More Bra Advice--from a Bra Wizard, no less

I got this email--and this really helpful link--b/c of the post below. The advice is a li'l different than mine, from a woman who does this for a living, and the shop she works for has bras in sizes that some of you said you couldn't find. So here's an alternate sizing rubric and a possible source for good bras.

Dr. B -

My husband sent me your link, since I'm the on line bra wizard for a bra shop, he thought I might like it.

There are couple of things I thought you might like to know about bra fitting, the add 5" thing, that does not usually give a good fit, we measure at the ribcage and add 2 and if necessary round to the nearest even number. (If you measure 32", you are 34 band). The band is the first issue, if the band is too loose it rides up in the back, the breast go south and all the weight is on the shoulders. A bra band should be snug and a little lower in the back than in the front so the band does the work of holding up the breasts and the weight is kept off the shoulders.

The thing is most places don't want to carry cup sizes bigger than a DDD, so they cheat a little bit by putting you in a band that is a little big. If you measure 34 at the ribcage and 43 at the bust, the way I fit you would be a 36G (one cup size up from a DDD) but with the add five method you would be a 40C.

Next trick about bra fitting, cup size is relative to band size, a 32C and a 40C are not the same cup size. A 40C is the same cup size as a 32DDD. Everytime you go down a band size you have to go up a cup to get the same fit.

Last thing, once you get past a D cup, every maker has a different sizing system. So the next size could be DD or E, all depending upon who makes the bra. DDD could also be E or F, and past that you could be DDDD, FF or H.. There are brands available now that go to J or K.

I hope you don't mind the input and that you have a great day.

And here's her site, where you can email her your specific fit questions, or browse for bras from a 30 band size to cup size JJ.