I most often hear “I am a 32”, “I always wear a 34B”, “I fit into 36C”. Sounds familiar?  How many of you have said the same, when you have walked in to purchase a bra? That’s exactly the problem!!

Numbers and alphabets are not deciders of your bra size, there’s a lot more, that you need to watch for to find your perfect size and fit.

A lot of women think of these common sizes are the norm, so they continue to buy a set size (typically within the size range of 32B to 36D) without caring about how the bra fits. 90% women never really learn how a proper bra should fit and continue buying the same size for most of their lives, when in fact, sizes have no relevance in finding the right fitting bra!

Another important thing to know, most brands follow different sizing charts and you can be anywhere form a 32E in one brand to a 36B in another! So really, sizes are NOT the way to find your right fit.

So, how do you figure your right fit? Here are a few checkpoints to look for, to find your perfect fit.

Put on a bra in the size that you have picked and stand in front of a mirror to check:

1. The Band:

If you have your band on the tightest hook and it rides up or down, your bra is too big.

Another sign that your band is too big is when your straps dig into your shoulders or constantly need to be tightened. This means you are trying to have the straps take the weight of your breasts, rather than the back. The band and not the straps, support your breasts.

The perfect band size sits in the center of your back. If the band is straight across your back, parallel to the floor and feels snug on the back, then it’s the right fit.

Image Source: www.biggerbras.com

2. The Cups:

Another mindset that stops women from finding the right bra for themselves is what I call ‘the fear of D’. They think a D cup means they’re big or overweight, but that’s not true! In fact, if you are a D/E/F/G cup and wear the right size, you will look thinner and more fitted, than you will, if you stuff yourself into a B/C/D, where you spill out.

Before you start to look in the mirror, “ADJUST YOURSELF” in the bra. This means, pulling all the breast tissue from the sides into the cups and then bending forward and gently tugging at the cups, so your breasts “settle” into the bra. This is critical to do every time you wear a bra, especially for the bra to sit well all day long.

Now check.

If you’ve got the “quad boob”, meaning you are spilling out of the bra either from the front or on the sides, you need a bigger cup. Cleavage is great, but bulge that can show through your clothes is very unappealing. And if you find space between the cups and your breasts or wrinkling of the cups (in case of soft cup bras), this means you need a smaller cup size.

The Perfect Cup should keep your breasts completely covered, without any spills or spaces and feel snug.

Image Source: www.gorgeautiful.com

The Gore/Center: 

A crucial part of the bra, which most of us skip to check on.

The “Gore” or center portion of the bra must rest flat against you, for the cup size and style to be right. If it moves away, or is not touching the skin, then you need a bigger cup or a different style of bra.

These 3 checks are more important than quoting a size, that clearly will not have meaning, if all these checks are not in place.

Image Source: www.brassyapple.com

Still Not Sure?

Head to the Buttercups Fitting Room for a bra fitting, where the Fit Specialist can demonstrate the difference a right bra can make to not only your figure, but also to your confidence.

Hope this helped in breaking a few size myths you have always had.