Bra size chart or how to choose the right size?

One of the most difficult choices in the life of every woman can be considered the choice of the right bra, which would be comfortable to wear and could emphasize the dignity of a lush or not so breasts. There are many manufacturers of lingerie with their own size ranges and cut features, which greatly complicates the already difficult choice; there are also generally accepted designations like international sizes - XS, S, M, L, XL and so on.

There are various types of women's bras: classic without paralon, with a push-up effect, sports, for pregnant women, for feeding and others.

Depending on the type of figure, physique, breast size and the desired effect, it is important to choose the right model and correctly determine the size, first of all, for comfort and self-confidence and in order to look amazing in lingerie.

In order to find "your" bra size, take measurements with a centimeter tape, the one that tailors use in their work. So:

- Self-measure the volume of a relaxed chest without clothes, this is the gap that is below the chest.Please note that the tape must fit snugly without leaving any gaps in order for measurements to be accurate.

- Now you should use someone's help - you need to lower your hands and measure the chest again; they say these measurements are more accurate. Do the indicators match? Excellent! Let's go further.

- Compare your parameters with those indicated in the lingerie manufacturer's size chart and select the required size. Try on a bra, does it fit well? Whether it emphasizes the shape and closes tightly the chest. It is important that the linen does not press and does not cause discomfort, otherwise you can take a slightly larger size (a bra with a large volume, if the size for the breast itself is chosen ideally).

It is worth noting that the measurements do not always coincide with the actual sizes and it often happens that the size you measured is 77-78 cm or 83 cm? What size to choose in this case?

There are illustrative tables where measurements and real errors are presented (see table below).

Now let's determine the size of the cups - an important parameter in choosing a bra, on which the position of the breast depends, and its support, and an attractive appearance. Measure the volume of the chest with a measuring tape at the protruding points (along the chest) and count: the volume of the chest - the volume of the chest (which we measured first), the output is the difference - the volume of the bra cups.

Table 2 shows this very difference in calculations and the size that it means.

It is worth noting that domestic manufacturers in their markings may differ from foreign ones (Spanish, American and others), which we will discuss in one of the sections of this article.

Choosing a bra for a pregnant, lactating or normal, completely healthy woman with or without special features is a task of different scale, each of which has its own nuances and features, which we will discuss below.

Let's start by choosing a bra for a pregnant woman (or girl). It is known that during an “interesting” position, the female breast is deformed and becomes more magnificent and feminine, even if before pregnancy the size barely reached a small “one”. For a pregnant woman, convenience and comfort are important, natural fabrics in the composition of underwear and supportive components in order to protect the breast from possible stretch marks and sagging. In the lines of lingerie there are special bras for pregnant women, but for such a case, the usual one, correctly sized, and with the condition that the breast does not undergo any special changes and the woman feels quite comfortable in her usual underwear, is quite suitable.

- Choose a bra for pregnant women should be at the beginning or middle of the second trimester; then the female breast has already slightly increased in volume (but continues to grow) and now you should support it and try to save it thanks to underwear;

- Your choice may well be an ordinary larger bra with a wide belt and strong straps, the ability to adjust its volume and comfortable deep cups; as an addition, you can purchase extenders - an accessory for creating additional volume.

- Choose a maternity bra made of microfiber or material with spacer technology - comfortable for the body and non-irritating; cotton material with an additional admixture to maintain the shape of the breast is quite suitable, alas, pure cotton will not be able to provide full support and will fail rather than really help. The only thing is that a 100% cotton bra is ideal for sleeping - soft, comfortable, barely noticeable on the body.

- Closely monitor the increase in the volume of the chest and cups; choose the option of underwear in which you will be comfortable, do not spare the money spent - it is much more expensive to maintain the shape of the breast and provide it with a comfortable position in the most important period of each life.

During the period of feeding, the female breast changes - it increases in size, both the volume of the breast and the volume of the cups themselves may change (due to the appearance of milk). Sizes change individually, someone from a pretty second size literally "dives" into the fifth or seventh, others smoothly move into the third, especially not worrying about such a steep increase. In any case, it is important to choose the right nursing bra and it is better if there is more than one.

