LADY HELP NEEDED (weight loss and bra issues)!

callsitlikeiseeit

okay so i need lady help (sorry guys you have to sit this one out). i would ask my real friends but i dont think any of them have ever lost enough weight for this to be an issue. lets talk boobs (BOYS GO AWAY!) .

So i WAS a 44dd. i was okay with this - i liked my boobs. obviously, because the fates hate me, this is where im losing all my weight from (at least initially). I know im going to have to get new bras soon so I go measure myself.

40 bust. okay. 4" smaller (but i wont record it till my next official recording). Going on, I use my handy dandy super easy never fails always works bra measuring chart and its telling im now a 40H?!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT? i dont understand. How is the cup size getting BIGGER while i know the rest is shrinking and clothes that never fit now do (just this weekend ive had 3 jackets that i could NEVEWR wear zip fully up with room to spare for the first time ever!).

am i missing some girl knowledge about these things? i dont care about the numbers or letters, it just doesnt make SENSE to me. wouldnt a OMGFREAKING H be bigger than DD? and if so, why are clothes and stuff fitting now? wouldnt it still not fit? im so very confused...... all i want to do is buy a new bra LMAO

JPW1990

Cup sizes aren't constant, they depend on your band size. Your chart is telling you exactly right, because a 40H is bigger than a 40DD, but a 44DD is bigger than a 40DD.

callsitlikeiseeit

but how can i be bigger.... yet smaller at the same time? i think thats whats messing with me LOL

segacs

The cup size is just the difference between your bust and under-bust measurements. If you lose more weight from under your bust than you do from the breasts, then your cup size will increase and your band size will decrease.

TheVirgoddess

Your actual cup volume (your boobie size) isn't actually getting bigger. It's staying the same, it's just that we think a D cup is always a D cup, and that's not true.

A 32D isn't the same as a 36D, volume wise - the 36D would actually be equivalent to 32F. As your band size goes up/down, all things being equal, your cup size changes.

Here, read this: http://blog.butterflycollection.ca/2012/05/bra-school-not-all-d-cups-are-same-size.html

pope705

Because you lost more in your band area than your cups. So a 40H is actually smaller than a 44DD. If you compare bras with same cup size but different bands you will see that the smaller the band the smaller the cup. Even though they have the same letter.

TL;DR - it's just a letter. Ignore it if it confuses you. Just focus on your inches lost and how you look in the mirror.

MelodyandBarbells

Did you measure both your bust and band size? It's been a while since I did any reading on this but I think you're supposed to measure both

callsitlikeiseeit

you know, us women are just screwed with clothing sizes from our bras to our shoes LOLOLOLOL

i guess i get it. still seems weird LOLOL

callsitlikeiseeit

yes i measured both, @JaneiR36 lol

lauren13stone

Just go try some on!

JPW1990

You can try this calculator if you want more confirmation. It also has a more detailed explanation of how cup sizing actually works:
http://www.brasizecalculator.tk/

LeenaGee

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

....... and clothes that never fit now do (just this weekend ive had 3 jackets that i could NEVEWR wear zip fully up with room to spare for the first time ever!).

Maths was never my thing so I will leave that to the other ladies but hey good for you - you must be doing something right.

massage_gal

Try them on. Go to the store. Those measurements don't always work. I know they won't have H in stock, try on the DD or D. Trust me, the boob size does come down eventually.

Liftng4Lis

Well ya learn something new every day.

callsitlikeiseeit

what do you mean they wont have an H in stock ughhhhhhhhhh maybe ill just live in sports bras and tight camis for awhile LOLOLOL

azulvioleta6

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

Your actual cup volume (your boobie size) isn't actually getting bigger. It's staying the same, it's just that we think a D cup is always a D cup, and that's not true.

A 32D isn't the same as a 36D, volume wise - the 36D would actually be equivalent to 32F. As your band size goes up/down, all things being equal, your cup size changes.

Here, read this: http://blog.butterflycollection.ca/2012/05/bra-school-not-all-d-cups-are-same-size.html

Yep--cup volume varies with band size.

It's not a bad idea to get professionally measured. I've heard really good things about Nordstrom for this.

dinosaurparty

Kay, so a couple things (from someone who used to size bras for a living. I think I remember all of this, haha).

1. Cup size is directly related to band size. If you go down in the size of your band, you will also go up in the size of your cup - the cup, however, isn't going to change in volume, just name. It sounds like you have lost weight around your ribcage (so you need a smaller band), but your breasts have stayed the same size (so your cup size with have 'gone up', to compensate for a smaller band). For every band size you go down, you can sort of assume you will 'gain' a cup size.

If someone has, say 32DD boobs, and another person is a 36C, their breasts are roughly the same size. It's a bit confusing, but it make cross sizing easy. If you go to the store tomorrow and the 40H bra you try on doesn't feel perfect, or they're missing your size altogether, you can try out a 42G, or even a DDD or F (which may be easier to find). These cups will be similar in size.

