Why sisters are the key to a great fitting bra
Posted by Claire Boote, on March 26, 2020.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s)
Why sisters are the key to a great fitting bra
Do you find yourself tugging, twisting, pulling or pinching your bra straps throughout the day? Well, sisters have got your back! Or rather, the trick of ‘sister sizing’ will ensure you find the perfect fit in a wirefree bra every time.
When you wear a well-fitted bra, you look good and feel great! But up to 80% of women are wearing the wrong size. Getting properly measured is essential, particularly if you’re switching to non-wired bras for the first time (did you know that 80% of the support in a wirefree bra comes from the underband?). Luckily, a fitting can be easily arranged in person at any lingerie stockist – see our Royce stockists page for your nearest expert fit consultant – or measure yourself at home using our handy online fitting guide.
But sometimes ‘your bra size’ doesn’t feel quite right. This can often be the case when you switch between brands or styles of bra too. Underbands may ride up the back, or cups bulge or gape: this is where ‘sister sizing’ comes in. This alternative size offers the same cup volume but tweaks the underband and cup size to compensate.
When your underband doesn’t fit
For maximum support in a non-wired bra, the underband should fit snugly. If the cups fit well but your underband is too loose, you need to go down a size in the underband and up a size in the cup. E.g. If you’re a 36D but your underband is riding up at the back, try your ‘sister size’ of 34DD. Similarly, if your underband is too tight, go up an underband size and down a cup size – from a 36D to a 38C.
The ‘sister sizing’ mantra:
- Down in underband – Up in cup
- Up in underband – Down in cup
When your cups don’t fit
If your underband fits well but the cups are too small or too big, stick to your underband size and adjust your cup size up or down.
Find your size on the chart below:
If your underband is too tight try the size below in the table, e.g. from 36D to 38C
If your underband is too loose try the size above in the table, e.g. from 36D to 34DD
If your cups are too small try the size to the right in the table, e.g. from 36D to 36DD
If your cups are too big try the size to the left in the table, e.g. from 36D to 36C
When the cups and underband don’t fit
No wirefree bra problem is too big or small for our fantastic customer service team! If you’re still unsure how to adjust your sizing, give them a call on 01295 265 557 for fitting advice over the phone.
When buying a new bra, try ‘your size’ plus your ‘sister size’ to find the best fit. At Royce, we offer free delivery on orders over £75, plus free returns so you can try your sister sizes on every purchase. Also, if ‘your size’ is currently out of stock, a ‘sister size’ could be the answer.
For almost 30 years Royce Lingerie has been an expert in getting the perfect wirefree bra fit. When trying on a new bra look for these essential signs of a great fit:
- Your breasts should be well enclosed within the cups of the bra, with no bulging or gaping
- The middle of the bra should sit flat on the chest
- The underband should fit firmly and comfortably on the middle hook and eye fastening
- The underband should sit straight with no riding up
- Straps should be adjusted so they don’t dig into or slip off your shoulders
Find all our expert fitting advice on how to measure yourself at home, and the signs of a great fitting bra at Fitting Guide.
