Bra Sizes - Measurement Difficulties

Measurement Difficulties

Constructing a properly fitting brassiere is difficult. Adelle Kirk, formerly a manager at the global Kurt Salmon management consulting firm that specializes in the apparel and retail businesses, said that making bras is complex.

Bras are one of the most complex pieces of apparel. There are lots of different styles, and each style has a dozen different sizes, and within that there are a lot of colors. Furthermore, there is a lot of product engineering. You've got hooks, you've got straps, there are usually two parts to every cup, and each requires a heavy amount of sewing. It is very component intensive.

In a practice known as "vanity sizing", different manufacturers have modified sizes so that a woman who once wore a size 12 dress can now wear a 10 or an 8. Depending on the brand, a size 8 dress can fit a woman with a bra band size ranging from 34 to 38 inches (86 to 97 cm). Even a single brand can offer the same size in different measurements. Alix and Kelley, a manufacturer based in Los Angeles, offers different size 8 measurements ranging from 35 to 38 inches (89 to 97 cm) in the bust. Because manufacturing standards vary widely, and due to unreliable bra size charts, conflicting bra measurement instructions, natural variations in a woman's anatomy, and bad advice or pressure from salespeople, finding a well-fitting bra is complicated. Tomima Edmark, president of HerRoom.com, says that "bra sizing is confusing and convoluted." Many women may have difficulty measuring themselves accurately because there is more than one way to measure their breasts.