Everything Women Should Know About Bra Fitting: The Complete Guide

Flashing back to your adolescent and teenage years, you’ll probably recall the first time you were taken to an undergarment department store or boutique. While scanning through the store, you see multiple styles of bras and panties—an uncomfortable sight at first.

That uncomfortability turns into confusion when you notice multiple numbers and letters labelling the bras into specific categories throughout the entire store. A brand ambassador helps you pick out a few styles and guides you to a fitting room. Then, you throw the most awkward fashion show in your fitting room until you find the best-fitting bra(s).

Finding the perfect bra is no one-time task; it’s a responsibility you’ll need to revisit as you grow in age and stage, from adolescence, to adulthood, maternity, through sickness, and for health. No matter the stage, bras are necessary to support, shape, and flatter the female body throughout their daily lives.

But how do you determine whether you’re wearing a proper fitting bra? Read to learn everything you need to know about the bra fitting process.

How to Understand Bra Sizing: The Basics

There are two important factors that will determine the right bra size: your band size and your cup size—also known as the numbers and letters labelling all of the undergarments in your local bra boutique.

To get started, measure your band size. Lightly trace a tape measure around your body. Measure from two to three inches above your bust around to the middle of your back and record the inches. If you are in between sizes it is best to round down, as bra straps stretch significantly over time. To measure your cup size, loosely trace a tape measure directly on top of your bust around to the middle of your back. Record this number in inches as well.

To get your final bra measurement, subtract the first measurement from the second measurement, ((second measurement (-) first measurement)). The sum of this will determine the letter grade of your bra size. 1=A, 2=B, 3=C, 4=D. Pair this with your initial band size (your first measurement), and you’ve discovered your final bra size. An example of a bra size is 38C. Check out our Bra Fitting Guide for more details

How to Find the Right Fit

A proper fitting bra is determined by three distinctive features: the straps, the band, and the cups. Your bra straps should be tight enough to hold your breasts up between your shoulders and elbows, without cutting off your shoulders’ blood circulation. Test your straps’ tightness by slipping your index finger underneath both bras straps. If you can do this with ease, you’re in the clear.

Pay attention to the middle front of your bra to test your band size. This section should sit securely against your breastbone. Your band should lay straight along the front and back of your body on the loosest hook.

You’ll know you’re wearing the right cup size when your breasts are fully supported within the bra cups, whether you are wearing a compression bra (resembling tank tops or crop tops) or an encapsulation bra (a two-cup bra, encapsulating each breast separately). In either case, make sure that your breasts are pressed tightly to your chest with little to no wiggle room, and completely covered with no spillage.

With all of these features in their proper place, you should feel the most confident in any thing you wear. The best fitting bras bring out the best in you—the best shape, the most flattering curves, an upright stature, and undeniable comfort.

When Should You Revamp Your Bra Collection?

Out with the old, in with the new. Revamping your bra collection is an absolute must. Bras are a part of a woman’s everyday wardrobe and are susceptible to wear and tear every so often.

You’ll know it’s time for a new bra if the best part of your day is taking your bra off. A well-fitting bra looks and feels seamless, as if there’s nothing underneath your clothing. You won’t experience bruising from exposed wires and worn straps or appear to have deformed breasts while wearing old, stretched-out and distressed bras.

Breast sizes also tend to fluctuate due to weight, dietary standards, medical state, or illness, so it’s best to book a bra fitting once every six months.

Why Bra Fittings Are Necessary

Setting annual time aside for a professional bra-fitting is a true form of self-care. The breasts are one of the most delicate areas of the female body. To avoid physical stress, breasts—large or small—need full support as often as possible to protect women from experiencing back pain, headaches, and other potential debilitations. Wearing the right-fitting bra has also proven to improve overall posture.

Bra fittings equip you with in-depth knowledge as your body evolves overtime. It’s also the perfect opportunity to get the inside scoop for the top-performing bra styles and types (and those best for your body type) on the market as new bra innovations arise.

A typical bra fitting can last up to 30 minutes, with a quick measurement to start, followed by several style try-ons and consults.

Due for a Bra Fitting? Sports Bras Is Ready to Help

At this point, you’re likely wondering when or where to start or continue your fitting journey. Start with an online E-Bra Fitting Quiz to find the perfect bra for you. Our customers have been using the E-Bra Fitting Quiz since 2003, and even more in the last couple of years as the demand to purchase bras online has increased.

Our bra fitting experts will pick out the top three bras best suited to you and your needs.

At Sports Bras, we promote healthy living, quality products and sustainable support. Let us help you find your next perfect bra—we’ll give you less bounce for your buck.

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Galentine’s Day: A Toast to Support

By Brigitte Lessard • February 13, 2025

Galentine’s Day: Cheers to Your Boobs & Besties! It’s Galentine’s Day, and whether you’ve already had brunch or you’re counting down to happy hour, there’s still plenty of time to celebrate the incredible women in your life. Today is all about raising a mimosa (or a coffee, or whatever’s in that tumbler at your desk—we won’t judge) to the ride-or-dies who have been there through bad dates, questionable haircuts, and the sheer tragedy of a snapped bra strap in public. How to Celebrate Your Besties Right Now Your best friends are the ones who hype you up, pick you up, and call you out when necessary (like when you text your ex… again). They are your therapists, your karaoke partners, your late-night snack enablers, and the ones who remind you that you deserve the best—whether that’s love, success, or a well-fitted sports bra. So take a moment today to show them some love. Send them a message filled with inside jokes. Drop off a coffee to their office. Venmo them $5 for a treat. If you’ve got plans later, go big: bring flowers, make a toast, and remind them they are a gift to this world. And if you’re apart, plan a Galentine’s movie night for the weekend—complete with snacks, cocktails, and an over-the-top rom-com lineup. Friendship: The Love That Lasts We often put so much weight on romantic love, chasing butterflies and grand gestures, but let’s be real—our friendships are the true love stories. How many times have we cried over a breakup, only to be scooped up by the very friends who knew it wouldn’t last? While romance may come and go, friendships are the steady, unwavering presence in our lives, sticking with us through every high, low, and “what was I thinking?” moment. So today, let’s celebrate the relationships that truly stand the test of time—the ones built on laughter, loyalty, and a deep, unconditional love that no candlelit dinner could ever replace. Galentine’s Day: A Toast to Support

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Bra: Lifting Adventures

By Brigitte Lessard • February 4, 2025

Ever gone on a trip and realized you packed the wrong bras for that horseback riding adventure or pickleball match? Painful mistake!!! A friend of mine (we’ll call her Sarah to protect the unsupported) came back from a romantic getaway to Mexico with her boyfriend and immediately called me. Not to gush about the sunsets, the margaritas, or the dreamy beach walks—but to confess her massive packing mistake. Sarah had packed push-up bras for “nice vacation vibes” and ONE comfy pullover sports bra for lounging. She figured she was set. She figured wrong. Push-Up Perils & Pullover Problems The first disaster? Pickleball. Sarah and her boyfriend had a fun little couples competition planned at the resort courts, but what she didn’t plan for was her push-up bra trying to escape the match. “Brigitte, I swear my boobs were moving more than the ball,” she told me. “Every time I jumped or reached, I had to stop and fix them. It was NOT cute.” She finished the game—barely—but her boyfriend won, mostly because she was too busy readjusting. 🫣🎾 Then came the horseback riding excursion. 🐎 Sarah imagined herself riding along the beach, wind in her hair, looking like a movie star. Instead, she was bouncing uncontrollably, holding onto the saddle with one hand and her chest with the other. The pullover sports bra she thought would be comfy? Useless. Zero support. And the humidity made it cling to her skin like a wet swimsuit. By the end of the ride, she wasn’t feeling romantic—she was chafed, sweaty, and swearing she’d never leave the country without a good sports bra again. 😅🌴

True North, Fully Lifted—Not a Snowball’s Chance in Hell Our Girls Are Going South

By Brigitte Lessard • January 20, 2025

Hey there, my lovely fellow Canadian women! Let me just start with a little disclaimer—there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell (or a polar vortex) that I’ll ever go full Donald Trump and switch teams to the south. Nope, I’m proudly Canadian through and through, and my e-commerce business, sportsbras.ca, is all about YOU—the amazing, resilient, and supportive women of this great country. I know e-commerce sounds all techy and modern, but let me tell you—I’m bringing some good old-fashioned Canadian service to the game. If you’re in Calgary, don’t be surprised if you see me rocking up to your doorstep with your bra in hand, just like the milkman of days gone by (except with better support and zero chance of spoiling). Yes, your bra delivery might come with a big smile and maybe even a witty quip or two. Why? Because I believe every woman deserves the perfect fit and a bit of joy with her day! And let’s not forget—I bring laughter to the business too, just like my comedy trio Women Wit & Wisdom comedy show . After all, a good laugh is just as uplifting as a great bra! Why Canadian Women Are My Jam From the Maritimes to the Rockies, I’m here for you, ladies. Whether you’re horseback riding in Alberta, running along the shores of Nova Scotia, or power walking your way through a snowy morning in Montreal, I’ve got your back (and front). Supporting Canadian women isn’t just my business; it’s my mission. When you shop at sportsbras.ca, you’re supporting a local business that’s just as proud to call Canada home as you are.