2. Your clothes are probably starting to fit better around the chest because you are losing fat from your back area, not because you've lost anything from your boobs. The fates don't hate you, haha!

3. Sort of unrelated, but I figured it never hurts to mention it. Since it sounds like you're really chugging away at your weight loss, make sure that your band fits nice and snug when you buy your new bras! Bands can quickly relax like 2+inches with normal daily wear. You don't want your bra to cut in and cause red marks, but you don't want it loose either, or you will probably find yourself shopping for new ones faster than you need to

JPW1990

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

what do you mean they wont have an H in stock ughhhhhhhhhh maybe ill just live in sports bras and tight camis for awhile LOLOLOL

FWIW, once I learned the right way to measure, I've been able to order straight from amazon and never had one yet that didn't fit. That's not even being brand specific, just sticking to the same general style.

Azexas

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

but how can i be bigger.... yet smaller at the same time? i think thats whats messing with me LOL

The same thing happened to me. I went from a 38B to a 32C. From what I understand of it, your breasts haven't gotten bigger or smaller but as your band size decreased the cup size has to adjust to offer the same support- I think...I'm like 97.2% sure. And also as another poster has said- it could vary depending on brand.

dinosaurparty

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

what do you mean they wont have an H in stock ughhhhhhhhhh maybe ill just live in sports bras and tight camis for awhile LOLOLOL

Lots of plus-size ladies stores will carry H size bras, and larger It's honestly not that unusual a size. You probably won't have any luck in Victoria's Secret, but look up lingerie stores in your area and you are sure to find something. These places can be pricey, but usually the employees really know their stuff and will be able to find you something that works. Like JPW1990 said, you can also try online.

callsitlikeiseeit

dinosaurparty wrote: »

Kay, so a couple things (from someone who used to size bras for a living. I think I remember all of this, haha).

1. Cup size is directly related to band size. If you go down in the size of your band, you will also go up in the size of your cup - the cup, however, isn't going to change in volume, just name. It sounds like you have lost weight around your ribcage (so you need a smaller band), but your breasts have stayed the same size (so your cup size with have 'gone up', to compensate for a smaller band). For every band size you go down, you can sort of assume you will 'gain' a cup size.

If someone has, say 32DD boobs, and another person is a 36C, their breasts are roughly the same size. It's a bit confusing, but it make cross sizing easy. If you go to the store tomorrow and the 40H bra you try on doesn't feel perfect, or they're missing your size altogether, you can try out a 42G, or even a DDD or F (which may be easier to find). These cups will be similar in size.

2. Your clothes are probably starting to fit better around the chest because you are losing fat from your back area, not because you've lost anything from your boobs. The fates don't hate you, haha!

3. Sort of unrelated, but I figured it never hurts to mention it. Since it sounds like you're really chugging away at your weight loss, make sure that your band fits nice and snug when you buy your new bras! Bands can quickly relax like 2+inches with normal daily wear. You don't want your bra to cut in and cause red marks, but you don't want it loose either, or you will probably find yourself shopping for new ones faster than you need to

thanks, that explained it nicely! and... im okay with losing back fat LOLOLOL

segacs

A great explanation here:
http://www.herroom.com/bra-fitting-center,954,30.html

dinosaurparty

Glad I could help!

When you do go to buy a new bra, don't focus too heavily on numbers. Just find something that fits you right. Different brands can vary really wildly between the way they fit, particularly when you get into the DDD - H range. Going to a lingerie shop where the employees are trained to size you properly will really help, but if you find yourself in a department store, look for a comfortable fit first, and don't be discouraged if the first ones you try on aren't perfect.

EHisCDN

Don't worry, this is normal. I've gone up cup sizes but down band sizes. When my bras don't fit anymore I make sure to get measures at the store before buying anything!

kjarvo

because think of it in 2d with a pizza. A 7" pizza (body) with a 1"(a) crust (boobs) still has less crust amount than a 10" pizza with a 1" crust (still a cup). The difference between the two is still 1 inch, an a cup, but the bigger size has a bigger crust obviously. So your body might go from a 10 inch with 1 inch crust to a 6 inch with 2 inch (b) crust, the overall crust is smaller even though the difference is bigger. Sorry for the stupid analogy haha.

zyxst

kjarvo wrote: »

because think of it in 2d with a pizza. A 7" pizza (body) with a 1"(a) crust (boobs) still has less crust amount than a 10" pizza with a 1" crust (still a cup). The difference between the two is still 1 inch, an a cup, but the bigger size has a bigger crust obviously. So your body might go from a 10 inch with 1 inch crust to a 6 inch with 2 inch (b) crust, the overall crust is smaller even though the difference is bigger. Sorry for the stupid analogy haha.

Now I want pizza.