Band Size = The measurement of your rib cage, taken underneath the breast, plus three inches.
Cup Size = The measurement of the fullest part of your bust in inches, minus your rib cage size. If this is 1, you’re an A cup. If this is 5, you’re a DD cup.
Your Bra Size = (Your Rib Cage Measurement + 3 Inches) x (Measurement of Bust – Band Measurement)
1. First, women are consistently told to wear bands that are way too loose for them. This means straps are digging into women’s shoulders everywhere. When you’re trying on bras, know that the band should supply 80% of the support while the straps should provide about 20% of a pick-me-up. Back fat > sagging boobies.
2. As with most garments, there’s not much of a difference between buying a $40 bra and a $120 bra, except for the quality of the lace and elastic.
3. Your bra’s elastic will loosen over time, no matter how high-quality it is. To lengthen the life of your bra, start wearing your bra on the loosest hook, then tighten up as you wear it more. When you feel like you need to tighten it more, it’s time for a new bra. If you haven’t lost any weight, though, a new bra in the same size should fit you just fine. Ugh, I know.
4. You should be fitted and replace all your bras just about every six months, so it’s best to spend $100 on three bras that fit great twice a year than $100 on one bra that’ll wear out come summertime.
5. There’s no need to wash your bra in between each use!
6. But that doesn’t mean you should wear the same bra every day for a week: give each bra at least three or four days rest in between each wear.
7. If you have stretch marks on the top of your boobs but not the sides or the bottom, they’re from poor support, not rapid growth. I had trouble coming to terms with this one, too.
8. So how can you tell if you’re getting enough support? It says your nipples should be exactly halfway between the top of your shoulder and your elbow. It’s science.
9. If you fall in love with one style of bra, don’t buy it in every color.
10. Lastly, if you’ve been lucky enough to figure out your size but haven’t found “the one,” bra alterations are a thing.
