As average bra size increases, so does sale of full-figured bras

This is a lame article--no citing of where this statistic came from, no mention of the countless boob jobs going on all over the world, no mention of vanity sizing which has been happening in the retail world for a while now. If the change in bra size was solely because women are getting heavier (which is indeed happening) as the article would lead you to believe, then why would the band size stay exactly the same?

At a thin, perfect weight for 5'8" I was a 36B, 2 kids later I gained weight (not obese, just heavier) and became a 38C--that's what happens. I guess there are lucky ladies out there that ONLY gain weight in their breasts and they can brag about it, but if they were the norm, there wouldn't be MILLIONS of breast augmentation surgeries preformed every year). As a 38C I can actually get away with wearing a 36D in a pinch, and women who want to have a sexier sounding bra size might sacrifice comfort to do just that, is that what might be going on as well? The article doesn't even hint at it. Lame, Yahoo, just lame.

I wear a 44DDD, I used to be a DD but after birth and lactating ( 14 years ago) they increased in size and never did decrease. I shop at Cacique, which is the lingerie section of Lane Bryant. I absolutely love their bras and they look incredible, sexy and nice. They have a cleavage-enhancing plunge style, demi-style, balconette, t-shirt and other styles. There is a lot of variety as far as style, fabric and color.
I am 6'0" tall so the larger chest is proportionate to my frame; they do not bother my back.
The key is to wear the correct size bra, this will eliminate many of the issues mentioned. The bras are not budget-busters either; they average 36-42 dollars which is not bad as a larger chest commands a well-fitting and constructed bra..... Happy shopping.

As a former employee of Victoria's Secret, I'm sorry for those of you who had bad experiences in the store. I would measure women all the time and if we didn't carry their size I would refer them to a department or speciality store. I chose to be honest with customers and that did help me out in the end. They'd return with bras purchased from other stores, but would by panties, lingerie, and body products from me. I was also pregnant during my time there and I went from a 34C to a 38DD. While I was nursing I lost weight (but not volume) and ended up a 34DDD. Of course VS doesn't carry that size so I wore nursing bras for 6 months until I went down to a 34D. Now I live in Singapore and trying to find a 34D is almost impossible. Whenever I travel back to the USA I stock up, but get measured first. My point is get several measurements and try on bras until you find the one that works.

Then once you find a decent bra, it is hard to find blouses and suits unless you get everthing professionally altered! If you are petite you end up needing to buy a size 14-16-18 top just to fit your breasts but then the rest of the shirt is too big on the stomach, arms, shoulders, etc and you feel like a football player! Anyone know where to buy nice shirts that go with suits?

If a 36DD is average, why do so few places sell them? That's the size I wear (I think I'd ideally be a 34DDD, but forget finding that without paying a fortune), and most stores only stock them online, if at all. Bras also tend to be either ridiculously padded or not supportive enough for larger sizes. I like Aerie, though; the 36DD is usually a pretty good fit, and they have pretty bras.

And I'm about a size 8, just with a curvy body type. My boobs were the same size when I was a size 2-4 in my early teens, but they look much more proportional now.

For the ladies looking for nicer larger sized bras, I have had luck with Lane Bryant and Woman Within. Granted I wouldn't wear clothes by Woman Within but their bras are quite nice.

I completely understand what it feels like to be a size that stores never carry. I have never liked VS because I have a body type that has never followed the sizing rules. Based on sizing guidelines I should wear a 36 band size but when I wear a 36 it is loose and gives no support so I am stuck down at a 34 which if I weigh over 135 it is snug enough to leave marks on me. I have walked into VS in the past and they have always argued with me about my bra size and I have always had to prove them wrong. Now because of a medication side effect I am between a G and H cup size. I have been able to find my size at Dillards but I am limited to the very small selection they carry unless I order online. And dont even try to find a bra for a backless dress in my size. Man I am hating wedding season now.

I'm a 32F, found a great one for 85 bucks at store that specializes in weird bra sizes. It's great :)

Try Chantelle bras at nordstom or dillards. I'm a 40DD and they fit perfectly.

I think this is an interesting article because as Toaster Cat said, smaller girls get forgotten now two. It seems like the only sizes companies are interested in providing are 34 B-D or DD. As someone who wears a 32 B or sometimes A, I find it just as frustrating to find bras that don't look like they were made for a 12 year old as women who wear 34 K's do when trying to find ones that dont look like they were made for an 80 year old.

I use to be a 42 D but wean i start to take birth control my boobs shot up to a 42 DD. I only found one place to get my bra cheep at and it was at Walmart for $9 and it was Fruit of looms for full figer woman.

im definitely in that category of the average size increasing. i honestly don't like how big my boobs are, but i can't afford a breast reduction...thankfully, the growing sizes are prompting bra companies to cater to us as well. not everyone is a size 32 A anymore. I'm still looking around for products I like, but as of right now, Leading Lady is the front runner for me. Apparently its a bra company that does only nursing and full figure. I guess that's good considering its ACTUALLY making what us full figured girls need.

When I can't find 32DDD sized bras, I have learned that there are a couple of brands that I wear a 34DD in most styles they make. I'm 5'1 and 115, and all natural with measurements of 37-26-37. I don't have much to complain about in the measurements department....unless we're talking HEIGHT. If I were about 5 inches taller my figure wouldn't look so cartoon-ish, which would be nice. Oh, and price is always an issue for women who wear bras that don't fall into the limited sizing range carried in most chain stores. And please don't try to push any more lingerie boutiques, we're still in a recession (regardless of what the government tries to tell us to the contrary), so most of us can't afford the insane prices boutiques charge!

I lost weight everywhere but my boobs so I went from a 38DDD to a 34HH and the only place I can buy bras is Intimacy or online at barenecessities. Lucky for me I don't have to get the $100 bras the brand I typically buy range from $65-$85, but still times that by 5 and its expensive to the max.

I've opened up a boutique in te city of Norco Ca that features sexy bras starting from 32 DD to 40G It was very difficult to find a manufacturer that produced sexy bra's at those sizes. Oor catalog is currently being built www.thehouseofvenus.com..check us out.

I am a 32DD and I don't feel like I have huge breasts at all... I completely agree with the earlier point about vanity sizing. Breasts have not gotten that much larger, but bra manufacturers have changed, 5 years ago I was a happy 34C. Now I can't find a bra anywhere.

5' 7". 36DD. And yes, I have lost about 30 lbs since the beginning of the summer and have not noticed any variance in the size of my chest. I've been battling with my weight for years, but I blame eating during stressful times rather than hormones in the food. Don't go and start slinging mud because I am one of the overweight masses (If you want to blame something, I GAINED 20 lbs during the over-stress of almost 12 standardized tests in a year). Possibly weight is not the only factor on this statistic. However, I was a little shocked. Last time I was this weight, I was a 36D. Thus, I side with the people saying surgery and vanity sizes are major factors in this average size change.

The problem is the lack of standard sizing. I can try on the "same size" bra in 10 different brands and each will fit differently, with 9 out of 10 not fitting at all. In fact, I once spent an entire day shopping for bras and only ended up with 1 that actually fit.

I've worn a 38D for as long as I can remember, and I always thought my boobs were rather large. I did not even know that they made bras up to size K, up until now. Really? How could a woman not topple over or hurt herself with hooters that huge?

It seems to me they have increased the cup sizes but the straps haven't changed. I'm a 34D and I mostly find 36D's and up.