You might notice I’ve created a new category for posts called “Starting Points”. I think this is important because not everyone is at the same point on their journey towards bra happiness and boob happiness.
When I started this blog, I decided to proceed with the assumption that everyone who ended up here would already have some idea of their size, or at least would know that there are sizes above DD. But it’s unfair to assume that awareness of the sizes implies knowing your own size, plus we all need to re-check once in a while.
A great post that has a comprehensive overview of the whole topic is "The Bra Fitting Revolution" at Barbara Rae's Rants.
If you are still figuring out your size, a great starting point is the Sophisticated Pair bra calculator. It doesn’t load on all computers, though. Another great one, possibly even more accurate, is the Curves and Corsets calculator. These two are the only calculators I've found online that are fairly accurate.
A lot of people will tell you that the only way to get properly fitted is in a shop, but that isn't realistic for everyone. First of all, real professional lingerie shops with good size ranges are very difficult to find, especially in America. Second of all, if you don't have a vague idea of what size should work for you, how can you tell if a fitter is doing their job correctly? You don't want to be victimized by a mediocre fitter. If you live in New England, definitely go to Zoe and Co; I can vouch for them that they are amazing, attentive, respectful fitters. If you live in the UK, Bravissimo is a decent starting point for a fitting, but unfortunately their customer service is a bit sub-par in some of the shops, so it's still a good idea to go in armed with some information.
Assorted tips and hints:
If your bra has underwires that feel too wide, or the wires are digging into your ribs, it’s probably because your body isn’t constructed out of flat planed surfaces. Be sure to check out my post on bending the underwires to fit your body.
If a new bra has itchy bits on it from the rough edges of seams or threads in small areas, try rubbing at that itchy part with a nail file so it becomes smooth. Often this will solve the problem. If the tags are itchy, save time and just cut them off.
If a bra has a ribbon bow that’s too long and you want to trim it, but don’t want it to fray, cut it and then gently dab at the end of the ribbon with clear nail polish. That will seal the end so it can’t fray.
If you’re a student and your back hurts from long hours sitting in lectures and the library, try studying in bed. You’re worth it. (Sadly, this doesn’t apply to office jobs unless you work from home.)
Read this article on Boobius Maximus to learn how to recognize bad bras from good bras, and to pick out bras similar to ones that have worked for you in the past. This is the biggest wealth of information EVER contained in a single blog post. Read. It.
Also from Boobius Maximus, the bra alteration that can revolutionize your bra collection for FREE.
A great classic post from Thin and Curvy about good versus bad reasons to have reduction surgery.
I may update this post if I discover other resources that I feel are essential for ladies with big boobs. In the meantime, I’m going to post a couple of overviews of brands (Freya, Panache/Cleo, Curvy Kate, Bravissimo, Fantasie, Ewa Michalak) that cater to us. These will basically be summaries of what/whom each brand is best for. They will go hand in hand with my recent posts on figuring out the shape of your boobs and figuring out what shape you like to get from a bra.
Updates:
Beware of any website, store, brand, or size calculator that uses "American bra sizing"! There is no such thing as a standard of sizing in America. Most brands that market to America and reputable stores in America will usually use UK sizes. That is, in proper UK sizing, the cup sizes are AA, A, B, C, D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG, H, HH, J, JJ, K, KK, L. Each size is one size bigger than the one before it--there is no such thing as "half sizes", some of the cup sizes are just called by a double letter while others are called by a single letter. One really odd thing I have seen is that certain online retailers only stock the single-letter sizes, as though they believe that the double letters are "half sizes". Be cautious with retailers like that. If you see anyone listing sizes in a way different than what I've listed above, be careful when ordering from them because what you get may not be what you expect. If you encounter an American bra whose cup size is listed as "DDD", this is theoretically the equivalent of a UK size E, but often fits more like a UK DD. It's not that a DD is equal to an E in theory--UK sizing contains a DD and an E--but more that US D cups seem to often run smaller than UK D cups. Check out this article on the Butterfly Collection blog for more information on this massively confusing gray area in sizing. In general, brands that use DDD do not go above DDD, or do not know how to use standard sizes above DDD, so it's a red flag.
