Today we're going to talk about taking care of the girls. I recently read something like 90% of women don't wear the correct size bra. I already know I'm one of them, just always believed because 32 was the smallest band size they make and adolescent bras didn't have big enough cups that that was clearly my correct size. Right?
Wrong. That's just the smallest size must chain stores carry.
I also believed that cup sized were straight forward. A's were tiny and D's were huge. It was cookie cutter boobs to fill them.
Wrong again. I blame Barbie. Crazy bitch feeling my head with all kinds of unrealistic beliefs.
I started snooping around the internet. Searching the internet can be described as a cross between getting sucked into a black hole and lost forever or falling down the rabbit hole. You have no idea where you are or how you got there but it's a very fascinating while there.
The best thing is to go to a lingerie store and get measured. It can be hard to find a good one. It needs to be one with a range of sizes and not a chain store like Victoria Secret. As lovely as those girls are, they are not actually trained beyond corporate expectations to push and sell their merchandise. This is why I believed 32-40 A-DD was all that existed. I also believed 32 was a new invention. Seriously, I was that misled.
I also wasn't aware that boobs can be either full on top or full on bottom. This can lead to the gap on top of the bra between your bra and your boob. So, even though it may seem like the wrong size cup it may just be the wrong style cut of the bra. I'm very heavy on bottom so I need some padding to hike them up. A style like balconette does not work for me at all.
O the things we learn.
Most women are wearing bras that are too big in the band and several cup sizes too small. Again, this goes back to the programming of cookie cutter cup sized boobs. Truth is, a 34D is only a fraction the size of a 40D. Your cup size is simply determined by the number of inches between your ribcage and breast measurement.
So here's how to measure... you may need your honey or best friend to help you with this. You will need a measuring tape.
First, figure out your band size. You need to be topless for an accurate reading. Wrap the measuring tape around you. Next, bend over. Make sure the tape is flush against your skin and sits under your breasts where your ribs and breast begin. It should be pretty snug. You want to know your rib cage measurement. If the measurement is an odd number you will need to round up to the next even number. 33 goes to 34. That's say you measured at 34 1/4 or 1/2 then you would round down to 34. You wouldn't round up because that would put you at 36 and the band would end up too loose. Write that number down.
Now, the next part can be a bit controversial. Some will claim to use the +0, +2, or +4 method. All this means is how many inches to add. The +0 might be too tight and uncomfortable for some woman. The +2 is best. Since I've been wearing a +8 I can only go to a +4 right now and will transition into a +2. Use the 34 we took earlier... +0 would be a 34 band, +2 a 36 band, and +4 a 38 band. You can see how much bigger the bands get, This is why going no higher than +2 is best. The weight of your breasts need to be supported by your band not your straps.
Now measure your boobs. Now bend over again and measure around your breast. The measuring tape shouldn't be loose where it could slip off and on without changing shape but not tight to where it squishes them out of shape either. Subtract that number from the band size number. The remaining number is your cup size. Every inch equals a cup. A =1, B =2, and so on (These are US measurements, European will be different). If you feel unsure this is the best calculator out there right now. Yes, cups go far beyond DD. Most stores just do not accommodate these women. Most likely these companies are run by men. I'm sure if we set them down and explained most woman go beyond DD up to size O they would be ecstatic and we would have unlimited resources available to us easily. For now, we must go to specialty shops online to find them. I have always been wearing a 34B my whole life and it turns out my +0 correct size is 26G. Since I'm used to something looser I'm going for 28F, or even 30DDD/E. These ranges are called sister sizes. You can interchange if you need. If you go up a band size then you need to go down a cup size. Try to wear as snug as possible because, as we have all learned, our bras do stretch out over time. When you buy a bra you should be hooking it on the last hook. I've always heard tightest or middle. This is wrong. You want the third or loosest hook that way when it loosens over time, as it will, you can tighten it up. Seems obvious to me now.
If you would like to see pictures how the proper fit will change your shape check out this link here.
Finding these sizes can be hard to find. So far I've only been able to do so online. Here are a few sites:
Bravissimo
Figleaves
Brastop
Ewa Michalak
So there you have it ladies... the proper way to support your girls. Why not turn it into a girls night so the girls can help support the girls. Drink some wine measure each other and order your new bras together online. Make a girls night of it :)
