It’s impossible not to feel totally girly in a beautiful bra… but did you know there’s a good chance you’re 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.
Step 1: Measure your band size
- Wear a non-padded bra that fits well.
- Wrap a soft measuring tape snugly around your ribcage, directly under your bust.
- Ensure the tape is parallel to the floor and not too tight.
- Round the measurement to the nearest even number.
- This is your BAND SIZE.
Step 2: Measure your bust size
- Keeping the tape measure snug, wrap it around the fullest part of your bust.
- Make sure the tape is parallel to the floor and not squishing your breast tissue.
- This measurement is your BUST SIZE.
Step 3: Calculate your cup size
- Subtract your band size (from Step 1) from your bust size (from Step 2).
- Check the chart below to determine your cup size. (Each inch of difference corresponds to one 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, since 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.)
- Wear a non-padded bra that fits well.
- Wrap a soft measuring tape snugly around your ribcage, directly under your bust.
- Ensure the tape is parallel to the floor and not too tight.
- Round the measurement to the nearest even number.
- This is your BAND SIZE.
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.
For example, if your band size is 40 and you desire to be a D cup, you’d simply purchase a 40D bra and D cup breast forms.
Easy right? 🙂
What About Other Bra Fitting Methods?
There are a couple other bra fitting methods out there. However, the instructions I shared in this blog post are considered the most accurate method.
Some guides will tell you to add 4–5 inches to your band measurement. That’s outdated advice from when bras were made differently.
Modern bras are sized much closer to your actual ribcage measurement – adding inches will give you a band that’s too loose.
You may also see the “armpit method,” which involves measuring above the bust, under the armpits. (It’s the method Victoria’s Secret uses.)
While the armpit method can work, it often leads to a larger band size and a poor fit. For that reason, I recommend the ribcage method described above.
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 crossdressers and trans women 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.
On some tutorials, they say that after measuring under the breast and then the bust to determine the cup size, then add 3 inches to the band measurement for a proper fit. Does this mean that if you measure above the breasts for the band size that the measurement already possesses the 3 extra inches? If we subtract that measurement from the bust measurement, wouldn’t that greatly alter the cup size?
I’ve found that buying a bra according to the under the bust measurement that the band is too tight and an extender was needed. So, I’ve found it’s better to add the 3 inches.
This may sound more complicated but perhaps if I use the under the bust measurement and the bust measurement, I can determine the cup size and then measurement above the breasts for the actual band size……….? Hmmm.
Also I’ve found that if i order it on line and it’s made somewhere in the far east, it’s going to be smaller.
Hi Morgan, great questions. Yes, in theory, measuring above the bust already accounts for those extra 3 inches. But some people still prefer the traditional method of adding 3 inches to the rib cage measurement to get the band size. Once you have those 2 measurements, then you should be able to use the chart above to determine your cup size. Hope this helps! I think I need to do a YouTube video on this! xo
thank you for helping explain it all
i do like a slightly stretchy bra
since 90% of people wear the wrong size bra
i think to all the different manufactures have a lot to answer for ♀️
I always use this type and 40 c i think this is right for me and of course mostly pink that has the most feminine
bien que non hormoner j’ai une poitrine qui fait du 42 B (95 B ) . et je rajoute une fausse poitrine D , sa me donne vraiment du charme car pas trop volumineuse , voyez vous même .
This method of measuring is not always correct. It’s mostly for bras that the band dosent stretch. But bands that have stretch you do your underbust measurement. So doing the method above makes me a 36 band do to my breasts have filled in on top which is to big for me. My band size has never changed just my breast size and fullness. Im a 32H and thats what fits me best, as my band is a 32 with a 40 inch bust. A bra that fits is the beast calculator that’s accurate. Especially for trans women. I’m happier doing the underbust method the best. I just wish it was easier to find bras that fit my fullness in a 32H.
Hey, looking for friends in the socal area, or individuals to chat about life
Black bra.been a good friend 36 D
Be nice if the boobs were real. !!
I wear a 34B bra which is a perfect fit
For my C cup breast forms I wear a 40B or 38 C bra. Both sizes keep my breast for in place from slipping. For the sports bra I wear an extra large size