The Bra Fitting Guide
A well-fitting bra can change your entire outlook on your body image: it encompasses all your breast tissue so you don’t have boob spillage over the cups or the dreaded uniboob or four-boob, supports your breasts properly so you don’t feel like you’re bouncing all over the place or drooping down to your navel, and, by holding you up and in, can actually make you look less chest-y. My first proper bra fitting changed everything for me, and I wish the same great fit for you, too!
Measuring Yourself
Whatever you do, DON’T follow all the instructions out there to add 4″ or 5″ to your underbust measurement to get your band size. As I mention here, it is a completely outdated practice that started before they used elastic in bras.
I like the explanation of how to measure yourself at Butterfly Collection and also this one at A Sophisticated Pair. You can also try the bra calculator at Linda’s Online.
Because so many brands slightly differ in cup sizes and band sizes, read the fit tips on retailer sites to see if they recommend ordering down in band size or up in cup size. I often like to order a couple of sizes near what I’m measuring. I’ve even started doing this with brands I’ve been fit in before because fit is just so inconsistent even within the same brand (like the Freya Deco, for example). Lots of online retailers do free exchanges so don’t get too frustrated by the process!
Herroom.com has a helpful comparison chart for sizing differences between brands here.
StackDD+ Posts on Getting a Great Fit
Here’s more on getting in — and staying in — a bra that’s just right for you!
Get a Great Bra Fitting Online: Skype Fittings with Butterfly Collection
How to Put Your Bra On to Get the Best Fit
Why You Have to Toss the Old Bras – and When to Do It
There is a new bra calculator that is giving some pretty good results. I know the owner and she is expanding the capabilities of the calculator so it is in beta phase right now. http://www.sophisticatedpair.com/bracalculator.htm
Thanks for linking to our fitting instructions, and we’re glad you found them helpful! We’re currently beta testing a new bra calculator and have received a lot of positive feedback so far if you want to try it out (http://www.sophisticatedpair.com/bracalculator.htm). Within the next few weeks, we hope to fine tune the algorithm and add more features. We’ve added you to our blogroll and plan on featuring you in “Saturday Spotlight” soon. Thanks again!
Thanks for pointing to my Bra Calculator! I’m constantly trying to improve it and I think it’s pretty darn good. But, it’s just as starting point. An in-person fitting is ALWAYS better. The calculator is a great tool for women who can’t make it in to the shop and just don’t know where to start size-wise. It also helps my Bra Divas provide better fit suggestions. XO linda
The problem with bra fitting guides is that you have to start with a good fitting bra. I stuffed myself into a 36DDD for years because that was the best fitting bra I could find in the US. My daughter also wore ill fits because we didn’t know there were bigger cup sizes available. What I really need is a 34G or GG, and she needs a 38H. And it’s still trial and error to order online and then the return fees start adding up. I find even in a particular brand that different styles don’t always fit the same. HerRoom has this crazy “universal cup size” thing that seems like the perfect solution to bra sizing, but really doesn’t work because I end up with a different “universal” size in every brand. I so envy those women who are a B or C cup and can buy bras that don’t cost more than a week’s worth of groceries…