let's learn about lingerie
Lesson 6: let's learn about bra sizes
How are bras sized?
Because the size of both the cup and the band of a bra are so crucial to its fit, these garments generally require more than either the single number or categorisation into small, medium and large that is often used with other clothes. Although some less structured bras, such as bralettes, may be sized in such a way, bra sizes generally consist of a number and a letter. The number relates to the circumference of the band, whereas the letter that follows it indicates the size of the cups, such that a bra that is size 36C has a band size of 36 and a cup size of C. For bras with the same cup size, those with larger numbers have wider bands. For bras with the same band size, those with letters further from the start of the alphabet have larger cups.
Two bras that have the same letter but different numbers will have cups that have different volumes, with the bra that has the larger band having larger cups. Knowing that a woman's breasts are, say, a D cup, reveals nothing about their size, unless her band size is also known, with the cups of a 28D bra being much smaller in volume, yet proportionately larger in comparison to the band, than those of a 50D.
Since a bra size has two components, two measurements are necessary in order to determine it, as illustrated in Figure 6.1. The overbust measurement is taken over the fullest part of the bust, and the underbust measurement is taken just beneath the breasts. When taking these measurements, the tape measure should be snug, but not so tight that it digs in, reflecting how the bra being measured for should also be. The underbust measurement is used to calculate band size, whereas the difference between the overbust and the underbust measurements is used to determine cup size.
The systems used for both band and cup sizes vary by country. In the United Kingdom and the United States, band sizes are measured in inches, with the difference between one size and the next always being two inches, whereas in Europe and Japan, increments of five centimetres are used. In Australia and New Zealand, bras use dress sizes for the band size, which results in an inch-based system, but with smaller numbers. The same bra may therefore be labelled as being 36C, 80C and 14C, for example, it usually being clear from the number which system is used. Although these numbers are related to measurements, they are not necessarily measurements in themselves. A quick conversion demonstrates this - an inch is approximately two and a half centimetres, making thirty-six inches ninety, not eighty, centimetres, whereas eighty centimetres is only thirty-two inches.
Cup sizes start at A, and then progress through the alphabet, increasing the difference between the overbust and underbust measurements by a certain amount each time. In the United Kingdom and the United States, an A cup bra has a difference of one inch, a B cup bra two inches, a C cup bra three inches, and a D cup bra four inches. In Europe and Japan, however, as well as Australia and New Zealand, the difference increases by only two centimetres per size. As this is around half a centimetre short of an inch, the two systems do not precisely correspond. Complicating things further, there are different conventions for larger cup sizes, not only between countries, but also manufacturers. While A, B, C and D are common to all systems, some use double letters afterwards rather than simply following the alphabet, going from D to DD (pronounced “double D”), E, F (omitting EE) and FF rather than E, F, G and H. In the United States, one also finds DD, DDD and DDDD. At the other end of the scale, there are AA cup bras, which have half the difference of an A cup bra, and AAA (pronounced “triple A”) cup bras, in which the overbust and underbust measurements are identical.
Bras with a band size greater than forty in the United Kingdom system (ninety in the European system, eighteen in the Australian system) are often referred to as plus size, although the exact boundary depends on the manufacturer. Such bras may also be full bust, or alternatively, full figure or fuller figure, meaning that they have cups larger than a D cup. In both traditional and online stores, these bras may be found in a separate DD+ section. Larger bras are not simply smaller ones scaled up, but tend to have differences in design, such as deeper wings, more hooks and broader straps, to accommodate the greater demand for support presented by larger breasts. There are brands and shops that specialise in bras with bigger cups. Having bigger cups does not necessarily mean that a bra must have a bigger band, nor the reverse. Some women require a large band but small cups, and again, there are brands and shops that specialise in bras that are sized to fit their bodies.
