# Female Dopers (re: bra sizes) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 9, 2014, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727 "2014-04-09T16:12:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/21 "2014-04-09T21:33:57Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > If you have an issue with etv78, you need to take it to the Pit and not rag on him here. Where exactly is the “ragging” in that post? Was it the fact that he put quote marks around the word project? If so, that’s pretty weak. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/22 "2014-04-09T21:42:56Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Where exactly is the “ragging” in that post? Was it the fact that he put quote marks around the word project? If so, that’s pretty weak. Nah, thanks but I can’t argue with the mod note. It was earned. I was absolutely implying that his purposes of this thread were less than savory, specifically I was suggesting that he was gathering info to help his off-board hobby of trolling other message boards\*. But note received and heard and I’ll move it along to the Pit. \*Not an accusation of trolling, but a statement of fact based on things that ETV has shared here. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2014, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/23 "2014-04-09T22:51:04Z")
> [@Macca26](#): > > So you get the 36C because it sounds right and looks nicer on the rack, and the problem perpetuates. Well, if it looks nicer on the rack, then it is the right bra! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/24 "2014-04-10T00:07:41Z")
Guy here. According to my wife, her mother, who needed (I think) 34C would buy 36B and then modify them to fit her. Why? Because respectable women in the 1930s didn’t have C breasts. Hard to believe. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/25 "2014-04-10T00:19:30Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > Research for another “project” of yours ETV? No, just being single male, haven’t needed to know this in awhile. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/26 "2014-04-10T00:25:43Z")
Bccording to link someone posted, thanks BTW, the sizes in my OP are “sister sizes”. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/27 "2014-04-10T03:57:07Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > No, just being single male, haven’t needed to know this in awhile. I’m a divorced male currently in a long term relationship with a woman. I’ve never needed to know this. For any of my definitions of “need”, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/28 "2014-04-10T04:20:35Z")
The formula I (male, boomer) saw, all those years ago: Use a tape measure to get to diameters: 1. Around “fullest” part of breasts 2. Around the ribcage immediately below breasts. The second was the number. Subtracting the second from the first gave you an offset - each inch of offset corresponded to 1 increment of letter. Hence: If 1 = 35, and 2 was 32, you wore a 32C (35- 32 = 3, counting A, B, C,… gets you to C). Obvious problem here is the diameter is not nearly enough info to determine cup shape, spacing, or even size, for that matter. I once dated a woman whose father squandered the family fortune - she came of age when they still had money. She told of going to high-end store, being escorted to a private room wherein a saleswoman would look at her boobs and then bring in recommended bras. Sounded like the optimal way of fitting one of the things, ---
**Author:** ![The\_Holdsworth\_Effect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/848f3c/32.png) [@The\_Holdsworth\_Effect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Holdsworth_Effect)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/29 "2014-04-10T04:44:29Z")
One of my favorite soapboxes, here. Having spent 28 years doing breast exams, and almost as many referring women’s for covered breast reductions (that means removal of 500 grams, about a pint canning jar, will leave at least a C cup), and explaining breast pain to women who have obvious wire marks from poorly fitting bras, I have very definite opinions. (As y’all are probably beginning to notice) The posts about band sizes and cup sizes (US) are correct. Technically it’s ABCDEFGHI etc. One inch per letter. European brands interject all kinds of craziness with double letters. What’s important as well is body type, and basically it’s Mediterrranean (narrower shoulder, breasts often conical and attached to the front of the chest wall, think Madonna) and Scandinavian, with breast volume attached more broadly. W versus ( )( ), think Elke Sommer or Ursula Andress, or Bo Derek. Bra fitters can help, or not. Fit your band size. I find the Fantasie, Olga, Freya type brands fit broader shouldered and broader based women better, and have larger cup sizes. You can get them on eBay for quite a bit less if you know your size, and are willing to accept that some are mismarked. One of my daughters is a cup size down, so she gets those;) ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/30 "2014-04-10T04:44:41Z")
Bra sizes explained: A = almost there B = barely there C = cant complain D = Damn! DD = Double Damn! E = every guys fantasy ---
**Author:** ![The\_Holdsworth\_Effect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/848f3c/32.png) [@The\_Holdsworth\_Effect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Holdsworth_Effect)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/31 "2014-04-10T04:54:12Z")
That is why you get your feet stepped on a lot. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/32 "2014-04-10T05:12:30Z")
Married man whose wife had breast reduction years ago, a fairly recent revision, and who has spent much time during the many years waiting for her while she attempted to get the bra that fit right … what do y’all think of [Jockey’s volumetric approach](http://www.jockey.com/jockeybra/fitkit)? Sounds a bit like what **Macca26** is asking for. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/33 "2014-04-10T05:17:12Z")
All this bra size talk reminds me of the time when my daughter was about 8 and I got her a book about puberty and stuff (which she was still years away from). She was reading the part about bra sizes and got a ruler or something, I don’t really know what methodology she used, but then came all excitedly to tell me that she had figured out her bra size: 36D. Yeah, maybe one day. If she both gains at least 100lbs and has surgery. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/34 "2014-04-10T05:56:20Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > I once dated a woman whose father squandered the family fortune - she came of age when they still had money. She told of going to high-end store, being escorted to a private room wherein a saleswoman would look at her boobs and then bring in recommended bras. Sounded like the optimal way of fitting one of the things, They do this for you at Nordstrom for free. It’s pretty much the only place I buy bras. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/35 "2014-04-10T12:34:04Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Since you asked a factual question… (try not to act skeevy in this thread, m’kay?) > > . Next time a black person comes into my house, I’m going to ask him “Try not to steal anything, m’kay?” I’m sure that will go over well. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/36 "2014-04-10T12:59:51Z")
Holdsworth: Which shape applies to Asians? ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/37 "2014-04-10T13:25:04Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > They do this for you at Nordstrom for free. It’s pretty much the only place I buy bras. My wife says Victoria Secret does it. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/38 "2014-04-10T13:26:48Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > > [@etv78](#): > > > > Since you asked a factual question… (try not to act skeevy in this thread, m’kay?) > > Next time a black person comes into my house, I’m going to ask him “Try not to steal anything, m’kay?” > > I’m sure that will go over well. Apparently you’re unaware of **etv78’s** posting history in which he has asked questions and discussed topics in a manner that many people do consider skeevy. It’s not a matter of a generic black person coming over, it’s [Frank Abagnale](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Abagnale) coming over for lunch and you can be darn sure I’ll not be leaving anything about to tempt him. ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/39 "2014-04-10T13:40:58Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Holdsworth: Which shape applies to Asians? Okay, if it wasn’t skeevy before it is now. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2014, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727/40 "2014-04-10T13:48:25Z")
> [@Emiliana](#): > > Okay, if it wasn’t skeevy before it is now. Hey, he kept it skeev-free for a while. He was trying hard. Or trying, hard. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/female-dopers-re-bra-sizes/685727.md?page=3)