Girls, Accurate bust measurement versus bra sizing?

[Lliam]

This might feel too personal, like asking guys to reveal their true dick size. But my reason for asking is from questions I've seen from girls here who show photos and ask people to guess the size of their boobs - A, B, C, etc.

I get confused by bra sizes. I don't think they are an accurate way of describing breast size.
I used to think C was medium, but now I know that's not right.

I've had girlfriends with really lush boobs who all wore C cups.

I used to think that a 1" diff between bust and under bust measurement was an A cup, a 2" diff was a B cup, etc. But I recently read:
"The difference between your bust and under-the-bust measurements will determine your cup size. A difference of 5.9 inches corresponds to a B cup, a difference of 6.7 inches corresponds to a C cup, a difference of 7.5 inches corresponds to a D cup, a difference of 8.3 inches corresponds to a E cup, a difference of 9 inches corresponds to a F cup."

I also read that it's usually recommended to wear bra bands are 4" wider than the under bust measurement (the +4 method). (Bra manufacturers apparently limit the number cup sizes to minimize manufacturing costs.) So a girl with a 23" waist and 26" under bust would wear a size 30 bra. And increasing the band size reduces the cup size accordingly. So you see women who measure 33", 23", 34" wearing a 30C instead of a 26FF. And correctly measuring for a bra also includes a leaning bust measurement.

When I learned this stuff, I measured my wife. She wears a 36C but according to correct bra fitting, she should be a 32F.

See why I'm totally confused?

So, in an effort to get an idea of bra size versus boob size, I'm wondering if you would be comfortable sharing your actual measurements.
Under bust, standing bust, and leaning bust measurements, as well as the size bra you usually wear.

This is like a poll. GAG is a good site for asking girls things.

Know that all breasts, A through LL, are lovely no matter the size, so don't be shy. Answer anon.

Updates

1 y

I'd really appreciate some input. Using cup sizes to describe boobs is really confusing.

Feel free to answer anonymously.

[Babybebe15]

So it’s confusing for some of us women too. I used to think it was just simple cup size and band size and the the A Bra That Fits Calculator came out and me even more confused hahah. The calculator is said to be extremely accurate.


So I usually wear a 38B cup, and have a 4 inch difference between my bust and Underbust, but according to the calculator I should be wearing 38 DDD/G 😳.


I went to a shopping mall and tried on a DD and DDD and I filled out the bottom of the cup well, but I didn’t fill out the top because my breasts are more fuller in the bottom. I did like how the sides of the bra fit me much better than B cups do. So now I’m lost as to what my bra size is loool. Sorry, I wasn’t much help 😂

[Lliam]

I appreciate your feedback, Babybebe15. But is your underbust measurement actually 38"?

[Babybebe15]

I believe so

[Lliam]

Cool. Thanks for the input. :-)

[Lliam]

No. I appreciate your feedback, Babybebe15. It's odd that, with a 4" diff, they would recommend DDD/G. I would have thought D.

But it goes to show how confusing it is. I had no idea.

[Brainsbeforebeauty]

Can I get back to you on that lolI'm already laying down (have to be up at 3:15am for work) and don't know exactly where my tape measure is right now,... But, leaning measurement🤔 never heard that one before..

[Lliam]

That would be great, bbb.

I'm trying to remember the name of the girl here who is a bra fitter. I don't know if she's still on GAG.
She chimed in on some questions when I gave answers about my ideal body measurements and bust sizes. She was really informative and gave me the urls to some sites that can provide accurate bra sizes. You had to fill in under bust, standing bust, leaning bust, and reclining bust measurements to get accurate readings.

My wife has a 32" under bust but said she wears a 36C bra. Going up a one size to 34" for comfort is normal. I think she was 38' standing bust and 42' leaning. So the bra calculators said she should wear a 34F.

The first thing that confused me was fit women with 24" waists wearing 32" or 34" bras. I thought, how could their ribs be 8" or 10' wider than their waists? Then I read that the typical diff between a woman's waist and under bust is 3" to 4". So bra sizes are bullshit.

[Brainsbeforebeauty]

And men on here think women have it so much easier, see the difficulty we go through just to get a good fitting bra, a garment we don't even want to have to wear🤣

[Lliam]

No kidding. And yeah, I understand that bras are uncomfortable, especially when they don't fit right.

[Brainsbeforebeauty]

If I didn't trip over my boobs without one on, I wouldn't even wear em🤣

[Lliam]

Did you forget about me, Brainsbeforebeauty? :-)

[Brainsbeforebeauty]

No just haven't had time to measure lol

[Lliam]

No problem. It was just a reminder in case you forgot. I have to select a MHO soon. :-)

[softlyautumnal]

"The difference between your bust and under-the-bust measurements will determine your cup size. A difference of 5.9 inches corresponds to a B cup, a difference of 6.7 inches corresponds to a C cup, a difference of 7.5 inches corresponds to a D cup, a difference of 8.3 inches corresponds to a E cup, a difference of 9 inches corresponds to a F cup."

This is rubbish!

5.9 inches is nearly six inches - that's an E cup (DDD in US sizing). A B cup is a 2 inch difference. Where did this come from?

