Brafitting - the methodology and technique of selecting bras and underwear with a construction similar to a bra, e.g. basque, taking into account the anatomical conditions and personal preferences and activity of the client.
History and demand for professional selection
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Brafitting was created to accomodate the needs of women who were unable to buy a bra that would keep the bust in a comfortable position without pain problems. The most original size chart from 1932, using letters (meaning the size of the cup), contained only 4 sizes (A, B, C and D) without different circumferences. Combination sizes of letters and numbers (indicating the band size) appeared a little later, and letters larger than D only in the late 80's. Due to how long the letters served as the entire bra size, the belief that they served as the equivalent of clothing sizes and the letter A meant a small bust, and D—a large one, became established. This still causes a common misconception among women and people with breasts about the size they should wear.
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An additional problem is the change in size designation format between countries and manufacturers. Two sizing systems dominate the market—the European one, which uses sizes consisting of a single letter and a number divisible by 5 (e.g. 75F), and the British one, which uses sizes consisting of a single or double letter and a number divisible by 2 (e.g. 34FF). This is due to the fact that English-speaking countries where the brafitting was first established use the inch, not the centimetre, as the unit of measurement. It is not clear why the British sizing contains double letters, while the lack of the letter 'I' is due to the fact that in English-speaking countries the number '1' is written similarly to the capital letter 'I', which could lead to confusion when purchasing a garment. It is not clear why the British sizing system does not use the 'EE' designation.
| Size of the next cup, from smallest to largest | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europaean sizing | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | W | Y | Z |
| British sizing | A | B | C | D | DD | E | F | FF | G | GG | H | HH | J | JJ | K | KK | L | LL | M | MM | N | NN | U |
| Size of the next band, from smallest to largest | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europaean sizing | 60 | 65 | 70 | 75 | 80 | 85 | 90 | 95 | 100 | 105 | 110 | 115 |
| British sizing | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 44 | 46 | 48 | 50 |
The above conversion factors are conventional and the margin of error related to, for example, the fact that 1 inch is 2.54 cm and not exactly 2.5 cm should be taken into account.
There are also other sizes, including French (adds 15 cm to the European circumference) or Italian (using only Roman numerals) and special sizes of individual manufacturers (e.g. Sugarshape, which gives the circumference under and in the bust as the size marker, for example 70/93), which additionally increases the demand for the brafitting service.
Methodology
editChoosing a bra requires assessing the size of the cup and circumference to be matched, and then combining these data and, if necessary, making corrections.
Cup size
editThe size of the cup is selected based on the measurement of the circumference in the bust and under the bust. The number obtained when measuring the circumference under the bust is subtracted from the number obtained when measuring the circumference in the bust, and the obtained result is compared with the adopted, standard size (difference of 2.5 cm—A cup, difference of 5 cm—B cup, difference of 7.5 cm—C cup, etc.) . At the moment, cups up to the letter PP in the British system are available on the market. The cup size may vary between models from the same or different manufacturers, depending on the materials used, cut or country of origin.
Sometimes the sister sizing method is used; it is based on changing the size of the bra to one in which the cups hold the same amount of breast tissue, but the circumference is smaller or larger, respectively. For example, for size 75F, the sisters will be 70G, 65H, 60I.
The depth of the cup and the ratio to the width of the underwire
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Each person's breasts have a unique width-to-girth ratio, as do bra cups in different styles and styles. To calculate this ratio, we divide the cup depth by the cup width, thus obtaining a number that is always ≥ 1. If a person with a 1:4 breast circumference ratio wears a 1:2 ratio bra, the breast will stop at the widest point of the cup and will not will settle lower. This will keep the cup unfilled below the breasts and potentially too full at the top, causing the breast tissue to spill over the rim.
Underwire width
editAs a general rule, the underwire should cover the entire breast tissue, from the sternum to the natural end of a single breast, which for most cisgender women is approximately the axis of the armpit. In some people, however, the underwire may be too wide when it reaches the armpits, then it is required to find a model with narrower and deeper cups.
Band tightness
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The band should support 80% of the weight of the breast to relieve the shoulders and not cause long-term damage to the skin and clavicles, therefore it must be tight enough to anchor horizontally on the skin. The band size is selected by measuring the person under the bust and rounding the resulting number down to the first number divisible by 5 (e.g. 78 cm is rounded to 75) or by 2 if we use the British sizing guide (e.g. the 33 inches is rounded to 32). The band always needs to be tried on and assessed—if the last row of hooks and eyes does not stay parallel to the floor during body movements, it is necessary to change to a smaller one.
Straps adjustment
editThe straps are there to support the remaining 20% of the breast weight and keep the tops of the cups close to the body, so once the selected bra is tried on, one should adjust the straps and check for comfort.
Scoop and swoop
editA key part of the brafitting process is learning how to scoop and swoop. It involves grabbing the tissue in the area of the armpit and firmly moving it towards the centre of the cup. Thanks to this, the entire breast is within the area closed off by the underwire and there is a chance to assess whether the selected size is correct. Often during this step, it turns out that a larger cup is needed.
Selection of accessories
editSometimes additional accessories are needed to achieve a satisfactory fit for the customer. These can be, for example, girth extensions, allowing for a more precise fit of the girth to the dimensions of the buyer, or clips to keep the straps in one position. In the past, there were also additional gadgets that made it possible to adjust the bra when elastic materials were not available.
Brafitting courses
editMany companies conduct trainings for bra fitters, using their product range. This applies especially to people employed as customer advisors in chain stores, who are taught during training how to work with specific models of bras, often leading to errors by solving problems in a way that is unfavorable for the customer (e.g. by increasing the size of the bra to solve the problem of too small a range cups). One of the objects of such criticism is the Victoria's Secret brand.
IThere are also organizations running their own courses and individual trainers. The content of these trainings differs slightly due to the materials (underwear) used during them, and due to the subject matter; there are courses dedicated to bra fitting for trans people, people with scoliosis, with an unusual chest structure, after mastectomy and other more specific issues. A bra fitter is not a regulated profession worldwide and does not require the completion of any studies, training or specialist courses to legally practice it. [[Category:Undergarments]] [[Category:Fashion]]