[sfem]

This topic has been kicked around quite a bit. Men have a generally different ribcage shape from women and so the usual methods of measuring for women just don't work out for men. In following a link to an older board this morning, I happened to notice a thread from 2003 on that board mentioning an alternate way of figuring out cup size for women. It got me thinking. The meanderings of my mind are here for your enjoyment and comment.

It said use the standard method of finding your band size, but for cup size, measure from the outside of the breast where it ends on the side of your body over the nipple to where it ends in the middle of the chest. Then it gave a list of cup size versus breast size.

7" = A
8" = B
9" = C

I thought this was actually a good way to find cup size except that it didn't allow for the idea that an 8" boob on a 28" chest is relatively bigger than an 8" boob on a 32" chest. So I got thinking about how to find a cup size using the chest size versus breast size. A quick measurement of a couple of the bras I have shows that a 38B is between 8" and 9.5" depending on brand and style. A 40C I have measures 10". I have a couple of 38A bras that are 7.5", and two that are 8.5"! No wonder there's no such thing as just measuring your size...

Then I got to wondering, does anyone on this board happen to work for a bra manufacturer or know someone who does? I wonder who decides what size to make a cup, and how they decide that. In the interests of standardizing for automated production, you'd think they would have this kind of measurement rather well known. Or are bras mostly still hand-made?

So, back to my musing about how this applies to male bodies like mine. I firmly believe that the underbust measurement for a male is the band size. Round to an even number, and hold the tape as snugly as you want the band to fit. If it helps your mindset like it does mine, take note of the idea that if you go with a lycra/spandex/elastane etc. band then you can go down one band size and still be comfortable as long as the band isn't reinforced or narrow. Going down in band size also gives a lot more choices in styles and such, unless you are already above a 40. Going down in size isn't advisable if you will be wearing it all day long.

For the cup size, if a 38B is typically 8.75" (an average based on my much too simple testing), and a 38B is roughly the same as a 40A or a 36C or a 34D for breast size, then the ratios are 4.6, 4.3, 4.1, and 3.9 for the A, B, C, and D cups.

If we turn these ratios into a chart, it comes out roughly like this:

____|_7 3/4_|_8 1/4_|_8 3/4_|_9 1/4_|_9 3/4_|
_36_|___A___|___B___|___C___|_______|_______|
_38_|_______|___A___|___B___|___C___|_______|
_40_|_______|_______|___A___|___B___|___C___|

Convert to cms if you think in cms. I live in a sort of metric country (Canada) but I'm old enough that I think in imperial measures.

This jives fairly well with the bras I have (I only have them in 36, 38, and 40 band sizes).

Relating this to the usual measurement for overbust, the main difference I see is that the usual measurement ignores the fullness of the boobies because it doesn't know how much air is under the tape and how much flesh. And as we all know filling your cups with air doesn't work unless they are inflatable.

So if you have been wanting to get a second opinion on what size might be right for you, maybe you should try this method. I can't say if it scales outside of the range I showed above, but since there is so much variability in the brand and styles anyway it is still only a starting point. Dealing with the spread between your breasts is best handled by selecting a style that has more or less space allowed for between them IMHO.

Maybe next time I shop, I should take my tape measure and measure the cups in the bras I am considering. Unfortunately my left boob is bigger than my right. In my case, the difference is about an inch. And my measurements are between those on my chart. So I need a bra that is a 38aB on the right and a 38Bc on the left. Anyone know where to order of those? Apparently most women face this problem too. I read somewhere that the majority of women are bigger of the let than the right. I'd guess it is related to the majority also being right-handed and therefore having different muscle tone from left to right. Like me.

[BlonT]

I had some connections with the fashion world ,and can say its all based on average.
Its cheaper to make many of one , so you end up with many no sales or verry slow sales .That is basicly the reason you dont find many aa cups in big band sizes.
For size its what the label/brand order and call it

[Pansy-Mae]

I'm not sure where my data will fit in with your theory, but FWIW I've just measured 4 bra's, two of which I wear frequently, and two which I almost never wear because they really aren't very comfortable.

All four are labelled as 36B.

My actual measurements are 35" underbust and 38.5"/39" at the fullest.
Of the 4 bra's:
The two I do wear measure 26" for one, and 28" for the other, unstretched band size, and both measure 8" from the inner end of the underwire across the largest dimension to the underarm side of the cup.
The two I don't wear, again one is 26" and the other 28" but again both are 8" around the cup.

