Illustrated Measuring Guide

These measurements are best taken braless. Check out our complete Beginner’s Guide to Bra Sewing [HERE].

Enlist the help of an assistant as necessary.  Try to be accurate to 1/8 inch or 3 millimeter.

 

1. Under Bust

Measure around the rib cage directly under the bust.  Keep the tape measure as parallel to the floor as possible while pulling on the tape.  Tape should be snug against the body without any slack. This is your band size - do NOT add any inches.

 
 

2. Bottom Cup Depth (BCD)

Measure the vertical distance between your nipple and the breast crease (wireline) following the contours.

If well endowed, measure under the hands cupping the breast. This may take a few tries. **Try to be accurate to the quarter inch or half centimeter.

 

 

3. Horizontal Hemisphere (HH)

Measure the horizontal distance from the wire line (near sternum) to wire line (near underarm) while crossing the nipple. Try to keep the tape measure parallel to the ground then repeat for other breast.

For those who are well endowed or measuring by yourself:

  • try leaning forward and letting the breast hang so you have use of both hands.

For those who are very pendulous:

  • Method 1 - take 2 measurements (one stand, one leaning) then averaging them.

  • Method 2 - measure leaning forward but pull the measuring tape back a bit. Some people find this measuring sling to be helpful [HERE].

 

4. Breast Root Trace

** Skip for wireless bras **

Have paper, pencil and flexible ruler or copper wire ready. Begin with the larger breast and raise the corresponding arm above your head.

Using your free hand, place the flex ruler (or wire) under the breast and follow the crease (Inframammary Fold or IMF) and curve it around the breast root.  Essentially, mold the ruler to the shape.

If the IMF is not present or hard to find, try leaning forward and letting the breast hang (particularly helpful if well endowed, pendulous or measuring by yourself). You can also pushing the breast mound toward the underarm to temporarily create a crease and mark it with a washable marker the trying the wire trace again.

Then quickly transfer the shape on to paper and trace. Once you have your trace, you can find your perfect underwire by comparing to the underwire charts. [Additional Details HERE]

**Please remember to check both breasts as they may be different!**