As much effort as we put into our style, we need to make sure the foundation of our outfit is on point too! Wearing the correct undergarments for each outfit and making sure you are in the right size is sooo important. I’m going to share how to figure out your cup and band size, proper fitting tips, and care instructions for your bras.

If you don’t have time to get a bra fitting done in a store, you can easily do measure yourself at home. You’ll just need a tape measure and a non-padded bra to help lift your breasts without altering the size.

• Band Measurement
  • Pull the tape measure around your chest, just below your underarms. Make sure the tape measure is firm against your body, but not squeezing you. This measurement is your band size; if you get an odd number, round up to an even number.

• Bust & Cup Measurement
  • Now measure loosely around the fullest part of your bustline. Your band measurement subtracted from your bust measurement will give you your cup size. Each cup size is about one inch, so 1 inch is a size A, 2 inches is B, 3 inches is C, etc. In this case, I’m a D cup (34″ bust – 30″ band = 4″). Combined with my band size, I am a 30D.

Although this is my bra size based on this measurement, I can not always find this size, so I often shop for one of my sister sizes which would be 32C or 34B. To find your sister size, if you go down in cup size, you would go up in band size and vice versa.

How your bra feels is key to making sure you are in the right size. The measurements from above are a starting point for bra shopping. Every body is different and some people like their bras to fit a little different, so some adjustments may need to be made from this initial measurement to fit your personal needs and body. Below are some fitting tips to help you while shopping for your next bra.

• Make sure the bra is snug on the loosest hook. It will stretch out over time, so you want to make sure it’s snug on the loosest hook because you’ll be able to switch to the tighter hooks as the band stretches.
• The cups of the bra should be flush with your bust. Your entire breast should fit comfortably inside the cups to ensure there aren’t any unwanted gaps or spillage. This will also help with support for those with larger busts.
• Your band should be parallel to the ground and line up evenly from front to backIt’s so important to make sure the band fits properly because it’s responsible for 90% of your bras support.
• Your bra should stay in place even if you move the straps down an inch.

Taking care of your bras is vital to making sure they last. I’ve included some care instructions that you may or may not currently follow, but they will greatly help maintain the longevity of your bras.

• bras are only made to last 3-6 months. the more bras you have, the longer they will last
• bras maintain their best shape when hand asked in a gentle soap. only soak for 3 minutes
• if machine washing, hook bras closed and put them in a mesh laundry bag. this prevents them from being tangle in the agitator and distorting their fit
• always hang to dry. the heat from a dryer destroys the spandex in the back of the bra

I hope these tips help you during your next bra shopping trip!

xo,