Someone mentioned B is the average breast size of women. I'm wondering where this came from? I'd dare say over eighty percent of the women I have known are C cup.
The thread went on to talk about not wearing a brassier. Again I'm wondering where in the world these women live? Come on ladies, if a woman isn't wearing a bra it's easy enough to tell. I don't recall the last time I saw a woman without a bra. Several years.
Okay, let's talk about measurements. Women who know measure the chest under the boobs. That is bra size. Very few women really understand the next part is pure trial and error. All breasts are not made the same nor shaped the same. Taking a tape and measuring under the breasts and then measuring over the breasts is a guess at what cup size one needs. It is a start. Young firm breasts will be closer to finding the right cup with that kind of guess work. Older droopy breasts won't even come close. If you don't know, stop buying your bras from Wally World and get some real help from the Women's Specialty Store where they are trained in fitting undergarments. I have read ninety percent of the women are wearing the wrong bra. I believe it.
Now we figured out how women measure for breasts let's go to how men figure breasts. A 32 C for women will be a 36 in men's measurements. When we say, "She's 36-26-36" That's a guy's descriptive measurements. Unless you are writing for a woman's undergarment catalog, it would behoove you to write using men's perspective descriptions. I promise saying she is 32-26-36 doesn't do as much for men's tiny little brains as 36-26-36. Want to see men get whiplash and eyeball strain watch as a 40-22-36 walks into the room. They will tell their wives and girlfriends they weren't staring. We all know better. Curves draw attention. Pack them under a beautiful face, long flowing mane, on top of long legs and we are talking about the stuff that sets men's hearts aflutter and their minds on fire. If you got it enjoy it because it won't last forever.
If one doesn't wear a bra and she has boobs. Her choice but I need some mind bleach just to get past that one. Not a pretty picture. Call me old fashion but a girl needs to keep something for the bedroom.
Comments
What drives me crazy is how
What drives me crazy is how people don't understand relative chest sizes.
(This is related to the "men's measurement" above. )
If someone is a 44 D - she's fat. Period.
My wife is almost 6 feet tall, and overweight. She's a 42-44D. To _not_ be overweight and have a chest size of 44, she'd have to be 7 feet tall - or more.
When she was in the more normal weight range, she was still around a 36-38 (or so I was told by her) in high school.
Next - cup sizes. DD's are NOT the next size up from a D. Generally, the doubling of a cup size refers to the width of the boobs. A DD doesn't stick out any further than a D, but there's more boob in there. The word 'Perky' cannot be used to describe a boob larger than a C without implants. In general, it would rarely describe a boob bigger than a B, and I've known A's and B's that couldn't be 'perky' if they tried.
Fittings. I can guarantee that most women don't know what a properly fitting bra is like. Even a lot of fitting places don't really know how to do it. Spend the money, get at least _one_ bra that fits really well. Then you can go back to Mall-Wart or Target and get your daily wear bras, and be reasonably assured of what it _should_ fit right when you try it on. I've taken more than one woman to a local lingerie place and paid for them to get a fitting. Imagine that when the 44D turned out to be a 40DDD - and her bras went from burning out in four months to lasting two years. Another was a D cup, but at least found bras she felt better about wearing.
[Edit]
Oh yeah - it also drives me crazy when I read stories (mostly on FM, but here) when people refer to their 'large C-cup boobs'. "C" is pretty much a standard size. Quit calling it -large-. G cup - yes, that's large.
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
You mean to tell me all that
You mean to tell me all that BPA stuff lining the plastic of cans, bottles, etc. have no effect? What about rBGH?
I mean I've seen far too many fairly small women/girls with very large breasts, usually D.
large
There's lots of stuff you can read on the internet about what "average" is, how accurate those claims are I'm not really sure. The reports frequently mention the rise in obesity as well. You also have to bear in mind that they're talking about the entire age range of bra users.
On the other hand, most of the TG fiction covers the breast sizes of people under the age of 25, and often under the age of 20, most of whom are reported in the stories as being on the slender side. In other words, an age range and general fitness level where a C cup would indeed be likely to be considered on the large size.
This is absolutely comical !
The life of a woman is not her bra. Sure, a woman's breasts are part of her identity. Just talk to a woman who's lost her breasts to cancer. However, all things being equal, a woman has oh so much more to deal with.
She must be scrupulously clean down below, where a man just does his duty, shakes it out, and with a quick stuff and zip, he's done.
A Woman must pay attention to make sure that her top matches her bottom and the shoes match both, and that her jewelry and makeup complements her outfit and is appropriate for the time of day.
On top of that, most women have one to seven other people to take care of along with herself.
Out on the street, other women are partners in the struggle with them, while males must be dealt with with caution. During her day, women generally try to reinforce others, except when they don't. She can expect many of the males she deals with to see her as somehow weaker, and once in a while these men try to demean her just because they can.
Yes, Virginia there is a great deal more than a bra.
