Brassière fitting tips!

With both friends and acquaintances, it's been a busy week of talking about problems with bras. My everyday conversations have included questioning why there are so few non-padded bras available for those of us who are perfectly happy on the small to average side-- to the instance where a young woman that I know took out the bra wires that were poking into her, and then she was shocked when everything fell out of place (note: if your wires are poking you in a newer bra, you need to go up a band size). Poor thing! She actually had to borrow a co-worker's extra sports bra to get through her work day. On that note, grab a measuring tape and let's get all of you girls properly fitted (or rather, in recent lingo- let's fit your girls!).

A little background- when I was in my early 20's, I worked in a lingerie shop and was trained as an expert bra fitter. I've never forgotten the tips. For the shy ladies, it's possible to have someone do these measurements even if you're wearing a soft-cup bra; or simply a fitted tank or tee.  The fundamentals of good fit seem to be a mystery to 80% of women, so I am on a mission today to eradicate this difficult situation. You can try this by yourself, yet grabbing a friend certainly works better: 

    Measure around your rib cage and just below your bust. If the measurement is even, add 4", if the measurement is odd, add 5". Side note: this isn't always perfect- try things on- sometimes, 3" is what works as can be seen here on this chart). With a new bra, always hook on the first row as the bands stretch over time, and you'll eventually need to tighten. If you can comfortably place one or two fingers at the back, and there is no pulling up in the front center, it fits properly.

    For the cup size, measure across the fullest part of your bust. You will take this number and subtract the band number you arrived at per the above instructions. The difference between the two measurements will give you your cup size (an important bit of news is that not all cups are created equally. For example, a 36B is equal in cup volume to a 34C).

Difference in "

The Cup Size is:

0"-1/2" (1.3 cm) AA

1/2"- 1" (2.6 cm) A

2" (5.1 cm) B

3" (7.6 cm) C

4" (10.2 cm) D

5" (12.7 cm) DD or E

6" (15.2 cm) DDD or F

7" (17.8 cm) G

If you are planning a pregnancy, remember that there will be big changes up ahead so be sure to go somewhere like Bella Materna for pregnancy and nursing bras. By golly, small busted ladies who are very  familiar with the start of the alphabet regarding cup sizes may someday be surprised to find that even they might need to wear something like a 38D bra after having the baby. It'll be short lived, yet be prepared! So help yourself out, and if you've had any changes in your body size, have your size checked and try on a lot of different bras-- it's the only way to accommodate all of the differences in shape and fit. In the end, you will look and feel so much better though. I'm happy to be of service by helping my friends out here! Go out into the world comfortable with your size--- each and every one is just right...*Read more about the designer of that lovely lingerie by Céline Pinckers (seen above on the "non-padded bras" link) on the delightful Honey Kennedy Blog).