Hey! So I started keeping track of my measurements last month and when I took this month's measurements I decided to see what size bra would fit me. So I took my measurements and I don't think they're really geared towards people who still have fairly masculine chests... My chest is fairly flat, it's only noticeable if I don't wear my shirt, but my measurements are 40 bust and 36 band, meaning I need a 36D sized bra according to most of what I've read about bra and cup sizes. Am I doing something wrong?
well, if you measure the difference from right under the breast and around from the tip of the nipple you should get the right cup
I too, am a D cup after only 1 year of HRT. My genetic heritage is similar to Kim Kardashian.
However, a D cup on a 42 inch chest is not all that impressive. But I like the twins anyway!
This is interesting indeed.
Maybe you forgot to add 4 inches to calculate your band size? Are you sure your underbust measures 32 inches?
I ask this because I'm 34 band (just 2 inches below you, so while noticeable our ribcages are not so different) and after more than 5 years on HRT I just got small B cups (they looked quite flat indeed). After getting BA I went from B to DD (bust measure went from 35 to 40) and they look anything but flat/modest. Have to say I got almost no muscle on my chest and I am (in my doctors words) "very petite"; my BMI is at 19.
That being said, if your measurings are correct and your chest looks flat even when correctly measuring for a D cup this can be due to a number of reasons:
- Ribcage being noticeable wider at bust height. A very shaped "V" torso may have a noticeable difference in ribcage width depending if you measure it at underbust height or at bust height.
- Well developed pectoralis muscles can give an obvious increase in volume at bust and also can mess with the shape of the breast thus making it look wider, flatter and more masculine even if there is an evident fat deposit on the breast.
- If fat is stored not just at bust height but also above the bust and in your back then breast may look flattish.
- Also being a little overweight can soften a lot the appearance of breasts.
So even if you measured it correctly, I dunno, but it may be feasible to get that cup size while your chest is actually looking kinda flat. Also, as another member said, the bigger the ribcage is, the less flashy the same cup size looks on it (they got fixed values).
The problem is the bra measuring tools. If I add 4 inches to the band size it's way too loose. If I don't add 4 inches the cup size is way off. My measurements are 36.5 rib cage and 42.75 bust and my actual cup size is somewhere between A and B.
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Just rock your D's!
My bra says D and it fits nice, my boob fills the cup and it looks fine
would a ciswoman ask these questions? No, she would fiddle around, find a bra that fits good and call it a day
if its a D roll with it
sometimes people, including ourselves want to dampen our spirit for some reason....
for real measurement, your band size is not what you measure below the breast. You have to add 4 to 5 inch to this measurent meaning that if you see 36 on tape, you are more like 40A or 38B . if you say you are flat this makes more sense.
i am 31 inch underbust +4/5 mean i am 36 band and my bust size is 37 so i am 36A
this is how your breast would look like if they were 36D : http://herbrasize.com/36d-breast-size/
The reality is most transwoman around 23 year old and up will never reach more then a small B cup. When you hear transwoman saying Heyyy! i am D cup after 1 year ... Lie you arent or you are overweight and have 40 + band size ( it is fairly easy to get D when you start with man boobs) and at this band size they dont have the appearance of D, they look like A-B on them due to large ribcage.
I knew it >:(
Quote from: archlord on January 21, 2016, 07:35:54 AM
The reality is most transwoman around 23 year old and up will never reach more then a small B cup. When you hear transwoman saying Heyyy! i am D cup after 1 year ... Lie you arent or you are overweight and have 40 + band size ( it is fairly easy to get D when you start with man boobs) and at this band size they dont have the appearance of D, they look like A-B on them due to large ribcage.
We are all different and have our own path... I and some of us others will enjoy our lives and our
manboobs and you can drain your wallet trying to be barbie. Yes there are overweight transgirls and Im proud to be one of them and my TITS are just fine :-*
All I have to say is... if you're seeing D's, they are probably D's :). There's no bra police, and you know your body better than anyone else!
So happy for you! And jealous lol :)
Quote from: archlord on January 21, 2016, 07:35:54 AM
for real measurement, your band size is not what you measure below the breast. You have to add 4 to 5 inch to this measurent meaning that if you see 36 on tape, you are more like 40A . if you say you are flat this makes more sense.
i am 31 inch underbust +4/5 mean i am 36 band and my bust size is 37 so i am 36A
this is how your breast would look like if they were 36D : http://herbrasize.com/36d-breast-size/
The reality is most transwoman around 23 year old and up will never reach more then a small B cup. When you hear transwoman saying Heyyy! i am D cup after 1 year ... Lie you arent or you are overweight and have 40 + band size ( it is fairly easy to get D when you start with man boobs) and at this band size they dont have the appearance of D, they look like A-B on them due to large ribcage.
