FIND YOUR FIT
Measured and reviewed by Natalia, Senior Fitter at Journelle Union Square. Certified bra fitter, 12 years on the sales floor, has fitted thousands of clients across brands from Chantelle to Elomi.
We love seeing you in-store to give you the best fit experience, but we’ve figured out the secret formula to help you fit yourself at home. Here's a simple how-to.
STEP ONE:
Put on your best fitting, wired, non-padded bra. Look into the mirror and acknowledge that you look and feel GOOD. Get out your measuring tape - if you don’t have one, any kind of string and a ruler will also work.
STEP TWO:
Run the measuring tape around your back, under your arms, and up around the top of your bust (where your cups meet your straps). Exhale. The tape should be as snug as possible without digging. This number, in inches, is your Band Size. If you get an odd number, round up to the next even number.
STEP THREE:
Run the measuring tape around your back—just under your shoulder blades—and up around the fullest part of your bust. The tape should just skim the bra in front. This is your Bust Measurement.
STEP FOUR:
Subtract to see the difference between your band size measurement and your cup size measurement (if you rounded your band size up to an even number above, use the smaller, odd number for this calculation). The difference in inches corresponds to your cup size.
DIFFERENCE IN INCHES / CUP SIZE
- 1" or less - A
- 2" - B
- 3" - C
- 4" - D
- 5" - DD/E
- 6" - DDD/F
- 7" - DDDD/G
- 8" - DDDDD/H
What about lingerie that is sized S/M/L?
We know there can be a ton of variables when it comes to S/M/L sizing, but we have put a chart to help you find a bralette that loves you back.
Five times the tape lies
(and how to spot it)
Most clients who arrive for a first fitting have measured themselves at home and landed at a size that didn't quite work. The tape isn't lying on purpose — a bra size you can actually wear isn't really a measurement. It's a measurement plus fit testing plus knowing which brands run narrow, deep, or generous. Here are the five reasons the tape most often gets it wrong.
1. You rounded your band up to an even number.
US sizing uses even-numbered bands. If you measured 33 inches, one guide says round to 34; another says add 4 and round. Both answers are often too loose. Our rule: if you measure between sizes and your current bra rides up at the back, size down, not up.
3. Your shape is different from the tape's assumption.
Every layer of padding is tissue your bust measurement adds back into the cup calculation. A lightly lined bra adds about half a cup. A push-up can add a full cup or more.
3. Check Your Band
The calculation assumes tissue is evenly distributed around the chest. In practice, bust shape varies — fuller on top, fuller on bottom, toward the underarm, wider set. Clients who are full-on-bottom often measure into what looks like a B cup but need a full C or D to accommodate their shape.
4. Your back is broader or narrower than your underbust.
A narrow underbust with broad shoulders often needs a band size up for strap comfort; a broad underbust with narrow shoulders can get away with a tighter band. The tape reads one circumference — a fitter's eye reads your whole torso.
5. You have noticeable asymmetry.
Most people do, to some degree. Fit to the larger side and add a removable insert on the smaller side. Sizing down and squeezing the larger breast is the most common fit mistake we un-do at the counter.
FIT TIPS
1. Get Fitted Often
Our bodies change surprisingly frequently. Getting fitted more often—every six months or so—can help you celebrate the body you have and stop cursing the bra you hate.
2. Get Handsy
After you put on your bra, use your hands to position each boob individually in the cup. It makes a HUGE difference (trust). Don't forget to adjust the straps if you need to.
3. Check Your Band
Your bra's band is like Goldilocks: it should be snug enough to provide support, but not so tight it digs in. Juuuuust right: when you pull on the band there should be an inch of room or two knuckles worth of space —and it should always run parallel to the floor. If it rides up in the back, it's most likely too big.
Book a fitting4. Check Your Straps
Nothing ruins a moment like your straps falling down your shoulders. If your straps creep, consider sizing down in the band. Since your band provides 80% of the support, if it's too big, the straps have to step in and they can't handle it.
5. Use The Right Hook
Always try on new bras on the loosest hook. 90% of women think they need to wear their bra on the middle hook and we have no idea why. On the largest hook, the bra can be made smaller as it stretches with wear so it fits better for longer.
6. Keep Trying!
There are lots of ways to get supported. Step outside of your comfort zone! We've seen H cups happily sashay out of our fitting rooms in mesh demis and we've seen A cups forgo padding for the oomph of directional stretch lace. Who says you can't wear "that"? You never know until you try!
DD+ edit7. SHAPE MATTERS
Your bra size (obviously) matters, but your breast shape is just as important. Not all bras are created equal and no two women are alike. Find your breast shape below and explore styles, and silhouettes tailored to your brilliant body.
Teardrop
You carry your fullness on the bottom. Sometimes you find that cups can gape at the top. Teardrops work great in true sweetheart demi silhouettes or with fabric overlays that keep cups lying flat.
Full & Round
You carry your fullness all over. Sometimes you find that your cups don't cover you all the way or that your cups cut into your breasts. Full & Round cups work great in triangle plunge shapes that hug cups without digging.
Compact
You carry your fullness high and your cups are small. Sometimes you find that bras sit away from your body or that lace or fabric doesn't lie flat. Compact cups work great with dimensional stretch fabrics or contoured padding.
Slender
You carry your fullness on the bottom and you've lost some firmness. Sometimes you find your bras gape at the top when you're standing up and you spill out of the cups when you're moving around. Often found post-pregnancy or breastfeeding, Slender cups work great with shallow demis or fabric overlays to hug and elevate curves.
Wide Set
You carry your fullness on the sides. Also often found with broader shoulders and smaller cups. Sometimes you find that bras gape in the center and/or dig under the armpit. Wide Set cups work great with gently curving underwires and generous spacers.
Asymmetric
You carry your fullness more on one side than the other. Every single woman in the world is slightly asymmetric (promise). Asymmetric cups work great with stretch fabrics or shallower contour styles sized to the larger breast.
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Need help?
Frequently Asked Questions
Bra Fit FAQS
How do I measure my bra size without a measuring tape?
A length of string and a ruler works in a pinch. Wrap the string where the tape would go, mark the overlap with your finger, then measure the length against the ruler. The result is slightly less precise than a soft tape, so treat the calculated size as a starting point and confirm with try-on.
Why does my calculated bra size not fit when I try it on?
The most common reasons: you measured in a padded bra (cup comes out too big), your band measurement was taken loose (band comes out too big), or your breast shape is fuller or softer than the calculation assumes. Use the cup and band fit checks in our fit-tips section to troubleshoot, or book a fitting with one of our senior fitters.
How often should I re-measure my bra size?
Every six to twelve months, or any time a bra that used to fit starts not to. Weight change, pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, and surgery all warrant a re-measure sooner.
Is it better to measure yourself or book a professional fitting?
Home measuring works well for most A to D cups and gives you a solid starting point at any size. At DD and above, or if you're between bands, or if you've tried the calculated size and it doesn't work, a professional fitting is faster. Journelle offers free in-store and virtual fittings.
Do bra sizes run differently between brands?
Yes. UK brands like Panache and Freya run narrower in the wire. French brands like Chantelle and Simone Perele run long in the band and small in the cup. US brands like Natori and Cosabella sit in the middle. Our fitters coach clients through brand-specific sizing as part of every fitting.