The idea in one picture
Imagine the same amount of modelling clay shaped two ways. One is a tall, narrow dome. The other is a low, wide one. They have equal volume, so they would wear the same bra size. They need very different cups.
- Projected is the tall, narrow dome: a smaller footprint on the chest, extending further forward.
- Shallow is the low, wide dome: a larger footprint, sitting closer to the chest.
How to tell which you are
The lean test
Bend forward at the hips until your back is flat and look side-on in a mirror. If your breasts hang clearly away from your chest with a relatively small base, you are projected. If they stay close and broad, you are shallow.
What your bras tell you
| In the right size, you find | Suggests |
|---|---|
| Moulded T-shirt bras lift off your chest at the centre, or gape at the top while the wire sits low | Projected |
| The wire slides down below your breast crease during the day | Projected |
| Unlined, seamed bras fit you far better than moulded ones | Projected |
| Seamed cups wrinkle or stand empty at the tip | Shallow |
| Cups gape at the top, and a size down is too tight on the wire | Shallow |
| Moulded and half-cup bras fit you far better than seamed ones | Shallow |
Why each shape has trouble
Projected breasts in shallow cups
A shallow cup runs out of depth before the breast does. The breast cannot get all the way into the cup, so it pushes the bra forward and down. The wire ends up sitting below the crease, with an empty space at the bottom of the cup and often a bulge or a gap at the top. People in this position are often told the cup is too big, go down a size, and make things worse.
Shallow breasts in deep cups
A deep cup has more room at the front than the breast can fill. The fabric stands empty near the tip or the top edge. Meanwhile the wire may be too narrow for the breast's wide base and sit on tissue at the side. Going down a cup size removes the empty space and makes the narrow wire worse.
What suits each
| Projected | Shallow | |
|---|---|---|
| Cup construction | Unlined, seamed, three or four panels | Moulded foam, or seamed with a horizontal seam and open top |
| Cup depth | Deep, especially just above the wire | Shallow and open |
| Wire | Narrower, more U-shaped | Wider, more open curve |
| Typical styles | Seamed balconettes and plunges from full-bust brands | T-shirt bras, half-cups, demi and balconette shapes |
Product-level guidance for each is in best bras for projected breasts and best bras for shallow breasts.
Things that go with each shape
- Projected shapes are common in people with a small band and a fuller cup, where a lot of volume sits on a narrow ribcage.
- Shallow shapes are common with a broad chest, with smaller cup sizes, and after tissue has softened and spread with age or weight change.
- Many people are in between, and fit a wide range of bras. Projection only needs attention if you are clearly at one end.
- You can be projected at the bottom and shallow at the top, or the reverse. That is where fullness comes in: see full on top vs full on bottom.
Frequently asked questions
What does projected mean in bra fitting?
That the breast stands further out from the chest relative to the size of its base. A projected breast needs a cup with depth at the front, particularly near the wire.
What does shallow mean?
That the breast tissue is spread over a wider area and does not extend far from the chest. A shallow breast needs a cup that is wide and open, without much depth at the front.
Can large breasts be shallow?
Yes. Projection is about proportion, not size. A large bust on a broad chest can be shallow, and a small bust can be projected.
Do shallow breasts need a smaller cup size?
Usually not. Sizing down to remove a gap makes the wire too narrow and the cup too small in volume. The answer is a differently shaped cup in the same size.
Not measured recently? It takes two minutes.
Open the bra size calculator →