In this article we will learn to calculate our bra size, but before then, lets talk about why it is important to know your bra size. Wearing an ill-fitting bra is more than just uncomfortable. While a good bra goes completely unnoticed, a bad fitting bra can come between you and a productive day at work or simply the ability to make a graceful descent down a flight of stairs.
The right bra size ensure that those you own fit, flatter and offer all the support they’re intended to and also gives a good posture to your body, hence you don’t harm your back.
Here are some of the signs that you may not be wearing the right bra size:
- Wrinkling in the cups
- Underwire poking the sides of your breasts
- A band that rides up
- Cup spillage
- Slipping straps
- Bra that hikes up when you lift your arms
Formula to Calculate Bra Size.
We first get the band size (below your arms and around your upper chest) using a tape measure.
Then take your bust measurements; place the tape measure loosely around the fullest part of your bust line.
To get your cup size, subtract the band size from the bust measurement.
Cup Size = Bust Measurement – Band Size
Example:
If your band size is 42 inches and your bust measurement is 48. What is your cup size.
Therefore, the cup size is 6 inches.
We can now use this cup size to get your bra size from a bra size chart.
The bra size charts are different in every country so in this case we will use a bra size chart for the united states. The chart is normally up to 16 but we will have a chart that is up to 9.
| Us Cup size | Difference between bust and band size. |
| AA | Less than 1 inch. |
| A | 1 |
| B | 2 |
| C | 3 |
| D | 4 |
| DD/E | 5 |
| DDD/F | 6 |
| DDDD/G | 7 |
| DDDDD/H | 8 |
| DDDDDD/I | 9 |
So in our case, the cup size is DDD/F. So if you were to buy a bra, you would buy one with band size 42. Therefore, your bra number is 42DDD.