Wish
I wish more women would act like it, in terms of the struggle. Look at those women's magazines which clearly have photo-shopped covers that show an impossible shape to attain. This, in turn, helps contribute to the high rate of Bulimia and Anorexia when teenage girls try achieving a shape that is quite literally impossible.
The thing is, a lot of those womens' magazines aren't edited by men.
Honestly I've thought about starting up a nude magazine for women that has nothing photo-shopped and would not allow any women who have had plastic surgery. The second one is another of the most destructive things for women. Hearing how often Korean girls get a nose job makes me sick or that eyelid surgery. Women don't need these tools to make them beautiful, they are that without them.
Actually...
According to this wonderfully well written guide... A lot of women wear the wrong bra size. And yes, this can include women who have been professionally fitted.
And, believe it or not, the source of this is from Reddit. There's a specific subreddit called A Bra That Fits.
Here is a link to their fitting guide.
~And so it goes...
Bras are weird
It all depends on the individual bra. I have 36 and 38 B, C, and even D-cup bras. *I'm* no different - the bras are.
There's a thread...
on the A Bra That FIts subreddit where they collect information about different bra manufacturers to help address that very thing.
~And so it goes...
A Bra that Fits
I just try them on... in those ridiculously small and hot and hot ... and small change hot rooms...
I'm a little claustrophobic. Get it? "Little?" Heh...
Anyway, even the same brand has different fits in the same line: 36C fitting exactly like their 38B, for instance. Trying them on is really necessary.
Wierdnest of Bra Sizing
You said it sister! I'm wearing a 38A Walmart, which is bigger than my JCPenny's 40A, my Lily's 36B. However it's ventilated on the bottom of the cup and has no under wire so it's quite comfy when it's hot out.
*HUGS*
Robi
I think this is what's REALLY meant
...by "size doesn't matter". ;-)
All women are fiction readers.
At least when it comes to shopping for clothes sizes.
Maybe there should be a special award for "most creative label" with subcategories for Size and Care Instructions....
The observation about Walmart vs Penney etc, reminds me of someone I know who was on vacation visiting relatives, when a formal occasion came up that required wardrobe she hadn't packed.
She's usually a Macys, Lord & Taylor type. Very stylish and petite. Usually a size four or six. But the only store remotely close was a Walmart about 30 miles away.
She was getting discouraged and a bit frantic trying to find something that came even close to fitting, until her cousin who had given her the ride to Walmart, finally found a tactful way to suggest the childrens section.
This might have been the only time she didn't complain about how fast kids grow up these days and how "inappropriately adult" girls fashion was becoming. :-D
B cups
According to stats published by the fashion industry.
North Americans have grown and are now averaging B+ almost C cups. However past postings did mark us as being Bees. *grin*
Dayna.
ps. Countries around the world have their own average depending on their cultural makeup.
Average???
According to The Huffington Post the average bra size has gone up from 34B to 34DD in the last 20 years.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann
Are Bra's Weird, or do my boobs hate some makers?
As Michelle says,
Bra's are weird, personally I think it's my boobs that are rebelling against some makers????
Why, because when I wear a well fitting bra, I honestly forget I have a bra on, Hedona Chantelle for instance I am a very
comfortable 38C.
If I try a La perla bra, forget is it's so uncomfortable it's unwearable, this is why I blame my boobs, they have a growth spurt
because they don't like the make. (stupid girls)
You can wear a well fitting Bra all day and not notice, as already been said even the 'professionals' can get it wrong, but sometimes they
get it right.
Hugs
Christina
How's the saying go? you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince? well it's the same with bra's
When a 36C isn't a 36C (Really)
Christina, I don't think your breasts are rebelling. I think it's the makers aren't using the same ruler when measuring their finished product.
My wife wears different sizes, depending the manufacturer. Wearing a Playtex, its one size, with Leading Lady or Glamorize, its another.
My shoes are the same way. New Balance, I'm a 14 D in a Converse a 16 D.
I mostly do not bra
One reason may be is that around 2006 or so, I was very ill and had loads of Bed Bug bites and they prescribed medication that thinned my skin out enough that I can cut myself very easily and tight things get very uncomfortable.
You can't tell I am not wearing a bra.
Statistics and Average Bra size
According to articles I have read, the average Bra and Cup sizes are all based upon manufacturer's sales. They don't even consider that one woman may buy 3 bras in a year while another might buy 5 or 6. So while it's an easy way to get an average, it's not all that accurate.
Hugs,
Mark <3
It also depends on those
It also depends on those women who might actually have a bra for during their period, which is larger than their 'normal' bras. Plus the pregnant women buying bras that _aren't_ specifically maternity bras.
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
And I imagine that women with
And I imagine that women with bigger breasts need to replace their bras more often than women with smaller breasts.
Depends on how badly fitted
Depends on how badly fitted they are (see one of my earlier posts). Badly fitted bras wear out faster than well fitted bras.
Also - how you care for them.
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
They really are great!
