Bra size


Bra size indicates the characteristics of a bra to accurately fit the breasts. While there are multiple bra sizing systems in use around the world, the bra size usually consists of a number indicating the size of the band around the torso, and one or more letters that indicate the breast cup size. Bra cup sizes were invented in 1932 while band sizes became popular in the 1940s. For convenience, because of the impracticality of determining the dimensions of each breast, the volume of the bra cup, or cup size, is based on the difference between band length and over-the-bust measurement.
Manufacturers try to design and manufacture bras that correctly fit the majority of wearers, while individuals try to identify correctly fitting bras among different styles and sizing systems.
The shape, size, position, symmetry, spacing, firmness, and sag of an individual's breasts vary considerably. Manufacturers' bra size labelling systems vary by country because no comprehensive international standards exist. Even within a country, one study found that the bra size label was consistently different from the measured size. As a result of all these factors, about 25% of bra-wearing women have a difficult time finding a properly fitted bra, and some choose to buy custom-made bras due to the unique shape of their breasts.

Measurement method origins

On 21 November 1911, Parisienne Madeleine Gabeau received a United States patent for a brassiere with soft cups and a metal band that supported and separated the breasts. To avoid the prevailing fashion that created a single "monobosom", her design provided: "...that the edges of the material d may be carried close along the inner and under contours of the breasts, so as to preserve their form, I employ an outlining band of metal b which is bent to conform to the lower curves of the breast."

Cup design origins

The term "cup" was not used to describe bras until 1916 when two patents were filed.
In October 1932, S.H. Camp and Company was the first to use letters of the alphabet to indicate cup size, although the letters represented how pendulous the breasts were and not their volume. Camp's advertising in the February 1933 issue of Corset and Underwear Review featured letter-labeled profiles of breasts. Cup sizes A to D were not intended to be used for larger-breasted women.
In 1935, Warner's introduced its Alphabet Bra with cup sizes from size A to size D. Their bras incorporated breast volume into its sizing, and continues to be the system in use. Before long, these cup sizes got nicknames: egg cup, tea cup, coffee cup and challenge cup, respectively. Two other companies, Model and Fay-Miss, followed, offering A, B, C and D cup sizes in the late 1930s. Catalogue companies continued to use the designations Small, Medium and Large through the 1940s. Britain did not adopt the American cups in 1933, and resisted using cup sizes for its products until 1948. The Sears Company finally applied cup sizes to bras in its catalogue in the 1950s.
However, though various manufacturers used the same descriptions of bra sizes, there was no standardisation of what these descriptions actually measured, so that each company had its own standards.

Band measurement origins

Multiple hook and eye closures were introduced in the 1930s that enabled adjustment of bands. Prior to the widespread use of bras, the undergarment of choice for Western women was a corset. To help women meet the perceived ideal female body shape, corset and girdle manufacturers used a calculation called hip spring, the difference between waist and hip measurement.
The band measurement system was created by U.S. bra manufacturers just after World War II.

Other innovations

The underwire was first added to a strapless bra in 1937 by André, a custom-bra firm. Patents for underwire-type devices in bras were issued in 1931 and 1932, but were not widely adopted by manufacturers until after World War II when metal shortages eased.
In the 1930s, Dunlop chemists were able to reliably transform rubber latex into elastic thread. After 1940, "whirlpool", or concentric stitching, was used to shape the cup structure of some designs. The synthetic fibres were quickly adopted by the industry because of their easy-care properties. Since a brassiere must be laundered frequently, easy-care fabric was in great demand.

Consumer fitting

For best results, the breasts should be measured twice: once when standing upright, once bending over at the waist with the breasts hanging down. If the difference between these two measurements is more than 10 cm, then the average is chosen for calculating the cup size. A number of reports, surveys and studies in different countries have found that between 80% and 85% of women wear incorrectly fitted bras.
In November 2005, Oprah Winfrey produced a show devoted to bras and bra sizes, during which she talked about research that eight out of ten women wear the wrong size bra.

