25 – 37” | 38.25 – 39” | 40.25 – 41” |
B | 30.25 – 31” | 33 – 33.75” | 35 – 35.75” | 37 – 37.75” | 39 – 39.75” | 41 – 41.75” |
C | 31 – 31.75” | 33.75 – 34.75” | 35.75 – 36.75” | 37.75 – 38.75” | 39.75 – 40.75” | 41.75 – 42.75” |
D | 31.75 – 32.75” | 34.75 – 35.5” | 36.75 – 37.5” | 38.75 – 39.5” | 40.75 – 42” | 42.75 – 44” |
DD | 32.75 – 33.5” | 35.5 – 36.25” | 37.5 – 38.25” | 39.5 – 40.25” | 41.5 – 42.25” | 43.5 – 44.25” |
DDD | 33.5 – 34.25” | 36.25 – 37” | 38.25 – 39” | 40.25 – 41” | 42.25 – 43” | 44.25 – 45” |
For instance, if your band size is between 26 – 28 inches, then your band size will correspondingly be 32 inches.
And if your bust size is between 33.75 – 34.75 inches, then your cup size will be a C cup.
Your bra size will be 32 C.
Do you know that wearing the wrong bra size can cause unwanted side effects?
Sagging
The wrong bra size will not provide adequate support to the bust, which will lead to the problem of sagging. The breast sagging is bad as the breast will lose its natural shape and tenderness.
The sagging is caused by breast skin damage, which will lead to obvious stretch marks on the breast. An ill-fitted bra can cause the breast to sag prematurely too before it is time for the breast to naturally lose its shape. This usually happens to younger women, which is not ideal.
By wearing the right bra size, the ligaments of the breast are kept healthy in the long run, which prevents premature breast sagging.
Breast and back pain
Breast pain can come due to a bra that is too small. It will squeeze your breast too tight, which will cause discomfort, and if worn throughout the day, will lead to severe pain, and can cause swelling.
The ill-fitted bra can also cause back pain too. Pain in the rib area and mid-back area is coming from wearing a bra that is not perfectly fit your body and bust size.
Fixing the bra size and finding the perfect bra size will not only fix your discomfort but can ease back pain as well as relieving the breast pain.
Bad posture
The wrong bra size will cause pain to your back area, which will lead the shoulders and back to curved. This is called a bad posture caused by prolonged back pain.
The bad posture is not only not attractive, looks less professional, but can lead to severe back pain and pain in the shoulder and neck area too.
This can be easily fixed by getting yourself the right bra size. The right bra size will pull your shoulder back, which will keep your body in a good posture position. This way, you can fix your posture, and relieve back pain.
Neck and shoulder pain
Wearing a bra that is smaller than your regular size will leave marks all over the bust area, as well as the shoulder. The bra also fails at giving the right support to the breast, considering it is made for women with smaller breasts.
The right bra size will have a balanced weight distribution across the shoulder, which will prevent shoulder pain and neck pain. This way, the shoulder, and neck will not be burdened by the breast weight and the ill-supported bra.
Discomfort
And last but not least, the wrong bra size will cause you to discomfort throughout the day. Have you ever experienced this? Where you constantly adjust your bra throughout the day and lose focus on everything else.
You are unable to focus and excel your day. Losing focus is very bad. You need to have everything perfect, including your bra, to make sure you are able to kill and excel in whatever you’re doing for the day.
Conclusion
The perfect bra size is very important. Wearing the wrong bra will cause discomfort, make your body aches, and cause embarrassment.
If you want to take the world and empower women, start by fixing your bra size. Discomfort from an ill-fitted bra will not help you excel in the things you do. Also, please share this useful article “How to measure bra size” to your bestie.