The following comments are from various visitors to www.007b.com. 007 Breasts is not necessarily endorsing everything written in the comments. The comments and opinions below belong to the commenters who made them. The comments are posted here because they might further help and encourage men and women who visit this website; however 007 Breasts is NOT responsible for the comments nor for any loss or damage caused by reading them.

I love this website! I've always had problems with my bras since i got my first training bra when I was 9...people put me in training bras even though they didn't fit...but the figured at my age I couldn't fit into a larger size. In 6th grade I was wearing a 36A, but they were too small in the cups and too big in the band. In seventh grade I wore a 36B and I had the same problem, I went to the store this year st the beginning of of the school year and tried on a 34D and it fits pretty well but the band is a little big...I came on this site and it says I'm a 32E... Ill try that but many stores don't sell that size.

Charlotte

I went through puberty at age ten and my mom eventually took me to a store to get a bra about a year later (because she was one of those parents who think that if they pretend their kid is still a little kid, they will be a little kid forever) the store did not measure me at all, just asked my age and then stuck me in a 34A bra. And the bra size apparently did not change for about five years, until I read about women wearing the wrong bra size and I decided to measure myself. My breasts turned out to be a 36E, and the thing is, my breasts have been the same size since I was eleven. This is why stores need to measure the little girls that come in, because just because we're kids does not mean that we don't already have woman-sized chests.

The thing about having a size over C is that a lot of people when they discover my bra size think that I must have humongous breasts - I once read a joke article about how B-sizes are like apples, and that everyone loves them, but that DD/E or larger are like beach balls, and that just isn't true. My breasts fit my body. They always have, but it does make bra shopping a bit difficult.

Raine

Thank you for mentioning that there are many different sizing methods. I have a wide range of bra sizes depending on the method. The "old" method of bra sizing (+4/5 inches) gives me a size of a 32DDD which is much too small in the cups and large in the band, the Victoria's Secret method of sizing gives me a reading of 30FF (but the sales associates always just lie to me and tell me that I'm a 34DDD as an attempt to get me to make a purchase) but I have had the best luck with the non-additive way of sizing (I am a 28GG that way).

I personally believe that larger breasted women have better luck with the non-additive method of bra sizing (+0/1 and go from there)as it enables more support to be offered from the bra band and I personally experience less discomfort using said method. Also, it's advisable to always "scoop and swoop" your breasts into your bras to see how the fit is as many women are wearing a cup size that is much too small for them! I know a lot of girls who claim to wear 32Bs who have much of their breast tissue overflowing from their bras (many of these women should actually be wearing 32Cs or 32Ds! If they knew that I'm sure that they would like their "small breasts" a lot more). I think that it would help women be more comfortable with their sizes and bodies if they are wearing the right bra size.

Tatiana

Thank you for this article. Finally understood why my bras were fitting so weirdly and realised that my size had changed over the past year. Now I know what to look for. I even know how to compromise correctly on the size just in case it's not available in my country. We don't have a wide range in the cups here. Very irritating. So, while I am a 32D, I think I could also try a 34C. And btw, LOVE the little tips for dads at the end! Very thoughtful of you.

Stephanie

This site was much more helpful than others - other sites make you feel as though the numbers given HAS to be right for you. I feel much more comfortable wearing the 32D that actually fits me, rather than the 32C that other sites said HAD to be right for me!

Cassie

There was a time I bought one that was so tight on me, and I guess it was because of the beauty that I went for it, but each time I put it on, I don't feel comfortable, not until my sister came in from the States and I was given some that were very comfortable on me. You wont believe it that since then I've been a lover of bra always but sometimes when am at home I don't wear one.

Helen

HEY X
I AM 12 YEARS OLD. I HAVEN'T STARTED MY PERIOD YET AND I ALREADY HAVE HAIR UNDER MY ARMPITS AND ON MY VAGina. MY BOOBS STARTED BUDDING WHEN I WAS 11 AND I HAVE NOT BEEN PROPERLY FITTED WITH A BRA YET BUT I AM GOING SOON I HAVE WORKED OUT MY BRA SIZE AND I BELIEVE I AM A 32aa / a. For the people that spend time wishing their boobs will grow, don't do the only way your breasts will grow is with time. When I was 11 I always wished I had boobs but now I am growing them. I have realised not to spend time wishing and just wait a while and they will grow in their own time don't try and wear bras when you don't need 1, just let your boobs be free !!!!! xx

MILLIE

Wow! I can't believe I waited nearly my whole life before looking online to find this site! It's filled with excellent information which, in part, I learned in homemaking class back when I was a young teen. It all makes perfect sense! You can't imagine how much I laughed just recalling the time I went into VS... yes... and was measured incorrectly. I knew it but just stood there thinking, "Whoa! How many women have been 'misdiagnosed' at this place?!!!" So thanks ever so much, as I intend to share this with the women I know.

