Like many women, I had stuck with what I thought was my bra size for nearly a decade. I had no problem buying cute bras from places like Victoria’s Secret and spent far too much money on pretty lingerie. It wasn’t until I was introduced to the glorious world of British bra sizing that I realized how incredibly ill-fitting my precious bras actually were. I went from a 34C to a 30F overnight, and I would be lying if I said I didn’t have to pull my chin off the floor from shock.
Before you drop yours as well, I want to explain a few things:
Just because the cup size has increased its letter, does not mean that bra is going to be huge. The cup size of a bra is relevant to the band size, so a 30F would have a smaller capacity cup than a 34F.
In the past, and even still in most US department stores, the method of sizing they use is outdated and inacurate. It is common for a lingerie fitter to take your under bust measurement and add 4 (or even 5!) inches to that number. If you measured a true 30” around, your band size would be rounded up to 34”. This results in a less-than-optimal bra fitting because the band is going to be too loose, and the cup size is going to be too small due to the band size allowance! Think about it: Why are they putting you into a band size that is NOT your actual measurement?! If you measure 30 inches around, your band size is 30 inches!
You want the band to be pretty tight. It should not be able to be pulled out more than 2 inches from your body. The band is what supports your breasts, not the straps. I admit, going from a 34 band to a 30 band is quite a change at first, and it does take some getting used to but after a couple of weeks your breast tissue that had migrated due to ill-fitting bras will be pushed back in place and your boobs will be thanking you!
The US seems to believe that all women should fit into their limited size ranges, and due to that there is a misconception that a pair of DD’s are like the Godzillas of boobs (remember, 34DD is very different than a 30DD!).
This website was created to give you your TRUE bra size using your TRUE measurements, which results in the best, most optimal fit you will ever experience. This is how the UK lingerie companies size their bras, and slowly but surely many US manufacturers are moving over to this method. We cannot all be expected to fit into an A, B, C, or D so I truly hope this helps you on your journey to finding the perfect bra!
Make sure you keep the measuring tape parallel to the floor when standing. It should be straight, not angled! Stand in front of a mirror or get a friend to help!
UK* | -- |
-- | -- |
*If you'd like to convert your size to a US or International size, see the conversion charts below! Please note that all estimated sizes can also depend on your breast shape and you should use it as a starting point to find your best fitting bra! There can be variations between different brands in sizing and even styles. It is recommended that you try on a few bras in the range of this estimated size to find your absolute perfect fit. |
If you're not used to UK sizing, I know that your size might come as a shock, especially if you've been wearing your standard American sizes all your life! You might be thinking "Where the heck do I buy a size 30H bra?!". Department stores like Nordstrom do carry them, but unfortunately you won't find any E-J cups in Victoria's Secret. If you want more of a selection, check out these awesome online shops that ship internationally:
* Please note that some of these links may be affiliate links, however none are shops that I don't personally recommend!
UK | USA/CANADA | EUROPE | FRANCE/SPAIN | JAPAN | AUSTRALIA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
28 | 28 | 60 | 75 | 60 | 6 |
30 | 30 | 65 | 80 | 65 | 8 |
32 | 32 | 70 | 85 | 70 | 10 |
34 | 34 | 75 | 90 | 75 | 12 |
36 | 36 | 80 | 95 | 80 | 14 |
38 | 38 | 85 | 100 | 85 | 16 |
40 | 40 | 90 | 105 | 90 | 18 |
42 | 42 | 95 | 110 | 95 | 20 |
44 | 44 | 100 | 115 | 100 | 22 |
46 | 46 | 105 | 120 | 105 | 24 |
48 | 48 | 110 | 125 | 110 | 26 |
50 | 50 | 115 | 130 | 115 | 28 |
52 | 52 | 120 | 135 | 120 | 30 |
UK | USA/CANADA | EUROPE | FRANCE/SPAIN | JAPAN | AUSTRALIA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
A | A | A | A | A | A |
B | B | B | B | B | B |
C | C | C | C | C | C |
D | D | D | D | D | D |
DD | DD/E | E | E | E | DD |
E | DDD/F | F | F | F | E |
F | G | G | G | G | F |
FF | H | H | H | H | FF |
G | I | J | J | J | G |
GG | J | K | K | K | GG |
H | K | L | L | L | H |
HH | L | M | M | M | HH |
J | M | N | N | N | J |