Can someone explain how the bra measuring method everyone on here raves about works?

[itiswhatitiswhatitis]

Seen a few thread titles alluding to it but could some please explain exactly how to measure yourself? Desperately need new bras but usually guess my sizes.

Hi everyone,

I tried this I measured:

32 underneath
39 across boobs

So would that be a 32F?

I am currently wearing 34d

Does anyone know where I can get really big bras - I was a 34L before I got pregnant with my 2mo old (silly me got prey while bf so boobs never went back to "normal") and so now am probably about a 34M or N. I can't seem to find any bras, let alone feeding bras to fit that. Currently wearing old bras with a back expander which I comfortable ish but monoboob

Could you please help me too? I am skinny, with no rib 'padding' and asthma as a child has, (I think) left me with a tendency to expand my ribs more than normal when I breathe. This is a problem with bras because if the back size feels like it restricts my rib cage expansion it is really uncomfy, but if I buy the size I measure when I breathe in, then it is too loose!

So ribs expanded I measure 32 and 31, ribs not expanded 29 and 31 ish.

Any tips?

Positively9something - start with 32F indeed

Makeminea6x - The biggest available cup I'm aware of is a "true" L. You will sometimes see bras which are labelled as M for example but they are generally in bras which skip all the double letter so they are actually a lot smaller. What do you measure? I'm thinking your best option may be to buy an (underwired) bra in a 36 or 38L, take it in at the back (easy to do) and convert it to a drop cup using the little kits you can buy online. Another option would be this from ewa michalak in a 36L - a lot of people find them small in the band anyway but again, easy to take in a tad

Cleanandclothed - when your ribs expand doesn't your overbust measurement increase too? What size are you wearing just now?

First foray on the bra threads , be gentle please.

I've tried loads of brands and cannot get a pefect fit, middle bit never sits flat.

34/44 but haven't been able to do up most 34 bands even doing the fasten at the front and swivel so not stealing anything from the cups.

Help

OK, which bras have you been trying first of all? Personally, I can't swivel my bras btw - if they fit they are damn difficult to swivel. There are some which will be tighter than others but there is no way that you should not be able to close a 34 which is properly made. Your measurements suggest a 34GG

Honestly Ive tried several 34s, all the brands mentioned that Debenhams had. i sometimes feel 36 rides up slightly but I think I'd faint if I spent the day in a 34.
Currently 36F or double F if I an get one that I can try on and feels right, but none ever feel perfect, never had one where the middle bit sits right in.
DH measured for me too in case I wasn't getting underband right.
Thanks for advice though I will persevere with 34s to see if any seem better.

I'd suggest maybe trying something like Freya in a 34GG. Take it home, and give it a bit of a try on with the tags on just so you can see how it feels for a little longer. Also, make sure you are scooping - if you're not scooping enough then that could be the source. If your 36 is riding up you need to go down a band.

If the middle isn't sitting flat it's normally due to the cup being too small and the band too big - gores find it hard to flat away if the band is tight enough so if the bands small enough and the cup too small you'll more likely get quadboob!

Statistically - thank you for the advice.

I know I was once measured in a department store that has closed down now. At that time I was much slimmer and had no boobs. I went to m&s they said I was a 34b, I tried on loads of bars and looked boobless.

I went to this department store she said I was a 30d have me a few bars I tried them on and yes I had boots again I was over the moon! The band did feel very tight though.

If the band is so tight will it give back fat?

Not if you scoop

Had an Avon book put through our door yesterday. Thought I'd check out the bras in there as I've only got a couple since intervention.

There's a chart in the book. Meausure your under bust, and over bust (model shown upright with take measure over a moulded bra). Round up numbers to nearest inch then check chart.

On my numbers of 34 under, 39 over, I am apparently a 38b.
Which is what useless M&s had me at in all those bras that sat like bandages squashing my boobs sideways and down.

