How to measure your bra size
Measure your bra size with a soft tape: snugly around your ribcage just under the bust for the band, then loosely around the fullest part of the bust for the cup. The difference in inches roughly gives the cup, one inch per letter. Brands vary, so treat it as a starting point and check the fit: a level band, a flat center, no gaps or spilling.
Why it matters: Many people wear the wrong size, and a fit check is quick.
Steps
- Wear a lightly lined bra or none, and stand in front of a mirror with a soft tape measure.
- Measure snugly around the ribcage just under the bust, keeping the tape level.
- Round to the nearest whole number; this is your starting band size, adjusted by trying bands on.
- Measure loosely around the fullest part of the bust, tape level.
- Subtract the band from the bust: about one inch difference is an A, two a B, three a C, and so on.
- Try that size and its neighbors, fastening a new bra on the loosest hook.
- Check the fit: band level and firm, center flat on the breastbone, no gaping or spilling, straps not digging.
Common mistakes
- Choosing a band that rides up at the back, which means it is too loose.
- Fixing a loose band by tightening the straps.
- Assuming your size never changes; recheck after weight changes, pregnancy or menopause.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to measure your bra size
What to say
Measure your bra size with a soft tape: snugly around your ribcage just under the bust for the band, then loosely around the fullest part of the bust for the cup. The difference in inches roughly gives the cup, one inch per letter. Brands vary, so treat it as a starting point and check the fit: a level band, a flat center, no gaps or spilling.
What to show
- Wear a lightly lined bra or none, and stand in front of a mirror with a soft tape measure.
- Measure snugly around the ribcage just under the bust, keeping the tape level.
- Round to the nearest whole number; this is your starting band size, adjusted by trying bands on.
- Measure loosely around the fullest part of the bust, tape level.
- Subtract the band from the bust: about one inch difference is an A, two a B, three a C, and so on.
- Try that size and its neighbors, fastening a new bra on the loosest hook.
- Check the fit: band level and firm, center flat on the breastbone, no gaping or spilling, straps not digging.
Check question
Where do you measure for the band?
Answer: Snugly around the ribcage just under the bust. The band sits on the ribcage under the bust.
Your checklist
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Quick quiz
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Related skills
Sources
This skill is general practice and draws on no single published source.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .