Difference between size and cup
To find the right bra for your breasts you need to know how to choose the cup and size. Oh yes because there is a difference between the cup size and the bra size.
Many women underestimate the importance of choosing the right cup because there is little information on this topic. So often when buying a bra, only the size is taken into consideration. How many times have you entered a store and been asked: “What size do you need? A second, a third?” And so on…
The result is that more than 50% of Italian women wear the wrong bra.
What is the difference between bra size and cup size?
The size corresponds to the width of the bust, so it determines how long the bra band should be. It is the width of the underbust band.
While the bra cup corresponds to the actual size of the breasts.
Choosing the right bra cup is very important so that it contains the breasts well in all its parts. If a cup is too large it won't fit your breasts well and creates gaps at the top. If the cup is small, it is narrow and crushing.
So the difference between size and cup exists, they absolutely do not indicate the same thing and are two essential pieces of information for choosing the right bra.
How to choose bra size and cup?
Choosing the right bra means not finding yourself with underwires that push into your ribs, straps that cut into your shoulders and cups that are too large, empty or skimpy which could cause discomfort.
How to make the right choice without making mistakes? By studying the meaning of sizes and cup sizes, and learning how they are calculated.
In Italy bra sizes range from first (smallest size) to eighth (largest size).
- The first corresponds to a breast circumference ranging from 64cm to 68cm
- The second corresponds to a breast circumference ranging from 69cm to 74cm
- The third corresponds to a breast circumference ranging from 75cm to 78cm
- The fourth corresponds to a breast circumference ranging from 79cm to 83cm
- The fifth corresponds to a breast circumference ranging from 84cm to 88cm
- The sixth corresponds to a breast circumference ranging from 89cm to 93cm
- The seventh corresponds to a breast circumference ranging from 94cm to 98cm
- The octave corresponds to a breast circumference ranging from 99cm to 104cm
The cups in Italy instead range from cup A (the smallest) to cup E generally. Although there are many more, but Italian lingerie brands do not go beyond E cup at the moment.
How to calculate your size and cup measurement
First of all you need to take two measurements: breast circumference and underbust circumference. As? You take a tape measure and pass it around the rib cage just at the precise height under the breast and then do the same by passing the tape measure around the breast at the height of the nipples.
It is important to stay upright during the measurement and not hold your breath.
Once you have these two measurements you need to carry out two operations.
To calculate the size, do this: the measurement of the underbust minus the fixed number 60, divided by the fixed number 5.
To calculate the cup size, you need to perform this subtraction: breast circumference minus the underbust circumference. The number resulting from this operation must be compared to the cup table to find out which is the most suitable. But just keep in mind that every 5 cm difference between chest and breast you change your bra cup:
Result < 5 cm: cup A
Result 10 cm: B cup
Result 15 cm: C cup
Result 20 cm: D cup
Result 25 cm: E cup
If the number resulting from the subtraction is not perfect, it will be sufficient to round up or down to the nearest unit.
Pina Chiocchetti / Founder OH LA BRA