Deli

As a man who NEEDS to wear a bra it is good to see another website that accepts us as needing to and not some kind of sexual deviant. Please expand your portion of the site that talks about men who have to wear bras. Maybe society will become more accepting to us as well. For the ladies who think they were ridiculed about their boobs, what do you think happens to a guy in a man's world who has substantial breasts? I have been called TV, Freak, homo and many other names. The world just needs to accept people they way they are and not make judgements of others.



John

Hi everyone! This website has helped me to realize I am normal and beautiful. A few years ago, I had such low self esteem that I would feel like crying if I saw myself in the mirror. Needless to say, that was an all time low. Things are much better now, for a variety of reasons, one of them being getting fitted into the right sized bra.

I am 23 years old, 5'5", 130lbs, and measure 37-27-40. I am slender and athletic (a triathlete), but also very curvy. I wouldn't say that my breasts are large in an absolute sense, but they are certainly large for my frame.

I got fitted into a right sized bra over the summer, and that one fitting ended ten years of hating bras and feeling like my breasts were an anomaly. I went from wearing a 32DD/34D to a 28G/30FF. I now walk with confidence, wear form fitting shirts (no lumps!), and love my shape. I still remember that feeling when I found my correct bra size. I felt overwhelmed with happiness and acceptance (strange to find that in a piece of clothing, but the feelings were true, nonetheless). The bra was a soft pink, with lace on the band. Infinitely more beautiful than the plain beige ones I had been wearing before. And best of all, my shape was round, lifted and supported, and I barely felt the bra. An incredible weight was lifted from my shoulders (literally) when I found that 30 band.

Even though I should maybe be wearing more grown up patterned bras, I can't help but buy all the bras I wanted as a teenager. I have a purple plaid one (28G), a black and hot pink one (30FF), a orange and purple one (30FF), and an incredibly delicate looking black and emerald sheer lace one (30FF, and it supports like none other). I feel like I fit in, like I am normal, and like there are options for me. Bras FIT me, and they are pretty!

So here it is. I have large breasts, a small ribcage, and I love bras. All my pain, rubbing, chafing, round shouldered walking, are gone. I also love my breasts, and adore their sloping shape, their asymmetry, large areolas, extremely pale skin, everything. After hating myself for ten years, I am finally at peace with my shape.

Also, my chest doesn't look nearly as big as my bra size sounds. I actually barely have any cleavage because of the shape of my breasts (full on the bottom). I've had people tell me that I cannot possibly be any bigger than a C cup, if that. But they are clearly dead wrong, and it's none of their business anyway! Who cares what the label says, as long as it fits.

If any of you are looking for bras with smaller bands and larger cups, I've had excellent luck with Panache, Freya and Ewa Michalak. Herroom.com and Figleaves.com have a great selection. My biggest piece of advice is to measure your ribcage, and use that as your band size, and don't be afraid of wearing a larger cup. My ribcage is 29" and I'm either a 28 or 30 band (absolutely NOT a 34). I know of women who wear a size 26 or 24 band size too. Don't be forever stuck in poor fitting 34'Ds just because that is the largest cup offered at department stores. Also, if you happen to be D+, like a lot of women, it doesn't mean that you are an oversexualized vixen who needs a reduction, contrary to what the media might say. Ignore them, they don't know, and it's none of their business.

Whatever size you are, large, medium or small, you are beautiful and deserve to be happy and comfortable in your skin. 28AA is a real woman, as is 28GG, as is 36E, as is 44K. We are all women, and we are all beautiful.

Thank you to this site for helping spread that!

Ada

I've been "professionally fitted" two times. Both times the fitters followed the guidelines you mentioned. Both times they put me in bras that made me feel awfully uncomfortable, I was in pain. They were simply too tight and I had to argue with one of the salespersons as she said the band I considered too tight was - according to her - too loose! I couldn't breathe and I was feeling violated by a little piece of fabric, yet the lady wanted me to wear something even smaller! Now, I'm not a masochist, so I don't wear ANYTHING that makes me feel pain or discomfort (which in my case also means wearing sports shoes only as I have unusually shaped and sensitive feet) and I DO NOT agree to put myself trough the hell of wearing something as uncomfortable as those (very expensive, too) bras that are supposedly "well fitted". I only consider clothing well fitted if I can hardly feel I'm wearing it. Anything else is just making me miserable, and I don't need underwear to do that. Now, I do love the look of padded bras, even those big sized ones that are usually less aesthetically pleasing design-wise than the small ones for some reason, my boobs look spectacular in those, and they are very sexy. But from now on I decided to go bra-free as much as I can. And I will continue to wear my old bras outside - my old bras which by all of the current bra fitting rules are NOT properly fitting. Well, they're comfortable. For years I thought bras were there for my comfort, but apparently not, since comfortable bras are "wrongly" fitted. Having worn tight-fitting wristbands for medical reasons for years, which was not painful at all, I still see NO WAY in which a strap of cloth wrapped TIGHTLY around my body could ever be COMFORTABLE. Especially if this band carried the weight of my large breasts. Wearing tight fitting bras puts a lot of pressure on the fat rolls (gross I know) just below my breasts. The thing about supporting weight is that this weight DOES have to go somewhere, you know, it's simple physics.
I'll look into bra alternatives, but for the time being I will ditch all my hardly worn "professionally fitted" bras or those just a little bit bigger (in the end I did buy into the "proper bra fitting" propaganda and bought a bunch of tight bras - though not as tight as those advised to me), and continue wearing the old loose ones when I go out, just so my nipples don't poke someone in their intolerant brain ;)

