So I just measured by bra size and I'm shocked, is it right?

[SchrodingersFanny]

I measured under and I'm 34. Well I'm 33.5. That is taut, completely flat to skin.

When I do the lean over measurement (which made dh smirk) I measured 41inches.

Am I right thinking that makes me 34E?

I have teeny (saggy and deflated) bosoms!

Thanks Celtic off to shops right away ....this might just change my life!

I don't have an inches tape measure so I've had to convert from cm

Under bust 33.4
Bending over actual boobies 38.6

So that's a 34D ? (that letter makes me the small boobed fell delighted, like I have a "proper" bust) I'm still quite perky (minor miricle, cos I just about doubled my wieght during pregancey) so not a great deal of scooping to be done, which means I would not need to be overly generous cup size,mright ?

This is going to be difficult cos Italian bras mostly come in sizes 1 -2 -3 -4- 5 without a range of cup sizes for band size. Might have to wait till I go home till I can buy something. I'm having to wear those stretchy "one size practically fits everybody" short tank top bras at the moment, becuase all my "proper" bras feel horrible on. But I am starting a community teaching project in Spetemeber, and I don't think stretchy "not exactly a bra" bras are going to go with a more professional look than I usually opt for.

CarpeVinum You should try a 34DD/D and a 32DD/E. Brastop often do free International delivery.

Thanks Bra-guru-ladies, much appreciated :)

Ok here's a random question - my two favourite bras have just given up the ghost. However I am

• 30 weeks pregnant with DC2 and
• still breastfeeding DS (19 months) once a day or so.

Using the methods outlined on this thread I'm measuring 36.5 under and 47 over. Pre pregnancy I was wearing 34F's from Freya. The one nursing bra I have left is a 34H from Hot Milk - the band seems to fit fine even though it's a 34 not a 36 but it gives me the dreaded monoboob so I always thought the cups were too big.

Is the same method used to measure for nursing bras if I'm ordering online? Does anyone know if there is there any point in measuring myself now, or whether I will change in shape again significantly? Anyone know about ribcage expansion and pregnancy and bra bands?

I have followed the Guru method and am lovely the new pert look of my breasts in bras sized 30D and 30DD. However, after wearing one new bra all day today, the wire is quite uncomfortable, especially in the middle, between the breasts. Should this loosen as I wear and wash them or have I spent too much money on the wrong thing? Help!

Loving not lovely

Thanks to these threads, I am now the proud owner of one fabulous 30FF Fantasie bra, and thrilled with it! Thanks.

I'm just back from the shops, the 32G was too small in the cups and they didn't have any bigger cup sizes unless I went up to a 34. Most of the nursing bras were horrible designs anyway. I'll just have to wait until I'm near a Bravissimo.

Oh and I almost had to stage an intervention when I heard the sales assistant tell the woman in the next cubicle that she was a 34B but I didn't quite have the guts to burst in.

I measure 36 under and 44.5 over. I currently wear 36E.

Does this mean I should be wearing 36F? (or do I have it completely wrong)

36FF/G

Ooo thank you I will try both of those.

I've only just got over being measured as 36E at JL as I was wearing 36C before.

Try scooping in the 36E.

Lol, went in La Senza today to ask them what their smallest band size was (I used to quite like La Senza, when I bought their 32B bras, but none of them fit me now and my own intervention measurement was 28DD)

Shop assistant asked me what my band size was. When I said 28, she did this: as if she didn't believe me and said their smallest was 32, but they use 'Canadian' sizes so a 32 should fit me fine.

Bollocks to that. No 28s in M&S or Debenhams either. I'll have to carry on ordering them online...

'Canadian sizes'? WTF?

I wear a 30 band (measure about 29.5") and I tried a 36 band in La Senza. It didn't feel any smaller than the 36 band I tried in M&S and was equally ridiculous!

Ok ladies,I have never heard of measuring for a bra this way..I thought it was always done stood up straight?

Anyway,knowing my bras aren't quite right (the underwire in the centre sticks out from my chest-my books look pretty good though lol) I decided to measure this way this morning.

I currently wear a 36/38 G or GG

My underbrush measurement was 33 1/2 inches
Overbust,with the leaning over,was 47 inches!

So,what does that make me and is this way of measuring normal now?

OK, based on those measurements I would suggest trying a 32JJ/K and a 34J/JJ

The underwire sticking out is a sure sign that the cup is too small, and generally that the back is too big as well.

You will probably want to try sizes around those I've suggested too as the measurement is only a starting point. The reason we do it this way is that the bra you are wearing has a huge impact on the measurement. Even in a well fitting bra, my overbust varies a couple of inches depending on the style of the bra. If it doesn't fit, its a whole new ball game. The best shops don't use a tape at all as they fit by eye but obviously we can't do that

Have a good read of the fitting info on the blog so you know what you are looking for when you go shopping.

Ok,thanks.Guess this makes bra buying even harder...think I've spent years just buying the biggest cup in the pretty bras I like and putting up wit it lol

With any luck you will be in the J-JJ range rather than the K, as that makes a pretty big difference to availability. Have a look online at bravissimo, brastop, mycurvesandme, Leia, amazon(some bargains!), there are loads of pretty bras that go up to those sizes. Curvy Kate, Cleo, Masquerade, Freya and Bravissimo all do some beautiful things

Well I measured myself properly and I measured 32/42. I ordered a bra from Bravissimo in 32H. It took me a while to get it on as it is very small in the back but now it's on it feels comfortable firm but not too tight. There is a slight gap between my boobs and the bra material, does that mean that I need to go down a cup size? Does it really matter? I'm in the process of losing weight so will probably have to buy another one in 6-8 weeks anyway and don't want the hassle of returning.

It's a lot more supportive than the 34F that I was wearing.

OK, on those measurement you should be looking at a 32GG so it makes sense that the cup on the 32H is a little large.

Thanks Sorrell. So what is the formula for working out the cup size?

Sorry but can anyone point me at the instructions please? I've been avoiding these threads for months but it is probably about time I took myself in, erm, hand

1" difference between your under bust and across bust measurements equals a cup.

1 - A
2 - B
3 - C
4 - D
5 - DD
6 - E
7 - F
8 - FF
9 - G
10 - GG
11 - H
12 - HH
13 - J
14 - JJ
15 - K

and so on

Bra Guru guide here