I found this guide and thought I'd post it. 1.  Stand straight, and relax.  Don't inhale and expand your rib cage as if you're about to blow out candles. 2.  Using a soft tape measure, measure all the way around your body, placing the tape measure right beneath your breasts (example:  30 1/2).  Add five to that number, rounding up if necessary to the next even number (36). Congratulations:  That's your band size. 3.  Next step:  cup.  While wearing a bra, measure completely around the fullest part of your bust (across the nipples) without pulling tight.  Make sure the tape measure goes around your entire back (38). 4.  Subtract the number from your band size (38-36=2).  The result will indicate your appropriate cup size, _base_d on the following guide: 0=AA   1=A    2=B    3=C    4=D    5=DD     6=DDD

indicate your appropriate cup size, _base_d on the following guide: 0=AA   1=A    2=B    3=C    4=D    5=DD     6=DDD Note the add five part of this calculation. This little quirk assures that bra cup size, which is essentially the measurement of how much the breasts project from the chest (in length units) is an obtuse, inaccurate, and confusing matter. The addition of five is only appropriate for a standard body shape, and does not necessarily reflect non standard shapes, whatever that happens to be. It is also not accurate for non standard body *sizes*, whatever that happens to be. This is  why you often need a rocket scientist to figure out your own bra size. Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.

This is  why you often need a rocket scientist to figure out your own bra size. Nope.  You need to go to a really, really good lingerie shop and find someone who really, really knows her stock and knows how to size you up without a tape measure.  This is what I finally did and I will never shop anywhere else if I can possibly help it.  Lower priced bras (read: VS) just never fit me right.  And the VS staff doesn't really know much about accurate sizing; they just want to move product. Since I lost a lot of weight I seem to have changed shape but not size.  I am technically still 36B (determined by my fitter after trial and error) but I'm a small B and now the fitter knows which lines work for me and which ones don't.  That kind of service is priceless. NYC af'ers:  head straight for Brief Encounters on West 71st and Columbus. Phyllis, the owner, is a real gem. EMiriamD I cannot and will not cut my conscience to fit this year's fashions.    Lillian Hellman to House Un-American Activities Committee (1952)

sure the tape measure goes around your entire back (38). 4.  Subtract the number from your band size (38-36=2).  The result will indicate your appropriate cup size, _base_d on the following guide: 0=AA   1=A    2=B    3=C    4=D    5=DD     6=DDD either my body is really odd, or i'm wearing the totally wrong bra size. according to the calculation, i'm wearing a bra 2 sizes too big! looking down in disbelief,  ;D ami

] The addition of five is only ] appropriate for a standard body shape, and does not necessarily reflect ] non standard shapes, whatever that happens to be. It is also not ] accurate for non standard body *sizes*, whatever that happens to be. Well, slap my ass and call me Mommy! I agree with the breast- obsessed one. This is so true. It irritates me when I see this method listed, because it already *assumes* you have a bra that fits. Duh! This isn't such a huge deal for those in the A - C range, but if you're bigger than that, you're screwed. You have to guess. ] This is  why you often need a rocket scientist to figure out your own ] bra size. Or a huge selection of lingerie, a dressing room, several hours, and a very patient SA. I've yet to find that particular combination, which is why I've had to settle for catalog guesswork. I *still* don't really know for sure what size I am. (And, I suspect that once you get above DDD, the sizes are completely irregular from manufacturer to manufacturer and _style_ to _style_.)