Boob or Bust, this can't be right?

[Notoutloud]

I don't think I've ever worn the right sized bra. I've always been fairly small but since breastfeeding two babies, I'm now at mosquito bite proportions. I've been wearing bralettes and crop top style bras for the last few years but I've recently realised how unflattering they are and that my chest is just a bit squashed and sad.

Anyway, I've just put in my measurements to the Boob or Bust calculator and I've come out as a 30DD/G - I would previously have said I'm around a 36A! Have I done it wrong?

If anyone has any experience or knowledge of bra sizing, I'd be very grateful!

My under bust is 32” but my waist is 25”. Finding clothes that fit is hard!

My waist is 26 inches (24 inches pulled in ) but my under bust is 30 inches (tight tape measure).

I also read that your neck is roughly half your waist. My neck is 12.5 inches. So I fit that stat.

I think rib cage sizes may vary. I always remember my Grandad had fantastic lung capacity - could swim underwater for a great distance.

But there is so much that can vary. When I was bigger in my 40s (size 14/16 versus size 8 now) my neck was quite a bit bigger, my abdomen was quite a bit bigger but my underbust measurement not so much, maybe an inch. The biggest bra I bought was 36DD. People carry weight differently.

Thinking about it when I carried more weight my waist would be more equal to my underbust measurement but still an inch or two smaller but not 4-6 inches smaller.

I have a large ugly ribcage, I hated it when I was younger and was much slimmer round the waist as it was quite noticeable, measuring around 35" but there isn't really much fat there, waist is 31", I'm mid 60s but when I was young it was around 26/27 so ribs looked huge.

@BobnLen I don't view large rib cages as ugly. They just look different to small rib cages. An hourglass figure used to be aspirational in days gone by. Now I think whatever is healthy for a body is aspirational.

Well, I went shopping and it didn't live up to my massively over-hyped expectations.*

A 30DD fit amazingly cup-wise but it was too tight in the band (spilling over the back, despite a wide band). Tried a 32D in the same style - better fit around the band but the cup was too big (gaping at the top). Toddler ran out of patience so I gave up, still none the wiser about what size I am.

(*I did treat myself to an M&S beauty bag though, so I'm still calling it a win)

I also have a wide rib cage - my friends at school used to call me four-boobs because it was so prominent. Maybe this is why I'm having such a nightmare trying to find bras that fit?!

DId you try full cup t-shirt bras? If you have lost some fullness after kids, they tend to gape. Try balconettes next time, might be a better fit.

I don't think that's a disaster, it's definite progress as you have a back measurement now.

Cup size may depend on the style. A C with a padded cup or a plunge/push up style may be better.

I'm a similar size to you OP and this measuring system doesn't work for me. Even a 34B (let alone the recommended smaller back size) digs into my skin and is extremely uncomfortable (I've got a large rib cage with not much fat covering it).

How can that rule of thumb be correct? What about the rib cage? I've a 24 inch waist and I measure 32 inches under my bust (but in reality I find 32 too tight and find 34 much better).

I've just read more posts and I see that rib cages have been mentioned a lot.