Weirdly, my right boob is definitely larger/fuller than my left and yet the actual measurements say the opposite!! I assume that is because I am R handed and the muscles are slightly larger on that side so it hold that one more pertly. My actual 'round the boob' measurements are 9.5"L and 9"R.
This should mean that an 8" cup is way to small and yet I don't actually fill them properly.

IMO, bottom line is, its all guesswork and there is no way of predicting.
Oh and BTW, of the 4 bra's mentioned above, the least comfortable of the lot, and the most expensive by far, is a Gossard!

[Doll]

Bra sizes are difficult whether you're male or female. :/ There are so many size measuring methods out there, none of which work for everybody. This is actually the first time I've heard of measuring each breast individually, though, sounds like a pretty good method.

However, bra cups are made by volume, not breast measurement. Each cup is made shaped slightly differently for each band size, based on what shape that breast size will most likely be. So a 32D and 36B will be shaped differently, even though the volume within the cups is about the same. Also, each different bra type/style will fit differently as well. A demi will offer a different fit than a full coverage, and a mesh, unpadded bra will fit differently than a pre-shaped, lightly padded one. Your best bet is to find a style that you prefer and stick with it when buying bras. Also, you have to keep in mind that not all bras will be made properly, even the same bra within the same brand. It's not at all uncommon for bras to be improperly labeled (my friend has even bought a "B" cup before that turned out to be a D cup!), and they can also be poorly made (I just bought a bra that felt really comfortable in the store, but after a full day of wearing it I came to find that the end of the underwire at the armpits was made slightly longer on the right cup than the left, making it dig into my skin and completely unwearable).

This is why I won't ever buy bras online. No matter how well you know your size, you still always have to try things on in-store to get the best fit for you.

I'm not sure where to get bras with two different size cups, although I know a lot of women will commonly even have a full cup or two difference between the breasts. I think what a lot of women do is buy a bra that fits the larger breast and put a gel insert in the other side.

[Susan10]

My wife had measured herself for years and couldn't really find a comfortable bra, until she was fitted by a professional bra fitter. When we decided that I would begin wearing a bra we went to that same lady who fit me for a bra. No more guessing. My bras are comfortable and fit nicely. A couple of times a year we will get fitted in order to be sure that our breasts haven't haven't changed. Bottom line: get a bra fitting by a professional, you'll be glad you did.

[Zippy]

My wife had measured herself for years and couldn't really find a comfortable bra, until she was fitted by a professional bra fitter. When we decided that I would begin wearing a bra we went to that same lady who fit me for a bra. No more guessing. My bras are comfortable and fit nicely. A couple of times a year we will get fitted in order to be sure that our breasts haven't haven't changed. Bottom line: get a bra fitting by a professional, you'll be glad you did.

Where or how would one find a bra fitting professional?

Zippy

[AbiDrew85]

Where or how would one find a bra fitting professional?

Zippy

At a lingerie specialty store. Victoria's Secret is a major one.

Some larger department stores also have professional fitting events occasionally. Kohl's in the USA just had one a couple months back.

Note that if you get fitted at VS for VS bras, that fitting usually does not even come close to translating to ANY other lingerie company.

[Zippy]

Where or how would one find a bra fitting professional?

Zippy

At a lingerie specialty store. Victoria's Secret is a major one.

Thanks, There is one in the mall close to me. Now just have to get brave enough to have it done.

Zippy

[lisa5w]

I have found bra fitting experts at both Victorias Secret and Fredericks of Hollywood. It took me a while to get brave enough to enter and ask to be fitted. However, the fitters in both stores were eager to help me and now I have several very comfortable bras. So my advise now is just walk in and ask, it's what they are there for. You are a customer regardless of male of female and both told me they have many male ones.

[Christine1]

Where or how would one find a bra fitting professional?


Hi everybody, where in the UK particularly in Scotland (Dundee) would a bloke like me be able to walk into a store and ask to be fitted with a bra.

My local M&S assistants are sometimes a bit cool in their approach to me and I'm only picking up things and paying for them, quick in and quick out.

I went into my local independent lingerie shop asked a couple of questions about bra sizes and got such a stern no nonsense reply it would have been a tempt of fate to ask for anything else.

Many thanks Christine1 xx