The novo amore simple guide to BRA FITTING
which type of bra?
Before we consider your size, we need to establish what kind of bra you’re looking for - there's a big difference between an everyday bra you might want for wearing to work and a sleek lacy number to sit under your sexy party dress - so let's start by choosing a type:
- For Cocktail parties or when you're getting glammed up to go out, It's best to choose a good multi-function bra, so that you can switch between halterneck, strapless, and a regular style. If halterneck styles are not for you, we'd recommend the very popular plunge bra which allows you to wear a low-cut dress with the appearance of no-bra visible.
- For work, you might wish to choose a functional but pretty full-cup bra. Perhaps something with a moulded cup, which will hide cleverly beneath your work clothes with no lumps or giveaway lines.
- For a sexier look, for example when you're out on a hot date, a balconette or plunge bra would be ideal. Balconette bras give the boobs a great lift and are ideal to wear with a straight or square neck, and plunge is perfect with low-cut tops or dresses and v necks.
Balconette bras tend to better suit small cup sizes (up to a D cup), while full-cup and plunge are perfect for larger-cup sizes, although you'll find some examples of balconette bras which look great on a fuller bust (bra d'amore is a good example of this) Ok, so you've chosen your bra style, let's get on to sizing!
SIZING YOUR BRA
Ok, so there are two ways to size yourself accurately for your new bra. The tape measure method, and the no tape method. We'll start here with the no-tape method.
1. Test your band size – Reach around and pull your bra band away from your back – is it loose (more than an inch or so from your back)? If so, your band size might be too big. If it’s really loose, subtract two band sizes (always subtract by two, e.g., 38 to 34), if it’s just a little loose, subtract one band size (38 to 36). If you’re not really sure, get someone to try a playground bra-snapping on you. If it hurts, your band size is probably too big.There really shouldn't be that much play in your bra band - by 'that much' we mean 1 inch or more
2. Test your cup size – Feel under your arm for your bra’s underwire. Is the underwire directly below your armpit, or is there breast tissue poking out beyond the underwire? Now check your underwires at the front of the bra – do they lie flat against your skin, or do they stick out? If there is breast tissue beyond the underwire and your underwire isn’t flat, try adding two cup sizes (e.g. D to F). If the underwire is only wrong in one place, add one cup size (e.g. D to E)
3. Do some sums – Take your current bra size, do your additions/subtractions from Steps 1 and 2, and that’s your new bra size to test. Don’t panic if your test size sounds too big/weird/no-way-am-i-that-size/am-i-a-mutant. Just trust us for now – you’ll be testing this size in the changing room!
TIME TO GO SHOPPING!
Once you’ve got a new bra size to test out, pick your bra style using the guide above and grab your new size in the store. Also grab some sizes around the test size, so if you were a 36C and you’re testing out a 32E, also grab a 30F and a 34DD for a little experimentation.
Where to shop
If you can’t find the sizes you need, don’t just make do and fudge the sizes, make an effort to find a good bra store (it will pay off in the long run!). U.S. readers should try higher-end department stores like Nordstroms, Macy’s, or Dillards, and UK readers should try Bravissimo, M&S, Frasers, or local boutiques. Try to avoid the “usual suspects” lingerie stores like Victoria’s Secret and La Senza, as they won’t have the variety in sizes and styles that you’ll need – take this opportunity to find a new lingerie retailer!
THE CHANGING ROOM CHECKLIST
Once you have your test bra and a few variants, you’re ready to try them all out. Here is a simple changing room checklist for making sure your new bra fits:
Hook the bra on your middle hook (or the second one) – you need your band to be snug and tight, but also need an idea of how the bra will feel once the bra loses some elasticity. With the middle hook, you’ll get an idea of the looser fit, but can always swap to the first hook if you need it when the bra starts to age.
Keep your straps loose – too many women rely on the straps for support in their bra, but the band should be giving support, not the straps. Pull out the straps so they sit comfortably but aren’t bearing any real weight, and you’ll get a true idea of how the bra supports you.
Make sure your bridge is lying flat on your sternum — poke the piece of fabric between your cups (that’s the bridge), does it lie flat or does your whole bra move when you poke it? If it’s not lying flat, try going up a cup size.
Lean over and pull the girls in – this is the part where people start thinking we’re crazy. Seriously, it works – lean over so your breasts are pointing to the floor, reach into the cup and pull your breasts into the cup. Now stand back up, and marvel at your rack! If you see a bit of flesh hanging over the top of the cup, that’s a sign that you’re either wearing the wrong style (balconette or half-cup instead of full), or your cup size is too small.
Jump up and down – we call this the Jiggle Test, and it’s great for larger-cup women especially. Do the girls stay in place when you hop up and down a few times? If so, you’re doing well. If your breasts start bouncing like crazy you’ve probably got a band size too large, and if you get a lot of flesh wiggle on the top of your boob, your cup size could be too small, or you should try a fuller cup.
Put a tight tee-shirt on – we always wear or bring a snug, thin little tee with us for bra shopping, so we can see the shape bras give us – once you’ve pulled the girls in, slip on your tee and check out the general shape/lift. Is there not enough lift? Try a smaller band size (and maybe size up a cup to compensate). Are there bumps around the cups? Try a bigger cup size.
Try on all three of your test bras (the original test size and the two variants) and pay attention to how much lift you get, how flat the bridge lies, and how snug your band is against your back. Then, compare these with the bra size you’ve been wearing. With a little trial and error, you should be able to narrow down your size pretty quickly.
If none of the bras feel or look right, try a different style of bra (full-cup is a great default style) with your test sizes and repeat the checklist. Keep experimenting until you feel well-supported!
YOUR NEW SIZE
Bra-sizing isn’t an exact affair – there are simply too many manufacturers, sizing standards, body shapes, and styles for any woman to be one final size. Your “new” size won’t be the same in every brand, and may not even be the same between different styles in the same brand (that’s why we made you pick at the beginning). The trick is to find a good base size, then adjust that size as required by using the criteria above.
This whole process may take a little time, but will be worth it. You can do this process in a one-day blitz, or can simply pay attention to how different bras fit over time and work your size out gradually. Either way, you’ll soon start to learn your size range for your favourite brands and styles, and after a bit more experimentation, you’ll have a whole range of bras that fit you, not a bra size!
For more information on bra sizing, we'll have our bra sizing myths guide out soon!
