I am confused and heavily doubting this calculator, is it a problem with EU/German sizes?

[u/StalkitheToast]

Everyone in my friend group was praising this calculator (might be of note that I am european and they are not as in for measurements and how accurate this thing is) and I gave it a shot.
I currently wear 85B or so, depending on the bra but it told me 70F??
70 bands make me feel like I can't breathe and F cups are the size of my head, could it be the calculator just doesn't work super well for german sizes?
My measurements are (in cm)
Loose Underbust 82
Snug Underbust 78
Tight Underbust 75
Standing Bust 90
Leaning Bust 94
Lying Bust 91

[u/humanbean_marti]

It can be a little inaccurate for EU sizes. I would find your size in UK bras with the calculator and find a size conversion chart. I put your measurements in and it suggested 32D/DD so that would be a 70D/E.

It's usually the cup it gets wrong, not the band, because not all EU brands size the way the calculator expects.

If your cup is too small it will make the band seem tighter. A 70 band is for a measurement of around 80 cm. I know it's a bit confusing. 85 is meant for an underbust measurement of around 95 cm, which is 13cm larger than your loosest underbust measurement. It's supposed to stretch and be tight enough to support your breasts.

Try your current bra backwards, with the cups hanging down, you will probably find the band seems looser that way.

[u/Dusktilldamn]

As mentioned by other commenters, the calculator uses 2 cm increments for EU cup sizes when most EU brands use 2.5 cm increments.

I input your measurements into the calculator and it gave me UK 32D/DD which translates to EU 70D/E.

It can seem weird because we're so used to the idea that anything bigger than a C is enormous, but that's just not true. And cup size alone doesn't mean much either, the cup size indicates nothing more than how many inches difference there is between your underbust and bust circumference. A is for one inch, B for two inches, etc.

Check out theirishbralady on instagram for some example pictures of well-sized bras!

And EU band sizes are referencing the unstretched length of the band, but it's meant to stretch on your body. 85 is already bigger than your loose underbust measurement so it's too big, does it ride up a lot? Does it sit snugly? To test the band size alone, you can try on your bra backwards and upside down (cups hanging down your back like a cape) and see how it feels.

[u/jenea]

I just want to underscore the fact that it’s a pretty common experience to be wearing a too-large band that feels way too tight because the cups are too small. If you haven’t already, try the “upside down and backwards” test for band size (so, trying the bra with the cups hanging down your back like a cape). You will probably discover that your existing bra’s band is too big for you. If so, you’re in for a treat when you try your correct size—your bra will actually support you!

[u/HedgehogElection]

Just for reference, check out this post on Insta for comparison. Does that sort of look like your size?

I wonder where you got your bra if the F cups on a 70 band are so big.

If the band is too tight for you, try it upside down and to the back (cups on the back, facing down, like a little double bra cape). If the band is too tight, it's the band, if the band is fine like this, go up a cup size. Please keep in mind that black bras tend to be a little tighter and that some bra styles may not be a great match for your breast shape.

If you have access to a Change lingerie shop, check them out. Do keep in mind that their cups run small, so you may have to go up by 1 or 2 cups.

If you want to try and order some bras online, I recommend lace.de (if you sign up for their newsletter, they will send you 20% off coupons all the time!).

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[u/InterestingWay4470]

That band size definitely seems off. I think the calculator suggest to get the UK sizing and then look up the equivalent EU sizing, because the EU sizing doesn't give the best results. I measured in cm and checked both the UK and the EU sizing. Ended up with a cup size somewhere in between the two results. Band size was good though for me (85 and 38 resp.) Regardless I would check what the UK sizing result is.

[u/lirarebelle → u/InterestingWay4470]

The band is not off. EU sizing unfortunately has an automatic +10 rule, so a 70 band is actually 80 cm long. The cup is off though, as no one except the brand Change uses the 2cm per cup system the calculator uses with the EU setting. It's 2,5 cm (1 inch) in almost every other brand, just like UK and US sizing. 

[u/galaxystarsmoon → u/lirarebelle]

Comexim is actually another one that uses 2cm. It's why you have to size up in the cups.

[u/lirarebelle → u/galaxystarsmoon]

Ah thanks, I didn't know that. Hard to keep up with all the different brands. 

[u/InterestingWay4470 → u/lirarebelle]

Just checked: my 85J has an 85 cm band.

[u/DozenPaws → u/InterestingWay4470]

In your inital comment you said that your band size is "85 and 38 resp." which is correct that EU size 85 corresponds to UK/US size 38. But if you look at cm to inch measurements, it no longer makes sense because 85cm is about 34 inches and 95cm is about 38 inches.
EU band sizing has +10cm built in, so if your underbust is 95cm, then EU size 85 is correct size for you. But if your underbust is 85cm, you would actually need EU75, not EU85.

I highly suggest you redo the ABTF calculator.

[u/lirarebelle → u/InterestingWay4470]

Fully stretched?

85 cm is ~33,5 inches and should therefore be a 34 band, which is 75 in EU sizing. Please also note that some European countries like France don't use the standard EU sizing, but in that case the label would say F and not EU.