How to Measure
"The Girls"

oes your cup runneth over? (Sorry, I couldn't resist!) Survey results published in the journal Chiropractic & Osteopathy found that most women (70%) are wearing bras that are too small, while 10% are wearing ones that are too large! That only leaves 20% of us that actually have proper and comfortable housing for "the girls".

Ill-fitting bras have been linked to back, shoulder and neck pain, as well as to breast pain. Hormones, age and weight changes also contribute to the size of your bust. No wonder many of us look forward to letting them loose from their boob prison when we come home!

Who would have thought it so difficult to find a proper-fitting bra? It's probably because most women think that the cup size is what equals the size of your breasts, when in reality, it's the difference between the measurement of the breasts and the ribcage that makes that determination. You also have to take into consideration your breast width, height and density, along with how they are positioned on your ribcage (it gets complicated). The result is that the majority of women are choosing bras with too large a back band and too small a cup.

To complicate matters, there is also a lack of size standardization between countries, and even manufacturers! That's why most of us are running around (walking, in my case) wearing incorrectly fitted, non-supportive brassieres.

Some telltale signs you're probably wearing the wrong size are:

You haven't bought a new bra in a long time. You should replace your bra every 6 to 12 months, depending on how often you wear it. Most women have three they cycle between.

The back of your bra is riding up. It should be level with the front and parallel to the ground. If it's already on the tightest hook, it's time to get a new one. It probably means the garment has stretched over the year(s). If it's a new bra, go for a smaller band size.

Your underwire bra is cutting into or resting on your breast tissue. You need a bigger cup. The wires should go around and under your entire breast and fit flush with your body.

You constantly need to re-adjust your straps. They should feel comfortable, but not be used to lift up your breasts. 90% of bust support should come from the back band.

There is excess spillage from the sides and/or the top of the bra. That usually means you need a larger cup size.

There are gaps between your breasts and the bra. Go down a cup size.

The gore (piece of fabric that connects the cups in the front) isn't lying flat against your breastbone. You either have the wrong size or a style that doesn't work for your build. I know it's a useful nook to hide a candy or cough drop, but in reality, there should be about a 1-inch space between your breasts for the best shape.

You have a uniboob look. This usually happens when you are wearing a sports bra. The breasts are not separated and you look like you have a shelf in front. It's handy to catch crumbs when you're eating, but not a great look in general and means the bra is too small. Stick with bras that "lift and separate".

If you've never had a professional bra fitting, consider going to a store like "My Top Drawer" (Canadian) where their motto is "You bring 'em, we fit 'em" and they pride themselves for stocking band sizes from 28 to 54 and cup sizes from A to M. mytopdrawer.com

There are many various styles of bras for different occasions and clothing. If you're endowed with a larger bust however, it's not that easy to find attractive bras in larger sizes (they're usually in boring shades of black.

Measure yourself for a bra

Bra sizes should never be a guessing game. First, put on the bra you usually wear and make sure the straps are adjusted firmly and feel comfortable on your shoulders. Use a bra with the least amount of padding.

Band size

With a flexible sewing tape measure (NOT the rigid retractable ruler your husband uses from Home Depot), measure the circumference of your rib cage, just under your bust. Make sure you are standing straight and the tape measure is parallel to the ground. Note this number, in inches (round up if between two sizes).

Cup size

Next, measure around the fullest part of your bust (across the nipple area) again making sure the tape is parallel to the ground. The cup size is determined using the difference between band and bust measurements.

Finally

Subtract your band measurement from your bust measurement. The difference is your cup size.

So, if you measured 46 for your bust and your band size is 42 (46-42= 4). Your bra size should be a 42D.

Use the chart above or this handy calculator for help: www.calculator.net/bra-size

Doing this will give you a good idea of a correct fit. The main thing is — do you feel comfortable wearing it and are you happy with the way it makes your clothes look?

Tips

When buying a new bra, try it on the middle closure. This will give you somewhere to adjust as it stretches over time and laundering, or if you gain weight. Wash it by hand in cold water (or on the most delicate cycle) and always air dry so that it doesn't warp in the dryer. If buying a bra online, always read the exchange and return information provided. Here are some great online stores. Most will also ship to another country. Canada: lavieenrose.com U.S.: victoriassecret.com International: ourcrowd.com

Advice for the men

If you're daring enough to buy a bra for your lady, the easiest way to find out her size would be to just ask her! The next best thing would be to have her join Gyftit and fill out the questions! This way, she'll be your GyftBuddy and you'd never again have to worry about buying her a present of any kind!

If you have a stubborn streak and are still brave enough to go it alone, here are a few tips to help you out. If you're buying these intimate gifts, I'm assuming there have been moments when your lady is not wearing such items, so check out her bra (and panty size) when she's in the washroom or when you are unhooking it. Bra tags are usually near the clasp.

Never reply "She's about your size, but with bigger boobs!" when the salesgirl in the brassiere department asks what size your lady needs. And NEVER ask her to try the bra on so you can see what it looks like.

Learn the "Fruit Method" by comparing your lady's breasts to the following fruits — it will get a rough estimate of her bra size. Many salesgirls are well versed in this.