Before you go
- Measure your underbust and bust, and note your starting size
- Note the sizes either side: one cup up, one cup down, and your sister sizes
- Wear or bring a thin, fitted T-shirt
- Allow enough time to try several sizes without rushing
Putting it on
- Fasten on the loosest hook
- Lean forward and settle into the cups
- Scoop and swoop each side
- Adjust the straps so two fingers fit underneath
The band
- Level all the way round, not higher at the back (rides up: go down a band and up a cup)
- Firm, with room for two fingers at the back (pull it away from your spine: more than about two inches of give is too loose)
- Comfortable to breathe in (painful on the loosest hook: go up a band and down a cup)
The cups
- No bulge over the top edge or at the sides (spilling: go up a cup)
- No gap between the cup edge and your skin (gaping: try a cup down, or a different style)
- Fabric smooth, with no wrinkles or empty space
The centre and the wires
- Centre panel flat against your breastbone (floating: go up a cup)
- Wires sit in the crease under each breast, not on breast tissue
- Wires end on your ribs at the side, without poking your armpit
The straps
- Stay on your shoulders
- Do not dig in
- Slip them off: the bra should stay roughly where it is (drops: the band is too loose)
Movement tests
- Arms above your head: the band stays down and nothing slips out underneath
- Lean forward: you stay inside the cups
- Twist and sit down: nothing pokes, rolls or pinches
- T-shirt on: one smooth outline, no lines or bumps
Before you pay
- It fits on the loosest hook, leaving the tighter hooks for later
- You have compared it with at least one neighbouring size
- You know the returns policy
- You have noted the brand, style and size that worked
Change one thing at a time. If the band is wrong but the cups are right, move to a sister size. If the cups are wrong but the band is right, keep the band and change the cup. If the size seems right and the bra still sits badly, try a different style.
Each check on this list is explained in how a bra should fit. If a bra you already own is failing one of them, signs your bra doesn't fit goes through the causes.
Frequently asked questions
How many bras should I take into the fitting room?
Take your starting size plus the sizes around it: one cup up, one cup down, and the sister size on the next band if you measured between bands. Trying them side by side makes the differences obvious.
What should I wear to try on bras?
A top that is easy to take off, and bring a thin, fitted T-shirt. Putting it on over each bra shows you the outline you will actually see in clothes.
Not measured recently? It takes two minutes.
Open the bra size calculator →