serially and seriously disappointed customer

When clicking through your site, I was quite relieved to see that many women change their view on what "normal breasts" look like. But still I hope that women will fit their bras better. Many I've seen and comments I've read made me shake my head. Slender women wearing way too wide bands and too small cups. Probably because they can't find other sizes in the stores around them. Friends of mine usually order in UK, just because they can't buy their needed sizes in stores around the corner. A good friend wears a UK 30E and when she started wearing that size, she felt better about her body, more confident - and she looks better, just because she feels better. Another friend wears a UK 32HH. For years she stuck to 85D, which was way too small. So women out there, feel confident, try not to get the busts you see on TV, but rather just get the best out of your own, they are beautiful as they are.

JB Neeson

I'm 13 almost 14 and I'm kind of short. But I've started developing and I hadn't gone bra shopping for a while. I ended up going from a 32A to a 32B. But my cousin kept telling me no way your so not a B. But the weird thing is it Fits! So thank you for helping me measure for a bra.

Bri

I'm so glad to have found a website that shows REAL breasts and not the pumped up plastic ones of today. I always thought I was weird because mine looked so different, granted mine are perky and round but they also have that natural shape. I was always self concious about the size of them. They are small, 32B and they are spaced a little bit apart. My nipples were tiny too, barely bigger than a quater and I'd see these weird bumps on them and whenever I would squeeze them white stuff would come out so I assumed they were zits but after reading the nipple worries section I realize that they are completely normal and that they should not be picked at. I will leave them alone from now on. This site has really helped my self esteem and has made me realize that real breasts come in all shapes and sizes. I am now less ashamed of them. Forget the media! Even if they showed real breasts they could photoshop them to any way shape or form that they like. The only way to see real natural breasts is on this wonderful website or in real life. I love the information posted here, it supports all kinds of breasts not just large or small, now we can all share our stories together without being divided. If only I had more money on my gift card I would check out some of the websites for comfortable bras. I hate the padded bras I get at walmart and VS. They are uncomfortable. I finally got tired of it and just bought a tube top. It feels a lot more comfortable than any bra I have worn. If anyone out there is tired of the uncomfortable feeling of padding and don't have much money to spend go to walmart and buy their tube tops. They are REALLY comfortable.

Kristi

Thanks this website really helped. I used to wear a 32A and between my two breasts the band would pop out. I thought it was because the band was too big so I tried a 30A it did the same thing. Then I tried a 36A it did the same thing and I was so frustrated until I saw this website and I knew that I needed a bigger cup size. So I tried a 32B and it was still too small so I got a 32C and It was perfect!

Stacy

Thank you for this site-very interesting. I am a massage therapist and Yoga teacher that focuses on breathing. In a healthy breath (98% of people I see are not using the diaphragm to breath but are holding the ribcage rigid and lifting the shoulders with each breath), the ribcage should expand to either side and front to back. The abdomen should be relaxed and expand like a balloon-side to side and front to back. Snug fitting bras or 'properly' fitting bras do not allow for healthy breathing. I was recently fitted for a bra-I argued with the lovely saleswoman until she brought me a size two inches bigger and then when I got home, I added an extension for another two inches. I still feel like it is constricting my breathing and only wear it when I am seeing clients or going out socially. Most women I talk to can't wait to get these 'properly' fitting bras off when they get home. I don't know the answer to this but I think someone should be able to make a bra that allows the ribcage to expand -perhaps I will have to do it-at least for myself! Thanks to the women who sent in their breast photos-it is refreshing to see real ones for a change.

shawking

I'm 20 years old and since I've been wearing bras I've always had trouble finding ones that fit right. I'm a small woman, 4'10" at 100 pounds, so the right size is hard to find for me. After I had my son it got even harder! Since I gave birth I have been bouncing between 34B, 36B, and 34C just trying to find one that works. Finally I decided to research how I'm supposed to measure. I never really understood what the numbers and letter meant, which is probably why I have so much trouble. Now I know, and I'm ready to go bra shopping!