Larger breasts and bra fit

Studies have revealed that the most common mistake made by women when selecting a bra was to choose too large a back band and too small a cup, for example, 38C instead of 34E, or 34B instead of 30D.
The heavier a person's build, the more difficult it is to obtain accurate measurements, as measuring tape sinks into the flesh more easily.
In a study conducted in the United Kingdom of 103 women seeking mammoplasty, researchers found a strong link between obesity and inaccurate back measurement. They concluded that "obesity, breast hypertrophy, fashion and bra-fitting practices combine to make those women who most need supportive bras the least likely to get accurately fitted bras."
One issue that complicates finding a correctly fitting bra is that band and cup sizes are not standardized, but vary considerably from one manufacturer to another, resulting in sizes that only provide an approximate fit. Women cannot rely on labeled bra sizes to identify a bra that fits properly. Scientific studies show that the system of bra sizing may be inaccurate.
Manufacturers cut their bras differently, so, for example, two 34B bras from two companies may not fit the same person. Customers should pay attention to which sizing system is used by the manufacturer. The main difference is in how cup sizes increase, by 2 cm or 1 inch. Some French manufacturers also increase cup sizes by 3 cm. Unlike dress sizes, manufacturers do not agree on a single standard.
British bras range from A to LL cup size, while most Americans can find bras with cup sizes ranging from A to G. Some brands go as high as N, a size roughly equal to a British JJ-Cup. In continental Europe, Milena Lingerie from Poland produces up to cup R.
Larger sizes are usually harder to find in retail outlets. As the cup size increases, the labeled cup size of different manufacturers' bras tend to vary more widely in actual volume. One study found that the label size was consistently different from the measured size.
Even medical studies have attested to the difficulty of getting a correct fit. Research by plastic surgeons has suggested that bra size is imprecise because breast volume is not calculated accurately:
The use of the cup sizing and band measurement systems has evolved over time and continues to change. Experts recommend that women get fitted by an experienced person at a retailer offering the widest possible selection of bra sizes and brands.

Bad bra-fit symptoms

If the straps dig into the shoulder, leaving red marks or causing shoulder or neck pain, the bra band is not offering enough support. If breast tissue overflows the bottom of the bra, under the armpit, or over the top edge of the bra cup, the cup size is too small. Loose fabric in the bra cup indicates the cup size is too big. If the underwires poke the breast under the armpit or if the bra's center panel does not lie flat against the sternum, the cup size is too small. If the band rides up the torso at the back, the band size is too big. If it digs into the flesh, causing the flesh to spill over the edges of the band, the band is too small. If the band feels tight, this may be due to the cups being too small; instead of going up in band size a person should try going up in cup size. Similarly a band might feel too loose if the cup is too big. It is possible to test whether a bra band is too tight or too loose by reversing the bra on her torso so that the cups are at the back and then check for fit and comfort. Generally, if the wearer must continually adjust the bra or experiences general discomfort, the bra is a poor fit and she should get a new fitting.

Obtaining best fit

Bra experts recommend that women, especially those whose cup sizes are D or larger, get a professional bra fitting from the lingerie department of a clothing store or a specialty lingerie store. However, even professional bra fitters in different countries including New Zealand and the United Kingdom produce inconsistent measurements of the same person. There is significant heterogeneity in breast shape, density, and volume. As such, existing methods of bra fitting may be insufficient for this range of chest morphology.
A 2004 study by Consumers Reports in New Zealand found that 80% of department store bra fittings resulted in a poor fit. However, because manufacturer's standards widely vary, women cannot rely on their own measurements to obtain a satisfactory fit. Some bra manufacturers and distributors state that trying on and learning to recognize a properly fitting bra is the best way to determine a correct bra size, much like shoes.
A correctly fitting bra should meet these criteria:
  • When viewed from the side, the edge of the chest band should be horizontal, should not ride up the back and should be firm but comfortable.
  • Each cup's underwire at the front should lie flat against the sternum, along the inframammary fold, and should not dig into the chest or the breasts, rub or poke out at the front.
  • The breasts should be enclosed by the cups and there should be a smooth line where the fabric at the top of the cup ends.
  • The apex of the breast, the nipple, must be in the center of the cup.
  • The breast should not bulge over the top or out the sides of the cups, even with a low-cut style such as the balconette bra.
  • The straps of a correctly fitted bra should not dig into or slip off the shoulder, which suggests a too-large band.
  • The back of the bra should not ride up and the chest band should remain parallel to the floor when viewed from the back.
  • The breasts should be supported primarily by the band around the rib cage, rather than by the shoulder straps.
  • The woman should be able to breathe and move easily without the bra slipping around.