So beware Ladies, AVON USE THE M&S SHITE MEASURING METHOD. Don't waster your money on their bras.

Sorry to hijack, but I finally measured and ..

I'm wearing a 36 c minimiser bra from hunkemoller- I finally thought I found a bra that fits ...well , better.

Which frankly shows my low expectation.

I measured 31 under
And then 38 ..

Which would make me an FF??

Really isn't an FF for large busted ladies?

Am I a larger busted lady? So confused..

I was telling my neighbour about my new bra size, 34e from 38b. She said I can't possibly be an e because that is 'bazooka-ish'.

I am not a large busted lady. But the difference in my band size and tit size means that with the correct under band size, I need an f cup.

Millions of us have been wearing the wrong size bra all our lives thanks to the silly old measuring system. My only regret is that I was 50 before I got interventioned.

I'm wearing a 32d and just used the measuring guide and that makes me a 30F so looks like I need to go shopping.

So with the size Will fit in most shops? As i said I Normally wear a 34d I have tried a 32 dd in La senza before and the band felt way too tight

uptheanty cup sizes aren't an absolute - they vary by back size. Have a look at these properly fitted ladies and you will see that on a 30 band, it's not huge norks at all

positively9something no, it won't fit in every bra and every shop because there is a lot of variation, just like there are between other clothes. It's a starting point to work from, but it's a bit like your clothes measurements saying you're a 12, but finding that you need a 10 in some and a 14 in others. Debenhams gorgeous range, for example, is prone to running about 1 band size small. Marks and spencers quality is all over the shop so they tend to just fluctuate wildly. They also tend to make exactly the same shape, just a bit bigger which doesn't work hugely well - they need a bit more engineering as the cup size increases! That 32DD will have felt way too tight because there wasn't enough cup space - when you don't have enough cup space then your boobs basically steal the excess from the band, making it feel artificially tight. Ever put on a top that was too small for your boobs, and it ends up looking like a crop top as a result? same idea

I'd suggest looking at the brands which are a little better made and designed for slightly larger boobs - Bravissimo own brand, freya, fantasie, panache, curvy kate etc as a start point.

I have the same measurements as you uptheanty, I am not particularly large-busted. We have attached these strange ideas to perfectly normal sizes. The bra you have been wearing is designed for a total boob measurement of 39 inches - ie 36 plus 3 - which is why it does up on you, but it is meant for much smaller boobs and a much bigger ribcage than you have.

Really - why do I not already know this stuff?

Why do I naturally presume that someone of my size - body & breast is a b or c?!

I've been measured countless times just about everywhere and NEVER had an f or thereabouts suggested.

This is a revelation.

I'm going shopping this weekend armed with all your advice & I will be successful.

Thank you

Following

Hi sorry to hijack.

I have just measured 37/49 so wondered what you would recommend.

I usually wear a 42GG

Yes the cup size measurement does expand when I breathe in but not proportionately I don't think (because my bust is so small). I wear a Sloggi 32a with a bra extender because I find the 32 band too tight but anything over a 32 the cup size is ridiculously big.

at 37/48 I would normally suggest starting at a 36H/HH or a 38H/GG. How is your current bra fitting though, especially the cups? Measuring does get a little less accurate at bigger cup sizes so knowing how it fits might help us narrow it down. Also, what bra is it?

Just checked the label and the one I have on today is actually a 40G bhs voluptulous. I don't get the four boob but the middle doesn't lay flat on my chest and I have got some bits squashed out under my armpit.

I have always just put the poor fitting as one of the downsides of big boobs.

if the gore is floating and you have armpit issues then that one is definitely too small in the cup. Volume wise, the 40G is roughly equivalent to the 38GG and the 36H. So..I think you should probably start with a 36HH/J and a 38H/HH as you need at least one cup more, possibly 2 or 3.

I'd actually start with the 36 - we generally find that most women get on better with the rounded down size, especially if you are slightly "squidgy of torso" (count me in to that!)