It’s impossible not to feel totally girly in a beautiful bra…
But did you know there’s a good chance you are wearing the WRONG size bra?
Don’t feel bad… 80% of bra wearers are too! This includes crossdressers and transgender women – as well as cisgender (genetic) women.
Wearing the correct bra size is critical. Bras that don’t fit right are uncomfortable and look bad under your clothes.
In this blog post, I’ll show you how to find your correct MTF bra size so you can choose the perfect bra for your female transformation.
How to Determine Your Correct Bra Size – Without Breast Forms
Determining your correct bra size begins with a choice: Will you be wearing breast forms with the bra?
In this section, I’ll explain how to find the correct bra size for your ACTUAL breasts (without breast forms). In the section below, I’ll show you how to find the correct bra size if you wear breast forms.
There are several ways to measure your bra size. The method below is simplest way to measure your bra size. This method is used by Victoria’s Secret and most modern bra manufacturers:
Step 1: Measure your band size
Place a tape measure under your arms and measure your chest circumference just above the breasts. The tape measure should be about the level where your bra straps meet the bra.
This measurement is your BAND SIZE. (Note: If the measurement is an odd number, round down to the nearest even number.)
Step 2: Measure your bust size
Stand up tall and measure across the fullest part of your bust. The tape measure should be parallel to the floor and shouldn’t be too tight or too loose.
This is your BUST SIZE. (Note: If the measurement is between inches, round up to the nearest inch.)
Step 3: Calculate your cup size
Subtract your band size (from Step 1) from your bust size (from Step 2) and check the chart below to determine your cup size:
| If The Difference Is: | Your Cup Size Is: |
| 0″-1/2″ (1.3 cm) | AA |
| 1/2″- 1″ (2.6 cm) | A |
| 2″ (5.1 cm) | B |
| 3″ (7.6 cm) | C |
| 4″ (10.2 cm) | D |
| 5″ (12.7 cm) | DD or E |
| 6″ (15.2 cm) | DDD or F |
| 7″ (17.8 cm) | G |
| 8″ (20.3 cm) | H |
| 9” (22.9 cm) | I |
| 10″ (25.4 cm) | J |
For example, if your band size is 40” and your bust size is 44”, the difference is 4”. That would make you a D cup.
Your bra size is a combination of your band size and your cup size. (Bra size = band size + cup size) In this case, your bra size would be a 40D.
IMPORTANT: This size should be considered a starting point, as sizing varies from bra to bra. If possible, try on the actual bra before you buy.
How to Determine Your Correct Bra Size – With Breast Forms
If you wear breast forms, the process for finding your bra size is a bit different. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Measure your band size
(Note: These instructions are the same as above, but I’ll repeat them here.)
Place a tape measure under your arms and measure your chest circumference just above the breasts. The tape measure should be about the level where your bra straps meet the bra.
This measurement is your BAND SIZE. (Note: If the measurement is an odd number, round down to the nearest even number.)
Step 2: Determine your ideal cup size
The next step is to determine the cup size you want to achieve. This should be a size that’s proportionate to your body: Not too big and not too small.
Generally speaking, the larger your body frame is, the larger your cup size should be.
Here are some guidelines:
- Choose an B or C cup if you have a small frame.
- Choose a C or D cup if you have a medium frame.
- Choose a D cup or larger if you have a large frame.
Once you know your correct band size and desired cup size, you can purchase the proper bra and breast forms.
Easy right? 🙂
Finding A Bra That Fits
Knowing your correct bra size is one thing. Actually FINDING that bra is another.
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to find bras outside the standard size range.
Here are some sites that carry a large range of bra sizes:
- Barenecessities.com – Bare Necessities offers a huge selection of bras, including plus size bras with smaller cup sizes. (Perfect for girls who don’t wear breast forms.)
- HerRoom.com – Her Room is another large lingerie site that stocks hard to find sizes. They offer band sizes up to 58, so there’s a bra for almost everybody.
Another option is to purchase a bra extender. A bra extender is an elasticized piece of fabric that hooks onto the back of your bra. It can add 1-3 inches to the bra band, so it’s a great solution for bras that are too tight.
So there you are, girlfriend! Everything you need to know about finding your correct bra size.
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts! Please leave me your comments below. And if you have any beautiful bra pics, don’t forget to include them!