Dollie

hi,
I'm 19 and I'm wearing 32A or 32B. Even though I already know my size but still having difficulty in finding the right bra since I've a pendulum kind of breast. If anyone have any advice for my kind I would be very grateful if you could email me at shalia_rotz [ at] yahoo.com. thanks! (",)

alia

I wear a bra that is wireless, gives support for the breast and the back, and puts the tissue that has shifted back into its place. It's called lipo transportation. After wearing these bras for 21 days straight you start to see a difference in the shape of your breast and your back starts to flatten out and it cinches your waist.

The reason we have all of this tissue under the arms and on the back is because we are wearing the wrong size bra and the wrong type of bra. The bra causes division and breast tissue forms on the back and underarms. You can take the tissues and transport them back into the cup that has bands that keeps the tissue in its place and fills the dense tissue area out.

Wearing a padded bra can cause the breast to lose tissue because it makes the breast sweat. Wear a bra that helps the breast breath.

This is the bra that I wear and it is comfortable and it is worth a try:
http://firminternationalgarments.com/catalog/womengirdles/firmbra.html
It's called the Firm Bra; they are custom fitted.

Thanks for this site. I will definitely pass this around for all to see.

Tara Brown

It's a good site for choosing good bras... Always my bras too tight and I'm uncomfortable to wear... Now I got the clear idea of wearing bras.

dhya

After visiting this site a few weeks ago and trying to figure out my bra size on several occasions to confusing results, I finally moved past my nervousness and googled local bra boutiques. It can be daunting at first, but I got tired of throwing my money away on bras that pushed my boobs uncomfortably together or boob spillage. The bra boutique I visited was very professional, and after trying on over a dozen bras I left very satisfied with my purchases. And had confirmed for me the fact that I was wearing the wrong size bra for years.

I reccommend for everyone to go to places that encourage you to try on bras; I've learned that I am either a 32DD or 32E depending on the brand (for years I was wearing Victoria's Secret 34C's). Also when I was measured they had me trying on band size 30, but I found it too tight and very difficult to latch. It's not just about what the measurements say but the fit and how you feel, which is why it's so important to try on and get the opinion of a professional.

Mary

Thanks to this site I have researched my correct bra size without the previous prejudice towards my bigger bust, particularly after some weight gain where I was told that my band size had increased. I was buying 38D-E bras desperate to get the right fit and nothing helped. After reading on here and other sites, I decided that a 34E was likely the best fit - bought some bras in that size and I've never had more comfortable bras! When I think back, it should have been obvious that any gain would be in the breast tissue itself rather than around my ribcage!

Hi ladies, this whole bra fitting business is ever changing. I work in a high street lingerie store, and I am an instore bra fitter. I often hear stories of women being "wrongly fitted", and I still get a surprising amount of women in wearing the wrong size, eg: a young girl (size 8 clothing) wearing a 36A, in actual fact she is measuring in at a 30F. People often have a difficult time finding a definite size. Although many people are now beginning to take stores up on their bra fitting opportunities, sizes WILL change depending on brands and styles. It is the same as clothing, one store a size 10 may fit but in another store a size 12 may fit. Take up the lingerie stores offer of a fitting room and advice! That's what the staff are there for. Some stores only offer a 'measurement service' which means they will use a tape for the measurements under the bust (band) and across the cup. But more stores are now offering a 'fitting service' which means only measuring under the bust (band) with a tape, and visually measuring sizes. It does take trying on bras to confirm the size, but the shapes of the bras do alter the fullest point of the bust. Having been 'measured' and 'fitted' I definitely did prefer the 'fitted' option, where I was given the oportunity to try different items.

I hope my advice does help anyone in need of it. But as I said ALWAYS try the bras on. And finally if you aren't sure about the fit, get a second opinion or ask for the alternative size.

Debbie

I am very grateful for all your information and education on bras. I could never figure out the right size for my bras. I was always having trouble with my back or shoulders or both! Once I understood the "science of it all" I have been able now to purchase 2 bras that FINALLY fit me and I feel much more comfortable! A ton of thanks!
Liza

Hi, I'm 20 and now I'm gonna have a baby. I'm wearing a 32 (European 70) H bra and I'm quite sure for nursing they'll get bigger! I dont't feel uncomfortable with that but It's getting harder and harder to find a bra, especially for my low underbust size! CAN ANYBODY HELP ME FURTHER? Where can I look for suitable bras? (I live in Europe) thanx for an answer! greetings Alexa

You should never measure the bust for a bra. It should be done by sight. I know for years I was told by a store that I was an AA cup. I booked and paid for implants, then went to a profesional and I was a C cup. It was too late by then the damage was done in my head I am one of millions.

