When I was still a tween, I watched an episode of Oprah where she staged a “bra intervention” for a handful of women who were wearing bras that were way off, size-wise. Being that I was 12 and still in loose “training bras,” it made zero sense to me. It couldn’t be that hard. But it turns out, it would be.
Wearing the wrong bra size sucks, and yet pretty much every woman has been there, or is currently there. Thankfully, there’s hope in the darkness. Specifically, on Reddit.
Somewhere between 64 percent and 85 percent of women are wearing the wrong bra size, and a huge part of it has to do with the fact that the US sizing system is terribly inconsistent, and there is a ton of conflicting information about how to measure yourself in the first place. A Google search for “how to measure bra size” turns up all kinds of different instructions, and most of them involve confusing calculations and very bad advice.
The other problem is that it’s easier and cheaper for the mass market to serve a small subset of the population than it is to make bras for every shape, and that’s caused all of us to think that small boobs are As or Bs, and anything D or up is deep into Dolly Parton territory. The truth is that cup sizes are about relative volume rather than a generic size or appearance. For example, two people with a 36A and a 30D actually have the same amount of boob, but their tissue distribution is different.
My tits broke Victoria’s Secret’s calculator.
After spending my college years burning through bras every three months, I finally reached a breaking point. I knew something was wrong, but I felt like I had maxed out at a D-cup and I could either continue on the same path, or venture into the giant beige grandma bra section at the department store.
It was at this point, when I needed it most, that the subreddit r/ABraThatFits came into my life.
While Reddit has a history of being host to sexist groups like r/RedPill, as well as #gamergate harassment, r/ABraThatFits is a welcoming community of over 61,000 self-proclaimed “bra enthusiasts” helping each other overcome the hurdles of buying a properly fitted bra and the stigma attached to larger cup sizes.
With the r/ABraThatFits beginners guide, there’s a straightforward sizing guide, and a calculator for figuring out your proper size. In the past, I had been wearing a 34C, sometimes a 34D. My new r/ABraThatFits size was shocking—a 30FF. I was legitimately horrified. There’s no way. Do they even make bras that size?
Swallowing my pride, I decided to give the 30FF size a shot. With the help and resources of r/ABraThatFits FAQ’s and message threads, I found stores to buy from, advice on which brands were the best, and most importantly, encouragement from my fellow buxom broads to keep going when I was frustrated with the experience of trying on dozens of different bra shapes.
Now, I’m familiar with what kinds of bra cuts and shapes flatter my boobs best, and, I gotta be honest with you, they look incredible. r/ABraThatFits kind of changed my life. I’m way more confident about my body, my back doesn’t ache from poor support anymore, and I love my bras (none of which are beige or grandma-esque). I skip down stairs with my hands at my sides rather than gripping my chest, and best of all, I actually enjoy exercising now, because I have a properly sized sports bra.
Even if you think you’ve got your girls under control, it’s worth busting out the tape measure just to be sure. Screw the sizing system. Find a better fitting bra, and you’ll be livin’ large and loving it.