Love,
Lucille
P.S. Looking for a natural way to fill out your bra? Check out The Flat to Femme Program to discover an effective and proven approach to male to female breast enhancement.
Can not find the perfect bra thank you
I expect that the bra that I wear is the correct bra size .
In my bra I feel that fits right , is comfortable and I wish it looks good under my clothes .
I feel totally girly in my beautiful bra
I hear that a wide band is best to make breast look fuller and to eliminate bulge under the arm but what about the bras that have an extra strap under the cup for added support do they actually work to increase cleavage?
I want to show more cleavage and my breast are small but when I see what the bras do to women I can just hope they will work on me
I am 38 A cup and wish to show cleavage and be a C cup but am I just wishing on a dream?
Love your site and info hope you can help me
need advice on both of my comments please
I have tried measuring that way and I always get size 42D. I went to Macy’s for a bra fitting and they came up with the same size. The D cup bras I tried on were a little large. I went down to a 42C Glamorise Magic Bra and it fits me perfectly, giving me plenty of support and uplift. Macy’s offers great help and support for transgender women. If you prefer buying your bras online I highly recommend herroom.com. They have a huge selection and Tomima, the owner, sends me periodic emails teaching me about bras, bra styles and proper fitting. They have wonderful customer service.
When I got my breast implants, I had 40C (I should have gotten D’s) I lost a bunch of weight. Now I’m a 38C+. Girls, size up, and lose the weight!
I am a 36B finally I grew out of the A I am still growing I have been on Dr.Prescribed female hormones eforcabout 4 months now I can’t wait for my girls to reach a c cup I am so happy I started the hormones
Maybe this might help some of you. I am a post-op, MtF, I’ve also had breast augmentation and my measurements are, band size measured under my arms is 36”, measured under my breasts it’s 32”, measurement over the fullest part of my breasts it’s 40”. I fill a bra size 36d, perfectly. So in my mind it doesn’t matter whether you measure above or below the breast the end product measurements where you add 4” to the under bust measurement to find band size and add nothing if you measure under the arms, comes out to be the same.
Here’s a kinda tedious post, but y’all might find it interesting (hope formatting doesn’t get demolished):
Breast size
Look at protrusion based on cup size, compared to ribcage size.
Just an arbitrary proportion, but say the chest, in cross-section, is an oval 60% as deep as wide. Look at it as two semicircles with a 0.6 (x width) diameter, connected by 0.4 (x width) straight lines Total perimeter is then
(2 x 0.4 + 0.6 x pi) x width = 2.7 x width, or 2.7 x depth/0.6 = 4.5 x depth = band size
Consider the bust as a half-oval protruding from the front of the chest, with each end at the mid-point of the side of the chest. Use the same 0.4 x width as a straight-line distance between the high points. So the perimeter of the half-oval would be
0.4 x width + pi x (1/2 x depth + protrusion) = depth x [0.4/0.6 + pi/2] + pi x protrusion
Add this to 1/2 band size to get bust measurement, which is then
(4.5 x depth)/2 + depth x [0.4/0.6 + pi/2] + pi x protrusion
= depth x ( 2.25 + 0.4/0.6 + pi/2) + pi x protrusion
= 4.5 x depth + pi x protrusion = bust measurement
Protrusion is calculated from
Protrusion = (bust measurement – 4.5 x depth (thats band size)) / pi
= ( bust measurement – band size) /pi
Since cup size is the letter equivalent of bust measurement minus band size in inches, Protrusion is
(inch equivalent of cup size) / pi
So, the following table based on the above gives some idea of the appearance of various cup sizes
Cup A B C D DD/E
A 5/16 5/8 15/16 1-1/4 1-9/16
Band size -vs- depth (that’s band size/4.5)
Band size 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50
Depth 8 8-7/16 8-7/8 9-5/16 9-3/4 10-1/4 10-11/16 11-1/8
The protrusion may seem small, but the bra increases it. Look around objectively. Of course, firm implants change everything.
This can most likely be improved for greater accuracy, or the assumed proportions can be adjusted for the individual.
On the first table, the “A” all by itself should be “Protrusion”. Yup, formatting died, but the info is there.
thank you very much for the bra fitting advise. i do shop at onehanesplace, they have bali bras which i love. a bali bra for me usually fits smaller in band and cup size than playtex and some other bras. a 34b for someone small like me, fits very well, especially their lace double support, the cup stretches around my breast.