I don't mean to be rude, but I disagree.
Your Band Size is measured under the bust at the ribcage and around your back. Your Bust Size is measured at the nipples and around your back. The difference in inches between your band size and bust will be your cup.
Example:
Your band Size is a 36 (measured under the breast at ribcage), then you measure around your breast around furthest point on nipple) and get a 38. The difference is 2 inches. Each inch = 1 cup size. So you would be a 36B.
You can't assume to automatically add 4-5 inches since every set of breasts are different.
Another example with larger frames:
A 42 inch band measurement with a 43 inch Breast measurement would be a 42A.
Hope this helps.
Maybe that came off harsh.... your free to do what you want.
But what I heard was "Fat trans girls are less than us skinny ones and youre a bunch of liars"
but I stand by what I said.... no cis-woman would ever question what her boobs/bra size was. If you people have these ideals of being so much like real women... perhaps you should think like them and quit questioning everything
a D cup on a 30 inch bust will certainly look different than one on a 44.... sorry if I started with MAN BOOBS and you started with nothing... no need to call me a liar... they are still boobs and maybe moreso than yours? >:(
ok, guess Im feeling harsh today :'(
i am not jaleous of man boobs at all and this message wasnt addressed to you . Sorry if you think the hat suit you.
@Jessika , if i was taking measurement like this i would be 37 bust- 31 underbust wooot i am 32 A B C D E , omg i am 32E
lol..
this is how to have your real measurement :
http://www.lasenza.ca/customer-service/size-charts/size-chart-bras
please note this part under the chart : If you measured 29 inches in your under bust, you are a 34 band size.
band size is not synonym of underbust size
Go to another calculator page and it will say the ribcage size equals the band size. Those calculators are all over the place with their formulas. If I add 5 inches it gives me a band size of 42 which hangs loose.
The only formula that works is trial and error.
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Quote from: Deborah on January 21, 2016, 09:03:11 AM
Go to another calculator page and it will say the ribcage size equals the band size. Those calculators are all over the place with their formulas. If I add 5 inches it gives me a band size of 42 which hangs loose.
The only formula that works is trial and error.
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I agree about trial and error as some transwoman are starting with bigger back or weirdly shaped ribcage then ciswoman. The +4/5 is for ciswoman but thinking you are D cup when you are in fact A and they clearly look like A is so wrong.. but if it can makes this person feel better ..
i will get implants in 25 days, will this makes me 32G? 39-31 = 8 difference. 32 A B C D E F
G nope, i will be 36C
Here is another website that can be helpful , it gives bra equivalent : http://www.nodandawink.com/Bra-Fitting-Guide.htm
remember that for exemple 34D is equivalent of 36C but for larger frame ( most of us) this is why you have to test them before buying.
Quote from: archlord on January 21, 2016, 08:55:12 AM
i am not jaleous of man boobs at all and this message wasnt addressed to you . Sorry if you think the hat suit you.
@Jessika , if i was taking measurement like this i would be 37 bust- 31 underbust wooot i am 32 A B C D E , omg i am 32E
lol..
this is how to have your real measurement :
http://www.lasenza.ca/customer-service/size-charts/size-chart-bras
please note this part under the chart : If you measured 29 inches in your under bust, you are a 34 band size.
band size is not synonym of underbust size
I don't know why you are laughing out loud at me, nor making fun of my experience...but anyway....
Your site is a SALES site, they will list anything to get a sale, my observation.
And you would be a 31F, not a 32E...That means you have a small frame with very large breasts, according to that measurement.
Sorry, I go by what my Two Family members and myself KNOW from trial and error as fact and by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bra_size#Band_measurement_origins (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bra_size#Band_measurement_origins), not a Bra Selling Site.
To each their own I suppose.
Good Luck
Quote from: Jessika on January 21, 2016, 09:22:02 AM
I don't know why you are laughing out loud at me, nor making fun of my experience...but anyway....
Your site is a SALES site, they will list anything to get a sale, my observation.
