How to Measure Your Bra Size

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Believe it or not, at least 80% of women wear the wrong size bra, some studies show as much as 95%.[1] The most common mistake is wearing a band size which is too big, and/or a cup size which is too small. Although the average bra size is often quoted as 36C, most people who wear this size should actually be wearing either a 34D, 34DD, 32DD or 32E bra. The true average bra size is around 34DD.[2] Cup sizes are in proportion to the band size, so a D cup, for example, is not the same size in every bra. A 32D is the same size as a 34C or 36B, but on a smaller frame. A 28F is actually 2 cup sizes smaller than a 38D.[3] If you are fairly slim, then you may well need a large cup size even though your bust doesn't look any bigger than average. You may not think of yourself as being busty, but in moving to a smaller band size you will find that you need a bigger cup size.
Your bra size changes as your weight fluctuates throughout the different stages of your life. Losing or gaining just a few pounds is likely to have an effect. Sometimes you go for so long wearing a specific size that you don't realize it doesn't fit well anymore and you stop noticing the discomfort. If you're looking for a better fit, here's how to find your true bra size.( Read more... )

I've recently made some changes to my bra fitting guide, and I would really appreciate some feedback on it. On the last page (it's a three page guide) I have included some quick polls (just four questions in total.) If you're not sure whether your bra fits you properly, this is really worth a read. I'm trying to get an idea of what bra fitting problems people have, and how I can tailor the fitting guide to help people overcome these problems.

Here is the link:
http://www.belladonnaeyes.co.uk/bra_fitting_part_01.htm

Zoe

Order now for Whitby Goth Weekend!
www.belladonnaeyes.co.uk

( Click here to see some of the gorgeous fabrics I have in stock... )

see more

I have come here today to let off steam - I just found something that has really got me fuming.

This is the How To guide I wrote a few months ago on finding your bra size: (original verson) http://www.wikihow.com/index.php?title=Measure-Your-Bra-Size&oldid=322645
(Yeah, it's a bit messy... but bear with me here)

And this is how I found it today: http://www.wikihow.com/index.php?title=Measure-Your-Bra-Size&oldid=1264906

All my hard work in trying to educate people about the disgrace that is the "conventional" bra fitting method has been thrown back in my face. I can't believe that someone has actually gone through and changed it to say the exact things I am trying to fight against!!

Funnily though, the sentence: "Ignore anyone who claims to be able to tell you your size with certainty from your measurements - especially if they tell you to add several inches to your underbust measurement." has not been deleted...

To add insult to injury, I just found out that the perverted version of my labour of love was the featured article on the 5th of October.

That's it. I've had enough of this "Wiki" nonsense.

cross posted to thirty_twod

Comment on this post. I will choose seven interests from you profile and you will explain what they mean and why you are interested in them. Post this along with your answers in your own journal so others can play along.

This came from harlotqueen's journal.
Tightlacing:

Tightlacing is the practice of wearing a corset laced as tightly as possible, 24 hours a day, with the objective of gradually reducing the size of your waist. It's not something I personally do, I only wear corsets for a few hours at a time so I don't consider myself a tightlacer. It does fascinate me though, especially the way that it's completely different when done out of choice than if it were enforced by fashion.

Purple lipstick:

I like lipstick, and I like purple :-)

Seaside holidays:

This is one thing where I'm unashamedly English! There's something intensely nostalgic about the first sight of the sea as you approach the seaside on the train. The vital ingredients of a seaside holiday are the weather just warm enough to wear short sleeves, proper ice cream and proper fish & chips, and going for a dip in the sea even though it's freezing cold.

Secular humanism:

This isn't really something I'm into, I just put it down 'cos I read about it, and it sounded like a nice idea.

Androgyny:

Again, not something I do myself, but it's a fun idea to explore in fashion.

Victorian era:

Ah, the days before we knew about climate change...

Fashion:

Fashion to me is just a way of describing how you like to dress. My personal "fashion" has little to do with the fashion of the time, I wear whatever I think looks good. Unlike a lot of "fashion ignorers" though, I do care about my appearance.

On the 11th of august, Sophie Lancaster and her boyfriend Robert Maltby were set upon by a group of youths and beaten to within an inch of their lives, simply because they were goths. Sophie later died in hospital.

There is a wikipedia article on Sophie here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Lancaster

A petition has now been set up to have the definition of a hate crime changed to include crimes where someone is targetted because of their appearance or subcultural identity.

Even if you don't identify with a subculture, please sign this petition and help to send out the message that this kind of targetted violence is absolutely unacceptable.

Here's the link: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/goth-hatecrimes

1. Five-eighths, one-half or three-eighths?
I presume this is about seam allowances... well, I don't use them per se, because I mark on the actual seam line and the "allowance" is whatever i happen to cut. I usually allow at least five eighths in corsets though, because I need three eighths or more for the boning channel.