Traditionally, bras were made of firm fabric, and thus it was convention to add four or five inches to the underbust measurement in order to obtain the band size, an approach known as the plus four method. The resulting number was used in place of the underbust measurement for calculating cup size. A similar addition is present in the European and Australian sizing systems, in which the cup sizes assume a ten centimetre difference between the overbust and underbust measurements. Modern bras tend to use more elastic material, leading to an alternative approach, the plus zero method, in which the underbust measurement is used for the band size without any addition, beyond being rounded to an even number of inches. Compared to the plus four method, the plus zero method not only results in a smaller band size, but also cups that have a larger letter, yielding bra sizes that may not fall within the limited range commonly stocked by stores. Nevertheless, many women find that the plus zero method gives them a better fit, especially those with larger busts, who may benefit from the greater support provided by a tighter band.
As previously discussed, because cup letters are determined by the difference between overbust and underbust measurements, changing the number associated with the band will also change the volume of the cups. It is possible to maintain the cup volume, however, by simultaneously changing both parts of the bra size, increasing one while decreasing the other. For instance, a bra that is size 36C has cups of similar volume to bras in the same style that are size 34D or 38B - indeed, all three bras may use identical underwires. This is known as sister sizing, and allows women to find bras with a more comfortable band without compromising on the fit of the cup. Sister sizing can also be helpful for women unable to find bras in their preferred size, whether because it is out of stock or doesn't exist for a particular style. Although in principle, it is possible to move more than one step sideways, such that 32E and 40A are also sister sizes of 36C, changes in design may adversely affect the fit - for example, the position or width of the straps, or the presence or absence of an inner side sling.
Even between styles of bras made by the same manufacturer, bras that are notionally the same size may be very different, quite apart from how other manufacturers might label their garments. The design, material and even the colour of a bra can affect the fit of its band and cups. Moreover, the size of a woman's breasts can fluctuate in response to changes in hormone levels or weight. A bra size should thus be regarded as an approximate guide, rather than a fixed prescription, with many women's lingerie drawers containing bras in more than one size.
How does breast shape affect bras?
Breasts not only vary between women in size, but also in shape and position, such that two women who are the same cup size might have noticeably different breasts. In addition to the volume of breast tissue, its distribution and composition also affect what is required of a bra, with certain styles being better suited to some types of breasts than others. Depending on the balance between fibrous and fatty tissue, breasts may be firmer, and thus more likely to be pert, or softer, and so more likely to be pendulous or relaxed, with the latter benefiting from bras that are more supportive, sturdier and less stretchy.
The breast root is the area where the breast tissue attaches to the chest. In a properly fitting bra, the bottom of the cups should correspond with the inframammary fold, the crease that indicates the bottom edge of the breast root. Some women have wider breast roots, and thus require wider cups if the underwires aren't to press on the breast tissue. Other women have narrower breast roots, and need correspondingly narrower cups to avoid empty space. Furthermore, the height of the breast roots varies, with those of some women being taller and others being shorter. Again, that affects which shapes of underwires and styles of cups will work better for a particular woman. Taller breasts benefit from longer underwires, but can suffer from cups digging in at the top. Conversely, shorter breasts require shorter underwires, and are at more risk of cups gaping.
Breasts that are narrower or shorter tend to be more projected, meaning that they extend proportionally further forward than wider, taller breasts of the same volume. Conversely, breasts that do not project as much are said to be shallow. Shallow breasts are generally self-supporting, such that they do not change shape as much when a woman bends over, whereas projected breasts are more likely to be pendulous. Different depths of breasts call for different styles of cup. Projected breasts are better suited to cups constructed from more parts, because of how that allows the fabric to follow their more pronounced curve. For shallow breasts, cups with partial or vertical seams are preferable to those with horizontal or diagonal ones, as the former are usually shallower.
Looking at a woman's breasts in side profile allows their fullness to be considered. If more of the breast tissue is above the nipple, the breasts are said to be full on top, whereas if more of the breast tissue is below the nipple, the breasts are full on bottom. If the tissue is distributed evenly between the top and the bottom halves, the breasts have even fullness, and may be referred to as balanced. Once again, the fullness of the breasts affects which styles of bras are likely to suit a woman. Breasts that are fuller at the top tend to work better with cups that offer fuller coverage, rather than demi cup or plunge styles, as they are less likely to fall out. The reverse is true for breasts that are fuller at the bottom, where fuller cups are more likely to gape or wrinkle at the top.
