Here’s how to measure your bra size and get the right fit once and for all

For many women, bra shopping can be a pretty traumatic experience and the end results isn't much better with many women managing ill-fitting, painful bras in the name of 'support'.

Here’s how to measure your bra size and get the right fit once and for all [Credit: Real Simple]

For lots of ladies, wearing uncomfortable bras that dig into their skin, slip off their shoulders, and create awkward spillage situations is the norm. Even then, when most get home, they cannot wait to rip them off their bodies. A lot of this can be traced back to the source; actually searching for a bra that fits and the fact that many women don’t know how to find the right bra or even the right bra size for them.

Furthermore, choosing a style that will keep you in comfort becomes a breeze once you know what you’re looking for.

Here's a quick guide on how to measure your bra size:

1. Measure your band size

Wearing your bra (no sports bras or minimisers, please), take a snug measurement around your rib-cage in inches, directly under your bust and level all around. If you get an odd number, round up to the next whole number.

• You may see some flesh puckering under the tape. This is normal.
• This measurement is taken tightly, because you want the band of your bra to be very snug.
• If you do not measure exactly to the inch, round up.

2. Measure your bust size

Take a loose measurement over the fullest part of your bust in inches, keeping the tape level around your body. If needed, round up to the nearest inch.

• Don’t pull the measuring tape too tight.
• If you do not measure exactly to the inch, round up.
• For every inch difference, go up a cup size. 1” would be an A cup, 2” a B, and so on.
• If your cup size is greater than a D, different manufacturers will classify your cup size differently, so you may have to try different cup sizes when you fit bras.

3. Calculate your bra size

Subtract your band size from your bust size.

• The difference between these two numbers is your key to finding your cup size. A 1 inch difference = A cup. 2 inch = B cup. 3 inch = C cup. 4 inch = D cup. 5 inch = DD cup.
• Once you go above 5 inches (12.7 cm), cup sizes will differ with each company. There should be a sizing chart on the company's website and you can use your band and bust measurement to find which cup you want.

Bra Checklist

• Bend forward at the waist, then slip on the bra and hook it. This ensures your breasts are completely in the cups.
• Adjust the band. The back of the bra should be level with the front and sit on your rib cage comfortably.
• Make sure the bra is not too loose. You should be able to slide only one finger underneath the band.
• Fix falling straps. First, tighten the band, then shorten the straps.
• Put on a close-fitting shirt over the bra. If the cups pucker or your breasts bulge, you are not wearing the correct bra size.
• Look at yourself sideways in a mirror. Your breasts should sit midway between your shoulders and elbows. If not, you need a more supportive and better-fitting bra.
• If you need to go down a cup size for fit, go up one band size, and vice versa. For example, if a 34C is too big for you, move to a 36B.
• Choose a bra that fits perfectly when secured on the end hook. As the bra loosens over time, make the band tighter by moving toward the closest hook.
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