The Perfect Fit: The Bra

 



 Believe it or not, at least 9 out of 10 women wears an incorrectly sized bra! The classic tell tale sign of this is the bra band resting high up the back and/or spillage in the bust area; especially at the sides. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to stop young ladies on the streets of St John's and tell them that they need to change the size bra they wear and point out to them the correct position the bra band should rest! Even more amusing is when you see the "stush" girls walking like they can't mash ants and yet their bras are nearly hanging them! :D



I remember growing up and being infuriated that the band of my bra was always slack! My Aunt (and myself) always purchased a 34B bra and that was just how it was. It wasn't until I was fully mature that I scurried the interent in search of how to measure my correct bra size. It was then I figured out that I should be wearing a 32B bra. Thank the Lord I did! I have never worn another size bra since then. I no longer had loose bra bands. *happy dance*

Women don't realise that for all the time, money and effort we put into making the most of our looks, the single most effective way to transform your silhouette in one shot is to wear the right size and shape bra. It will instantly give you better posture and a slimmer, more youthful look. So why do so many women still get it wrong? The key reason is that most women simply do not know their correct size.

So, ladies, do yourself a favor and follow the guide below on determining the correct bra size you should be wearing. You will be happy you did; not to mention you will no longer be an eye sore on the streets when everyone can see the outline of your bra almost choking you!


HOW TO MEASURE YOUR BRA SIZE

Size Yourself Up

To begin, you’ll need a cloth tape measure and an open mind (smile!). If you don’t own a cloth tape measure and have a ruler or metal tape measure instead, be creative. Use a string, ribbon or belt large enough to measure around your breasts and then use the ruler or metal tape measure to calculate as precisely as possible your overbust and underbust measurements. You can then use our table below to look up your band and cups sizes. Please note we use centimeters in our chart for better precision, but feel free to take your measurements in inches. Just remember to include any fractional inches when recording your numbers. Don't worry about the math, we provided a link to a calculator to convert your measurements from inches into centimeters.

Ready? It may sound strange, but wear your current, best-fitting UNPADDED bra without a shirt for this exercise. This is especially important if you have bottom-heavy breasts (i.e., breasts with some sag or droop). If you measure without a bra on, you will most likely get an inaccurate measurement of your true cup size. If you don't have an unpadded bra, wear one with the least padding possible. It will give you a rough estimate and you may also need to try on bras in the cup size smaller than your table reading and possibly larger (i.e., if your breasts look or feel compressed/flattened in this bra). Our goal today is to get an estimate of your size. Trying a bra on is still the best way to determine if the fit is right for you. Styles can also make a difference in fit, but we can address that topic later.

Step 1. (Band Size / Underbust Measurement)

Starting in the front, measure under your breasts and around your back (as shown below in the photo; line marked #1). Remember to keep the tape measure straight across your back and around to the front of your rib cage (near the sternum area). If the tape measure angles upward or downward, it can skew the measurement. Write the number down on a piece of paper. Make sure to take the measurement when you exhale (breathe out) to get the smallest measurement possible. Don't round up. Be as precise as possible (either using centimeters or inches including any fractions). Now look for your measurement within the size ranges referenced in the table (entitled Step 1) below. Take note of the band size referenced above your measurement.

For example, if you measured 31.25 inches under your breasts, your measurement would be equivalent to 79.375 centimeters. Using the table below, this would make your estimated band size 36.

Since the majority of your breast support is provided by the band, let's do another quick measurement to double check the band size. For this one measurement, make sure ONLY to use inches. Starting under your armpits, measure around your back, pulling the tape measure toward your front - up above your breasts. Is this number in inches close to the band size you looked up on the BRA FIT table below? As bras are only available in even numbers, you will most likely need to round up this figure.

For example, if you measured 35 inches, the nearest even number would be 36 -- a figure consistent with the band size (i.e., 36) we looked up in the scenario above.


Step 2. (Cup Size / Overbust Measurement)

Now measure the fullest part of your breasts (straight around your back and across the center, fullest part or peak of your breasts as shown below in the photo; line marked #2 ). Write this number down. Now reference the table below. Follow the column down from your band size and find the row that includes your measurement. If your number is on the border between cups size, you may want to try both cups sizes to determine which one provides the best fit and comfort for your shape.

If we use the same model scenario above and you measure your overbust as 39 inches, your measurement in centimeters would be 99.06 centimeters. This would make your cup size a D. You should then try bras in size 36D. If your measurement had been 98 centimeters, you might want to try sizes 36C and 36D.

In Antigua, the staff at Intimate Touch can assist you in finding your correct bra size. They also encourage you to try the bra before you buy.

Cm to Inches Converter

Please click on the link below to convert your measurement from cm to inches, if needs be.

http://www.metric-conversions.org/length/centimeters-to-inches.htm


GENERAL BRA FITTING TIPS

It may be a hassle, but trying a bra on always pays off in the end. Even fancy bras stay in the drawer when they don't really fit right. When trying on a new bra, lean forward and lift your breasts up one at a time and gently place them back fully into the cup. Now stand up and move around a bit. Put your shirt back on (preferably a shirt, not a sweater) and see if your silhouette appears normal. Your bra should not be overly noticeable to the eye. If it's comfortable, does not feel tight in the back or ride up, your breasts do not spill over the cup or out the bottom, the straps do not dig into your shoulders, and the material of the cups does not pucker, consider buying it. You just might be happy with your purchase and re-visit our lingerie shop again for either a practical or frivolously pretty new bra.

However, if you see gaps (puckering) or overflow (muffin-top or quad-boob effect) from the cups, you are not wearing the correct cup size. If you have gaps (wrinkles) in the cup, go down a cup size or try another bra style such as a demi-cup bra. If your breasts spill over the top of the cup, you need a larger cup size. The back band of your bra should lay straight across your back (level with the floor) and it should be anchored below your shoulder blades. If you need to tighten the straps so much so that the band rides up, you're probably wearing too large of a band size. If your breasts fall out the bottom of the bra cups, try going down a band size. Your underwire should rest on the natural crease of the breast and comfortably encase it. If your bra underwire over jets and goes under your arm, try going down a cup size. If the bra underwire cuts into your skin and stops a distance away from your arm, consider going up a cup size. If your straps fall down a lot, try tightening the straps. If you have to tighten them significantly and as a result the back rides up, go down a band size and up a cup size if your current cup size fits well. If this does not help, you may have narrow or sloped shoulders. You should try a different style bra. Avoid bras with wide-set straps and try bra styles with angled straps including multiway or convertible bras or racer-back bras.


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