You may be hesitant about going up a size in your jeans, but when it comes to finding the right bra, sometimes bigger can fit better.
With a wider range in sizes available to women these days, it may be difficult to know what your actual size is, and tempting to stick with what's familiar. But experts say it pays to think outside the cup.
"We often think of an A as being very small and a DD being very large, but this isn't necessarily true," says Christina Remenyi, the owner and designer of Fortnight Lingerie, which carries bras in sizes A through F. "The letter part of a bra size represents the difference between your back and bust measurements. For example, a 36C is the same cup size as a 34D and 32DD. This is because as the back size, or the number, gets smaller, the difference between your back and bust increases. This causes the cup size, or the letter, to become larger."
Remenyi also believes lingerie designers, like herself, are realizing more women are looking for sizes beyond the A through D.
"I think the rise in bra sizes can be attributed to the rise in awareness about the importance of properly fitting undergarments," she explains. "For years, women have been wearing incorrectly fitting bras. The most common fit mistake is that many of us are wearing back sizes that are too big and cup sizes that are too small."
And with so many options on the market, it is easy for shoppers to be led astray.
“There are more bra sizes available now than ever before,” explains Cora Harrington, Founder and Chief Editor of The Lingerie Addict. “In decades past, a woman had to either make herself fit into a B, C or D cup bra or simply go without…no matter her actual size. What we’re seeing today is a rebound effect where, as more bra sizes become available both in boutiques and online, women have more options to find and buy their right size.”
Harrington also adds that cup sizes now range from “approximately AAA through N,” giving women today more options to support their shape.
David Kaufman, MD, Chief of Breast Surgery at St. Joseph’s Hospital in New York advises all his patients to get fitted at a reputable corset shop or specialty lingerie boutique to determine their correct size with the assistance of a professional fitter. Not only will wearing the right size boost your confidence, but it can alleviate some of the physical problems that come with a larger bust, including back and neck aches.
"There is no good or bad size," explains Maureen Stabnau, senior vice president of merchandising at Bare Necessities. "All women deserve the best fitting, most comfortable bra possible and we want to help our customers achieve that. This is why we offer band sizes from 28 to 56 and cup sizes from AA to N. The great news is that over the past five years, the industry has embraced that idea, as well as offer a much larger assortment of styles in full busted and full figure sizes than ever before."
Need an extra push to get yourself fitted and embracing your shape? Remenyi says there are four things you should look out for.
"You want the band to fit snuggly on the loosest set of hooks. This is so that as your bra loosens over time, you can ensure your bra is supporting you perfectly over a longer period of time," she explains. "The wire should fit flat against your body from the center all the way to the sides. The cups should fit smoothly and there should be no bulging out of the top or sides. And finally, the straps should just be resting on your shoulders-not digging in or carrying any weight.
FAQs
For example a 34D is larger than a 36C. This is not always the case. In the design process, the same capacity bra cup may be paired with different cup sizes and different band sizes. For example, a 34D cup capacity can be paired with a 32DD or 36C, 38B, & 40A.
Are double d's bigger than d's? ›
Is D or DD cup bigger? There's no difference in the spacing between single and double letter sizes, a DD is one full size larger than D, just like E is one full size larger than DD.
How big is a B cup size? ›
Under the bust
| B CUP | 32 B | 40 B |
|---|
| Bust measurement (in inches) | 33.1 - 33.9 | 40.1 - 41.7 |
| Under the bust measurement (in inches) | 27 - 28 | 35 - 36 |
34D means that your band size is 30 to 31 inches and your bust size is 37 to 38 inches. Typically, if you wear a D cup size, it means that the distance between the ends of your nipples and your rib cage is about four inches.
Which one is bigger 34B or 34D? ›
So someone with 34B has a circumference of 36 inches over her breasts and someone with 34D will be 38 inches.
Which is bigger, 34DD or 36D? ›
For example, a 36D holds 710cc of breast tissue - the same as a 34DD, 32E and 30F. A 34B, on the other hand, holds 390cc of breast tissue – the same as a 32C, 30D, and 28DD. This band-to-bust ratio, also known as Sister Sizing, represents bras that have the same cup volume.
How much do DDD breasts weigh? ›
C cup breasts weigh around 1.1 lbs (the equivalent of 3 bananas each breast), D cup breasts weigh around 1.7 lbs (the equivalent of a guinea pig per breast), DD-E cups weigh around 2.2 lbs each (about a pineapple each breast), and DDD-F weigh about 2.6 lbs each (about a quart of water each breast).
Why do bra sizes go from D to DD? ›
What's after D? For fear of offending customers, manufacturers simply doubled it to DD. As customers demand required a bigger cup than that, they tripled it. And quadrupled it.
Is a D cup considered big? ›
If C cups are the midpoint or medium breast size indicator on the cup size scale, then D cups mark the transition towards larger breasts and DD cups are the exact opposite of A cups.
Are B cups average? ›
The remaining majority of women primarily have cup sizes of B or smaller, indicating that a significant proportion of women have smaller cup sizes. This statistic provides insight into the variation of cup sizes among women, with D and C sizes being less common compared to smaller cup sizes like B and below.
Here's a detailed Bra Size Chart for Indian body types to help you with your right size
| BAND SIZE | UNDERBUST (cm/m) | OVER BUST (cm/m) |
|---|
| 28 | 58.5-63.5 | 76-78.5 |
| 30 | 63.5-68.5 | 81-83.5 |
| 32 | 68.5-73.5 | 86- 89 |
| 34 | 73.5-78.5 | 91.5-94 |
7 more rowsNot necessarily. A bra size of 34B is generally considered within the average range, but it's crucial to recognize that breast size varies widely among individuals, and perceptions of what is "average" can be subjective.
How to increase breast size? ›
Exercising regularly and in the right way may help you in getting bigger breasts. Weight training, intense exercises have been thought to contract and relax the pectoral as well as the chest muscles in the body, giving you a more defined and sculpted look.
How big is 38DDD? ›
A 38DDD bra has a band measurement of 38 inches and a cup measurement of three inches more than a triple D cup, while a 42D bra has a band measurement of 42 inches and a cup measurement of D. GET BACK YOUR Sexy Curves NATURALLY BEAUTIFUL BREASTS IN TWO EASY STEPS!
Can a 36C wear a 34D? ›
If your bra feels comfortably loose and is already on the tightest hook, you may need to try your sister size down. Go one band size down and one cup letter up. For example, if you wear a 36C and the band feels loose, consider trying a 34D.
Is D bigger than C in bra size? ›
If C cups are the midpoint or medium breast size indicator on the cup size scale, then D cups mark the transition towards larger breasts and DD cups are the exact opposite of A cups.
What is the difference between D and C cup size? ›
What are the differences between a C, D and DD bra size? - Quora. The letters represents the cup size of a brassier. A C cup is for three inches of breast tissue, a D cup is for four inches of breast tissue and a DD cup is for five inches of breast tissue and so on.
Which is bigger 34C or 34D? ›
34C and 34D hold the same size when it comes to the band, but the cup size differs. A 34D is one inch bigger in cup size than a 34C. Here, the alphabets, A indicates 1 inch, B indicates 2 inches, C - indicates - 3 inches, and D - 4 inches, are cup sizes.
When you go up a cup size do you go down a band size? ›
If you go down in the band size, you need to go up in the cup size to maintain the same cup volume. On the other hand, if you go up one band size, you should go down one cup size. For example, if you wear a 36D, your sister sizes are 34E on the size down and 38C on the up.
