Common Breast Shapes and Bra Fitting
Every woman’s breast shape is different. How to fit this variety into limited sizes and styles of bras poses a challenging task to bra designers like us. Although with the help of bra fitting guide and/or bra fitters, you are able to find a good fitting bra, it is always good to know your own body and breasts. Isn't it wonderful that you can fit yourself?
In order for you to know your breasts easily and help you make sound bra choice, we categorize the common breast shapes below. Please note that you might fit more than one of the shapes below.
Common Breast Shapes and Corresponding Bra Fitting Explained
1. Close Set: when braless, two breasts touch or almost touch each other.
Bra fitting tips:
- Plunge bras and halter top can show off your cleavage nicely.
- If you desire some separation, choose bras having low and narrow center front panel. Bras having high and wide center front panel may not rest firmly on your rib cage.
- Push in bra is not necessary as your breasts are already close in.
- Avoid bras having underwire shaped high up in the center front as the underwire may poke your breast tissue.
2. Wide Set: breasts are further apart from each other, with larger space between them (more than three fingers width).
Bra fitting tip
- A push in bra can gather the breasts in from the sides and create a better forward projection.
- Side support bras having high side boning can avoid the armpit fat bulges by moving the breast tissue to the cups.
- Bras with straps connected from the sides, instead of from the center top of the cups, can better push in the breasts tissue.
3. East West: breasts spread out from the center of the chest. Most likely this breast shape has nipples pointing to the sides.
- Push in push up bras can be extremely effective at gathering the breasts to the center and building a forward projection.
- Molding bras having padding not only at the bottom but also at the sides of the cups can be a good choice.
- To avoid a side projection look, choose bras with straps connected from the sides, instead of from the center top of the cups, so that the breasts can be push inward.
4. Athletic: breasts have a wide root on the chest with less tissue.
Athletic
Bra fitting tip
- Side support bras having side boning can avoid fat bulge under armpit and along the sides of the body.
- Molded cups is a good choice to add some fullness to the breasts.
Bra fitting tip
- This type of breasts is easier to sag than other types. Pick a good lift bra / support bra / push up bra is important.
- Bras having seams and bigger coverage are better at providing the support than other types.
- Bras with light to moderate padding in the cup is better at building a natural look of the breasts without creating gaps between the cups and base.
6. High Chest: breasts sit relatively high on the body.
Bra fitting tip
Avoid bras that lift and push up too much. Too much of bust at higher chest could visually add width to your figure.
7. Low Chest: breasts sit relatively low on the body.
Bra fitting tip
- Lifting bras are excellent at lengthening your torso height and making you look slimmer.
- Lifting bras or push up bras that provide support is indispensable.
8. Full: breasts maintain the most breast volume above the apex of the breasts. This type of breasts is perky and the skin is elastic. This type is very common in young women.
Bra fitting tip
Every bra style fits this type.
9. Half Full: this type of breasts features half volume above the apex and half under. A lot of factors contribute to the transition from full breasts to half full breasts: age, weight fluctuation, breast feeding, ill-fitting bras, and chronicle exercise without support, etc.
Bra fitting tip
- To prevent further sagging, be sure to wear push up bra / lift bra.
- Bras with vertical seams can provide excellent support needed.
- Avoid bras with the same thickness of foam in the cup as they create gap between the cups and breasts top. Bras with graduated padding (thicker at the bottom and thinner at the top) is a perfect choice.
10. Relaxed: this shape features that most of the breast volume has moved to the bottom of the breasts. Most likely this type of breasts has nipples pointing downward.
Bra fitting tip
- Avoid soft cup or wire free bras that do not provide support.
- Bras with vertical and/or diagonal seams can provide excellent support needed and build a natural full looking.
- Avoid bras with the same thickness of foam in the cup as they create gap between the cups and breasts top. Bras with graduated padding (thicker at the bottom and thinner at the top) is a perfect choice.
11. Slender: this shape of breasts has small projection over the chest. This type of breasts normally is of small cup size.
Bra fitting tip
Bras having thick padding are helpful to enhance the curve.
12. Asymmetric: one breast is bigger than the other, and/or one breast sit higher than the other.
Bra fitting tip
1. The bigger cup size is your correct bra cup size.
2. Select bras that provide open pad slots so that you can add pad in the cup of the smaller breast to even up the fullness of both breasts.
3. Adjust the shoulder straps so that both breasts position at the same horizontal line.