Bras are an essential item in most women’s wardrobes. Despite this, surveys have found that the majority of women are wearing the incorrect-sized bra, which can lead to health issues. To help tackle this, Belle Lingerie has taken the time to look at some of this data and provide helpful tips on how to find the right fit.
Research and surveys over the last decade have consistently shown that the majority of women are wearing the wrong size bra. One report, released in 2008, uncovered 80% of women wore bras that were the wrong size, with 70% of participants wearing bras which were too small, with a further 10% wearing bras that were too large.
Additionally, research conducted by M&S found that 4 in 10 women are unsure about their bra size, and research published in 2012 cited that 85% of women have been reported to wear the wrong-sized bra.
Not only were the majority of women found to be wearing mis-sized bras, but research conducted by UCLan that the negative symptoms (chronic non-specific back pain of larger-breasted women) may be associated with the resting position of the breast tissue. As part of its research, it discovered that all participants wore incorrect sizes.
Dr Lauren Haworth, a UCLan Senior Research Assistant, explained that "the persistent wearing of an ill-fitting bra can cause issues, and we know many women find it challenging to find a bra that fits properly with the current bra solutions, sizing principles, and fitting approaches that are out there.”
Negative symptoms often occur when wearing an ill-fitting bra, as another 2012 report found. Those who wore incorrect sizes were found to also suffer from symptoms such as headaches, stomach upsets and back and shoulder issues.
It is because of this that women must be able to buy the correct-sized bra to avoid the negative symptoms that can occur through wearing incorrect-sized bras.
So, how do you work out bra size?
The experts at Belle Lingerie offer some great tips on how to ensure you are purchasing the right-sized bra. Their helpful fitting guides explain how to measure the band and cup size and double-check your bra anatomy.
For Strap Size
- Take a measuring tape and wrap it around your ribs directly under your bust to get your band size.
- Make a note on how many inches.
- If you measure an odd number, like 31 inches, round down to the nearest even number.
- This is your strap/band size.
For Cup Size
- Measure the fullest part of your bust.
- Keep the tape measure straight along your back, then pull it around the fullest part of your bust, giving around an inch of space between the cup and the tape measure.
- Make a note on how many inches.
- For odd numbers, round to the nearest even number, For 33.5 inches – round up to 34 inches, and for 31 inches – round down to 30 inches.
- Calculate the cup size by subtracting your band size number from the cup size number to find the difference.
- Using the number difference, find the corresponding letter in the alphabet; for example, if the difference is 4, the fourth letter in the alphabet is D.
In addition to helping find your size for the perfect fit, Belle Lingerie also explains “sister sizing,” which is a technical term often used to describe bra sizes that can be an alternative number and letter to your current size with a very slight difference in overall size and fit. Their guide includes an easy-to-understand table for finding your corresponding size. For example, if you are a 34D, your sister could be a 32DD if you size down or a 36C.
Sister sizes are a great way to find the best fit in different bra styles when your normal size just doesn’t fit quite as well as you’d like.
Are you one of the many women wearing the incorrect-sized bra? Why don’t you check to see if the bra size you wear is correct by following one of Belle Lingerie’s guides?