Enlist the help of an assistant if possible. Try to be accurate to 1/8 inch or 3 millimeter.
Step 1 - Breast Root Trace
Included in your kit, you will find a flex ruler or a flexible wire. Begin with the larger breast and raise the corresponding arm above your head.
Using your free hand or an assistant, use the flex ruler/wire to “trace” around the breast crease (Inframammary Fold or IMF) with one end toward the middle of your chest. If the IMF is not present or hard to find, try pushing the breast mound toward the underarm to temporarily create a crease and mark it with a washable marker. Also consider leaning forward (roughly 45 degrees) to make the breast crease more apparent and accessible. Another option would be to trace the indentation left at the end of the day after wearing your best fitting bra.
The curve of the flex ruler/wire should follow your IMF as closely as possible. Then quickly transfer to a sheet of paper (back of this page works well) and trace. Repeat process with other breast. Be sure to label each trace - left or right breast.
**Please remember to check both breasts as they may be different!**
Step 2 - Taking the measurements
1. Snug Under Bust
Measure around the rib cage directly under the bust. Keep the tape measure as parallel to the floor as possible while pulling on the tape. This should feel about as tight as a well fitting bra.
2. Tight Under Bust
Measure around the rib cage directly under the bust. Keep the tape measure as parallel to the floor as possible while pulling on the tape. This should feel UNBEARABLY tight as if the tape measure will break.
3. Full Bust
Measure around the ribcage directly over the bust point. Try to keep the tape measure as parallel to the floor as possible. Do not over tighten.
4. Over Bust
Measure around the ribcage over the bust mound, under the armpit. Hold your arms straight out like you’re an airplane. Try to keep the tape measure as parallel to the floor as possible.
5. Bridge Width
Measure the space between the breasts at the same level as the bust point. You may need to support the breasts with the hands.
6. Back High Bust
With arms out, measure the distance of the high back between the arms. This should be about where the top of the band would be.
7. Back Under Bust
With arms out, measure the distance of the low back between the arms. This should be about where the bottom of the band would be.
Remainder of measurements - cup your breasts from below and lift them to where you would like them to be. Please enlist helper here!
8. Bottom Cup Depth
Measure the distance from IMF to bust point. Begin with one end at the IMF and measure straight up toward the bust point. Measure under the hands cupping the breast.** This may take a few tries. If measuring pendulous breasts without help, consider taking two measurements - one standing and one leaning over - then averaging the two.
**Try to be accurate to the quarter inch or half centimeter.
9. Horizontal Hemisphere
Measure the horizontal distance from wire line to wire line while crossing the bust point. If breast is pendulous, measure across the fullest part of the breast (not necessarily the nipple). If measuring pendulous breasts without help, consider taking two measurements - one standing and one leaning over - then averaging the two.
**Try to be accurate to the quarter inch or half centimeter.
10. Inner Arc
Same as above but just the distance from center front wire line to the bust point.
11. Bust Span
Measure the distance between the bust points.
12. Strap Height
Using a small sticker/ washable marker, place a dot above each breast where you would like the strap to attach to the cup. Measure the distance between this dot and the bust point. Keep bra type in mind (wired vs wireless).
13. Strap Arc
Measure the distance between the inner wireline (sternum) and the dot from previous step.
14. Underarm Arc
Measure the distance between the outer (underarm) wireline and the dot from previous step.
**You may find bending over at a 45 degree angle (or whatever angle you can manage) helps if you are measuring by yourself.
