Confused with Lingerie Sizing? You may be!

Getting the size right when buying lingerie can be a major issue whether you are buying lingerie for yourself or as a gift for someone else.

On the high street shoppers mostly buy off the rack with a glance at the sizing label before they head to the check out. Online is really no different except that there is often more sizing information available if the customer wants to read it.

Here at www.ever-so-sexy.com we give comprehensive sizing information to avoid the need to return items. Even so we do still receive a few returns for the reason of wrong size, so we are in the process of reviewing all our sizing information to make it easier for our customers to access and understand.

It is nearly two years since we last reviewed our sizing guides and I was relieved to find that it is still all valid. But I had forgotten just how confusing the different sizing methods can be.

The US and UK use a similar system based on imperial measurements (inches) and US inch and an UK inch is exactly the same but the systems diverge when they get to the bigger cup sizes. Europe has a standard system based on the metric system, except for France who still use metric but different numbers and Italy who do their own 1,2,3 thing and in Australia they base bra sizes on dress sizes. Confused? You would be forgiven for being completely befuddled.

If you then add in the factor that certain styles and manufacturers cut on the small side then you realise just how hit or miss the whole business of lingerie sizing can be.

So what to do?

We in the industry have a responsibility to supply as much information in a clear and understandable way to our customers as is possible. But customers have a responsibility too, which goes beyond reading the information we provide.

We did a poll here at www.ever-so-sexy.com to check just how many of us really know our size. Armed with a tape measure we stalked the office and stores asking our team to tell us their size and then challenged them to a check with the tape measure. 20% of us gave the wrong size information and I wonder just how well our customers know their size.

So customers – get that tape measure out and check. Here’s how to be sure you know your real bra size:

With a tape measure take the measurement of your rib cage just below the bra band. Then add five inches to that measurement to get the band width. For instance if your rib cage measures 29 inches + 5 inches gives you a UK/USA bra size 34 (75 Europe, 90 France, 2 Italy, 12 Australia) If the calculation results in an odd number then round it up by one. Now for the cup size; take the measurement again but this time measure the fullest part of the bust. The difference between this measurement and the band width gives you the bra cup size as follows:
1 inch = cup size A
2 inch = cup size B
3 inch = cup size C
4 inch = cup size D
5 inch = cup size DD (USA E or DD. Italy DD, Australia DD. Europe E)
6 inch = cup size E (USA F or DDD. Italy E. Australia E. Europe F)
7 inch = cup size F (USA G. Australia G)

Starting off with the right size information will definitely avoid disappointment and the need to return a purchase whether it was bought on the high street or online.

Gill Fernandez – Ever So Sexy
A background in finance and sales but a deep desire to do something more feminine brought Gill into the world of lingerie when she decided to form her own company Crysalis Ltd which trades on line under the name www.ever-so-sexy.com and specialises in the glamorous, pretty and down right sexy stuff..

Read all posts by Gill Fernandez right here!