How to measure your bra size in four simple steps
FEW women in the UK know their exact bra measurements, with some wearing the wrong size for years.
Here's how you can measure yourself to find out your correct size - without even leaving the house!
How to measure your bra size
To measure your bra size at home, all you need to do is put on a non-padded bra and have a tape measure in inches to hand.
First, you need to measure around the bottom of the bra band directly under the bust - making sure the tape is very snug.
Take the measurement in inches and round it up to the nearest inch.
If the size is an even number add four, and if it is odd add five - this will then give you your back size.
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Then take the tape measure across your bust and again measure in inches, rounding to the nearest inch.
The difference in the inches between the two then gives the cup size. For example, a one inch difference would make you an A, two a B, three a C, four a D, five a DD, six an E and so on.
So if your back size is 34 inches and your bust size is 37 inches, that would make you a 34C.
Alternatively, you can enter your measurements into an online bra size calculator, which will tell you exactly which size you should be wearing.
There are many available online, which can help you come up with the correct size.
But nothing will give you a better indicator than going to a shop and trying a bra on.
How can you tell if you are wearing the wrong size bra
There are many tell-tale signs that you are wearing the wrong size bra:
- The straps keep falling down
- Your bust spills out over the top, sides or bottom
- The fabric on the cups does not sit right
- You wear your bra on the last hook on the back
- The bra straps cause dents in your shoulders
- The band starts to ride up your back
- The underwire in the bra pokes into your skin
- You suffer from neck and back pain because of your bust.
Many woman are wearing bras that are too small for their busts, causing them discomfort and possibly even pain - so check the above list to ensure you aren't experiencing any of these.
How often should you get your bra size measured?
Victoria's Secret model Josephine Skriver has revealed women should get measured more often than we think - every six months.
In an interview with , she admitted that she too was wearing the wrong size bra for years.
The 25-year-old said: “I got fitted three years ago and assumed that was my size and forgot that as a woman, your size changes whether you’re working out or it’s that time of the month.
“I had this idea of what my bra size was, and I didn’t even care but when I got measured at VS [Victoria’s Secret] the other day, it completely shocked me that I was a totally different size.”
While it may seem trivial, wearing an ill-fitting bra can lead to health complications such as back ache, and strain your muscles.
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The Danish beauty added: “Every time my mom comes to New York, I get her fitted for a new bra and it’s a new size every time, and I always thought these people don’t know what they’re doing but no, it’s just us women going through body changes.”
“Get sized every six months because even me, who’s supposed to know what I’m doing, didn’t know how important it is to get sized.”