Various profiles of breasts are illustrated in Figure 6.2.
Depending on the amount of space between them, breasts may described as either close-set or wide-set. Close-set breasts, also known as narrowly spaced breasts, have less of a gap, and may even meet in the middle of the chest. There may be correspondingly more space between the outer edges of the breasts and the sides of the body. For the gore of a bra to sit where it should without pinching such breasts, it should be narrower, shorter and lower, as is the case with a plunge bra. Wide-set breasts, also known as widely spaced or side-set breasts, are the opposite. Although it is harder to emphasise the cleavage with wider set breasts, a plunge style can nevertheless help make them appear closer together. Front-closure bras are more suitable for wide-set breasts, whereas styles with wider, higher gores such as balconette bras also work better. With wide-set breasts, the nipples may point to the sides rather than forward, in which case, the breasts are said to be outward facing or East-West breasts. These benefit from bras that offer more in the way of side support.
Separate to other aspects of size, shape and position, some women have breasts that sit higher or lower on the torso than others. Women with high-set breasts may find that taller underwires poke under the armpit, and may have greater difficulty hiding the neckline of bras beneath lower-cut clothing. On the other hand, women with low-set breasts may struggle to make bra straps long enough to be comfortable, especially straps that are only partially adjustable. Similar problems may be faced by women who are taller or shorter than average, even if their breasts are not positioned particularly high or low in proportion to their bodies. As a consequence of their build, women may also find that a bra's straps are too wide-set or too close-set.
Figure 6.3 illustrates the ways in which the position of the breasts can vary between women.
As if all that didn't make finding suitable bras challenging enough, it is very common for women to have breasts that are slightly different shapes and sizes - so common, in fact, that perfectly symmetrical breasts are a rarity. Bras with padding, whether removable, or in the form of moulded cups, can help balance or disguise a slight unevenness, whereas more stretchy cup fabric will follow the shape of breasts better, but women with pronounced asymmetry may make use of silicone inserts or even resort to custom-made bras. With regular bras, the larger of the two breasts should be used to determine the cup size, so as to allow it to be contained comfortably rather than being squashed.
In addition to the terms used previously, breasts may be described using a variety of other words. Round breasts are full on both the top and the bottom, having a circular shape that many bras are designed for, such that they are sometimes referred to as archetypal breasts. Bell-shaped, teardrop or pear-shaped breasts are shaped as their names suggest, being narrower at the top and fuller at the bottom. Conical breasts are also fuller on the bottom, but their top slopes more steeply down, giving them a more pointed appearance. Athletic breasts are wider and shallower, whereas slender breasts are longer than they are wide, and tubular breasts are long and thin. Such descriptions are helpful in so far as they allow a woman to consider which styles of bras to look for, although none of these terms have precise definitions. Every woman's breasts are different, with their combination of characteristics determining the bras that will fit best.
There are, however, bras that are designed to alter the shape of the breasts - in the case of a bullet bra, to an unnatural degree! As discussed previously, push-up bras use strategically placed padding to make the breasts appear bigger and more lifted. Maximiser bras take this approach further, employing substantial amounts of padding at both the bottom and outer edges of the cups in order to enhance the silhouette. Such bras can increase the apparent size of the breasts by up to two cup sizes, as well as giving them a fuller, more rounded shape and emphasising the cleavage.
Women who would prefer their breasts didn't project as much may choose to wear a minimiser bra. These bras are designed to make the bust appear smaller when considered from the front. They do this by making the breasts flatter but wider, both by compressing the breasts against the chest and by redistributing the breast tissue more towards the sides and the centre of the body. Minimiser bras have shallow, full-coverage cups that are made of firm fabric, providing plenty of support as well as shaping. In addition to making the bust less conspicuous, such bras can also help other clothing fit better, reducing the likelihood of buttons gaping on a blouse not tailored for a larger bust. A minimiser bra may reduce the apparent size of the breasts by a cup size, but like maximiser bras, they are sized by actual, not desired, measurements.
