BRA SIZE CALCULATOR FROM PICTURE FULL
BRA SIZE CALCULATOR FROM PICTURE PLUS

In a perfect world, the bottom cup depth on your bra should measure the same as the bottom cup depth on your naked breast, but it often doesn’t – because of the breast density and degree of flaccidity.The nipple will drift downward as the breast loses its self-supporting ability, which means that even if your bra size does not change over the years, your BCD will still decrease as you age.

You must take the BCD measurement using a bra that fits. For most patterns, it is the deepest area of the lower cup. Simply measure from the seam line (not the cutting line) at the apex, straight down to the seam line below it. That will make it easy to find the BCD, assuming the seam across the bra runs across the bust point. If you already have a bra pattern that fits, you can determine the BCD from that pattern. It is so logical, it astonishes people and they ask why this hasn’t “always” been the way bra patterns are designed. Isn’t that crazy easy? No more figuring out sister sizing, or moving up one band size and down one cup size or relying on ready-to-wear sizing. So if you made a 4.0 BCD, and it was too small, you can make the 4.25 size. The BCD size increases by 1/4″ (6 mm) per size so if you happen to make a bra cup that is too small, you simply go up to the next BCD size. For example, the BCD might be 4.0 and the Rib Cage of 32. The combination of BCD and Rib Cage is your pattern size. That actual rib cage measurement (no magic number involved) is used for the band length. Then take your Rib Cage measurement directly under your bra. That measurement in inches will determine your cup and frame size. The BCD method measures the distance from the apex of the breast down to the wire line directly below it. So here is the BCD method of measuring explained. I am determined to correct that error in judgement now. I thought no one would understand this whole new method of measuring, and therefore, no one would buy my patterns. That decision to name it as RTW (ready-to-wear) sizing and not the BCD size was a decision I have regretted for almost twenty years. Unfortunately back then, I still named my patterns according to the ready-to-wear sizes most people in North America are familiar with. I used the method to create my patterns, because it was a method that worked. So… I developed my own method of bra sizing, called the Bottom Cup Depth, or BCD method. Everyone at one time or another gets frustrated with bra pattern sizing. It was a real dilemma for me. But for my patterns, I asked myself if I should use the actual rib cage measurement or should I add the magic number? Should I use a DD size or not? So many of you, especially those in other countries, are baffled by the way we measure for bra patterns, and are shocked when the bra pattern size isn’t the same as their ready-to-wear bra size. There are actually FOUR ways of measuring for a bra and I talk about them here.

BRA SIZE CALCULATOR FROM PICTURE PLUS

Still others want the rib cage measurement plus a “magic number” they pull out of the sky (could be 3, 4 or 5) to determine your band size.

BRA SIZE CALCULATOR FROM PICTURE FULL

When I first started designing bra patterns, I was faced with a dilemma – what sizing system should I use? Some patterns want you to take the full bust measurement, the high bust measurement and subtract the two to find your cup size.

Bra size calculator from picture