"So a girl with a 23" waist and 26" under bust would wear a size 30 bra."

A girl with a 26 inch underbust should wear a 26 band, not 30.

"I'm wondering if you would be comfortable sharing your actual measurements.
Under bust, standing bust, and leaning bust measurements, as well as the size bra you usually wear."

My underbust is 25, my standing bust is 30, my leaning bust is 32. That makes me a 26E, but I was incorrectly fitted as a 32A/30B most of my life (by three different stores).

[Lliam]

Hi, softlyautumnal. There you are! I'm sorry, I couldn't recall your screen name when I was commenting to brainsbeforebeauty. I have found your information on this subject invaluable. You were actually my inspiration for this question. Some girl recently posted a photo of her boobs in a bra and asked people to guess her bust size. In the poll, she listed A, B, C, D as size options. But now I know that cup sizes aren't an accurate way of describing bust size, so I decided to create this survey as a test.

I wish more girls had commented so that I could get a better comparison between bra sizes and actual measurements.

Thank you for sharing your actual measurements and confirming what I have now come to understand.

I found a couple of articles that said the average difference between a woman's waist and underbust is 3" to 4". So, again, that confirms that a 30B bra on a woman who measures 32", 23", 34" couldn't possibly be accurate.

[Lliam]

I do have another question for you, though, based on your comment.
If E is the next letter after D, how can a DDD = E? Wouldn't DD = E and DDD = F?

And do you know why they use double letters (DD) instead of just using the alphabet?

Would it be okay if we followed each other in case I have more questions on this subject? You are a wealth of information.

My interest in this isn't pervy although I admit to loving boobs. It's just that there are so many questions here on boob size preferences and, because of what I have learned from you, I find it impossible to use bra sizes as a description. And nobody, even women, seem to have a clue.

It's really screwed up how women with a 5" or 6" diff between underbust and bust wear B or C cup bras. And we think of C as medium when it seems like DD, DDD, E or F fall more into the medium range.

[softlyautumnal]

32-23-34 are basically my measurements and I was measured incorrectly as a 30B/32A (this is NOT my size). This is happening to so many women!

'If E is the next letter after D, how can a DDD = E? Wouldn't DD = E and DDD = F?' - the answer to this is that there are different sizing systems. DDD only exists in US sizing. So, in EU sizing, E is the next letter after D. In UK sizing, there is no DDD. It goes A, B, C, D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG, H, HH and so on. In US sizing, there is no E, it goes A, B, C, D, DD, DDD, F, G, H, I, J, K, L and so on. So, the UK size 28E for example, is called 28DDD in the US, and 60F in the EU (because in EU band sizes go up in 5's, so a 26 band in EU sizing is 55, a 28 is 60, a 30 is 65, 32 is 70, and so on).

'And do you know why they use double letters (DD) instead of just using the alphabet?' I don't know the EXACT answer to this but my answer would be that the double letters are just there so that there can be more sizes. The alphabet only has 26 letters. There are SO many different bra sizes. Double letters just expand it.

'Would it be okay if we followed each other in case I have more questions on this subject? You are a wealth of information.' I don't really look for followers on here! I'm here strictly to educate, I don't care who knows me, who follows me, who likes me, who dislikes me. You can ask me anything publicly anytime though! :)

It's nice to talk to someone who is willing to learn and not just closed-minded! I've talked to men and women on here who get so upset with what I say that they block me, call me names, claim I'm a man, tell me I must be a malnourished child for being a 26 band, etc etc. There's even female mods here who hold a grudge against me. It doesn't upset me, if anything it just reminds me of why I'm doing this. Things need to change!

[softlyautumnal]

'And we think of C as medium when it seems like DD, DDD, E or F fall more into the medium range.' You are absolutely spot on with this! I reckon E/F/FF/G is around the average!

[Kayla45]

My bust size is 36C, right around 83 cm give or take. I'm not good with approximate measurements.

[Lliam]

I'm trying to get an idea of ratios between actual underbust and bust measurements.
Is your under bust measurement actually 91 cm (36")? Because your band width is supposed to be your actual under bust circumference. That doesn't make sense if your bust is 83 cm (32.7").
I'll bet our actual under bust measurement is more like 76 cm (30").

Do you have a tape measure? Would you mind measuring?

[Kayla45]

I think it's easier to go by bra size than the literal circumference of my breasts, including band/under breast. To be 100% honest it confuses the hell out of me too.

I've been fitted for bras in the past and have always been in the "C" cup range, but honestly it's so hard to give an accurate reading. I'll try to measure sometime tomorrow.

[Lliam]

Thanks, Kayla. That would be great.
It's weird how confusing it is.

[Kayla45]

Yeah so you're right, I had the time to check and I'm actually 92 cm. So pretty much exactly as you estimated. Just 1 cm difference, although I'm really not used to measuring that way, but that's about as accurate as I can get for you.

I tried it multiple ways, wrapping it around my back and against my breasts too, pretty much same results. If I measured underneath my breasts then I'm more inline with what I had originally said prior. (Give or take a couple cm)

[Lliam]

Thanks for getting back to me, Kayla. I appreciate it.

[Kayla45]

You're welcome, hope it helps.