And you would be a 31F, not a 32E...That means you have a small frame with very large breasts, according to that measurement.
Sorry, I go by what my Two Family members and myself KNOW from trial and error as fact and by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bra_size#Band_measurement_origins (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bra_size#Band_measurement_origins), not a Bra Selling Site.
To each their own I suppose.
Good Luck
find me a 31 band bra ;) 28/30/32/36/38/40/42 . you have to go + 1(better it wont be unconfortably thight) or -1 to have an existing bra if you have impair measurement . This is why you substract or add a cup after
and yes i am small framed, i have 6 inch wrist but still to muscular . If i lose more on the
laterals/back muscle (this is the problem for most of us), i would fit a 34 band bra
here is another bra fitting website telling the same exact thing:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fc.nordstromimage.com%2FAssets%2FWeb-Ready-Slices%2F09-28-15-p06-cid0928159478-7-adam-69fdd103-ad1f-4afc-ba61-a51e011808a5-fil-file.jpg%3FVersion%3D1&hash=1cb8652d655342b466ef06f29b72a871f2d67c8e)
Bra manufacturers have been changing from the old add 4 inch thing. Kohls hasn't switched yet to +0. They are still +4. There are more stores that measure band size nearer to your under breast measurement.
Case in point, I measure 34.5" under breast and wear Victoria's secret 36 band bras. I used to use a 38 band bra but the strap was just too loose. For any support the band should not be loose. Of course it shouldn't be too tight either. Bra support should not be from the shoulder straps but the band though so pick a bra keeping that in mind.
With respect to cup, I wear a C even though my bust is 41.5" The leftover muscles on my back throws things off for figuring out cup size based on simple measurement. To that end you need to try stuff on.
Quote from: CrysC on January 21, 2016, 09:49:28 AM
Bra manufacturers have been changing from the old add 4 inch thing. Kohls hasn't switched yet to +0. They are still +4. There are more stores that measure band size nearer to your under breast measurement.
I didnt think of that. I am always buying from La Senza and they are on the +4/5 (wich can vary you need to test stuff because of your lateral muscles) . But if i use this theory, all previous A cup are now D cup? wooo! :) everyone is D cup now lol.
It really doesn't bother me that some wear C or D cup sizes and they fit right. And they probably look good to that person - and maybe their partner(s) - so why does it matter anyway? Like an earlier poster said, a cis woman would just wear the D and not even question that they have D breasts. Good for them!
And if you wear a G and it feels right for you, then that's genuinely great too.
I honestly don't understand why we have the need to prove that we are anything less than what we envision ourselves to be.
Quote from: starting_anew on January 21, 2016, 10:10:00 AM
It really doesn't bother me that some wear C or D cup sizes and they fit right. And they probably look good to that person - and maybe their partner(s) - so why does it matter anyway? Like an earlier poster said, a cis woman would just wear the D and not even question that they have D breasts. Good for them!
And if you wear a G and it feels right for you, then that's genuinely great too.
I honestly don't understand why we have the need to prove that we are anything less than what we envision ourselves to be.
clicks the "love" button ;)
It really does vary by manufacturer, and the rules shift a bit if you get into plus size as well. I've also seen places advocate measuring above the breast vs at the nipple (which would typically account for the +4 for measuring under).
A 42A can fit like a 38B ... depending on the fabric type. I know there's another conversion in there, because some manufacturers don't like to push past the 38/40 band size.
That said, so far, a 42A fits really well for me, just difficult to find aside from a few manufacturers I've found thru amazon. Push much past 38, and B becomes the min size for most.
Well, all I know is, I've been professionally fitted as 38DD - and the woman eyeballed me for a minute and came right back with the right size. (My wife, now, took about an hour of trial and error...) So I have to assume my dimensions were not particularly unusual to a person who'd fitted thousands of women for bras. I'm not skinny, but even cis women's breasts are 30-60% fat tissue; that doesn't make my breasts any less real than anyone else's.
With that said, I also strongly recommend getting professionally fitted (by a real expert) *because* those online calculators can return really weird results. My wife, for example, got told that she was anywhere from a 32B to 44G. That's not very helpful. :)
It may be worth spending some time over at . It has a measuring guide for trans people that's very accurate. It'll be a lot larger in the cup than you expect (and likely smaller in the band)
The only thing to be aware of is that you should probably size down one or two in cup sizes depending on how you calculate it to account for the difference in the ribcage. Don't add 4 inches, that'll give you a too large band and a too small cup, in a bra the band should be very snug as it does all of the work in supporting the breasts.
