Bra size
[1] The shape, size, position, symmetry, spacing, firmness, and sag of an individual's breasts vary considerably.
[2] As a result of all these factors, about 25% of bra-wearers have a difficult time finding a properly fitted bra,[3] and some choose to buy custom-made bras due to the unique shape of their breasts.
On 21 November 1911, Parisienne Madeleine Gabeau received a United States patent for a brassiere with soft cups and a metal band that supported and separated the breasts.
[13] Patents for underwire-type devices in bras were issued in 1931 and 1932, but were not widely adopted by manufacturers until after World War II when metal shortages eased.
[citation needed] A number of reports, surveys and studies in different countries have found that between 80% and 85% of women wear incorrectly fitted bras.
[18] Studies have revealed that the most common mistake made by women when selecting a bra was to choose too large a back band and too small a cup, for example, 38C instead of 34E, or 34B instead of 30D.
[21] In a study conducted in the United Kingdom of 103 women seeking mammoplasty, researchers found a strong link between obesity and inaccurate back measurement.
In continental Europe, Milena Lingerie from Poland produces up to cup R. Larger sizes are usually harder to find in retail outlets.
Add to this the many different styles of bras and the lack of standardization between brands, and one can see why finding a comfortable, well-fitting bra is more a matter of educated guesswork, trial, and error than of precise measurements.
Experts recommend that women get fitted by an experienced person[32] at a retailer offering the widest possible selection of bra sizes and brands.
[34] If the underwires poke the breast under the armpit or if the bra's center panel does not lie flat against the sternum,[35] the cup size is too small.
[32] However, even professional bra fitters in different countries including New Zealand[37] and the United Kingdom[38] produce inconsistent measurements of the same person.
[50] Minor asymmetry may be resolved by wearing a padded bra, but severe cases of developmental breast deformity — commonly called "Amazon's Syndrome" by physicians — may require corrective surgery due to morphological alterations caused by variations in shape, volume, position of the breasts relative to the inframammary fold, the position of the nipple-areola complex on the chest, or both.
[54] Researchers ruled out increases in population weight as the explanation and suggested it was instead likely due to more women wearing the correct, larger size.
[citation needed] Bra retailers recommend several methods for measuring band and cup size.
However, the survey sample was drawn from 103 Caucasian student volunteers at a Midwest U.S. university aged 18–25, and excluded pregnant and nursing women.
They noted that "ill-fitting bras and insufficient breast support can lead to the development of musculoskeletal pain and inhibit women participating in physical activity.".
[78] In countries that have adopted the European EN 13402 dress-size standard, the torso is measured in centimetres and rounded to the nearest multiple of 5 cm.
Bra-fitting experts in the United Kingdom state that many women who buy off the rack without professional assistance wear up to two sizes too small.
Marks and Spencers uses AA-A-B-C-D-DD-E-F-G-GG-H-J, leaving out FF and HH, in addition to following the US band sizing convention.
[citation needed] In 2013, underwear maker Jockey International offered a new way to measure bra and cup size.
Some analysts were critical of the requirement to buy the measurement kit, since women must pay about US$20 to adopt Jockey's proprietary system, in addition to the cost of the bras themselves.
Softer tissue require tightening when measuring, this to ensure that the bra band will fit snugly on the body and stay in place.
Japanese sizes are the same as Korean ones, but the cup labels begin with "AA" for a 7.5±1.25 cm difference and usually precedes the bust designation, i.e. "B75" instead of "75B".
The Italian band size uses small consecutive integers instead of the underbust circumference rounded to the nearest multiple of 5 cm.
Here is a conversion table for bra sizes in Italy with respect other countries: Manufacturers' marketing and advertising often appeals to fashion and image over fit, comfort, and function.
He started investigating the problem of bra design while on an assignment from the British government after his wife returned disheartened from an unsuccessful shopping trip.
He theorised that this widespread practice of purchasing the wrong size was due to the measurement system recommended by bra manufacturers.
[citation needed] One of the tools used in the development of Tyrer's design has been a projective differential shape body analyzer for 40,000 GBP.
[citation needed] So the curvature radius of the underwire is the key parameter to determine volume and weight of the breast.
