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Ships from PA · 28–56 bands Fit Finder Size Guide Live Chat

Size Guide · CurveLab™ Edition 07

The chart, the math, and the bodies it was made on.

14 bands. 9 cup depths. Every cell graded from a real curvy body, not a scaled-up straight sample. Measure once, find your cell, and download the full reference to keep at the back of your top drawer.

Download Size Chart (PDF) Or take the 4-question Fit Finder →
Band
28 – 56
Cup
A – K
Sisters (depths)
9 graded
Tested on
1,200+ bodies
A curvy model photographed at eye level, cropped at the chest.
CurveLab™ test cohort · Pittsburgh fitting room, 2024

Before the chart · 2-minute ritual

Three measurements, one piece of paper, no mirrors.

Stand relaxed in a non-padded bra (or none). Use a soft tape measure, snug not tight, and write each number down in inches. If you're between sizes, round down on the band — the hook-and-eye closure is built to take up the slack.

A measuring tape wrapped snugly around the ribcage, directly under the bust.
01

The band

Measure directly under the bust, exhale normally, and keep the tape level all the way around. If the number is odd (31, 33, 35…), round up to the next even band.

Write down: your band

A measuring tape across the fullest part of the bust, viewed from the side.
02

The bust

Measure across the fullest part of the bust — usually the nipple line — without compressing the tissue. Keep the tape level; don't pull it tight. Round to the nearest half-inch.

Write down: your bust

A woman standing in profile, demonstrating relaxed upright posture.
03

The posture check

Stand sideways in a mirror. If you carry weight forward (very common above a G cup), add ½ inch to your bust reading. If your shoulders roll forward, subtract ½ inch from the band — the straps will do more of the work.

Write down: your adjusted bust

Cup size = bust − band. A 38 bust on a 34 band is a D, not a "B because that's what the department store said." The chart below expects you to think in cells, not single letters.

"In 2014 I went to seventeen stores in three boroughs looking for a bra in my own size — a 22H. Seventeen 'sorry, we don't stock that.' I started Hips & Thongs so the next woman didn't have to make a day of it. The chart on this page is the one I wished I'd had."

Renée Castillo Founder, patternmaker, 22H

CurveLab™ Grading Matrix · 14 × 9

Find your cell, not your size.

A bra is a cell in a 14×9 matrix — 14 band lengths (28 to 56, in 2-inch steps) and 9 cup depths (A through K). Click your cell to see the styles we currently grade into it. Sub-ranges below are shortcuts for shoppers who already know their bracket.

28–34Petite bands 36–42Standard range 44–50Full-fit range 52–56Extended fit
Band ↓   Cup → A B C D DD E F G H J K
28●●●●●●●●●——
30●●●●●●●●●●—
32●●●●●●●●●●●
34●●●●●●●●●●●
36●●●●●●●●●●●
38●●●●●●●●●●●
40●●●●●●●●●●●
42●●●●●●●●●●●
44●●●●●●●●●●●
46●●●●●●●●●●●
48●●●●●●●●●●●
50●●●●●●●●●●—
52●●●●●●●●●——
54●●●●●●●●———
56●●●●●●●————
  • Stocked & graded in-house
  • Pre-order, 4–6 week lead time
  • Made-to-measure via Fit Chat

Why the cells get thinner at the corners

A 28K and a 56A require almost opposite engineering — narrow wires and projected cups versus wide wires and shallow cups. We stock densely where the cohort overlap is real, and offer made-to-measure outside it.

Sister-sizing, the right way

A 38D and a 40C hold the same cup volume. Within CurveLab, sister sizes stay inside the same row of the chart — handy if a style is sold out in your primary cell.

Fit notes by style

Size is the start of the sentence, not the whole sentence.

The same 44E behaves differently in a balconette than in a smoothing bodysuit. Each style has its own fit logic — read yours before you click.

  1. 01

    Bras (underwire & balconette)

    Follow the chart exactly. The band carries 80% of the support; the straps only finish the job. If the band rides up your back, drop a band size and go up a cup. If the cup wrinkles or gaps at the top, go up a cup depth (e.g. DD → E) and keep the band.

    • Hook the new bra on the loosest hook first — you tighten into it.
    • Wire should sit flat against the sternum, not on breast tissue.
    • Center gore (the bridge) should lay flat, not lift away.
  2. 02

    Bralettes & wireless

    Wireless styles run one band size up from your chart size — there's no rigid wire to anchor them, so the elastic has to do more. Cup depth is forgiving in this category; the band is the whole game.

    • If the straps dig, your band is too small.
    • If the band creeps up, the cups are too projected.
    • Sleep bralettes are designed to be comfortable and supportive — not a soft compromise.
  3. 03

    Bodysuits & smoothing

    Smoothing bodysuits are graded on torso length, not just bust. If you're over 5'8" or have a longer torso, add the "Long Torso" note at checkout — we cut a separate pattern block for it. Our Allure Best of Beauty winner runs true to the chart at standard torso length.

    • Snap gusset should sit comfortably between the legs, not pull.
    • High compression pieces: size up if you're between cells.
    • Light compression / shaping: stay in your chart size.
  4. 04

    Swim & layering

    Swim is graded independently — the cup volume shifts roughly ½ size up once you're in water and the fabric relaxes. We list the "wet size" on every swim product page. For layering (mesh, knits, sleep), match your bralette size from panel 02.

    • Test the band at home with a dry run before the pool.
    • Underwires should sit outside the breast tissue when wet.
    • Layering knits: if in doubt, size down — they grow.

Two doors, one correct answer

Already know your cell? Take the chart with you.

Print it, pin it to the inside of your wardrobe, or hand it to a friend who's still being measured at Victoria's Secret. The PDF includes the full 14×9 matrix, a one-page how-to-measure, and a fit-note sheet for each of our 4,800+ SKUs.

  • Full 14 × 9 CurveLab™ grading matrix
  • Sister-size shortcut chart
  • Per-style fit notes (12 categories)
  • Common fit problems & fixes
  • Printable, 6 pages, US Letter & A4
Download Size Chart (PDF) Prefer the 4-question quiz? Fit Finder →

Or chat with a certified bra fit specialist — 14 on staff, average response 38 seconds, free with every order. Free returns on all unworn items, no questions.