Measuring yourself for a bra is an art and not an exact science, but our fit guide can provide you
with a useful starting point.
It’s best to measure yourself when you’re wearing a bra – make sure it has no padding and is not
a minimizer.
For your band size pull a tape measure around your torso, right underneath your breasts. Make
sure that it lies flat at the back and in a horizontal line all the way round. Pull it real snug to get an
accurate measurement. When you take these measurements, round to the closest whole inch,
either up or down. (For example, if your measurement is 29 3/8", round to 29". If your
measurement is 29 1/2" or more, round to 30".)
If the rounded measurement you come up with is an even number, add 2 inches. If the rounded
measurement you come up with is an odd number, add 1 inches.
The result is your band size.
Example: 33" + 1" = 34" band size
For your cup size measure around your torso, across the fullest part of your breast. Again, make
sure that the tape measure is at the same level all the way round, but this time take care not to
pull it tight. Round up or down to the nearest inch as you did to find your band size.
Now, subtract your original underbust measurement from this second measurement. The
difference is your cup size (see chart below).
Example: 38" - 33" (underbust measurement) = 5" = DD cup size
Difference
Standard Cup Size
0"-1/2"
AA
1/2"- 1"
A
2"
B
3"
C
4"
D
5"
DD
6"
E
7"
F
8"
FF
9"
G
10"
GG
11”
H
12”
HH
13”
J
14”
JJ
15”
K
Once you get past the D cup sizes and larger, there tends to be a discrepancy among brands as
to what to call sizes beyond a D cup. We hope this chart, based on the country of origin of the
manufacturer, clears up some of the confusion.
Panache
(UK) cup sizes
US cup equivalent
European Cup equivalent
AA
AA
AA
A
A
A
B
B
B
C
C
C
D
D
D
DD
DD/E
E
E
DDD/F
F
F
DDDD/G
G
FF
H
H
G
I
GG
J
H
HH
J
JJ
K
1. Fill your cups ...
Baggy cups are not a good look. Try going down a cup size. If your cups are creasing around the
nipple, however, that's a different matter. Try going down a back size to pull the fabric taut.
2. ... but don't overflow
Spilling out over the tops or sides of your cups won't make your breasts look bigger (there are
padded and gel-filled push-up bras to do that). It just means that you're wearing too small a cup
size: try the next one up. For most women, one breast is larger. In many cases one breast may
even be one cup size larger than the other. In such situations, you should choose the cup size
that fits your larger breast.
3. Don't let the straps take the strain
A bra's main support comes from the band, not the straps. So make sure that you're wearing the
correct band size: too big, and your straps will end up taking the weight, which will cause them to
dig in.
4. Think horizontal
Look in the mirror side-on. Is your bra band at the same level all the way round? If it's riding up at
the back, you probably need a smaller band size. It even helps to pull the back about an inch
lower then the front, that should give you a clean line and take care of some of that “back fat”.
5. Finger rules
Never mind a rule of thumb; here's what you need to know about fingers. Your bra band should
feel tight and firm, but with enough space to insert two fingers under the back band, and one
under the centre front.
6. Fasten a new bra on the loosest hook
Fascinating bra fact: a bra can grow up to 4" due to wash and wear. So when you buy a new bra,
make sure that it fits properly on the loosest hook; you might need to tighten it with wear.
7. Underwiring should lie flat at the front
The centre front of your bra should lie flat against the breastbone. If it doesn't, it's telling you to go
up a cup size.
8. Underwiring sits on the bone
And while we're talking about underwiring, check the wire at the side of the bra. It should sit on
the ribcage, without digging into any of the breast.
9. Bring a t-shirt
The best way to see what shape a new bra will give you is to try it on under a tight fitting t-shirt.
Look at yourself from all angles and make sure that you get a smooth line with no unwanted
bulges.
10. Get moving!
You wouldn't buy a pair of shoes without walking around in them. So why should buying a bra be
any different? Don't just stand there: stretch out and flap your arms to make sure it feels
comfortable when you move. Also make sure to sit down in your new bra, this will tell you whether
the bra will dig and bother you when you are sitting in it all day!
Please note the difference in PANACHE brief and thong sizing:
US sizing
S
M
L
XL
XXL
XXXL