Do all your bras fit perfectly? Like most women, the answer is probably a ‘no’ for you, too. One statistic even reports that 80 percent of women are wearing the wrong size bra and don’t know which is the right size for them. But why is that the case and can all women find a bra that fits? pjuractive has delved a little deeper into the subject and reveals how to make sure you only find bras that fit perfectly in future.
The problem with bras
Numbers, letters, and countless different brands. No doubt all women know that the letter represents the cup size and the number represents the chest circumference. So how can it be, then, that a 75C seems to fit in one type of bra, yet a different bra in exactly the same size is too big? The problem of the whole cup size/circumference catastrophe is compounded by the fact that bras from different manufacturers can turn out differently, too. This can be infuriating, with the result that women often carry on wearing bras that don’t sit perfectly but that still somehow fit. To help make sure you can buy the right bras in future, in this article we reveal how to measure yourself and how to work out the right bra size for you.
Cup size—Measuring your bra size
To determine the right bra size, you need the underbust measurement and the overbust measurement, for which you will need a measuring tape. To measure your underbust measurement, place the measuring tape around your upper body, beneath your breasts. The tape should be snug, without digging in. Once the tape is in this position, you can read the number on the tape. This is your bra band measurement.
The second step is to measure the overbust measurement. The relationship between the underbust and overbust measurement is crucial to determining which cup size you need. To find your overbust measurement, you need to place the measuring tape around your upper body, level with your nipples. The measuring tape should again be snug, without digging in. This is your overbust measurement.
Now it’s time to use these two figures to find your perfect bra size. The sizing table below will help you with this:
| Underbust measurement in cm | AA cup | A cup | B cup | C cup | D cup | E cup | F cup | G cup |
| 63 – 67 | 75 – 77 | 77 – 79 | 79 – 81 | 81 – 83 | 83 – 85 | 85 – 87 | 87 – 89 | 89 – 91 |
| 68 – 72 | 80 – 82 | 82 – 84 | 84 – 86 | 86 – 88 | 88 – 90 | 90 – 92 | 92 – 94 | 94 – 96 |
| 73 – 77 | 85 – 87 | 87 – 89 | 89 – 91 | 91 – 93 | 93 – 95 | 95 – 97 | 97 – 99 | 99 – 101 |
| 78 – 82 | 90 – 92 | 92 – 94 | 94 – 96 | 96 – 98 | 98 – 100 | 100 – 102 | 102 – 104 | 104 – 106 |
| 83 – 87 | 95 – 97 | 97 – 99 | 99 – 101 | 101 – 103 | 103 – 105 | 105 – 107 | 107 – 109 | 109 – 111 |
| 88 – 92 | 100 – 102 | 102 – 104 | 104 – 106 | 106 – 108 | 108 – 110 | 110 – 112 | 112 – 114 | 114 – 116 |
| 93 – 97 | 107 – 109 | 109 – 111 | 111 – 113 | 113 – 115 | 115 – 117 | 117 – 119 | 119 – 121 | |
| 98 – 102 | 112 – 114 | 114 – 116 | 116 – 118 | 118 – 120 | 120 – 122 | 122 – 124 | 124 – 126 | |
| 103 – 107 | 119 – 121 | 121 – 123 | 123 – 125 | 125 – 127 | 127 – 129 | 129 – 131 | ||
| 108 – 112 | 124 – 126 | 126 – 128 | 128 – 130 | 130 – 132 | 132 – 134 | 134 – 136 |
Simply find your underbust measurement in the column on the left and then look for the cup which matches your overbust measurement. For example, if you have an underbust measurement of 75 and an overbust measurement of 92, your ideal bra size is 75C.
In addition to this table, there are other ways of working out your cup size, too. You can also calculate which bra size you should be wearing using specific calculations, without the table above. In order to work out your cup size, the difference between the underbust and overbust measurement is crucial. So, if you have an underbust measurement of 75, as in our example above, and an overbust measurement of 92, that is a difference of 17. We then get the following cup sizes, based on the difference between the two values:
- 10 cm difference = A cup
- 15 cm difference = B cup
- 5 cm difference = C cup
- 20 cm difference = D cup
- 5 cm difference = E cup
In this case, the bra size would therefore be a 75C. If the calculation gives you results that don’t correspond exactly to these values and you are between two cup sizes, it is always important to try both cup sizes.
You can also use the following formula:
(Overbust measurement – underbust measurement – 11) ÷ 2 = cup size (The number you get must then be matched to the corresponding letter of the alphabet: 0 = AA, 1 = A, 2 = B, etc.)
Once you have done all your measurements and you know what size you need, it’s still important to bear the following things in mind:
- A perfectly fitting bra should do three things: give your breasts shape, support your breasts, and relieve the load on your back.
- A bra should fit snugly without digging in. That will only lead to rubbing and uncomfortable sore patches. You can prevent this with our mySKIN, of course. But you shouldn’t put any unnecessary strain on your skin 😉
- Even if you have measured your breasts accurately, all breasts are different. That’s why you should also take extra care to make sure that your breasts fit well in your bra cups. If there is breast tissue spilling over the top, your bra cup is too small. If there is extra space in it, it is too big.
- You should also pay attention to the shoulder straps. Like the band, they shouldn’t be too tight but they shouldn’t be too loose either. Your shoulder straps are the perfect length when your bra band sits roughly in the middle of your back.
Have fun finding your perfect bra! 🙂