- A nursing bra should have detachable cups - this will allow you to easily expose your chest and offer it to a hungry baby; great if you can handle the task of opening the cup (breast) with one hand while holding the baby with the other.

- The base of the bra should be supportive; it’s good if its bottom is tight and the cups themselves will be the same to support the chest, provide convenient fastening and, in general, make the feeding process comfortable.

- Nursing bra should be soft and comfortable; avoid pressure factors that can lead to blockage of the mammary glands - mastitis. To choose the perfect model, contact the consultant in the store and try on several options to get the best and most comfortable.

A mastectomy bra is a special kind of underwear that should be worn after breast removal (or partial breast removal) surgery.

After a complex surgical intervention, it is important to restore peace of mind and return to a full life, which will help properly selected underwear:

- A bra after a mastectomy will reduce pain after surgery and restore the shape of the breast as soon as possible;

- It reduces the risk of complications and helps a woman return to an active life sooner.

Corrective bras after a mastectomy are made from natural fabrics with the addition of latex or nylon; they have a special pocket for a breast prosthesis. For the first time after the operation, women are prescribed to wear compression underwear, which looks more like a tight-fitting thin jumper with sleeves, which reduces the risk of additional complications.

There are bras for sagging breasts, the choice of which is also very important for the health of the female breast and the woman in general:

- Choose a bra made of natural "breathable" fabrics;

- The shape of the cup should contain the breast and not allow it to go beyond (which is especially important for large breasts);

- Well, if the cup itself does not have bones, which create additional friction and allow the chest to “sweat”, and it is important for the bones to be in its lower part;

- The volume adjuster belt should be thick to hold the chest and provide a uniform load on the woman's spine.

There are a variety of dimensional grids of bras, and it seems that the numbers are the same, but the actual size of the underwear is completely different. We will understand the features of dimensional units of domestic production and foreign countries.

Russian sizes are the most familiar for our women. They are determined simply - you just need to measure the girth of your chest and inform the sales assistant about it. It is important to know separately the volume of the cup and the volume of the chest. In Russia, the letter designation of the size is more likely to be found: 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on.

Determining the European size (A, B, C, D, E, F) is simple: first of all, you should measure the volume of the chest and calculate the volume of the breast itself, or the bra cup. If you tried on and got the number 73, for example, which determined your volume, then try on a bra of volume 75 - this will be considered the European size. Now let's determine the size of the cup, for example, it is 14 cm - then your European full size is 75B. In a word, round the received numbers to a higher value, a multiple of 5.

German and French bra sizes are defined by other numbers: 36 or 38, 40 or 42, and so on. Italian bra sizes start at 1 - the smallest - equivalent to 65 cm in volume, and go up to about 7, or the European size of 100 cm.

It is better to look at the size chart and determine your own

American sizes almost correspond to Russian ones according to the letter designation, but the digital ones are completely different.American measurements are in inches, and to determine it, it is worth measuring the volume of the chest in centimeters and converting it to inches. American sizes are often referred to as 6, 8, 10, and so on, and you just need to correlate them with European or Russian ones.

The only thing that distinguishes them is the replacement of sizes E and F with DDD and DDDD. In the UK there are (English) sizes like G, H, J, K etc. In general, international sizes are accepted, as shown in the table below:

Chinese bra sizes are the same as in Europe or Russia; if they differ, then the seller usually gives a table of correspondence between Chinese sizes and American or European ones.

Global brands among lingerie often have features or are absolutely identical to the declared parameters, which we will discuss in this section.

The manufacturer under the Victoria Secret brand indicates the size of the bra in inches, that is, your parameters should simply be converted to the American measurement system and choose your size according to the table.

Intimissimi lingerie is defined by different sizes; for example, in the size table on the official website, the chest volume and the corresponding size are indicated. The volume of 68-73 cm corresponds to 1 Italian, 32 - American, 80 - French and 70 - European. The manufacturer recommends measuring your parameters in a known way and finding your size according to the measurements and standards presented on the official website.

The Italian brand Lormar indicates the dimensions of Italy, which are easy to translate into European or familiar Russian ones. The following table lists the brands and their respective sizes.