Btw, the community over there is super welcoming and are more than happy to assist trans people in checking measurements and sizing.
Mod Edit- no links from competing forums please. TOS 1.
The honest truth about those bra size charts is that they are all over the place. The only way to get a good bra is to go in and try them on. I remember bra shopping online with my wife and there is no science or standard. All I can say is welcome to wild world of women's clothing and throw all logic out the window. Learn to love the mystery and magic of every brand and store fitting different than the last!
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Quote from: kristincardigan on January 27, 2016, 10:41:17 PM
The honest truth about those bra size charts is that they are all over the place. The only way to get a good bra is to go in and try them on. I remember bra shopping online with my wife and there is no science or standard. All I can say is welcome to wild world of women's clothing and throw all logic out the window. Learn to love the mystery and magic of every brand and store fitting different than the last!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
This^^^^^
Just don't get so big that you can't try one on in the store. THAT is a real problem....
Hugs
Jen
This is another reason I love thrift stores.... the big one near me has a zillion bras (they only put out the clean ones, lol) and many are new with tags.... but they are usually 1 or 2 dollars. I grab several each time I go and if I find a super awesome keeper, I just ebay or google and buy a couple new ones using the tag and size on the thrift one. Ive used this as well for jeans and tops as well ;D
Ladies please, i did not mean to brag or cause any controversy about my bra size. I just wanted to mention what is happening to me. Yes, I was very overweight, but so far I have lost over 110 pounds and I am still losing weight. My breasts are more than a handful each. I went shopping last week and came home with a 42D bra by fitting trial and error. My under band measurement is about 39 inches and still going down. My breasts now have much more glandular tissue than what I had before I started hormones. Yes, I can feel the difference between glandular and fat tissue.
We used to say that if the shoe fit wear it. I guess the same applies with bras.
Four months ago I wore a 40C. Now I wear a 42D. This is the honest truth.
Quote from: archlord on January 21, 2016, 08:55:12 AM
i am not jaleous of man boobs at all and this message wasnt addressed to you . Sorry if you think the hat suit you.
@Jessika , if i was taking measurement like this i would be 37 bust- 31 underbust wooot i am 32 A B C D E , omg i am 32E
lol..
this is how to have your real measurement :
http://www.lasenza.ca/customer-service/size-charts/size-chart-bras
please note this part under the chart : If you measured 29 inches in your under bust, you are a 34 band size.
band size is not synonym of underbust size
adding inches to your band size is an outdated form of measuring. I measure exactly 29 and wear mostly 32 band sizes, 34s often slip and are too big.
The most accurate bra size calculator is this one http://www.brasizecalculator.tk/
Also learn your sister sizes everyone, helps a ton when shopping. Balconettes are great for wide set breasts which most trans women have that start hrt past puberty, unless of course you get breast aug done. Ideally any bra with a wide center gore is best.
Well thats weird.. my breast clearly look like A cup but according to the calculator i would be :
i am 31-31.5 at band
Estimated Bra Size
32D/DD
Nearest Sister Sizes
34C/D 30DD/E
wich is not accurate even with sister sizes... i wouldnt be getting a BA in 18 days if this was the case loll! :)
Its probably cause all of your muscle mass around your back and chest area hasn't rounded out yet. Until that muscle mass is gone and your fat has redistributed into female patterns then bra sizing in general will be sort of awkward, any calculator wont work accurately either. Best bet is just to measure your underbust/ribcage and go from there rather than focus on the cup size difference. Go to any shop and experiment with that band size in various cup sizes, find whatever fits best.
like I had little muscle mass when I started hrt. It made a profound difference in how bras/top fit me when I lost it all. I started at a 36 band size prehrt, shrunk down to a 32 after about 2-3 years.
Quote from: Lady_Oracle on January 28, 2016, 12:11:05 PM
Its probably cause all of your muscle mass around your back and chest area hasn't rounded out yet. Until that muscle mass is gone and your fat has redistributed into female patterns then bra sizing in general will be sort of awkward, any calculator wont work accurately either. Best bet is just to measure your underbust/ribcage and go from there rather than focus on the cup size difference. Go to any shop and experiment with that band size in various cup sizes, find whatever fits best.
like I had little muscle mass when I started hrt. It made a profound difference in how bras/top fit me when I lost it all. I started at a 36 band size prehrt, shrunk down to a 32 after about 2-3 years.
