Are You Wearing the Right Bra Size? How to Measure Your Bust at Home, Per Experts
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Anyone who has ever worn a bra knows that the best part of the day is taking it off. This is likely because most are wearing ones that don’t fit properly. Figuring out how to measure your bra size at home can help you find the most comfortable bras that provide support.
But finding the right size bra isn’t just essential for comfort. A properly fitting bra may make your clothes fit better and, in some cases, improve posture—thus, reducing back pain, says Miryha Fantegrossi, head of design at Wacoal.
Meet the Experts: Miryha Fantegrossi, head of design at Wacoal; Emma Seymour, senior product analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab.
If you’re looking to pinpoint your size from the comfort of your home (and avoid any uncomfortable fittings at the lingerie store) all you need is measuring tape and our simple guide. Ahead, find out if you’re wearing the wrong size, how to measure bra size at home, and what a bra “sister size” means.
Signs you might not be wearing the right size bra
Fantegrossi says the following may be signs that you’re wearing the wrong size bra:
Straps dig into shoulders
Sides pinch into ribs
Bra rides up in the back
Breasts spill over cups
Underwire digs into skin
How to measure bra size with a measuring tape
Step1: Find your bra band size
Start by wearing an unlined, non-padded bra or a fitted t-shirt, running the measuring tape all of the way around your back where your band sits, Per Wacoal. Be sure to keep the tape level and not let it ride up your back.
“Take a couple of deep breaths and make sure the band isn’t too snug—you should be able to comfortably fit two fingers beneath the tape measure,” says Emma Seymour, senior product analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab. If you don’t get a whole number, or you get an odd number that’s between traditional band sizes, round up to the nearest whole, even number. This number is your band size.
Step 2: Measure your bust
To measure your bust, run the measuring tape around your back, just under your shoulder blades, and up around the fullest part of your bust (typically at nipple level), Wacoal noted on its website. The tape should just skim the bra in front. Round to the nearest whole number.
Step 3: Calculate to find your cup size
Now for some bra math: Subtract your calculated band size (step one) from your bust measurement (step two) to find your cup size, referring to the coding below, per bra brand ThirdLove.
If the difference between your bust size and band size is < 1 inch, your cup size is AA.
If the difference between your bust size and band size is 1 inch, your cup size is A.
If the difference between your bust size and band size is 2 inches, your cup size is B.
If the difference between your bust size and band size is 3 inches, your cup size is C.
If the difference between your bust size and band size is 4 inches, your cup size is D.
If the difference between your bust size and band size is 5 inches, your cup size is DD/E.
If the difference between your bust size and band size is 6 inches, your cup size is DDD/F.
If the difference between your bust size and band size is 7 inches, your cup size is DDDD/G.
If the difference between your bust size and band size is 8 inches, your cup size is H.
Your bra size is your band size with your cup size. Example: 39 inches (bust) – 36 inches (band) = 3 inches. That’s a 36C.
How to find your bra size without a measuring tape
If you don’t have a measuring tape handy, don’t worry. You can measure with a household item like “a piece of string or ribbon (just make sure it’s not stretchy!),” says Seymour. “Then, measure your bust and band sizes with the string. And then you can measure the length of the ribbon with a ruler.” Same as with the measuring tape, you’ll want to make sure that your string or ribbon is level and isn’t too snug around your back and bust, says Seymour.
How to find the right bra for your shape
Now that you’ve found your correct bra size, consider the next most important part of finding a comfortable bra: your breast shape. Yes, even though you’re wearing the right size, everyone’s breast shape works best with a different kind of bra. Seymour shares the best rules of thumb for each kind of breast shape when navigating the lingerie store:
Round: If you have full, round breasts, you carry fullness all over. Try a triangle or plunge bra that will hug your breasts without digging in. Alternatively, try a wireless bra for days when you want light support.
Compact: If you have smaller breasts, your breasts sit high, and you might find that bras sit away from your body or that lace fabric doesn’t lie flat. Look for stretch fabrics or bras with contoured padding to avoid unwanted gaping.
