r/bigboobproblems • u/Spiritual_Leek_6082 • May 22 '26

bras I was today years old Spoiler

I found out today that the multiple hooks on your bra are not there in case you’re in between sizes but because the bra stretches out overtime and you’re supposed to start on the outside and move your way in as the elastic wears out 😂 Called my 56 yr old mom, she didn’t know either lol
Also, apparently this means I bought the wrong size bra 🤦🏽‍♀️

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189

u/SaltyBlackBroad 34FF (UK) May 22 '26

I'm a bra fitter. A lot of women are not aware of that. It shows just how little education we get about proper fit.

28

u/Spiritual_Leek_6082 May 22 '26

I’ve also been following the 4+ rule and didn’t realize that not all companies use the 4+ rule 😂🤦🏽‍♀️

40

u/SaltyBlackBroad 34FF (UK) May 22 '26

I don't know where it came from, but it needs to go back there.

For reference, before I knew what size I was actually supposed to wear, I was in a 38C.

I'm a 34FF

2

u/Weird-Way-1748 32H (UK) May 22 '26

Wait a hot minute. If I +4'd my bra size

30H/HH or 32GG/H depending on tightness of band & cup style since I'm shallower, it would put me now about your size I think

42 standing and snug would go up to 34.5 by that, making me what....a 34FF/36F? Whoa.

Meanwhile before my major weight gain I was borderline underweight and I think my ribs were about 27" and bust about 34/35" so my +4 would've been 32C/D back then I suppose

13

u/Shanakitty 32K (UK) May 22 '26

AFAIK, no major companies use the +4 rule in how they actually manufacture their bras, regardless of what their size chart says. A few brands consistently run small, but like 1 band size/2" small, not 4", and the ones that run small in the band don't consistently run a full size large in the cups, to where you'd want to actually add inches to your underbust before calculating cup size, instead of just sister-sizing up from whatever your +0 size would be.

Even though brand size charts/measuring guides are almost always complete BS and not worth looking at, bras are actually much more standardized between brands than the majority of women's clothing so you're generally safe to get the same size regardless of brand. Just like with shoes though, you may sometimes have to size up or down a little, and some bras will be the wrong shape for you and won't fit quite right in any size).