Check out those links I put in my earlier post. There's lots and lots of good information about bras, brands, good fitting and such.
:)
~And so it goes...
For M->F measuring is even more important
A lot of M->F have bigger chests (not breasts) and hormones may only yield much smaller breasts proportionately.
Bras have changed a bit in how they are sized a bit too since the 1960s based on what I've read so what was 36B for me before is more like a 34C now and I even needed implants to be that big *sigh*. My mediocre 34.5-27-34 figure is not much to talk about sadly, very junior missish.
Exactly
The comment above about a 44D woman being automatically 'fat' was making rather too many assumptions. As a former rugby player my chest maxed out at 52", and not a lot of that was fat. MtF and FtM people have particular issues in most cases, revolving around relative hip and shoulder size. It is just an unfortunate fact of life. It means, in my case, that I have to search around for bras to fit my chest size, and I then find myself with another issue: cup size presumptions. Apparently, every woman with a band size over 44" is a D-cup or larger. Which I most definitely am not.
I was spare the huge chest size problem obviously
I am fairly slender for my height though I have the usual relatively wider than average shoulder problem; not big in absolute terms.
But still I should be about another inch narrower in certain places. My understanding is that it may have some influence on implant techniques also so for an M->F with bigger chests it is best to go to a surgeon experienced in dealing with it. I am pretty much in standard female range so I did not bother telling my surgeon about my history. I went from a AA to a B. 36B and 34C of course is the same breast size just different strap size of course. For some bras (push up) even a 32D could work.
Silver lining for having small breasts
.... that are mostly implants? Unless modesty is needed, I don't wear a bra since the girls don't bob much unless I run.
After wearing one the whole day we all know how it feels to Take It Off!
The comment above about fat
The comment above about fat was about women. It's that writers of stories keep assuming that bigger numbers mean bigger boobs - rather than larger chest.
Again, I have personal experience with it. Even very tall women don't tend to have barrel chests - unless they're overweight.
The _stories_ all talk about women who aren't roly-poly, but have big boobs. So, therefore, they should stop using the numbers, because they keep describing their svelte and busty characters as being obese.
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
It's all relative...
Different manufacturers make the cups a different size and/or shape. They space the cups differently, etc. The best way to find bras that fit well and support well is to get a professional fitting at a high end store (like Nordstroms)... That said, once you've had that good fitting, you'll find that most that are labeled the same as the size you "wear" will mostly fit. Some will be more comfortable than others.
As to size, as others have indicated quite a lot of factors come into play... And, yes, just because you're an adult doesn't mean your boobs have stopped growing! (When my wife & I got married, she was a 36-C. Now, a little over weight, she's a 38-F or G (depending on the bra.) My 26 yr old is a 36-H and her younger sister (a high school senior) is a 34-G. So - in my house, the average is MUCH larger than a C... :-) But, I'd not want much more than the 38-C I currently have (Maybe a 38-D would be nice, or 36-D, when I get my excess off) as seen what the larger chest (vast tracks of land as my older daughter puts it) can do... And, a Victoria's Secret "Bombshell" line let's me sorta experience a 38-DD... And, while armor plated, they can get a bit in the way.
The comment about the effect of a well endowed figure on a percent of the population... Yeah, it happens (not when I walk in, but, the daughters deal with it)... And, as many may have seen/read, some take the appearance as an "invitation" to more.
BTW - There's a very good chance that any girl with DD+ boobs can qualify for an insurance paid for (medically necessary) breast reduction operation (not something generally read about here) because the weight of the boobs, even with a well fitting bra - where the band takes most of the weight - there is likely some distortion of one of the bones in the shoulder! (This from my brother-in-law, a surgeon. He says the problem is easily discernible in x-rays.)
As to what size M2F trans folks can grow... My doc (and literature I've read) said that we typically max out at one or two cup sizes smaller than our female blood relatives. She also indicated that it is not uncommon for us (her experience is that about 1/3 of the time) to grow a cup size in the year following GRS.
Annette
Thankfully I am not average
I spent twenty years of my life trying to develop beauty above my clavicles only to find that I got instant attention with a bit of enhancement just below. If not eye contact. You may think I attract only a certain type of man but you would wrong. It truly enlarges the pool of contestants for my time and if lucky, my affection.
Jill
P.S. I agree, get professionally fitted. The only problem with that is that the choices, while comfy, are often drab. You can usually use that fitting elsewhere as a guide.
sorry had to revive this one.
measuring my chest, I get 38" for most of my life. hmm, odd, now it is 34" to 36"
and cup size, 34B from La Senza is perfectly comfortable
36B from La Vie en Rose is also a perfect fit
Triumph brand 38A works well..
Wally's, well that really depends on the style of the bra, anywhere from 34D to 36A/B
and from what I have learned, the cup sizes go [ smallest to largest ]
aa, a, bb, b, cc, c, dd, d, ee, e ... ]
the double letters is a bit smaller than the full cup.
Stupidity is a capital offense. A summary not indictable.