In this thread, we talk about bra sizing
 

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The cup size is a ratio based off of the chest circumference, or at leadt that's what I thought.

Isn't that because women have different breast shapes: full, slack, perky, etc?

I have changed my bra cup size by purchasing a different number size (whatever that is called)
I was always under the understanding the cup was a ratio between your "rib" measurement and "boob" measirement (for lack of a better term. I think it is for each 2" difference between the two numbers equals one cup.
Example: rib measurement = 34 and boob measurement = 38 would equal a 34B.
So if you purchased a bigger number on your bra say 36 and your boobs measure the 38 that is 2 inches difference so that would be a 36A. And to go the opposite direction and bought a tighter rib fit of 32 and boob measurement equal 38 then you would need a 32C.

Hope this makes sense-- and I didn't check out the website so if it says the same-- sorry!

Oh my goodness. Don't get me started with the breast cup size thing. On top of that, they also have these "almost" sizes where you can get an "Almost A", "Almost B", etc. It's a little nuts out there in bra-world.

A saleslady at VS told me that they have "sister sizes" and you can wear one band sizes larger as long as the cup is one size smaller. So if you're a 34D, you can also wear a 36C. I tried doing this once, and frankly, the bra fit me horribly.

Buying bras are a pain in the ass!

I have to try them all on because the styles fit differently

This is a bunch of CRAP.

If this holds true, I would have been able to wear my mom's bras, and I guarantee you, I've tried them and they didn't fit AT ALL.

This is just trying to get you to buy more product...in case they don't have the bra you want in your size, so you don't walk out without buying. It's like the makeup companies who based things on your colors and then said you could wear different color families for a more "natural" or "dramatic" look. That was crap too.

This is at least true for me. VS is notorious for having screwy sizes though, and their salesladies admit that what size you are in their store you may not be in other stores.

I usually have to try on VS bras, I take different sizes depending on the style. Some bras I have are 34D (what I take in non-VS bras), some are 36C. I think I have more 36C from there.

But women's sizes in general are such a pain in the ass

There are many places I can't get a fit because my size just doesn't exist. (Hello Victoria's Secret, I am looking at you.)

The best thing I ever did was be properly measured fro a bra. I went to this nice little boutique at Yonge and Eglington in Toronto. The woman was fabulous. I still had to try on a ton of bras to find the right one but I finally found some. I ended up spending over a hundred bucks on 2 bras but it was totally worth it. They fit properly and they are so comfortable. I don't even like shopping at the "mall" lingerie stores anymore because they rarely every carry my size

Well, I'm normally 36D, and when I try for a 38C, it just doesn't work. My right breast (the bigger one) spills out of the cup. However, when I bought my long-line bra for under the wedding dress, it was a 34D and fit perfectly - I guess because it wrapped all the way around my midsection and I have a pretty narrow waist. But when I tried a 34D regular bra it was too tight around my ribs. UGH! :rolleyes:

co-sign!!!
And they definitely have tried to tell me about "sister sizing" to try to get me to purchase something, but that has never fit me

This would explain why some bras that are the same size fit me either perfectly or just weird & I have to change bras.

Believe it or not, the best-fitting bra I ever got was at the Agent Provacateur in SoHo NYC. I'm going to Vegas in a few weeks and plan to pop into their new shop there to get a few more. They're not known for making comfy bras, but I love my AP bra!