Updated! Some brands have increased their size ranges, some have disappeared, and some great new brands have sprung up since I wrote this post. So I have updated it with lots of fresh info!
How small cups should fit, how they shouldn´t and where you can buy sizes like 28(60)A. Plus, a small-boobed manifesto.
How small cups should fit, how they shouldn´t and where you can buy sizes like 28(60)A. Plus, a small-boobed manifesto.
Recently I got a question from reader Zoe:
"Since many of us have a larger cup size and smaller band size than we used to think we are, it got me wondering about the places that specialize in bras for smaller busted women. It got me wondering: Are their band sizes small enough? Will the underwires be wide enough for me? For example, www.lulalu.com. They specialize in AAA, AA, and A cup bras. I read the reviews and the features that they got in magazines; it seems that the reviews are really good, and they test their products on many small-busted women to ensure that they fit. They don't have a size like 28C however. I wonder where that leaves me... My size may not be called an 'A' cup, but I am still small-breasted! I wonder if their bands, in fact, do run small enough for someone like myself. I imagine that my frame is similar to that of the models and customers... It seems that places that specialize in larger cup sizes, like Bravissimo, address the band size issue more because larger breasted women need a snug enough band to provide that support, whereas smaller-breasted women don't need as much support. So interestingly, it's actually easier to find 28's in D cup and up, than below."
Thanks for the question ! It has lead me to several conclusions. First of all:
Small busted women may not need much support, but only the right sized bra can give them some shape !
Many girls which have A cups actually have bigger boobs than they think they have. Check out this image from their site:
34AA my foot.
This is a classic example of a too loose band and too small cups. Please click image to supersize. You can see how the underwire doesn´t go all the way around the breasts, (in the center between the breasts, and in the armpit region). That´s why the bottom of the bra is empty: the underwire sits on top of the breast instead of going around the base. I can bet that the worst bulges and creases have been photoshopped away, but you can still easily see that these girls should be wearing something one or two band sizes tighter, and one or two cup sizes bigger.
This is better explained by these rather extreme examples of the same problem. You can see how the wrong size can make your breasts smaller. (The lady in the pink bra does it right, BTW !)
To compare with the badly fitted bob-haired lady on the top: this is a correctly fitted 34A (couldn´t find a 34AA sorry !)
Where to buy small cups with small bands ?
28(60)C is not that hard to find, since brands like Panache (broad underwires) start from 28C. But there is less choice for cups smaller than that.
So, which brands do small bra sizes and where to find them ? (PS I have not been able to find out info about the underwire width and stretchiness of many of the brands, because of lack of any data. See my appeal on the bottom !)
La Senza 
Pretty and inexpensive bras that start from 30A (which is actually as tight as a 28). Check their size table, with La Senza you need to take band size closest to your underbust measurement (I have currently 66 cm under the bust, I take size 28(60) band in most brands, and 30(60) in La Senza. A lot of their cups run slightly smaller than standard. Unfortunately, the La Senza in Canada decided to stop producing 65 bands. Boo ! I´m sure you can catch some on Ebay though !
Ewa Michalak (online store, Poland)
Start at 30A, but will custom make any size for no extra cost -- however custom bras are non returnable. If you a band 28 or smaller, I recommend first ordering a 30(65) first to check out the fit. The bands run snug and the bras are very well constructed and highly flattering. Affordable prices, around 25€.
Tight bands, small cups. Starts at 32A, which is in practice 30A. Pretty, girly and lacy. You can get them everywhere, from Amazon to Nordstorm to Figleaves. Try Google Shopping search to find the best prices. Starting from £25.60 at Figleaves. Elle Macpherson is based in AU, so maybe you antipodes might find the best deals on these bras.
Marks and Spencer (UK)
Theoretically from 28AA, but they don´t offer much choice at that size. However I guess their offer changes every season, so it´s worth taking a look now and then, since their prices are usually great. The quality varies though ! Their shipping costs to Europe are affordable, outside Europe -- not really. There are lots of MandS bras on Ebay.co.uk for really cheap, with international shipping offered !
ClaudetteThey are introducing 28 bands in spring 2013! They have vibrant and youthful designs, lots of mesh and unpadded cups. This is a new brand on the block that I have great hopes for.
Figleaves
They don´t specialise in small bras, but depending on the season, they have more or less small cups in stocks. They also offer cool discounts, so it´s a good idea to keep checking ! Thy have a UK site as well as a US site.
