Fashion School 101: The Bra—Part 2

This week, we'll focus on how to determine your true bust size, and then find out which styles to look for.

The start of Ultimo's Bra Fit Clinic outside Debenhams department store, central London on April 28. The clinic aims at highlighting the importance of correctly fitting bras. Shuan Curry/AFP/Getty Images

In my last article I discussed bra basics: how to correctly put on a bra and how to solve some common problems. This week, we’ll focus on how to determine your true bust size, and then find out which styles to look for.

Determining Your Size

Two components make up your bra size: the band and the cup. To find your bra size, you need to measure yourself and calculate the band and cup sizes as follows.

Step 1: To find your band size, remove your bra and wrap a measuring tape snuggly around your rib cage, and then add 5 inches to this number to get your true band size. For example: 29-inch rib cage + 5 inches = 34-inch band size.
Step 2: To get your cup size, wrap the measuring tape comfortably around the fullest part of your bust and subtract your band size. The difference will give you your cup size. For example: 1-inch difference = A cup, 2-inch difference = B cup, and so on.

It’s a good idea to measure yourself every year or so, as your size can fluctuate throughout your lifetime. Now that you know your correct size, the next step is finding the best styles to suit your shape.

Best Styles

Average: If you are fit with little to no additional flesh and wear a C-cup or under, you’re in luck—you can wear any style you like.

Petite: If you are a B-cup or under, you will benefit from styles with underwire, molded cups, and padding for enhancement and shaping. You can get away with the “triangle,” wireless bras, but be warned that while they are wonderfully comfortable, they do nothing for your figure! Save them for lounging around the house.