Also, beware of any site, company, fitter, or friend who says that you should add 4 or more inches to your measurement to get your band size! It really depresses me that after years of blogger activism we STILL need to be talking about this, but a lot of people are dead wrong and set in their ways, so you have to have the facts to protect yourself. Ever notice that people who say you should add 4"-6" to your underbust measurement to get your band size never say WHY you should add inches? Yet it is easy to explain why you should NOT add inches--the band is meant to provide most of the support for your boobs. So if it is not firm, the weight of your boobs will pull it up your back, so it's no longer horizontal halfway between your shoulders and elbows. When your band is too big and rides up, your bra is useless and can't give any support, so you'll be at risk for shoulder and back pain, especially if you don't naturally have the best posture (and, SURPRISE! Having heavy boobs and an unsupportive bra tends to wreck your posture just a bit). Adding 4-6 inches is a recipe for misery. It is an outdated convention, back from the days when bra bands used to be made of non-stretch material, so you needed to add inches so you could breathe out. Now, bras are made of stretchy material--so those who say to add so many inches are basically saying you should wear a bra that is already 2-3 sizes too big, AND has a lot of stretch! No one would do this with ANY other article of clothing--imagine how stupid we'd think people were if they did! ("My measurements put me in a size 8, but I added five inches to everything so now I'm wearing a size 12. I wonder why it is so ill-fitting??") If anyone tells you to add 4-6 inches, tell them what I've written here while backing away slowly. Those people shouldn't be coming near your boobs.
I do feel that it is SOMETIMES okay to add no more than 2 inches to your underbust measurement to get your band size. Some people may find they are more comfortable in a band that does not exactly match their measurements, especially those who have ribs that stick out (which can happen at any size). Use riding up as a way to test if your band size is okay. If you are wearing one band size bigger than your measurement, and your band rides up, you will probably be more comfortable in the smaller band size. But if it's not riding up, it sits horizontally, you are comfortable, the center gore sits flat on your chest, and it doesn't give you a backache, then your band size is totally fine. No one has the right to bully you into adding inches to your band size, but you are informed, you will be able to make the best choices for your own body.
Updates:
Beware of any website, store, brand, or size calculator that uses "American bra sizing"! There is no such thing as a standard of sizing in America. Most brands that market to America and reputable stores in America will usually use UK sizes. That is, in proper UK sizing, the cup sizes are AA, A, B, C, D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG, H, HH, J, JJ, K, KK, L. Each size is one size bigger than the one before it--there is no such thing as "half sizes", some of the cup sizes are just called by a double letter while others are called by a single letter. One really odd thing I have seen is that certain online retailers only stock the single-letter sizes, as though they believe that the double letters are "half sizes". Be cautious with retailers like that. If you see anyone listing sizes in a way different than what I've listed above, be careful when ordering from them because what you get may not be what you expect. If you encounter an American bra whose cup size is listed as "DDD", this is theoretically the equivalent of a UK size E, but often fits more like a UK DD. It's not that a DD is equal to an E in theory--UK sizing contains a DD and an E--but more that US D cups seem to often run smaller than UK D cups. Check out this article on the Butterfly Collection blog for more information on this massively confusing gray area in sizing. In general, brands that use DDD do not go above DDD, or do not know how to use standard sizes above DDD, so it's a red flag.
Also, beware of any site, company, fitter, or friend who says that you should add 4 or more inches to your measurement to get your band size! It really depresses me that after years of blogger activism we STILL need to be talking about this, but a lot of people are dead wrong and set in their ways, so you have to have the facts to protect yourself. Ever notice that people who say you should add 4"-6" to your underbust measurement to get your band size never say WHY you should add inches? Yet it is easy to explain why you should NOT add inches--the band is meant to provide most of the support for your boobs. So if it is not firm, the weight of your boobs will pull it up your back, so it's no longer horizontal halfway between your shoulders and elbows. When your band is too big and rides up, your bra is useless and can't give any support, so you'll be at risk for shoulder and back pain, especially if you don't naturally have the best posture (and, SURPRISE! Having heavy boobs and an unsupportive bra tends to wreck your posture just a bit). Adding 4-6 inches is a recipe for misery. It is an outdated convention, back from the days when bra bands used to be made of non-stretch material, so you needed to add inches so you could breathe out. Now, bras are made of stretchy material--so those who say to add so many inches are basically saying you should wear a bra that is already 2-3 sizes too big, AND has a lot of stretch! No one would do this with ANY other article of clothing--imagine how stupid we'd think people were if they did! ("My measurements put me in a size 8, but I added five inches to everything so now I'm wearing a size 12. I wonder why it is so ill-fitting??") If anyone tells you to add 4-6 inches, tell them what I've written here while backing away slowly. Those people shouldn't be coming near your boobs.
I do feel that it is SOMETIMES okay to add no more than 2 inches to your underbust measurement to get your band size. Some people may find they are more comfortable in a band that does not exactly match their measurements, especially those who have ribs that stick out (which can happen at any size). Use riding up as a way to test if your band size is okay. If you are wearing one band size bigger than your measurement, and your band rides up, you will probably be more comfortable in the smaller band size. But if it's not riding up, it sits horizontally, you are comfortable, the center gore sits flat on your chest, and it doesn't give you a backache, then your band size is totally fine. No one has the right to bully you into adding inches to your band size, but you are informed, you will be able to make the best choices for your own body.
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