Check 1: projection
How: stand side-on to the mirror and bend forward at the hips until your back is flat. Look at the shape of the breast as it hangs.
- Projected: it hangs well away from the chest, with a base that is small compared with its length. Seen from the side it is more like a cone or a teardrop.
- Shallow: it stays close to the chest, with a wide base. The tissue covers a large area and does not extend far.
A second clue: think about your bras. If unlined bras fit and moulded T-shirt bras gape at the top or lift away at the centre, you are probably projected. If moulded cups fit and seamed ones leave empty space at the tip, you are probably shallow.
More: shallow vs projected breasts.
Check 2: fullness
How: stay bent forward at 90 degrees and look in the mirror from the side. Find the nipple and compare the amount of tissue on either side of it, towards your head and towards your feet.
- Full on top: there is as much or more tissue on the upper side as on the lower.
- Full on bottom: clearly more below, with the nipple sitting towards the upper part of the breast.
- Even: roughly balanced.
Doing this leaning forward takes gravity out of the picture. Standing upright, nearly everyone looks fuller at the bottom.
More: full on top vs full on bottom.
Check 3: root
How: stand upright. With a fingertip, trace the crease beneath one breast and follow it round to the side until the breast tissue ends.
- Wide root: the tissue continues to your side or towards the armpit.
- Narrow root: it ends at the front of your body, before you reach your side.
Then look at where the breast starts at the top.
- Tall root: tissue begins high, not far below the collarbone.
- Short root: the upper chest is flat and the breast begins lower down.
A second clue: wires that poke into your armpit suggest a narrow root. Wires that sit on breast tissue at the side, in a cup that otherwise fits, suggest a wide one.
More: what is a breast root?
Check 4: spacing
How: stand upright and place your fingers flat on your breastbone between your breasts.
- Close set: less than one finger fits, or the breasts touch.
- Average: one to two fingers.
- Wide set: three fingers or more.
More: close-set breasts and wide-set breasts.
Write down your four answers
| Feature | Options |
|---|---|
| Projection | Shallow · average · projected |
| Fullness | On top · even · on bottom |
| Root | Narrow or wide · short or tall |
| Spacing | Close · average · wide |
Wherever you came out "average", you can ignore that feature when choosing bras. The others tell you what to look for. Take them to which bra style suits my shape?
Tips for a fair result
- Check each side separately. They often differ.
- Avoid the few days when your breasts are swollen, if they change with your cycle.
- Repeat after any big change: pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight change, menopause.
- Do not over-think the borderline cases. The checks are a starting point. How bras behave on you is the real evidence.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out my breast shape?
Do four checks without a bra, in front of a mirror: lean forward to judge projection, compare the tissue above and below the nipple for fullness, trace where the breast meets the chest for the root, and see how many fingers fit between your breasts for spacing.
What if I get different answers for each breast?
That is common. Fit the bra to the larger or more demanding side, usually the fuller or more projected one, and adjust the other with the strap or an insert.
My results seem to be in the middle. Is that normal?
Yes. Most people are average on at least one feature, and average shapes fit the widest range of bras. Pay attention only to the features where you are clearly one way or the other.
Got your four answers? Match them to bra styles.
Find the styles that suit you →