The Right Bra Size Is A Myth

Raise your hand if you’ve heard this one before: 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. Leaving aside for the moment whether this popular stat is even true, there are a couple of problems here. First of all, being told that there’s yet another thing we’re doing wrong just makes me itch. (As Sam once joked, “There are so many ways to be a woman, and all of them are wrong.”) And besides that, how are we defining the “wrong” size? The right bra size is a shifting target, and it’s usually based on these three sizes:

Sam colour co-ordinates.

Your measured size.

This is your size based solely on what the measuring tape says. We start a fitting by measuring your bust and under-bust, and use those measurements to calculate a bra size. The tricky thing about relying on measurements is that they only tell part of the story. There’s a lot of important information that they just can’t give. For example, do you feel comfortable in a snug band, or do you need something more relaxed? Which brings me to…

Your comfortable size.

This is your size based on what feels good to you. Maybe your measurements dictate a 38 band but most bras actually feel better to you in a 40, or a 36. And when the band size – the number – changes, the cup – the letter – does, too. So if the measuring tape tells you to wear a 38G, and you like a very snug band, you may wind up in a much more comfy 36GG. (You can learn more about this in our post on sister sizes.)

Your “this bra” size.

This is your size based on the particular bra you’re trying on. Every bra has its own fit quirks, and even within one brand you’ll sometimes find that the same size doesn’t always work. Some bands run a little snug, some cups run a little big, and even the shape of the underwire can impact your ideal size in a given bra. Sizing is also complicated by the fact that there are different bra alphabets. At Broad we mainly work with the UK alphabet, which skips some letters and doubles others. Like this:

A  B  C  D  DD  E  F  FF  G  GG  H  HH  J  JJ

But there’s also the US bra alphabet. This can change depending on the company using it (fun, right?) but it often looks like this:

A  B  C  D  DD  DDD  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N

And that’s before we even get into French or European sizing, or the fact that some sizes aren’t easily converted from one bra alphabet to another. Every bra is a new adventure!

All of this is to say that the right bra size is often more than one size. You’ll probably wear a few different sizes depending on the bra, your comfort, and what’s going on with your bod. Bodies change all the time depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle, the time of year, and a million other factors. I wear a 30E, a 30F, or a 32DD…and that’s just this week. This is normal and okay! So don’t let the search for the right bra size box you in. You’re complex and ever-changing…and so are your boobs.