Mimi Holliday and Damaris
Very pretty lacy things from 28AA, start at around £50 pounds. Also available at Figleaves. I have to share: I´m in love with the Solar Noon model ever since I saw this.
Lula lu
From 30AA. The brand specialises in small cups, and has some adorable confections. The bras are pricier, with most starting at 50$. Although the bad fit examples on the top of this post are from their site, some models on their page are actually well fitted.
The Little Bra Company
Pretty and colourful. From 28A and 50$. Apart from lace models, there are lots of smooth cups to choose from. You can buy them in boutiques (mainly US and Canada) or online (adresses and urls here.)
Change
This Danish brand produces bras that start at 30A in several nice models. They even have strapless bras in this size!
Dainty Lady (UK)
A, AA and B, band sizes 28-42. Mostly white and black models for daily wear. Prices start at £15.99. I can´t figure out if they ship outside the UK or not.
John Lewis (UK only)
Stocks bras from 28AA, some of their own line, some from other producers. The bras are affordable, with some £20. Some models are on clearance at £10 ! The aesthetics are nice, with feminine designs.
AubadeStarts at 30A, pretty and high-quality bras.
This French brand produces luxurious models that start at 30A and are a bit pricy. Available at these stores.
Bigger Bras
Contrary to its name, this store does carry a few models in the small sizes. The band start at 28, and cup sizes start at AA.
Discover Mademoiselle
This brand doesn´t exist anymore, but you can still find pieces on Ebay or some online stores. Very pretty bras, very flattering to small busts. From 28B (26A in practice, since the bands are very tight). I snagged a Clara Bow recently on Ebay, and I totally adore it for it´s prettiness and for the lift it gives.
Little Women (UK)
Only one bra in the 28A category ? And there isn´t any 28B or C category. They do, however, have small cups with big bands, sizes like 36AAA. Prices from £14.95. Some not half ugly for daily wear. Affordable worldwide shipping.
Dessus-Dessus (FR)
Theoretically from 28A, but a proper choice starts at 30B. They stock several brands, with prices starting at 25€.
Debenhams (UK)
A couple of bras in the 28 band, but a lot (!) of bras in sizes like 30A and 30B ! Starting at £9 for bras of their own production, they are definitely very affordable. They also stock other brands too, and there is a nice mix of colours & styles. Worldwide delivery for £7. If you live in the UK, delivery to your nearest Debenhams is free.
Boux Avenue
Created by the former owner of UK La Senza. They start at 30A, but the bands appear to run about a size small, so that might actually be a 28B. Their selection in 30A-D is quite broad, and the bras start at £12 or so. International shipping on request.
Ebay
Ok, this might be a no-brainer, but I need to dispel some myths. You can buy new bras without defects, and many sellers (not all) offer exchanges and refunds. You can often get bras much cheaper than retail price. I do almost all of my bra shopping here, so I should know.
Not recommended:
Freya and Kostar. Both have an extremely stretchy bands, and if you are already wearing a small band, you can´t go a size lower.
Dear small-busted women, please demand your rights.
Apparently the reason why there manufacturers are ignoring you is that a lot of small-boobed girls ignore bras and boobs. Too many ladies throw on any old crappy push-up, not realising that the right bra in the right size can not only make you feel good, but give you boobs where you though you had none (and I´m not talking about push-ups here).
You are invisible to bra manufacturers -- most claim that there is no demand for small bands and small cups. If you'd like them to see you, why not send in your pic to the Bra Band Project?
Maybe you could try writing to bra stores and manufacturers, requesting them to make bras in your size ? After all, stores only stock what the clients buy, so they need to know that yes, women, not just little girls, wear sizes like 28A, and they want more pretty and affordable 28AAs bras, goddammit !
You are invisible to bra manufacturers -- most claim that there is no demand for small bands and small cups. If you'd like them to see you, why not send in your pic to the Bra Band Project?
Maybe you could try writing to bra stores and manufacturers, requesting them to make bras in your size ? After all, stores only stock what the clients buy, so they need to know that yes, women, not just little girls, wear sizes like 28A, and they want more pretty and affordable 28AAs bras, goddammit !
Ok guys, this has got to be the frigging most comprehensive guide to small bras in the world. It has to be ! If I´ve missed anything, please let me know. Brands, stores, tips... help me make this post the queen of small cups post !
