If you’re comparing bras for small busts and unsure how the sizing works, you're not alone! Chest and bra sizes are different measurements, and some retailers rely on standard clothing sizes, so it can be tricky to know which size is correct.
Most adult bras feature a chest size followed by a cup size, such as 34DD. The ‘34’ refers to thirty-four inches, the measurement underneath the breasts, and the DD is the cup size, but this isn't particularly helpful when buying underwear for teens or younger girls.
Well-fitting bras are essential, particularly for growing girls, and can help prevent all sorts of issues, from back pain to skin irritation, breast discomfort, and shoulder pain, so we'll explainhow to measure for a small bust bra step by step.
Working Out the Right Bra Sizes for Teens
Let’s start withhow to find bra size for small breasts; it's probably far easier than you might imagine! Yellowberry uses simplified, user-proof sizing guides to help our valued clients pick the perfect size the first time. All you need to do is measure the underbust and overbust, and they're exactly as they sound:
- The underbust is the rib cage or chest underneath the breasts.
- The overbust is the measurement at the fullest part of the chest.
We keep it simple primarily because cup sizes aren’t suited to teens, who should ideally avoid underwear with wires and stiff cups that can cause discomfort and pain. Design features such as double-layered full-coverage material and smart fabric blends provide just as much support as a conventional bra–if not more–and feel super-light, extra-supportive, and, essentially, comfortable.
Bras that are sized small to large without size guides can be misleading since every brand uses a different sizing basis, often depending on where their products are manufactured. It's therefore advisable to go for underwear with clear dimensions, particularly if your daughter plays sports–a proper fit avoids soreness during activities such as running.
Tips and Tricks on Measuring for a Bra
In most cases, it's best to help your daughter if she's measuring for a bra, but we recognize that self-conscious teens might prefer to measure independently. There's also a neat way to take accurate measurements without becoming tangled in a tape measure!
Ask your daughter to take a piece of fabric, ribbon, lace, or anything that is long enough and use that to check the dimensions of her underbust and overbust. It's less fiddly, and you can compare the marked place against a rule.
We often suggest sizing up if the measurements you’re looking for fall between two sizes. Yellowberry bras are engineered for younger bodies and designed with second-skin fabrics, providing fantastic support – one size up won't compromise the fit or comfort.
Materials are crucial in underwear, and features such as four-way stretch and excellent elasticity mean the bra forms and moves to the shape of the wearer, in the opposite way to a conventional bra with a padded cup and underwire.
It’s also normal for girls to grow and develop at varying rates, so a high-stretch bra is a great cost-efficiency since it won’t suddenly start feeling too tight in just a few weeks!
How Should a Bra Fit?
If a bra fits perfectly, it should sit firmly against the skin without digging in or rubbing. Your daughter should be able to swing her arms, jump, dance, and run without feeling abrasion or stiffness.
Adjusting the shoulder straps so they're snug but not tight should help–the bra shouldn't shift when your daughter lifts her arms in front. If it does, the shoulder straps are a little too loose.
Around 80% of the support from a bra comes from the band, not the shoulder straps. Millions of women wear the wrong size, with the assumption that underwear is a little uncomfortable, purely because they misunderstand the way the garment is meant to provide support!
You should be able to fit a couple of fingers underneath the band when it is fastened. Any more, and it is too loose, and any less, it is too tight.
Finally, a teen bra should provide sufficient coverage, with thick enough fabric to support and hold the chest firmly–a nude or skin-toned color is perfect for a discreet fit under any outfit.