I am currently 17 years old, and my breast size is 34A. I am 5'3 and I weigh 116 lbs. I used to be VERY uncomfortable with my breast size, I felt that guys would find me unattractive, especially in a bikini because it appears as though I have no cleavage in one. But then I realized that my breast are beautiful, even though they are small. I now know that if I did have large breasts, I would look chunky, because even though I am thin, I have some booty to even me out. If I ever need a good confidence booster, I just pull out my "wonder bra" and walk around in it... Which sounds odd, but trust me, it helps. Personally I think it is the best push-up bra in the world... If only there was a bikini that could create that lift for me, I'd walk around all day without a shirt on! =)
Just remember that even though society creates these picture-perfect women with large breasts, it doesn't mean that they are what all men want. I'm engaged, and finally feel comfortable in my own skin because this one amazing person told me that I was "BEAUTIFUL, JUST THE WAY I AM... AND THAT HE LOVES ME, "FLAWS" AND ALL"... If you care to hear any funny stories about what I used to put myself through just to make it appear as though I had breasts, let me know. I'd be more than happy to show you that you don't need to fit into that cliche American woman's body... You ARE beautiful... Just the way you are!! =)

Brittany

Can anyone remember a special bra from the late seventies, early eighties, that had a shelf with two adjustible straps, one on each side of the breast, holding it up to the shoulder straps. The breasts were sitting between these. A piece of fabric then covered up the breast and hooked to the strap. This bra held in the sides and lifted the breast so it was supported by the shelf. I would love to find out if I can still purchase one of these. All I remember is I had to go to someones home to be fitted. Can anyone help me with this?

darla

I would suggest you get a friend to measure you. It is very difficult to measure oneself. When you lift your arms you distort the measurement. Have her measure you wearing your bra first under the breast at the ribcage with your arms down, then at the fullest part of your bust. If you have breast tissue that has moved toward the underarm area, take another measurement under your armpits. To get a better band size, add this to the ribcage measurement and divide by 2. Then do the calculation subtracting this from the fullest part to get a cup size. Unfortunately, underwires do not give support. Larger breasted women benefit from a "shelf" bra design which lifts the tissue. Hope this helps.

Patricia

This is a great read and fantastic to see other people helping women find the correct fitting bra. It's something we're very passionate about at Simply Yours, where we sell bras up to JJ cup and some styles in K & L cups. We've created our own Underwear Expert section to help, with bra fitting guides and guides to the different styles of lingerie available: http://www.simplyyours.co.uk/shop/page?pageId=3115 Thanks for spreading the word and sharing the Simply Yours bra fitting fitting videos with your readers too.

Charlotte

HI, everybody!
I just watched this site (great thing) but I'm terrified with the total lack of knowledge about bra sizes and bra fitting. Look at the example. A slim girl and size 34 ????
This is for really round woman or strongly built - at least 80cm under the breasts!!!
Cup 34B is for a woman who has 80 cm under the breasts and 89 in the breasts. This girl should wear about 30FF. The common mistake is that women wear too wide bands and too small cups. Of course such bra doesn't keep and shape the breasts as it should.
Women also say - I wear cup B. There is nothing like cup B - 28B is much smaller than 38B - which is by the way for a woman 90/95 cm under breasts and 99 in breasts - how many such women do you know? It is a nonexistent size - in nature, of course, because shops are full of it.
My size is 70 cm under breasts and 96 in the breasts. I wear 65(30)G. Why 65 ? Because bands are strechy!!! And a band 70 cm (32) is to loose to keep well on the body. It can't move when I move, can't make an arch on my back, must be on the same level around body.
Before I wore size 34D - it was uncomfortable and my my breast started to lose shape.
Best regards
Ewa

Why are the enclosures in the back? Companies should be more in touch with the needs of their aging clients.

Sue

You could put the bra on backwards, so the hooks are at front, and then turn it around. Or, purchase a bra with hooks on front (front closure bra). You can find more by searching for "surgical bras", front closure bras, or front close bras.

I agree with Jen - above - I measure as a 34 b, sometimes c (my breasts like to fluctuate in size) and have bras in both sizes but am never ever comfortable, often it feels like they are constricting my breathing and in social situations I often sneak to the bathrrom to remove it because it feels awful. It usen't be like this though. Any advice would be appreciated,

Stacey

Great instructions only like every other one I've seen it suggests using a well fitting bra for measurements and the reason I need to be measured is because none of my bras fit well!

