Guidelines, Not Gospel: The Truth About Bra Sizing

One Size Does Not Fit All

The phrase we hear most in the shop when we start talking about fitting a client for a bra is some version of “I’m a X-band Y-cup”. It doesn’t matter how the numbers and letters line up, our

lovely ladies state it with a certainty only rivaled by knowing one’s own birthday. Once we get them inside the change room, however, is where the shocked faces begin. Are these women wrong about their own bodies? Not at all! They’re simply lacking information and that’s where we as professional bra fitters come in.

I Am What I Am

It’s incredibly common for the women who come into our shop to enter with pre-conceived ideas about bras in general, let alone what their bra size is. One of the first things we tell ladies is that there is no standard sizing when it comes to bras. Honestly there’s no standard sizing for garments in general. What does this mean for a woman’s bra size? Well instead of being one end-all-be-all size they are a size range which ends up giving us even more options to fit a woman’s unique, beautiful body. The fits of bras change across brands, styles, wire shapes, etc. which makes it impossible for us as women to ever be one standard bra size. Plus, our bodies change over time in all sorts of interesting ways meaning it isn’t just new jeans or t-shirts we have to think about for our wardrobe every few summers. Our bras are as likely in need of replacing as our beloved high-waisted jeans after a few years of life has gotten a hold of us.

That Can’t Be Right

Humans are creatures who easily get stuck in time. We can think we saw a friend a little while ago when it’s really been three years, or we had a great family gathering a couple of years back when a decade’s gone by. The same thing happens when it comes to bra size. We know we’re a 34C because that’s the size we always bought. Wait, when exactly was the last time we purchased a bra? Oh right, seven years ago before the baby was born or nine months ago at the very beginning of my fitness journey or a decade ago because the brand I like is no longer around and I’ve avoided getting a fitting because it’s a pain. What we’re saying is life happens which is completely normal. So, if life happens, why are we okay with needing to update all our clothes except our bras?

You Are More Than a Number or a Letter

Most women have a size they want to be or wish they were. Busty ladies dream of small

handfuls that let them see their feet. Itty bitty committee members imagine the jet-setting life they could lead as buxom beach babes. We all think the grass is perkier on the other side. For those who get attached to their size, however, hearing a different number or letter can be difficult to accept. If their best fit is an F-cup but they took pride in being a C-cup, there’s gonna be some shock. If weight fluctuation has shifted their band size one way or the other that can feel like a smack in the face. All those feelings are incredibly valid and we, both as women and bra fitters, will always provide the safe space to tackle those emotions if needed. Our biggest concerns are making sure women leave with a bra or two that fits them properly, supports them correctly, and that they walk out of the store knowing how a bra should fit their unique body. These numbers and letters are not gospel. They are the car we are given by the lingerie industry to drive you to the destination that is your body’s proper fit. No more, no less.

It’s Cliché but True

Yes, every woman’s body is unique. It might feel like a platitude, but it is one-thousand percent true. That is why being fit for a bra by a professional fitter is so important. Each woman has their own needs, their own sensitivities, their own preferences. Condensing all that information and more down to one number/letter combination is doing every woman a disservice. You deserve comfort, support, and shape for your body, not the body an algorithm or a single company thinks you should be. Your body is unique and beautiful. Support it inside and out.

When has bra sizing surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments!