Is your bra size your bust measurement? Not quite

What the two parts of a bra size mean

A bra size has a number and a letter. The number is the band. Depending on the brand, it is either close to your underbust measurement or that measurement with a few inches added, a habit left over from older sizing methods. Either way it sits well below your full bust figure.

The letter is the cup, and it describes the difference between the band and the full bust, not a fixed volume. In British and American sizing each step is roughly an inch, so adding one inch per cup letter to the band number gives a rough upper estimate: a 34B is about 35 to 36 inches, a 36C about 38 to 39 and a 38D about 41 to 42. It is only an estimate. Brands differ, bras stretch, and the label records which bra you bought, not what you measure.

How band numbers change from country to country

The same bra carries a different number depending on where it was labelled, which is one more reason not to treat it as a measurement.

• UK and USA: bands in inches, in even numbers such as 32, 34, 36 and 38. The cup letters agree up to D and then part company: British labels continue DD, E, F and FF, while American ones usually run DD, DDD and G.
• Most of Europe: bands in centimetres, in steps of five: 70, 75, 80, 85. A European 75 is the British 34, and an 80 is the 36.
• France and Spain: the same idea with the number 15 higher, so the British 34 is a 90 and the 36 is a 95.
• Australia and New Zealand: bands are numbered like dress sizes, so the British 34 is a 12 and the 36 is a 14.
• Italy: labels often use single numbers, such as 2, 3 and 4.

How to measure your bust for a kameez

It takes a minute, a soft tape and a mirror.

• Wear the right bra: the one you will wear with the outfit. A padded or minimising bra changes the number, and that is the shape the kameez has to follow.
• Keep the tape level: stand straight, breathe normally and pass the tape round the fullest part of your bust. Check in the mirror that it has not dipped at the back, which is the usual error.
• Snug, not tight: the tape should lie flat on the body without pressing in.
• Write down what you read: with its unit, and without adding anything for comfort. The room you need is added when the kameez is cut.

Is the bra size any use at all?

As a measurement, no; as a note, sometimes. A single bust figure does not show how much of it is frame and how much is cup. If your cup size is large for your frame, a kameez cut from the full bust alone can end up too wide at the shoulders and upper chest. Mentioning your bra size in the fit notes, or adding an underbust measurement, gives the cutter more to work with. Ask about shaping in your quote, and we confirm what is possible on your fabric and design.

Our size guide shows the bust alongside the other measurements, measuring yourself without help covers doing it alone, and common measuring mistakes lists the other slips worth avoiding. You can also sidestep the question: measure a kameez that fits you well, or choose a standard UK size on the form, and we confirm the key measurements with you before cutting. The measuring help page explains those routes.

Wherever you are, from the UK to France or Australia, you can enter your figures in inches or centimetres. Custom stitching explains the service, and the quote form is where the numbers go.