Amy L

I was fitted by a woman once when I was pregnant with my first child, because by the time I was 15 weeks pregnant I was already making milk and had certanly grown out of the 36DDD I was wearing. I was fitted at the time at a 38JJ, and they were nursing bras so stiff you'd think they were made from cardboard. Since then I'm smaller but still not small enough to walk into a store and buy a bra and walk out with it. It is very frusterating trying to figure out what bra you fit in, can afford, and looks nice; when trying to shop through a computer and you can't try them on. Anyway, thank you for the info and the links, I'm going to home fit myself to reduce my back pain and try to find something fitted and pretty to were as a bridesmaid for an up-coming wedding!

Christine

I would like to say well done for including dads in this guide. It is the only guide I've seen after trawling through the web that include dads so well done to you
katie

This page has a lot of good info, though I disagree with the instructions to add four to five inches to the under-bust to find band size. I think that the MOST you should add, even for the very tightest brands, is two to three inches. For example, I measure 27" beneath my bust, and I wear 28s. Only UK brands, which tend to be slightly more generous than American, make 28s, but I think that if US brands made 28s and 30s, I could definitely wear a 30 in few brands (e.g., Wacoal, who make really tight bands). Any good fitter will not use a tape measure to fit you, though.

Some of the links here are also misleading. The page that shows women's breasts arranged by size, for example, not only presents an inaccurate sizing method (adding 4-5") but also quite obviously has the wrong size for many of the photos.

Bra sizing is an issue near and dear to my heart. I think it's essential that women wear correctly fitted bras, and in the United States, this is nearly impossible to do since so few stores stock the full range, 28-56 AA-K. Victoria's Secret is utterly horrid: they have a severely limited range and misinformed fitters yet manage to market themselves as the best. Nordstrom, I believe, is the chain that's best at fittings, but even then they use a measurements to fit you, and most of their locations only offer down to a 32 band size (I have seen a few 30s).

My story: I started out in 34Cs that caused a lot of pain. I finally got fitted at Nordstrom to a 32DD. This was miles better - I was so much more confident. After a while, and as I become accustomed to what a 'good-fitting' bra should look and feel like, I knew that my bands were just too big - they slid around when I moved and frequently slipped off my shoulders. A whole bunch of internet research confirmed my suspicions, and, to my delight and surprise, I discovered that smaller band sizes are not only available but also common among women who are in the right size. I ordered some 30Es from Figleaves, which were slightly too small in the cup; I could also easily fasten them on the smallest hook. Hesitant, I ordered 28FFs. I couldn't believe they fit at first. I went from a 34C to a 32DD to a 28FF. It was ridiculous to me... After all, I look really, really normal, but I can't deny that they fit so much better. There are so many misconceptions surrounding bra sizes - that anything under 34 is 'skinny', that DD+ cups are huge, etc. If you think you might be in the wrong size, absolutely don't be scared off by 'weird' sizes like 32E, 30H, or 28G. They do exist!

If you're interested, check out Bravissimo's website. They have a really awesome fitting guide as well as some pictures of properly sized women. It's quite plain that a 32 band is average and not necessarily thin, and sizes like 30GG aren't at all of Barbie doll proportions.

Hi,
I just want to start off by saying that your site is a credit to the human race! As a young teenager I was a very late bloomer who constantly complained about my lack of breasts, as a half Chinese woman I assumed that my genes had decided I was to be a 32A for the rest of my life, when I turned 17 my breasts started to grow and didn't stop! By the time I was 18 I was the new owner of what I thought were 34DD.

The growth spurt came to be quite a shock, I became self conscious and began to gain a lot of negative attention. Being a petite woman (5'3" 105 lbs) my breasts seemed to doom my clothing options. Than one day while browsing though the pictures I noticed the caption below a set of beautiful breasts exclaiming that she was a size 38H, I had never heard of such a size, more research lead me to get professionally sized , lo and behold I am a 28FF! Not only did I look SO much better in a proper fitting bra, but I felt beautiful again!

I suppose the moral of my story is that your site not only helped me love these orbs stuck to my chest, but they made me take steps to ensure their health down the road (Imagine if I had gone about all these years with a band size 3 sizes too big?)

Perhaps the only thing I would like to add to your site would be information about dealing with a larger bust to waist ratio. Being busty and petite is hard but brands like Bravissimo with their "Curvy Clothing" tailored to fit where it should with no gaping buttons, and Freya who makes gorgeous bras in every size imaginable!

Thank you so much for this site as I know it debunks so many myths and mysteries to million of women (and men!)around the world.

Sincerely,
Cynthia.

Thank you so much! I am 12 almost 13 and I have had my period for for a year and a half. ish. and my mom and are not close at all, and she wears a 32A, and she gave me all of her old bras wich were 32 or 34 As. They didnt really fit, but I was kind of afraid to tell her that, because my boobs are bigger than hers and she is always like oh I am sooo jealous of you. This website really helped me find out that I was a 32C. so thank you lots! and my boobies thank you too!!! :)

jess

Thanks I just took a course in fitting at my job and this helped me to remember and to write down what I forgot. The course I took was video and was great and this was the same just in words.

