[Margaret]

Walt Yasmin Disney.  https://www.boobpedia.com/boobs/Yasmin_Disney - 36K plausible?

I’d say more like 34-36J.

[Hiram]

I’d say more like 34-36J.

The band size always trips me up.   I need to do more (hands on) research.

[Margaret]

I’d say more like 34-36J.

The band size always trips me up.   I need to do more (hands on) research.

It can be tricky. Whilst it’s a measurement of the underbust, not everyone is an even number - which is where the stretch of the band, plus the hooks and eyes come in - as well as some of the additional material in the cups. When I visually estimate a back size, I often go slightly lower - I don’t always get it right - but I usually get the cup size close. It takes years of practice and experience. “Hands on”. I see what you did there. Oddly, the only time I touch boobs during a fitting is with the bra on and only with the person’s permission. (You’ll notice I said “person” there - yes. I have fitted women and men).

[Hiram]

not everyone is an even number

Indeed, and I can account for that from my own experience. I used to be a 33" waist - I was too big for 32" jeans and too small for 34" jeans. No choice but to wear a belt and size 34.

When I visually estimate a back size, I often go slightly lower

That makes sense - and from my experience in some technical endeavours that would be the way I'd go about it too.

It takes years of practice and experience.

Yeah I bet it does.  You can't buy experience.

I have fitted women and men).

Now I'm curious - are we talking overweight men - or cross-dressers?  And, how does one refer a man for a bra fitting?

[Margaret]

not everyone is an even number

Indeed, and I can account for that from my own experience. I used to be a 33" waist - I was too big for 32" jeans and too small for 34" jeans. No choice but to wear a belt and size 34.

When I visually estimate a back size, I often go slightly lower

That makes sense - and from my experience in some technical endeavours that would be the way I'd go about it too.

It takes years of practice and experience.

Yeah I bet it does.  You can't buy experience.

I have fitted women and men).

Now I'm curious - are we talking overweight men - or cross-dressers?  And, how does one refer a man for a bra fitting?

It was mostly when I worked in high street department stores for a while - sometimes, you would just get a man asking about bras and sizes etc, and you could tell it wasn’t a gift they were buying - and the kind thing tl do is be discreet and ask if they need help. Sometimes, it was someone who cross-dresses, which was always easy - as they knew what they wanted, but just needed some sizing advice. And, sometimes, it was just creepy perverts. I have to say, it wasn’t a regular occurrence. But I just treated them the way I’d expect to be treated myself. One man came in fairly regularly over about a period of time. He was about 30 when I first spoke to him. Cross-dresser, wife didn’t know etc - and tended to prefer bigger bras (brought his falsies with him one time and I fitted him for a 36E bra set).

[Hiram]

It was mostly when I worked in high street department stores for a while

I just had a pic of the sit-com Are you being Served pop in to my head.  Are you free!

you would just get a man asking about bras and sizes etc, and you could tell it wasn’t a gift they were buying advice.

I had no idea - I have never bought a bra for a woman, and now I think about it, not sure how I would go about it.

Now I'd be spot on with the measurements (thanks to your help Margaret)   but years ago it would go like this.  Me "Hi I'd like to buy a bra for my girlfriend". Shop assistant "okay what size is she".  Me hold up palms of hands "about this big"!  haha

it was just creepy perverts. I have to say, it wasn’t a regular occurrence. But I just treated them the way I’d expect to be treated myself.

I only look at bras when I am with a woman, other than that I pretty much avert my eyes so scared of looking like a prev.

One man came in fairly regularly over about a period of time. He was about 30 when I first spoke to him. Cross-dresser, wife didn’t know etc - and tended to prefer bigger bras (brought his falsies with him one time and I fitted him for a 36E bra set).

I bet that is common - wife doesn't know about his fetish.  I tell women I like bras, which is how I've ended up owning so many.  I think if I was younger I'd be tempted to crossdress, but not now.  Although I did try on a French-maids outfit once, fitted good, felt great.

[Hiram]

Okay another young lady from my Southampton.

