According to a national fit study by Wacoal, eight out of ten women in the U.S. or nearly 90 million women over the age of 18 are wearing the wrong size bra. The Wacoal study, conducted among 750 women, also reveals that the most common mistake made by women is wearing a bra in which the band is too big and the cups too small, with an estimated 35 million women making this mistake alone. The wrong sized bra can cause many problems such as back pain, breast pain, arm pain, rashes, and headaches.


Which of these ladies were sized up incorrectly, and how?

Straps too loose, sagging breasts Cups too big
Breasts bulging out of bra (cups too small), band digging in on the side Band riding up in the back
Front of bra sitting away from chest wall  

How can you remedy "Bad Bra Syndrome?" The solution is simple: get sized up correctly!  Moreover, it is very important to measure yourself at least once a year. Many women think that they have the same bra size all the time. The truth is, with bras there is no "till-death-do-us-part" size. Even if your weight is incredibly stable (which is unfortunately untrue for most of us!) your cup size will fluctuate as you age, with hormonal changes, childbirth, breast feeding, menopause and even medication use.

Conventional wisdom has told us the best place to get sized up is at a lingerie store or department store's lingerie section. But women are still wearing the wrong size bra over 70% of the time! The traditional method of bra size measuring just doesn't work for most women.

Dr. Pechter's method of bra size calculation is different than the traditional method of measurement in that it takes into account the relationship between ribcage measurement ("underbust circumference"), breast width and bra size.
His formula has revealed the correct bra size for more than 90% of women.

Consider the Size Me Up!TM Bra Sizing System if you suffer from some of these other traditional bra size problems:

  • Bra makes breasts look pointy
  • Breasts are bulging out of bra
  • Breasts bulge out of sides of bra
  • Wrinkling and squashing of cup
  • Fitted over a year ago
  • Underwire sticks out or digs in
  • Bra rides up the back
  • Shoulder straps dig in shoulders
  • Band around the body digs in
  • Bra doesn't lie flat against body
  • Sagging breasts
  • One breast bigger than other
  • Bigger band but still too tight
  • Bra straps are falling
  • Fat bulging out of back band
  • Bulges over or under the band
  • Lumps above cup
  • Breasts pinched or falling out
  • Bottom of cups not sitting properly below breasts
  • Short straps are short but bra not supportive
  • Straps slip off shoulders when in motion
  • Bra hooks come undone when in motion

You will know you are properly sized up when:

  1. Your bra is comfortable and snug around the body giving you room to breathe. The fabric should not gape, flatten, or squeeze you anywhere.

  2. The band is not cutting or digging in anywhere, and is level at the front and back.

  3. The fullest part of your bust falls approximately at the middle point between your shoulder and elbow.

  4. Your breasts are supported by the cups and band, rather than the straps.

  5. The straps are not digging into your shoulders and are vertical in the front and back.

  6. Your breasts look amazing in all the clothes you wear, no matter what size you are.


More Bra Fit Facts and Articles
Dr. Pechter recommends the following sites and articles for all matters related to bra size:

©Copyright Edward A. Pechter, M.D. All Rights Reserved. Questions? Email us at admin[at]getsizedup.com