Noretta

I think this helped. The only thing it should speak up about is people with different shaped breasts. There is about a cupsize difference between my breasts and it makes bra shopping nearly impossible.

Jenell

You should have on your fitting page that for many women only adding 2-3 inches works better for the band size. This is common in the UK where bra sizes range 26-50+ and cups AA - JJ. If you are wearing an H or higher, you should try those bras - they are designed for a lower breast and to take the weight off the shoulders. They have been a godsend for me! (34GG not pregnant, 36 HH+ at 6 months pregnant)

LadyG

I cried when I found your website. I am petite-sized (chest 29 inches)and large busted (H cup). I have struggled all my life to find a bra to fit, having large breasts that collect sweat under them and bang around and hurt if brafree. I have been "professionally fitted" with bras that are way too small, and my breast actually feels bruised after wearing those bras. I am going to go brafree at home more often, to improve circulation and lymph flow. Hurrah for your information and website!!

Katie

I found your site while using Google, and viewing the "normal breast gallery" really helped me to get over myself and finally come to terms with my breasts. I'm American and I grew up in a European household (both my parents are from Italy) and after my brother left for college my mom would walk around the upstairs topless or fully naked all the time and we'd share a bathroom where she'd put her makeup on topless. I was used to seeing the naked female form, but since she is from the very conservative island of Sicily, she always made a point to tell me to keep my breasts covered up around my father and brother and especially in public. It actually took her a few years to come to terms with my affinity for low cut tops that put my ample cleavage on display. I grew up understanding that breasts were basically milk bottles and nothing more, it took an introduction to American media when I was in middle school to understand that in the U.S. breasts are considered to be sexual, not nurturing.

But, despite growing up in a situation that made breasts normal, not sexual, when mine grew in, I hated them and felt that they just made me different, when I wanted desperately to fit in. I started developing a chest when I was in 4th grade and my mom started putting me into sports bras to help bind them down so I could play and not be singled out and teased by the other kids, and at that time I was already an A cup. I bought my first bra in 5th grade and was already a B cup. By the time I hit 6th grade, my breasts had grow to a C cup and by the time I ended high school I was a full D, probably a small DD. I hated my breasts with a passion. They were nothing like the small perky ones that my mother had, they were large and saggy like my grandmother's and aunts' and don't fit in a bra very well. I always stood out as the girl with the large chest, but I was never teased because of it. I never hid my breasts by changing in a toilet stall before lacrosse practice, I would just rip off my shirt, pull my sports bra on over my bra and then take off the regular bra without missing a beat. I was respected for that, as I was one of the few who had that kind of body confidence.

In college, I gained 45 lbs and my breasts grew to a DD!!! But I had no clue! I was wearing a 38D or a 40C as that's what the girls at Victoria's Secret told me I was. It took watching Oprah's bra show back in June 2005 that made me think "I'm wearing the wrong size and bra!" and I immediately stopped shopping at Victoria's Secret and went to the nearby Nordstrom and had my first professional bra fitting. That's when I found out that the C that Victoria's Secret swore I was, probably to make the sale, was the completely wrong size! They were so far off that it was almost comical! That day in the Nordstrom fitting room, I was measured as a 40DD. I was floored. I knew I was big, but never thought I was THAT big! I now wear the right size and only buy my bras at Nordstrom despite the extra expense. But despite wearing the right size, I still have issues with fit. My breasts are so saggy that all bras just feel like they're crushing my breasts into my chest and I always feel like I'm slipping out from under the wire whether the bra is lace, cotton, or formed foam cups. So, I'm always adjusting to make myself feel more comfortable. I've also lost 20lbs and found my DD bras were just too big, so I went back to Nordstrom and was remeasured as a very full 38D very small 38DD. I went with the smaller size as I am planning on losing more weight.

I'm now coming to terms with my breasts, that they are saggy because they grew in so fast. They're getting perkier b/c I'm losing weight. I have stretch marks due to the rapid development (I swear I went to bed one night flat and woke up the next with breasts). Seeing your site and viewing the gallery made me think for the first time in my life with breasts "Oh my! I'm NORMAL!!!" As a larger chested woman, I have always wanted small breasts so I could get the cute designer bras, but have now found the amazing British brand, Fantasie, which only makes plus sized bras that aren't "granny" bras, and have found amazing extended size sports bras from Moving Comfort and a local runner's store carries them. But I always told my mom, I would throw a party once my breasts shrink down enough to no longer be classified as "plus-sized" and as I lose weight, I'm heading closer to that goal. But until then, I will love my breasts they are and not how I want them to be.

thanks again!

