on measuring: ribcage and band size
here's the thing about bra sizing charts: they work wonderfully for some people. they have never worked for me, though. if you are someone who is relatively thin and have firm, perky breast tissue, taking your measurements and matching them to a chart will probably be satisfactory. if you have a lot of squish and breasts that hang down at all, you're probably not going to have a lot of luck with them.
the first measurement you are asked to take is usually your underbust. (some will ask you to measure your overbust to get your band size but i am going to tell you right now that's bullshit.) most charts will then tell you to add 2-4 inches to this number to get your band size. some charts will tell you the measurement is your band size. i've yet to see anyone tell you to subtract, which is what i have almost always had to do to get a supportive fit.
the goal of a correctly fitting band is to have it sit as close to your ribcage as possible without causing discomfort. what that measurement tells you is the circumference of your body around your ribcage. what it does not tell you is how firm or soft the tissue around your ribcage is. if you have very little fat around your ribs, adding two is probably what you need to do to keep it from squeezing your ribs too tight. if you have a bit of squish around your ribs, sticking with that number is going to be what you need to get it to sit close. if you have a lot of fat around your ribs, you're going to need to subtract some to get the band to sit close enough to provide support.
i measure 37" around my ribs, but i have a lot of very soft, squishy tissue between my skin and bones. i find that 38 bands, and even some 36 bands are way too loose on me, which means the bra is going to ride up and shift a lot as i move around throughout the day. i need a firm 36 or a soft 34 to stay comfortable and supported. this is all confusing as hell tbh, and one of the reasons why so many people who measure and buy online end up frustrated with the fit of what they get.
the best way to know if a band fits is to try bras on and follow a few guidelines:
- is it comfortable? the band should feel snug on the loosest set of hooks, but it shouldn't be painful.
- you want the bra to fit on the loosest set of hooks when you buy it. over time, the elasctic will stretch out and the band will relax. if you put your bra on one day and realize it doesn't feel as supportive, move it to the middle set, then again to the last set when you notice it feeling too loose again. once it starts feeling too loose here, it's time to buy a new bra.
- (sidenote: handwashing and air-drying really do make a huge difference in the lifespan of your bra! both standard detergents and the heat from dryers will damage the elestic and cause them to stretch out much faster than they should.)
- if you have someone who can check, make sure the hooks aren't pulling aginst the fabric.
- lift your arms over your head. do the underwires stay in place? if they lift up off your chest or move up, the band is too large. try a size down until the underwires stay in place when you lift your arms.
- there will probably be "back fat" with a correctly fitting band. this is okay!! again, we are trying to get that band as close to your ribcage as we can, and this is going to cause the softer tissue — skin, fascia, muscle, and fat — that stretches when you raise your arms to spill over the band. without that extra tissue, you would not be able to lift your arms. it needs somewhere to sit when it's not being used, and we have those handy little pouches to hold it.
- likewise, if the band rolls up a bit, that's also okay. it is contouring to the rolls on your body. if this bothers you, look for bras that have a bit of extra boning on the side.
this isn't to say measurments are worthless. while they aren't 100% reliable, they do provide a good starting point. start with a bra sized by your measurements, then check the fit based on the guidelines above. maybe it's perfect! maybe it's not!! how a bra fits and feels on your body is much more important than a size number. the only way to really know what size you need is to take your time trying things on in stores. take time to move around (sit down! jump! stretch! raise your arms! do a handstand!) to make sure it stays in place and stays comfortable.