Do you know your actual bra size?
You may be surprised, but 80% of women wear the wrong bra size. Why is it? On the one hand it is due to the industry. In different parts of the world, sizes are labeled differently.
Here is an overview by band size worldwide:
After that it gets even more complicated.
Here is an overview of the cup size corresponding to:
In order to understand it, let's first clarify how bra sizes are constructed.
Bra size is composed of two measurements:
- Underbust measurement or underbust circumference. The measurement is taken just under the bust, in the bust crease parallel to the floor. Breathe in and breathe out - and remember the number.
- Chest is measured across the fullest part of the chest parallel to the floor. Note the number.
Now we have calculated that for a woman with a chest measurement of 92 cm and an underbust measurement of 77 cm, the starting bra size is 75C.
But why the initial size? Didn't we just calculate the size?
There is one more thing to note here. Each label has its own philosophy and size chart. One company sees only slim women as a customer segment, another focuses on larger sizes. In addition, women in Latin America and, for example, women in Northern Europe differ in terms of their physique.
Therefore, it makes sense to try on the respective cross sizes if you are already trying them on anyway.
The cross sizes have the same cup volume, but will differ in the length of the underbust band. If your size isn't available, or if the cups or girth are a bit too tight or too big for a particular model, you should try on one of the sister sizes.
It can also happen that the bra is smaller or larger from one and the same brand.
In bra fitting it is recommended to only go one size up or down.For cross sizes, the breast volume remains the same but the underbust band length changes
And this is the crux of the choice of bra as it is crucial for the support effect. A good bra should be able to hold everything in place without straps. An underbust band should hug the body closely parallel to the floor. When buying, fasten the bra on the outermost hook so that two fingers fit between the underbust band and the back.
If the underbust band pulls up, it's too big. The chest tilts forward and the support effect is no longer guaranteed.
One or the other mistakenly thinks that the straps are mainly responsible for holding the breasts in place. No, this function is due to the underbust band. If the underbust band is tight on the body, the bridge of the bra is pressed against the breast and offers support.
The straps should not cut into the shoulder or fall off the shoulder. The breast should fill the cup and not spill out over the front or side of the cup. If so, then the cup is too small.
The underwires should fit snugly in the breast crease and hug the breast, but not poke into the rib cage. If the bridge is too high or doesn't lie flat, the bra cups are too small.
And finally, it's important to mention that many women have different sized breasts. When choosing, orientate yourself to the larger breast.
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