If you’ve ever taken your own bra measurements at home, you might have wondered if you’re doing it right. It can be confusing, even frustrating, which is why we’ve streamlined the process with our simple 2-step guide. All you need is a tape measure and two easy measurements: underneath your arms directly above your bust and across the widest part of your bust. Once you get these 2 numbers, our bra size calculator will do the rest.

But have you ever wondered why we take measurements where we do — specifically, taking the band measurement *above* the bust? Though it may seem a bit counterintuitive, measuring for your band size above your bust is the most straightforward way to do so, and has become commonplace in the industry.

Previously, the industry norm was to measure directly underneath the bust and add 4 inches if you measured to an even number, or 5 inches if you measured to an odd number. This added number would be your band size, but doing it this way can be much more confusing and add unnecessary steps.

Instead, taking your band measurement above your bust makes this process much easier. The circumference above the bust is generally larger than underneath, and this difference in measurement will account for the added inches mentioned previously. So, taking the measurement above the bust means the number you measure is simply rounded up to the nearest whole number, which becomes your band size — no math required! Though measuring above and under the bust are both generally accepted methods, here at Glamorise, we make things easier by using the above measurement.

To calculate your bra size at home, you will need to:

  1. Measure the length of your bra band size.
    To get this measurement, wrap a tape measure around your back and chest under the arms so it's snug without being overly tight and sitting just above the bustline. Round the measurement up to the nearest whole number.
  2. Measure the length of your bust size.
    To get this measurement, use a tape measure to measure around the fullest part of your bust, keeping the tape measure loose enough that it's not squeezing your breasts.
  3. Type both measurements into the bra size calculator tool.


If you need help learning your bra size, chat with one of our fit specialists here. We’ll get you wearing the perfect-fitting bra in no time!

Author: Maeve Gesualdi
Last updated on: 8/31/21

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