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Measuring in a bra
I am curious about how wearing a bra affects your bust measurement. I was recently asked to provide my bust measurement in a bra, and when I took it with the bra I already had on, I was surprised to see that it was close to 10 cm smaller than my leaning measurement (which I know to be accurate) and smaller than my standing and lying measurements as well.
I tried it in several different bras, some which fit me and some which are a cup size or two too small, and all were within 3 cm of the initial bra measurement. So it seems that the measurement is consistent, and possibly could be used for calculations, provided you had a formula which took into consideration the effect of the bra. But would other women whose breasts are different from mine have similar results?
I'm curious about whether I'm getting these kinds of measurements because my tissue is somewhat soft, or if this happens with other women, too. I noted when I did the perimeter measurement lying on my back to the side, I measured a bit larger than the cup depth of many of the bras I fit. Is there a relationship here? I'd be interested in your in bra measurements (both well-fitting and ill-fitting bras) compared to what you consider your most accurate measurement (and what type of measurement that is).
I would like to use the general findings in a blog post although I don't intend to mention any specific measurements without asking.
Filed under Bra sizing and fit
12 comments
I'm not surprised. I don't even bother measuring my bust without a bra on. Standing: nipple level is nearly at my waist, and at bust level there is not much to measure. Leaning: I have no idea how tight the tape should be - should my breast touch or should I leave them with airspace between? On my back: again, how tight? I can only get a "proper" bust measurement with a bra on. And it is quite consistent.
Of course, I only really use my bust measurement to find clothing size, and as I wear clothes over a bra, then that's the only useful measure.
I am really surprised by your question because I found most calculators do use overbust in a bra. Actually, the most reliable one - Butterfly collection - asks for overbust in your best fitting bra that is not molded or padded.
I have noticed that women here tend to put their naked overbust in the calculator so I have been double checking the calculators if I'm crazy.
I've been doing this myself to measure performance of the bra - for instance, in ariza my overbust is 102 while in most other bras I get 104-106. (Natasha, boudoir beau, jasmine, lucy, braologie, ewa michalak) The padded bras give me bigger overbust measurement. It could be the projection but the padding as well.
My bend over measurement is 110, and both lying and standing are 108.
My overbust in a bra puts me in 30HH, standing 30J and bending over 30JJ.
All the suggestions are right depending on a bra, but the least accurate for me is the bend over (well, except in Ewa Michalak where even pl 30K is borderline too small).
This os why I think most will end up with a too big bra if they put their bend over in a brittish system calculator. Bur hey, some women just like wearing bigger bras then they need.
As for perimeter, my most accurte one is lying on the back to the side (31.5 and 33). Bend over (36 and 37) for me is always larger then the cup depth needed. I need around 33 cm cup depth.
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