Thank you so much for doing this post! And the images are really useful too! It's good to see well-fitted women in each size so that you can see what a good fit looks like. On the Lula Lu image with the black bra, I see a wrinkle in the band--is that a sign that the band is too loose?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've heard that one of the advantages of being small-boobed is that "you can go braless". Which I do sometimes when I'm at home, but a good bra will bring out the best of my shape (and of course, it doesn't have to be a pushup).
Before I got fitted at Intimacy, I wore 34AA bras from the kids section. Since they are from the girls' section, I guess that they run small overall. Upon examining it, and trying it on again, the cups (and underwires) were too narrow for my breasts, and when I adjusted my breasts into the cups, I got the quadriboob effect. I tried it on with a T-shirt, and I could see it through the T-shirt!
The 32A bra (with band altered down) I got from Intimacy had wider underwires. When I was in my fitting appt there, I was surprised that I could I fill out those cups. I never knew I had this much breast tissue!
I think a lot of us small-breasted women are so caught up in "My breasts are so tiny!" that we don't realize that we may also be wearing cups that are too small. Back when I thought I was a 32AA or 34AA, I thought, "There's no way I'm making the mistake of wearing a band size too big and cup size too small; I'm so flat-chested as it is!"
Btw, did you get my message via LJ? I tried replying by email, but I got a bounce back message...
Hi, I am not small busted, but wear small band size. I don't know that I agree that Freya is a bad choice. I find them to be the brand that run the smallest in the band that I've tried, and the only brand so far that I can rely on being tight enough without making use of your nifty sewing trick. Some of them seem like what you describe (Rio), but others don't seem to stretch much at all (Charlotte). It's only been with freya that I haven't felt like I might be a 26 (and I'm not but maybe I'm on the smaller side of 28), and other brands sertainly have stretched out whatever tightness they might have had, way qicker. I don't know why I have such a different idea of them, than you have. Why could that be?
ReplyDeleteLooked trough my bookmarks, seems like Dessus-Dessous carries some small band and small cup sizes, and also glamorous amorous, but they're both expensive places I think, and they only have some sizes. I don't know anything about them though.
I agree about the mimi holliday, it looks fabulous, so waiting for that bra to be produced in more sizes, panache cleo makes really pretty things too, I see now (the ad pictures didn't appeal to me), but the harry you linked to looks really nice.
Hi Lillefix, I don´t wear Freyas myself since the underwires are way too narrow for me, so my opinion was based on those of the girls of the Lobby. Thanks for pointing out that many Freya bands are not stretchy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Dessus-Dessus link, they do have some more affordable items, I´ll be adding it to the post !Very often the catalogue pics don´t give a real idea of what the bras look like, and sometimes the bras look better in real life. That´s why I love the site where the Harry is, I can see what everything looks like and also how high/low cut the cups are.
Thank you for clearing that up :)
ReplyDeleteI have been using balkoneta's catalogue that way too, and to see how bras fit different people differently too. It's too bad it's not in english, google transelate gives somewhat confusing results ;P but maybe bratabase will catch up someday.
I notice that the woman in the 28C link appears to have breasts closer together than mine. I guess it goes to show that even if we have the same size, we may not quite look alike. I think I look more like the 34A woman, in terms of breast shape. Hard to say unless we all get naked. :P
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've seen, North America is REALLY bad for providing small sizes, I bet if I order some from UK ebay and re-sell them in the US, I could even make a profit :P
ReplyDeleteI feel that my breasts look smaller than every girl I see in a bra, I can't help it, even if we're about the same size. Mine just seem really unnoticeable, my boyfriend even said they are "far apart"... I think they're just wide with low volume, and boys are used to seeing girls wearing the wrong size and pushing them together.
Thank you so much for this post, it is very helpful! I recently tried bra shopping in various department stores, where now it seems you are lucky to even find a band size as small as 32. It is very discouraging. I like to be able to try on before I buy rather than dealing with shipping and returns, although I will try ordering a couple of bras in my 'true' size since I know I will never find them out on the rack.
