bra size, confused much!!!!

blueye

went to too different local stores today to have bra fitting in one they said i was a 34A and the other a 30DD im currently in a 34c lol.
what is the correct way to measure? old style ie band measurement + 5 or new way of just rounding band measurement up to nearest even number?

vixarooni

neither! Best to go elsewhere or go for the 30dd, which seems more plausable.

RoseFairy

i think bra measurements have changed slightly over the years. i have been a 34b for over 15 years now and for the past 5 years having to buy 34c -however my 'older' bras (fancy styles i like to wear on occassions!) which are 34b still fit. M&S have measured me up as 34c or 34d and bravassimo measured me as a 32e or 32dd!
i have noticed some stores and their styles vary slightly. i have preferred to buy from M&S or BHS. i dont like Next or la senza sizings.
usually they say to measured fullest part of bust to get the 'number' - say 34" and then you measure under the bust and add 5". say 29" under bust +5=34. now if the difference between the two are (i think) 1"=a cup, 2"=b cup, 3'=c cup and so on.
i would say this is a guide and as bra sizing seems vary it is best to try them on. make sure the straps do not cut, the back doesn;t ride up, the middle is flat against chest and that there are no lumps and bumps of breast tissue coming out over top or under arms - then the fit is comfortably right.


oh forgot to mention, bravissimo (when i told them what i usually wear - they check if what u are wearing is right or not and mine was ok), said they do about 150 different and specific sizes and if you choose style but can't quite get the size, you can try a size- where if you go down on the inches bit - 32 in my case, you have to go up on the cup size - so i could try a 32d or a 36b

xoxo_2

It's likely both are wrong. Go for another fitting and see what the outcome is.

I tried about 6 different places (chain stores and independent shops) and then took the size that came out most. But still try bras on when buying them (unless cheapy primark ones!) because different brand sizes vary so much!

I think the only way you can really tell is to have a rough idea and try them on.

Foggster

I recently went to M&S and was measured at 38D and she went and got 38D and 38DD but when I left the store I had bought 36C!

The fitter said that measuring you is only a guide and we are all so different. The best thing to do is get an estimate and try on a size more and a size less and see how you go. Sadly its not a science. I love Triumph bras and think they are the best fitting but the same size and style from say M&S look and feel totally different.

jenniewb

From what I have experienced, each brand not only measures differently, but each brand and sometmes even each style within a brand will fit differently.

I am one size in one store, in another brand I fit 2 sizes different and another store varies from that. I think I go by the try-it-on method- if I can wear it with tight tops without it puckering and the cups to not cut into me then I know I have the right size. Sports bras are slightly different- do 'they' move- so far my bras seem to feel comfortable enough but I do still think its worth getting measured from time to time.