Rose Coffen - https://www.boobpedia.com/boobs/Rose_Coffen 34D?

[Margaret]

Okay another young lady from my Southampton.

Rose Coffen - https://www.boobpedia.com/boobs/Rose_Coffen 34D?

Looks like a 28/30E-F.

[Hiram]

Back with a new one.

Kerry Katona - https://www.boobpedia.com/boobs/Kerry_Katona - H?

On August 25, 2008, Katona checked into a private clinic in north-west London for several cosmetic surgery procedures including liposuction, laser treatment on her stretch marks, and a breast reduction to decrease the size of her 34GG chest. Reported to cost £15,000, the procedures will be filmed and footage will be featured on Katona's forthcoming MTV reality show Whole Again. She was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying, "After four kids I need it. I’m a GG at the moment, and when I take my bra off my nipples are by my feet. I want to be a DD instead.

[Margaret]

Back with a new one.

Kerry Katona - https://www.boobpedia.com/boobs/Kerry_Katona - H?

On August 25, 2008, Katona checked into a private clinic in north-west London for several cosmetic surgery procedures including liposuction, laser treatment on her stretch marks, and a breast reduction to decrease the size of her 34GG chest. Reported to cost £15,000, the procedures will be filmed and footage will be featured on Katona's forthcoming MTV reality show Whole Again. She was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying, "After four kids I need it. I’m a GG at the moment, and when I take my bra off my nipples are by my feet. I want to be a DD instead.

Hmm. Her weight fluctuated a lot, but I’d expect her to have been in 32-34 back territory and around FF/G cup.

[Hiram]

Hmm. Her weight fluctuated a lot, but I’d expect her to have been in 32-34 back territory and around FF/G cup.

I thought she'd be a tricky one due to her weight changes and cosmetic procedures.  I will put her down as a 34G.

I thought I'd bang another off one while I was here. 

Jill Cannon - https://www.boobpedia.com/boobs/Jill_Cannon - 34E seems on target.

[Margaret]

Hmm. Her weight fluctuated a lot, but I’d expect her to have been in 32-34 back territory and around FF/G cup.

I thought she'd be a tricky one due to her weight changes and cosmetic procedures.  I will put her down as a 34G.

I thought I'd bang another off one while I was here. 

Jill Cannon - https://www.boobpedia.com/boobs/Jill_Cannon - 34E seems on target.

34E seems broad for someone so slim and short. I’d be thinking more 28-30E. Maybe 28F.

[Hiram]

34E seems broad for someone so slim and short. I’d be thinking more 28-30E. Maybe 28F.

Cheers. 

it would be interesting to know where BP get there sizing info from, as your estimates differ so often - I trust you, not them.

[Margaret]

34E seems broad for someone so slim and short. I’d be thinking more 28-30E. Maybe 28F.

Cheers. 

it would be interesting to know where BP get there sizing info from, as your estimates differ so often - I trust you, not them.

Chances are it’s a guess (34DD was the go-to bra size synonymous with “big boobs” for far too long). Or, it may be the bra size she was wearing (34DD is one of those bra sizes that if you put it on, most modest-sized boobs will fit into it, because of the large band size). But it’s probably just magazine copy editor laziness. She’s maybe said in an interview she’s a 28E and the copywriter has looked at it and thought “that doesn’t sound big, I’ll make her a DD”.

You’d be surprised at how easily impressed people are by bra sizes. My husband’s friends think 34DD is bigger than 32FF. I think it’s the alliteration of “double dee”.

[Hiram]

You’d be surprised at how easily impressed people are by bra sizes. My husband’s friends think 34DD is bigger than 32FF. I think it’s the alliteration of “double dee”.

This is so how I thought about bra sizes - I think it would have been 40DD or maybe 44DD that I thought was huge. Definitely DD as you say.  I guess this stereotype still persists for some people (mainly men I guess).  This is why I like to learn about these things.

Come to think about it - I'm sure I had a adult VHS (yes a tape) with DD in the title.

Did you say there was a redoing of bra sizing some time ago - maybe this is why DD still exits as a metaphor.