--
~liz

I have a recomendation for an exceptional nursing bra by Glamourmom. Its a cotton camisole with a shelf bra and space for nursing pads. The bra is so comfortable, I will probably wear them after my son is done nursing. They come in a variety of colors, too.

Schorre'

The problem I have it that I measure as a 38J (yes you did read that right). The trouble is that this seems fine. The band is good, the cups fit the besoms perfectly. My breasts aren't uncomfortable. My ribs are another matter. No matter what style of bra I but I end up with the side bones digging into my ribs. I tried going up a band size but then the band was too loose and if I go up a cup size there's gaping fabric and I still get bruised ribs.

I think I'm a weird shape or something.

I've always been large chested, at 13 I was a 36D. Now that I'm 25 and have a child, my breasts are larger then I ever imagined they would get. After having my son I still tried to squeeze into a 40DD for almost a year, but I re-measured and found out that I'm a 42F/G. I believe that so many women are like me and believe that they're smaller then they really are because society looks at D and DD as huge and they really aren't. I would love to be a DD.

Jill

Looking for a store to visit in New York City that has a service for hard to fit bra. Wear a 36-38 DDD or E bra, with saging breasts. Also, looking for bra built in cup bathing suit, must be good foundation and wire support.

Nancy C. Groff

am looking for someone to custom make me a non underwire bra that fits and is comfortable in ny metro area. hate them all, but must wear one for work as I teach high school... usually rip them off in car on way home. please recommend, do not want the hassle of returning bras by mail, want to be able to go someplace, and see, try on, etc. thanks.

eileen

Boy do I have a problem, I am a 28 year old who is not ready to except that my breasts sag.I've had two children gained and lost a lot of weight and my breasts show it. My problem is I want lift and seperation, and I wouldn't mind a little cleavage at times.I can't seem to find this without getting the Spillage in the middle where my floppy breasts fall out of my bras.I have tryed many bras and sizes. I do have large breasts they are 36DD.I have payed for cheap bras and costly ones nothing seams to fit right. please help me. :)

Trudy

Please realize that I am not a professional bra fitter, or any kind of bra fitter for that matter. If you have spillage, it usually means too small cup size. Other than that, I don't know. Check the links mentioned above on this page.

hi I am 12 and I will be 13 in aq few months I have had my period now for almost 2 years my breasts are huge (32d) and really close together which makes it hard to wear underwired bra's so I have to wear non wired bras so m breasts a re always droopy. if any one has any answers that could help me could you plz email me @ lilmissnaughty_572@hotmail.co.uk thanx lucy

Lucy

I have large pendelous breasts and can't seem to find the right bra. None of the stores in my area have my size, 48 H so I order online. When I get the bras, none of them fit, the cup size is okay but the band size is way too small. I have lost weight and thought that my chest would reduce also. It isn't, and I am getting very discouraged. My present bra is uncomfortable and gives me those marks that you speak about. When I am at home, I do go braless and after reading your article, I am glad that I do. Is there any place that I can go to get a proper bra? I live close to New York City so I can go there but I prefer to travel out to Long Island. Thank you for your help.

Romy

Thanks for the tips in measuring for a bra, I hope it works when I go shopping for my next bra, I am 70 years young and have very saggy breast and cant find a bra that does not cut me around the band, I am also shotr waisted and they seen to roll up and cut even more, If you have any suggestions on what style and brand feel free to let me know, Seems like I have tried them all and spent a fortune as well, Thanks you Madelyn Hutto

madelyn hutto

I would suggest a personal fitting by a professional, or possibly by custom-made bras.

Thanks for your website! I'll take my small breasts anytime!!

Sue

I'm a fitter at a local department store. I was looking for info to better help customers. Thank you for this site. I come in contact with ladies with small measurement who need special made bras to fit them proper. I want to be a big help to the many women I come in contact with. I did not know that you need to give the breast rest from the bra for 12 hours. Will past this on any other info thanks again for this site

Margaret Robinson

One thing I've noticed in fitting myself for bras is that I'm NOT what I'm told! I measure to be a 34B, but when I wear that size, I have all the horrible symptoms of a tight bra. Meaning, the straps around my body are WAY too tight, and the cup size is usually too small. What I've resorted to doing is buying a size 36A - which is still a little snug around the sides, but the cup fits ok, and I don't wind up with a stomach ache from the tightness. The main problem seems to be that bra manufacturers must think that in order for it to stay on, they need to add super-strength elastic. That's the problem I encounter. And then, if the straps fit, they seem to think my breasts will be larger than life! After having a baby, my bones seem to have widened more, so soon I'll probably be a 38A. LOL! Do they even make that size??? Thanks for your site!

Jen

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