Asymmetric: If your breasts are different sizes, we recommend a bra that has removable inserts, so you can incorporate an insert on one side to give your smaller breast a boost. When shopping, be sure to always shop for the larger breast to avoid spillage.
Athletic: Wider breasts with more muscle and less tissue tend to have a problem with cup gaping. If this sounds like you, we recommend trying a traditional T-shirt-style bra.
Wide-set/East-West: If you have wide-set breasts, you carry your fullness on the sides, and your nipples may point to the east and west, just as the name suggests. Look for bras with gently curving underwires and generously spaced gores (the center part of the bra between cups). These styles will help bring your breasts up and together.
Teardrop/Bell-shaped: If you have teardrop breasts, you mostly carry your fullness on the bottom. This normally characterizes someone as a larger cup size who may experience overflow with minimal coverage styles like balconette or demi. Instead, try a full-coverage bra that features wider memory foam straps that provide support, but don’t dig in.
Relaxed: These are breasts that have lax tissue and nipples pointing downward. Since these tend to be longer, less perky breasts, try a balconette-style bra that has a slightly shorter cup for more fullness at the top.
What is a bra “sister size”?
If after all the measuring for your size and shopping for your breast shape still hasn’t landed you the most comfortable bra possible, you may need to consider a “sister size.” A “sister size” bra is a bra with the same cup size as another but different band sizes, depending on whether you want a looser or tighter fitting bra, explains Fantegrossi.
You should opt for a sister size when the cups fit but the band doesn’t, says Seymour. But if you try on a bra and the cups fit but the band is too tight, you can’t just go up a band size. “You’ll actually end up with larger cups if you do this,” Seymour explains. “Choose a sister size instead with a larger band for a better fit.”
“It’s usually okay to go down a band size and up a cup size,” Jené Luciani wrote in her book The Bra Book: An Intimate Guide to Finding the Right Bra, Shapewear, Swimsuit, and More!. “For example, if you’re a 34DD try the bra in a 36C and see if that works,” she explained.
Per Bravissimo, sister sizes are bra sizes that have the same cup volume, with a different band size and cup letter. For example, a sister size for a 36C would be a 34D or a 38B.
How to know if your bra fits correctly
Now that you’ve found your perfect size and shape, here’s a quick test, per Fantegrossi, to make sure your bra fits correctly:
The band sits level all the way around your ribcage without riding up, constricting, or squeezing.
The center of the bra between the cups lays completely flat against the breastbone.
The straps fit snugly without digging in. Indentations or tired shoulders are a sign your straps are too tight.
The cups don’t gape or dig into the breasts, even when you move around. Be sure to walk, dance, and wiggle around a bit to see how your breasts settle into the cups, and check both the sides and the front for potential spillage.
Lastly, if the bra stays in place when you raise your arms, then you have found a good fit for you.
What to do if bra straps are falling
There are a couple of different reasons why your bra straps keep falling down. Bra straps can fall if the bra is too large. If you have your straps tightened all the way and they’re still slipping off throughout the day, this could indicate you need a smaller size, according to ThirdLove. Alternatively, if you’ve been wearing the same bra for a while, it could mean the elastic has worn out and it’s time to retire that bra and find a new favorite.
What to do about gaping cups
If you have gaps when your bra doesn’t sit flush on your boobs, the cups might be too big, so try a cup size smaller, according to Bravissimo. If it’s a molded style (T-shirt bra) you’re wearing, then the shape might not be quite right for you, so it might be worth trying a different style or a stretch lace style that will mold to your shape. When you find the right bra size and shape, your bra should be comfortably full without gaps or spillage.
How to take care of your bras
Most bra brands recommend hand washing to ensure the gentlest cleaning possible for delicates. Still, not everyone has time for that kind of care. “If you are in a hurry, use a lingerie bag to wash your bras in the machine on the gentle cycle,” suggests Fantegrossi.
No matter how you decide to wash your bras, be sure to lay them flat to dry, she adds. And remember, never put them in the dryer, “as this can distort the wire shapes when they get twisted in the spin cycle,” she says.
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