2. Linen, cotton, wool or silk?
Depends entirely on what I'm making. I could do with getting myself a bolt of cotton though, and making loads of basic clothes.

3. Stripes, solids or prints?
I have a thing for prints at the moment.

4. Drape or draft?
Draping all the way! It just makes so much more sense in my head... (I do sometimes draft things though, if it's something basic and not very tailored.)

5. Pins or weights?
Never used weights.

6. Nipper or seam ripper?
What's a nipper? I do get through a lot of seam rippers though... they don't sell bernina ones in John Lewis for some reason...

7. Pleats or ruffles?
I like ruffles, as long as they're not overdone. Pleats have their place.

8. Wheel or scissors?
Scissors. I do have a cutting wheel, but I don't use it much. It sticks the fabric to the cutting mat!

9. Princess seams or darts?
Princess seams are usually best. When I try to do darts they always end up getting longer and longer....

10. Flat-line or bag-line?
I always flat-line. It looks nicer, and it's easier anway. It gives clothes that lovely haute couture feel.

11. Serge or French seam?
French seams are neat. I think I might marry them.

12. Invisible or original sliding?
Unless it's for a jeans fly, I normally buy concealed zips, even if I'm going to conceal them anyway - they always end up showing a bit.

13. Hooks & eyes or lacings?
Depends on the circumstances. I do like laces though.

14. Corset for comfort, or corset for look? (And no, you can’t claim both.)
Yes, I can!

15. Bind, pipe or face?
Well, seeing as I mostly make corsets, I do a lot of binding.

I've registered the domain www.belladonnaeyes.co.uk, but there's not much to look at yet. I can't afford the hosting until I've started earning a bit more, so for now it's just a home page linking to my shop and myspace.

I just got my final results back - I got a 2:1! yay!! *does happy dance*

My latest corset design is up for sale in my eBay shop:
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Belladonna-Eyes-Corsetry

This is a 22" waist, ready made and waiting to go to a loving home.

I'd love to keep this for myself, but unfortunately I really need to sell it to pay the bills :-(

I'm also offering the same design made-to-measure if you want to splash out and get a perfect fit.

I've just opened an eBay shop http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Belladonna-Eyes-Corsetry
and a Myspace http://www.myspace.com/belladonna_eyes_corsetry

Both will (hopefully) be updated soon so they look a bit prettier...

...it's all about Robert Kaufman!




http://www.robertkaufman.com/fabrics/fruit_basket/

What's pleased me today:
It's less than a week 'til WGW! :-D I'm only going friday afternoon 'til monday morning this time though, with it being during term time.

What's annoyed me today:
Taking my washing down from the airer in the kitchen, and finding it has been infused with a most delightful aroma of haddock... nice...
Also I'm slowly coming to the realisation that I'm going to have to give the corsets a miss at WGW - my ribs are still bruised from the car accident I was in a couple of weeks ago :-(

I've somehow ended up with two ljcuts... so you can take your pick! ( My Interests Collage! )

So, I managed to survive 21 years with what I thought was perfect vision... how wrong I was.

Here are the pictures as promised:

I finally finished my skulls & roses corset today, and it looks fantastic!! I can hardly contain my excitement... I haven't taken any pictures of it yet, but they will follow shortly.
I'm amazed at how comfortable it is, especially as it's 6 inches smaller than my natural waist. *eek* I can lace it completely closed, but my lateral muscles start to complain so it's more comfortable to leave a 2 inch gap.

All that's left to do now is make a set of detatchable suspenders to go with it ;-) (although whether I'll actually wear it as underwear I don't know)

I got some parcels in the post today that made me very happy....

*drools*

The brocades are from http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Renaissance-Fabrics and the skulls and roses print fabric is the one I mentioned in the previous entry.

I also got my copy of Valerie Steele's "The Corset - A Cultural History" from Amazon which looks fascinating.

You know when you find something that you know will change your life?
I have just discovered Alexander Henry fabrics...
I've already bought the rose tattoo fabric (roses and skulls on a black background) to make an underbust corset/waist cincher with, and I'm sure there will be many more...
I really like the mannequins pattern, but I think it might look silly on a corset so I'll probably make something else in that one.

This is the Alexander Henry website:
http://www.ahfabrics.com/

This shop stocks dozens of different prints, but unfortunately for me it's a US site. They might post to the UK though.
http://www.buyfabricsonline.com/?gclid=CNCO3oT72YYCFQNJGgod13Dc4A

I just had a look at the pictures I took of my new corset when I first put it on, and compared them to the laced in pictures...
Wow... I didn't realise the difference was that noticeable!
You can tell by looking at the lacing that it's not laced in very much, but the difference not only in size but in fit and posture is really dramatic!