I have always been a pear shaped person so when I began my weight loss journey I was hoping and praying that I would find my hips and bottom shrinking. While they did s.l.o.w.l.y melt away somewhat, I noticed that a certain other area seemed to be shrinking much quicker. An area that I considered one of my finest assets. Yep. You guessed it. My boobs. (Boy, I bet the other contributors are going to love the hits I get from this post!)
For a while I simply ignored the obvious, choosing to live in ignorant bliss, but as I lost more and more weight I realized I was going to have to purchase some new undergarments. I know the power of a good bra, and if I was going to sport the smaller sizes I wanted to make sure that they looked as good as they could.
Here was my problem. I had absolutely no idea what size bra I should purchase. Off to the Internet I went on my quest to find out how to find a bra that fits. Let me tell you that there is tons of information out there. Aren’t you lucky that you have me to do the research and then condense it into what you really need to know?
First of all, you have to ask yourself, does your bra fit properly?
Did you know that 80% of women wear the wrong sized bra? Are you you one of them? If you can answer yes to any of the following questions then you need to go bra shopping too!
- Does your strap constantly fall down on your shoulder? Or dig into your skin leaving marks well after you have taken the bra off?
- Does the back ride up so it is almost to your neck, while the "girls" are almost to your belly button?
- Do your breasts overflow from the top making it look like you have four odd looking breasts.
- When you go to pick up your baby or toddler do you fall out?
- Are you just flat out uncomfortable in your current bra?
Here is how you can check to make sure you have the right size bra? Make sure to wear a bra while you are taking your measurements.
First measure your band size:
Measure directly under your bust after letting out all the air in your lungs. You want this number to be as small as possible to provide you with support. Now here is a tricky part. If your measurement is even, add 4". If it is odd, add 5". Why, you ask? I really don’t have a clue, but I found this same algorithm every place I went so just go with it!
Then measure your cup size:
Stand straight, with your arms at your side, and measure around the fullest part of your bust. Make sure you are not wearing a padded bra. You do not want it to be binding. Round all numbers up to the nearest whole number.
Finally, calculate your bra size:
Subtract your band measurement from your cup measurement and use the conversion chart below to find your size.
Remember though…Not all breasts are the same and just because you may be a certain size doesn’t mean that every bra that size is going to look or feel perfect for you. Different bras may fit differently so plan on getting a babysitter when you are going bra shopping so you have plenty of time to try things on.
Now that you know your size, it’s time to go shopping. Good luck!
Do you have a bra that you absolutely love? It provides you with support and is comfortable to wear too? Leave a comment and share a bra that you have found that works for you and "your girls" so that I have some place to start on my search for new bras.
*A shout out of thanks to Her Room and WNetwork for helping me on my research.
When Mel isn’t whining about her shrinking body parts you can find her blogging about everything else at A Box of Chocolates.
About Melissa
In my experience, that formula, while usual, does not work well for the vast majority of cases. One formula that does work well is the one found here: http://www.barenecessities.com/fit_sizing.asp (there are other formulas, more complex, but you just want a guideline as you will need to try on the bras.
Trust me, I know most calculators add those 5 inches, but it’s rubbish. I wear a 32D (sometimes a 30DD) and all “add 5 or 6 inches” calculators usually tell me I should wear a 36A or 36AA. Which has a way too loose band and way too shallow cups.
Best tip you’ll EVER get about bra-fitting: Go to a professional!!!! Look on the net or in your yellow pages, and find one in your area. I had a breast reduction done, and, like you, had absolutely no idea what size to buy. I tried all those fitting formulas, and could not find one single bra that fit comfortably, and looked good on me. So, I found myself a bra fitter, and walked out of the store an hour later with the best bras I’ve ever worn!