About your bra size, and why it might be wrong

I hate bras, I've just always found them really uncomfortable and buying them is almost always expensive (if you want good quality anyway!). I'd worn the same size for about 4 years until one of my friends said she went to get measured and her bra size turned out to be totally different to what she was wearing. I started thinking, maybe this is why I find bras so irritating because I'm wearing the wrong size?

I've tried to measure myself once before and failed - the first time I tried, I ended up as a 38A, the second time I tried I ended up as a 34AA. Now, I knew for a fact I was definitely not an A or AA cup size just by looking, so the measuring guides had me really confused, so I decided to get measured.

This was the guide that confused me so much - why am I adding 3-5 inches?!!

I first went to Bravissimo where I was almost instantly told I was definitely wearing the wrong size bra, the back strap was curved upwards and I often experienced what is known as the "quad boob" problem. Clearly, I was wearing the wrong size bra. The shop assistant went to get me a bra to try on, and straight away it felt much more comfortable, and weirdly enough even though it was quite a big cup size, I fit into it (and actually shouted the cup size at the top of my voice in shock when she told me) and so she gave me my new bra size - I had gone up 4 cup sizes from the poorly fitting bras I had been wearing.

However, I wasn't sure I was a whole 4 cup sizes bigger, it just didn't seem right to me - not that I'm dissing Bravissimo, cause like I said the bra they gave me to try on did fit and it was super comfy, but I decided to get a second opinion, just to be sure.

I went to Matalan one day with my mum, and I was surprised to see that they did bra fitting in that particular store, so, of course, I decided I'd get my second opinion here. They do have a measuring guide on their website, but like I said I was rubbish at measuring myself. The shop assistant measured me, then came in with a bra that was two cup sizes bigger than my ill-fitting bras and another that was one cup size bigger, and the former fitted me much better.

So after much debate (with myself) I decided to go with bras that were two cup sizes bigger than my original size for everyday wear, one cup size bigger for.. you know... when you want them to look good with cleavage and stuff... and three sizes bigger, for comfort wear like sleeping or exercising.

Honestly, I was quite shocked even when I was told they were one size bigger, let alone four, but according to La Senza, 8 out of 10 women are wearing the wrong bra size, and I was definitely one of them. I should mention, it's not just the cup size that's important, the band plays a huge part too. I was once told that if you usually wear, say a 34C then you can also wear a 32D, but I'm not entirely sure if that's true. The band size remained the same for me anyway.

I think it's important that women know this, not only because of the look that wearing the wrong bra size can give you but also because of the feel. I used to find bras super uncomfortable and always had those red marks when I took it off, and of course the "quad boob" when I was wearing them (which looks really bizarre in t-shirts) but now that I know my size, I feel much more comfortable and they don't look so weird in t-shirts anymore!

I highly recommend, if you're reading this and you have never been measured, to get yourself measured. It's completely free, and they do it in M&S, Debenhams, and as mentioned above, La Senza, Bravissimo and Matalan. There are probably other places that do it too - just ask! Also, if you lose/gain weight, it's probably a good idea to get your bra size re-checked because it will likely be different to the one you're wearing. Even if it turns out you are wearing the right size, at least then you know for certain. :)