ReplyDeleteRight now almost all my bras are 32B and I think they fit decently. The ones I've picked have fairly tight bands. But I am a little confused because according to the size calculator I should wear a 28D (27 underbust and 31 or 31.5 overbust). If I understand the chart correctly, the equivalent of 28D in a 32 band is 32AA - which would be way too small, I've tried them on before and the cups are too shallow. Is my thinking all wonky and a 28D will not necessarily equal a 32AA or 30B? Will a 28D have deeper cups than a 32AA? Gah. I'm just trying to make things a little easier on myself and find all the sizes that *might* work out for me. Thanks for all your help.
heatherovka: The equivalent of a 28D is a 32B, so the calculator is right on. Maybe you misunderstood the chart? I do think it is a little confusing. When you go down one size in the band length, you go up one size in the cup to compensate. So your current 32B equals a 30C equals a 28D.
ReplyDeleteKim: I agree that the US is horrible about providing small or large sizes, anything outside of the 32-36 A-D range really... I think part of it might be the Victoria's Secret effect. They have really succeeded at selling sex, not a quality product. Brittany at Thin and Curvy has a great examination of their many flaws:
http://www.thinandcurvy.com/2010/12/victorias-secret-bras-dont-even-fit.html
Slipperose -- spot on with the 32B. Also, thanks for the link about VS.
ReplyDeleteHeatherovka -- I think that apparent breast size is also relative to the rest of the body. Also, the right posture does wonders --- shoulders down and open chest! Rounded shoulders and slouching makes small chested girls look concave and big chested girls look, well, shapeless.
The lingerie chain Change (see change.com) also carries from 60 A on. Their bras are well suited to smaller breasts, especially their padded halfcups. Unfortunately their bands run a bit loose so you might need to go down in bandsize - which can be a problem for women who already wear 28 bands.
ReplyDeleteI just got a couple of bras from the new brand Boux Avenue, created by the former owner of UK La Senza, and it seems like a promising brand for smaller sizes. They start at 30A, but the bands appear to run about a size small, so that might actually be a 28B. Their selection in 30A-D is quite broad, and the bras start at £12 or so.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to recommend Boux Avenue too :)
ReplyDeleteAs said they currently start at 30A, but the bands (at least 30 and 32) are really really tight.
I do normally wear 28 and 30 backs, with boux avenue I wear 32 backs. (normally I'm wearing 30D, Boux Avenue Bras fit in 32C)
Especially their Balconette and Side Support bras are really great for a smaller bust.
And the prices are really nice too ;)
@heatherovka I have the same experience as you. Finding 32 bands in the US can be hard enough; forget smaller bands. They cater to larger cups also. If you're 36D, then you're set, but forget the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteMost of my bras are 32B, but I have to wear them on the smallest hook. Now that I study the fit, I realize I have armpit bulge, center gores which often push off the chest, and a back band which rides up. The cup size seems deep enough, but the cups are often not wide enough, even with balconette styles which fit me the best (or maybe I just need wider wires, not larger cups?). I have trouble with full & plunge style cups gapping up top, yet they still give me armpit fat on the side (the cups may be too close together?).
I'm 27 underbust & 33 overbust, so a 28E/DD is supposed to be my size, but when I look at the women in that size on balkonetka.pl, they look bigger than I do.
There's a girl at who is a very similar size as me (1cm within over & under bust measurement, & even her height is the same) on balkonetka.pl, and she seems to have trouble finding a good fit (thanks google translate!). I'm afraid this is going to be my issue, because like me, she seems to have wide set boobs, but with a teardrop shape that is fuller on the sides & bottom. On her, the wires appear too narrow with 32C (and band too big), but 30D bras bag/gap on the top of the cup (but the wires & band seem to fit). 28s seem too tight in the band for her.... Her 32C/B bras fit her just as mine fit me though. I'm thinking, "Greeeeat....I have difficult boobs like hers!" :/
-kell
The Lingerie Addict has chosen Lula Lu Petites as the Best Small Bust Brand of 2012. I'm not the target demographic, so I can't vouch for Lula Lu Petites, but The Lingerie Addict has never steered me wrong!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Here are links to the posts tagged "small bust" on The Lingerie Addict. Happy reading!
Anon/kell:
ReplyDeleteI also noticed that most of the women in the balkonetka catalog wearing my recommended size have very different measurements than me (they ae all smaller underbust and have a greater difference between bust and underbust). It seems to me that most of them are taking the next higher band size to their underbust measurement. For instance, if they measure 73 cm underbust they are mainly trying on 75 bands instead of 65, as the calculator would recommend. Not sure why, but maybe they are all using the calculator from the Ewa Michalak website, which is only correct for their line of bras.
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