Bra-Fitting Fundamentals
How do I find my correct bra size?
If you haven’t already made it into one of our stores for a booking, and if you haven’t booked in yet for a consultation with our Virtual Fit team, then we trust that you’ve arrived at this page to learn for yourself how to achieve the absolute best bra fit. Always remember to be guided by the way your bra feels when you’re wearing it. If it’s uncomfortable (even if it looks like the right bra size) then that particular style is not suited for you. Brava's Bra Style Guide will help you determine the best style for your silhouette.
How do I fit my bra?
Before we show you how to find your correct bra size, you first need to put your bra on correctly. Putting your bra on incorrectly is like putting your shoes on the wrong feet.
Lean forward so your breasts fall naturally into the cup.
Place the straps over your shoulders.
Fasten the back on the loosest hook to begin with.
Lean forward and jiggle your bust (seriously, no one’s peeking) to ensure that your breasts are fully encased by the cups.
Adjust your shoulder straps so they are taut, but not too tight.
Separate your bust so the middle wires sit flush against your sternum.
Smooth over the cups and look in the mirror.
If you feel comfortable and supported, give yourself a smile or wink. You’ve got your bra on correctly.
Correct Band Fit
The cup should fully encase your breasts.
The band should stay put when you raise your arms.
Incorrect Band Fit
The band rides up and is not parallel to the ground. It’s too big.
The band lifts as the model raises her arms, allowing her breasts to escape. It’s too big.
Getting Your Bra’s Back Size Right: Fitter's Tips
- The back band should fit snugly, wrapping horizontally around your body and parallel to the ground, and should not ride up your back.
- Fit your new bra on the loosest hook to begin with, knowing that as the fabric naturally stretches over time, you’ll be able to use the tighter hooks.
- When you drop the shoulder straps off of your shoulders, the back band should not move.
- If the band is too big then go down one band size. For every band size that you go down, you will also need to increase the cup sizing by one cup (e.g. 14D sizes down to 12DD and 18F sizes down to 16E).
Correct Cup Fit
The cups should fully encase your breasts.
The wire should sit just behind your breasts.
Incorrect Cup Fit
The cups cut into the breast tissue.
The wires are sitting on the breast tissue.
Getting Your Bra’s Cup Size Right: Fitter's Tips
- Your breasts should be fully encased by the bra.
- If your breast tissue bulges over the top of the cups or under your arms, then you need a larger cup size.
- The wires should sit behind your breasts and not on top of your breast tissue.
- Where the wires meet in the middle of the bust, they need to sit flat against your rib cage and flush against your sternum.
- If your bra cups are too small, go up by at least one cup size.
Correct Strap Fit
Shoulder straps should be taut but not painfully tight.
You should feel lifted, supported and comfortable.
Adjusting Your Bra Straps Correctly: Fitter's Tips
- Your shoulder straps should be taut, but not so tight that they leave red marks on your shoulders.
- The weight of your bust should be supported mainly by the back band and the cups. The shoulder straps shouldn’t be doing all the work.
- As long as your back band is firm enough (and not too big) then this should take some strain off your shoulders.
Bra-Fitting Checklist:
- Move around (go ahead, get your groove on) to determine comfort
- Try your t-shirt to see what shape the bra gives you under clothes
- Tell your fitter or Virtual Fitter how the bra feels
- If it's uncomfortable try on a different size or style
- Don't buy it if you are unsure—you want a bra that you’re actually going to wear
Other Bra-Fitting Factors
Puberty, menopause, pregnancy, weight loss, weight gain, ill-health etc. These and other changes cause bra cup and back band sizes to fluctuate over a lifetime. We understand the changes that bodies experience and are here to offer our support and expertise in finding you the best bra for your life circumstance.
Just as we all come in delightfully different shapes and sizes, many bra manufacturers differ dramatically in their size gradings. It’s normal to wear a particular size in one bra and a different size in another. To guarantee the very best fit for you, enlist one of our bra-fitting experts—in one of our five retail stores or online—for a professional bra fitting. Browse through our bra-fitting resources in the Bra Fitting Room.
