Size Headaches: AA, A, and B Cups

My absolute favorite racerback bra was the Wacoal Petite T-Back Front Close, and it is nowhere to be found anymore. Lulalu makes a similar racerback style, the Mia Convertible Front Close, which I tried per their recommendation several years ago in a 34AA. It had all the same benefits as the Wacoal, but I have since outgrown it and would like something less expensive. Also, the straps on it are quite short and I would find myself wishing I could pull them out further.

Is it just me or does Lula Lu's AAA cup run basically the same as an AA in other brands? More and more, I'm starting to think that the difference between AAA, AA and A is just not enough to be very significant. I've tried AA bras that had larger cups than my 32Bs, and this should not be the case since the sister size of 32B is 34A. The way Lulalu's bra fitting quiz works is that they simply ask how your current bra fits, and based on your answer, they size you up or down one cup and/or one band size. To me this is not an ideal way to measure correct fit, but it's a good start and at least gives people an idea of what to try next if their current bra size is wrong.

If your measurements give you an AA cup size, what this means in most brands is that you have less than one inch difference between your fullest bust and your band size. Band size is calculated by taking the underbust (ribcage) measurement, rounding up to the nearest even number, and adding between two and four inches. Adding four inches, for AA cup breasts, can give a negative number for the cup size! So that's obviously not an option. My best fit when I was wearing AA bras was the +2 method. But it could be argued that adding two inches means I should have been in a B cup all along. How confusing is that? There certainly are women who legitimately need the AA cup, but perhaps some could also wear an A or even a B cup and simply haven't found the right one yet.

Since I liked the 34AA Wacoal front-close so much, I decided to explore alternative options in front-close bras. Dobreva makes bras in sizes 32AA, 34AA, and 36AA. I at first elected to try the 36AA since I heard that their bands run small.

The Dobreva smooth-cup front-close racerback has push-up padding which cannot be removed, which is unfortunate but not a total deal-breaker. If a push-up bra fits me well and is comfortable, I'm entirely willing to wear it. Shop for this bra at my Amazon associate link: https://amzn.to/3Fw2E8K.

At the time that I tried the 36AA, I was probably about a 34A. I wanted to make sure the band didn't fit too tight, and that the cup would be the same. So I thought 36AA was a reasonable guess. It was not a terrible fit in the band, when worn on the tightest hook, and the fabric was soft and comfortable. But what I didn't expect was that the cups wouldn't fit. You'd think, since they are AA cups they must have been too small for me.... nope. Too big, as in too wide for my frame. It didn't have much push-up effect because it kind of swallowed me up and there was nothing to lift. I regretted not getting the 34A, and now I think I would need the 34B since my cup size has gone up. I returned it and did not exchange for a larger size, since I was not really looking for a push-up bra anyway.

If you do like push-up and you find, like me, that a front-close style helps prevent slipping straps and gives you a more secure fit in the band, this Dobreva bra may be perfect for you. It has many good reviews and in fact, most of these say that it runs true to size. That's consistent with what I found when I tried on a larger band size than I usually wear.

Dobreva also makes a version of this bra in lace, which based on the reviews does seem to run small. Lace is often not as stretchy as microfiber, which is probably the reason that some women needed to size up in the band and/or cup in the lace style. If you love lace and you aren't concerned about it being too small, go ahead and give it a shot. These bras are about $20 each, so it's less of a stressful process to buy one not knowing for sure if it will fit. They do take free returns. Here is the lace version: https://amzn.to/3nvOxtX

Both the microfiber and lace bras have a very nice aesthetic and come in a variety of pretty colors. This company certainly knows how to make attractive, flattering bras that you want to show off. If they can get their fit issues sorted out, I think these bras would be great. I would consider buying one again, perhaps in one of their lightly lined styles next time.