Yess! you just explained what transwoman arent getting... They arent D cup, they have lateral muscles and fat that increase the circumferance of bust, not the bust (breast) itself.
Pre-HRT muscular i had 42 inch bust, Pre-HRT rid of muscle( 5 month later) i had 34 inch bust then after 3 month HRT i have 37 bust . However there is clearly some muscle/fat left there that i may even have gained in male pattern after starting hormones ( from 8% to 21.5% some went on my back probably)
This means... most of us and i cannot use calculator/chart yet . You need to try many bra at store and find what is confortable and is your size
Male back :
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mygym.co.uk%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F03%2FTop-5-Muscle-Building-Back-Exercises-My-Gym.jpg&hash=d291c5b58dc4c08a1ec26bf0de4bedd12a94c5ed)
Female back:
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcache2.asset-cache.net%2Fgc%2F157610418-beautiful-female-bodybuilder-series-gettyimages.jpg%3Fv%3D1%26amp%3Bc%3DIWSAsset%26amp%3Bk%3D2%26amp%3Bd%3DbGB7VKUuaUusYaMSeLWgtGFb4r8tCYecXE69y6iiFMvFgjZGW9i64aXUOMCeDgoRAbC66KGLgBvuh%252BB2Ykgqmw%253D%253D&hash=4a2a8473e24e3f82a90195d9e79ecccc55164a69)
those images show how muscle stack in woman/men back ... the band measurement is not took at the widest point and also not at the narrowest point but directly under the bust.. You can see that womans tend to have a more rectangular back then mens .. ( it depends at what degree ... dont show me a picture of a bodybuilder woman that take testosterone injections 4x per week lol)
i repost this from an earlier awnser i gave
this is how your breast would look like if they were 36D : http://herbrasize.com/36d-breast-size/
i really doubt they look like this .
Oh the struggles of womanhood.
Like when men sit around talking about their junk being bigger or smaller then other men's.
And here we have tit fights. Arguing about B cups D cups and band sizing. It's hilarious!
Here's the cure-all solution. Measure your garments to your proper fitment.
They are like pants, with all sorts of vanity sizing to flatter us.
Measuring tape doesn't lie. Use it.
Best of wishes gals. :icon_chick:
My band size is 48, with a 52 bust...makes me technically a 48D...but when I went in to try bras on, I took one look at the 48D's and realized a D cup is big enough to fit a softball!!
Mine are more like tennis balls...the pecs and lats (which make up most of the masculine "V" chest shape) really throughs throws off the scale they use for bras, given that the bust line (measured around "the fullest part of the chest") is even higher on the pec+lat triangle.
I wear a 48B, btw.
:)
ETA: correktion...D'oh!
Quote from: Tech_Nymph on January 28, 2016, 01:01:30 PM
Oh the struggles of womanhood.
Like when men sit around talking about their junk being bigger or smaller then other men's.
And here we have tit fights. Arguing about B cups D cups and band sizing. It's hilarious!
Here's the cure-all solution. Measure your garments to your proper fitment.
They are like pants, with all sorts of vanity sizing to flatter us.
Measuring tape doesn't lie. Use it.
Best of wishes gals. :icon_chick:
Tit fits? ;D
Ah, the old bra size debate... :D
The whole adding 4 inches to your band size started as nothing more than "vanity sizing": clothing manufacturers know that a lot of women have insecurities about size, so far easier to sell a 34C bra to a customer than a 30F that makes her think her perfectly normal breasts must be huge...
Of course, some companies added 4 inches to the band and shrunk the cups; some kept band sizes at +0 but made cups bigger; others increased the cup size as the band size increased, so a 32D became a '32B', a 34E became a '34B', etc. As such, nobody really knows what any particular company does, as it varies so much -- and if a store uses a rule such as +4 for all of their bras, they obviously don't know either! :P
I do wish all the size shaming and misconceptions around cup sizes would go away though. 'A DD cup is really big!': uh, no, for most band sizes, it really isn't.
I tried on a DD today and it fit well..... ;D Didnt fit 2 months ago
Today I got measured:
Chest above the breasts - 43
Chest across the nipples - 46
Chest just under the breasts - 40
You do the math.
I went to the store and tried on several bras with sizes ranging from 40C to 42D.
I went home with the 42D.