For 25 years, I wore the same bra size (32C). But since starting IVF in 2021, giving in birth in 2022, and gaining more “baby weight” post-pregnancy than I did while pregnant, my breasts have been on a real journey, arriving last fall at 38D. My intimates drawer is basically a breast odyssey told through band and cup sizes.
When I got serious about improving my diet and working out this winter, what do you think the first thing to shrink was? Yes, of course, it was my breasts. It felt like I needed to change bras (again).
I went to Nordstrom for a fitting. The salesperson brought me bras in 36DD and 38D. I hated how the bras fit, but she swore the 38D fit me perfectly. After a week of readjusting the straps multiple times per day, I went to an independent lingerie shop in Seattle. There, the salesperson fit me into a 38B, which fit slightly better, but I still didn’t feel comfortable wearing it for more than a couple of hours. So I went to the only place I thought could help me: Instagram.
That’s where I found the account of The Bra Bar.
I was mesmerized by the hundreds of videos the owner had posted debunking how many lingerie stores ( most notably Victoria’s Secret) are measuring women. She painstakingly explained how most women are wearing the wrong bra because the retailers are fitting them into the wrong bra size. And she very simply and articulately explained how you and I could measure ourselves at home, the right way.
Allow me to walk you through it.
First, if you don’t already own one, buy a clothing measuring tape. I own this small sewing kit from Fiskars, which has a tape, small scissors, thread and needles. It’s a great purchase for those who want to replace buttons and make small repairs without going to the tailor.
Second, put on an unlined bra. If you own one, the Eby mesh bralette is perfect for this.
Third, measure your under bust, which falls under the breasts at the rib cage. Look in the mirror to make sure the measuring tape stays straight/level across you back. The Bra Bar website can walk you through it. Using this method, my under bust measurement was 36.5.
Fourth, measure your over bust size by placing the tape across your nipples, which should be the widest point. Once again, look in the mirror to make sure the tape stays straight/level. My over bust size was 39.5.
Fifth, subtract your under bust measurement from your over bust measurement, and use that number to calculate cup size. A = 1, B = 2, C = 3, D = 4, etc. For more clarity on the process, you can watch the Bra Bar owner calculate a few measurements here and here.
For my measurements, I rounded the 36.5 underbust down to a 36 band size. It was clear from my fittings that the sales people at both stores were rounding up, but even on the narrowest clasps, a 38 still felt too large. Thus, I needed to subtract my band size, 36, from my over bust measurement of 39.5.
Subtracting 36 from 39.5, I ended up with a 3.5, in between sizes C and D. In this scenario, the Bra Bar owner recommends trying both sizes. So I ordered my favorite bra in both 36C and 36D. The C felt much closer to my right size than the D, which seemed to gape a bit. I also ordered my favorite weekend bra in both sizes, and also felt like the 36C was the better fit.
Then, I DMed a couple of friends asking them to try the Bra Bar measuring method to see what happened. A friend who was wearing a 40D, sized herself into a 36F. She texted me that it was the first time her “tits had been upright” since her fifth grader was born. Another friend, who was wearing a 36D, sized herself into a 38 B-and-a-Half from Thirdlove and loves it.
Finding a bra that fits is one of life’s petty tyrannies. Breasts shift in size and shape over our lives, and so should our size. But thanks to an outdated measuring formula, many of us are wearing the wrong size. I was stunned by how different I felt and how different my clothes looked when I sized myself into the right bra. So I encourage you to give this method a try and see where you end up.
Also, I should note that while this post contains a few affiliate links to other retailers, I am in no way sponsored by or affiliated with The Bra Bar. I just thought that the content they make and the method they use was really helpful. And I am thrilled to feel good in a bra again.
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