[sfem]

Diva's thread about bra size measurement making no sense prompted me to make this thread with a title suitable for the rare individuals who use the search function. More than a year ago I posted in the reference forum on this site some thoughts on measuring men's chests for bra sizing. I haven't seen any feedback from anyone on my post, and now I am curious if the method I suggested in that thread Bra sizing for men holds water for any size other than my own.
So I propose we use this thread to either validate or invalidate my idea. To contribute, you need a tape measure. The result of this method should give a reasonable starting point to begin trying bras. Due the extreme variability between bras, it can never be more than a starting point.

Band Size
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Measure your underbust with a relatively comfortable non-padded bra on, doesn't matter if the size is "right". If it isn't an even number, round to the nearest round number. e.g. I measure 37.5", so I use 38". That is my band size. For most makes and models of bras, I have found this to be the right band size for me.

Cup Size
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Measure the size of your boob (yes, just one boob). Place the tape horizontally and measure from the edge of your sideboob where it meets the chest wall under and in front of your armpit, to where the boob flesh ends at the chest wall near the middle of your chest in front. The ratio of band size to boob size gives a cup size as follows:
Ratio | Cup Size
4.6 | A
4.3 | B
4.1 | C
3.9 | D
e.g. I measure 9" of boobage. On my 38" band, my ratio is 4.22 (38/9) and my proposed chart suggests my cup will be between B and C, closer to B than C. My best fits are B cup bras, although some C cup bras fit me too. I can't get into an A anymore. The ratios above are rounded to a single digit of precision so your mileage may vary.

I'd be interested in hearing what ratios others have and if my chart is anywhere near right for them. Just for grins.

[AnnieBL]

I have never been able to find a solution to this problem. Your own technique presupposes that you already have a relatively comfortable bra to wear, and enough boobage for the second stage to be meaningful (though if one doesn't the whole exercise is a bit futile). The basic problem, as Pansy-Mae has said in Diva's thread, is the shape of the rib cage. While the female rib cage is normally substantially tapered downwardly, the male rib cage is typically much less tapered and may even be tapered upwardly, in my case by a substantial amount (underbust 42", overbust 39.5"). Pansy-Mae's photographs and measurements show a nice (enviable) downward taper but clearly even this is not enough to make any sense of the traditional measurement technique. What seems to be needed is a factor that assesses and allows for rib cage taper. In the case of your own method, perhaps this factor would be applied to the band size to boob size ratio? Or maybe the calculations should be somehow based on an average of the under and overbust measurements, subtracted from the actual bust measurement? Just my thoughts.

[Wishful]

Here is a suggestion to improve accuracy. A lot of breast measuring procedures on the internet say to measure over a proper fitting comfortable bra. Take the measurements, then remove the bra, straighten out the tag, and read the size. It is, after all, a proper fit and comfortable so that must be the size. Sure takes the math out of it, right? Trying on a bra is about the most accurate way to measure your breasts. Measurements are only good for a starting point for trying on bras.

[Pansy-Mae]

I left my reply to this thread until this morning, because today is my 'measure and photo day' anyway( More on that separately).

My measured band size is 35" and my boob measurement is 9", so on that basis, using the sfem method, 35/9 = 3.888 and that would make me a D cup - I WISH!!!!
As I've said before, in reality I don't quite fill a 36B.

I suspect that the flaw in this method is that it takes no account of boob shape, in the sense of fullness.
Mine are relatively flat for the width and I've said many times I dont really want to be much bigger in terms of projection but I do want roundness/fullness, and i also have a fairly wide gap in the centre at the front.

Edited to add: I've just had a thought, bra measurements are always taken by measuring the circumferance of the band, and that by definition takes no account of the actual cross sectional shape of the rib cage. Typically, males have a greater front to back measurement than females and I think the x-section would look 'squarer' in comparison. So what we really need is to measure the width of the chest, straight across and use that as the basis for cup size, but unfortunately bra's aren't sold that way.

[Isabelle]

4.0, between C and D. This is about what I would fit if I would really wear 90 cm bands, but I wear 85s, 2 " smaller, on the widest hook. Underwires are always too narrow, and I don't fill the depth of the cups.