How to measure what bra size you need
Take a tape measure and measure around your chest where your bra band will sit. You need the numbe rin inches. If it's odd you add 5 and if it's even you add 4. This number is the band size number you need. Then you need to measure the fullest part of your bust. You need to work out the difference between the band size and bust size - and this difference decides your cup size. If they're the same then you're an A, if there's one inch difference you're a B cup, and 2 for a C cup, 3 for a D cup etc.
You can of course go and be professionally measured by someone at a lingerie store - they may rely on eyes and not a tape measure to provide you with the perfect fitting bra. Each week about 8000 women visit Marks and Spencers across the UK to get measured.

In the last few years the average bra size in the UK has gone up from a 34B to a 36C. This means that not only have we grown around our torsos but also that bust size has gone up.
There's more bigger sizes out there now in response to this. With Marks and Spencers introducing a J cup in 2007. 2010 saw Selfridges introduce a k cup size. Sales of bigger cup sizes have gone up every year since 2005. Debenhams recently started selling KK bras - which have been only available online up until now.
Obesity doesn't really explain the leap in cup size nor the smaller back sizes but bigger cups. Maybe there isn't an explanation for this - apart from we're gettiong more accurarate at measuring bra size now and are more aware when a bra doesn't fit right.

Bra and pants sets are the perfect way to buy underwear. Having your bra match your pants is a fashion statement! There's lots of lovely bra and pants sets available for everyday wear as well as for special occaisions. Buying bras online is easier than ever before and shops like Figleaves have revolutionised the way women can buy and wear underwear! It's not so many years back that bras came in two, or if you were lucky three, colours. There's be black and white and a pale colour that was an off beige. There were no pretty bras, they were all built for function!
- Thank goodness things have changed now with hundreds of amazing bra designs in all styles and colours. They use so many different styles and designs that you could have a new bra every day for a year and not wear one the same! Bras are made with lots of different materials including lyrca, lace and cotton. Even the straps are different now, with virtually all of them even on bigger sizes being very delicate and thin. It's simple and quick to shop online for a bra. The first thing to do is to measure yourself. If it's a while since you last bought a new bra then don't use the size of your old one as a guide. Bras stretch quite a lot as they get older - so it's easy to put on a few pounds and go up a bra size and not realise. If you've put on or lost weight it's important to measure yourself too.
- Once you've got the measurements then you can decide what sort of bra you want to look for. If you're after an everyday bra, or perhaps one to wear under a special outrfit. If you find a particular type of bra suits your style then you can stop up on it and buy it in lots of different colours. Don't be afraid to try new brands and styles though as you might find another favourite.
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