Where DD sits
AA, A, B, C, D, DD, E, F, FF, G, GG, H, HH, J, JJ, K, KK
There are five cups below DD and eleven above it. In a University of Portsmouth bra-fitting study of 45 women, the most common size the participants reported wearing was 34DD.
What DD holds depends on the band
| Size | Bust measurement | Same cup volume as |
|---|---|---|
| 28DD | 33 in (84 cm) | 34B |
| 30DD | 35 in (89 cm) | 34C |
| 32DD | 37 in (94 cm) | 34D |
| 34DD | 39 in (99 cm) | 34DD |
| 36DD | 41 in (104 cm) | 34E |
| 38DD | 43 in (109 cm) | 34F |
| 40DD | 45 in (114 cm) | 34FF |
Expressed on a 34 band for comparison, a 28DD has the volume of a 34B and a 32DD the volume of a 34D. The letter is the same in each row, and the amount of breast tissue is not.
Is 32DD big?
It is a medium volume on a slim frame. A 32DD cup holds the same as a 34D and a 36C. Someone who wears it has a ribcage of about 32 inches and a bust of about 37. If you have just been measured into a 32DD after years in a 36B or 36C, the amount of breast has not changed. The band now fits.
Why DD has the reputation
- It used to be where sizing stopped. For a long time most shops stocked A to DD and nothing above, so DD was the largest size people ever saw.
- Sizing methods squeezed people into smaller letters. Adding inches to the underbust gives a bigger band and a smaller cup letter. With most people steered into B and C, DD looked extreme. See why the +4 method is wrong.
- "Double D" became shorthand. In films, tabloids and everyday talk it means "very large breasts", regardless of what the size is.
- Two letters look like more than one. Many people assume DD is beyond E. It is the size before it: see is DD bigger than E?
What this means for you
If a letter is putting you off the size that fits, set the letter aside. The size that contains you comfortably, on a band that stays level, is your size. If you want to know what counts as large in any meaningful sense, see what cup size is considered large?
Frequently asked questions
Is 32DD big?
No. A 32DD holds the same cup volume as a 34D or a 36C. It describes a slim ribcage with a medium bust. It sounds large only because of the reputation of the letters.
Is DD bigger than D?
Yes, by one cup size: an extra inch around the bust on the same band.
Is DD the biggest cup size?
No. It is the sixth of seventeen UK cup sizes. After DD come E, F, FF, G, GG, H and more.
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