
At a Victoria's Secret a few weeks ago (hush, I was returning jeans) the sales clerk pointedly mentioned that people often need a refit for their bras.
"People wear the wrong size all the time," she said, with a glance at my t-shirt clad chest.
I laughed. "Oh yes. I wore a bra that was a size too big for years. I thought I was a 34B! I had the cup size right, but I was a 32B."
"Well, people's bodies change over time," she explained, with another chest-glance.
Later (weeks later) while wearing the same t-shirt, I happened to look down ... and noticed the visible ridge line across my chest she must've seen. The spill and overflow effect (those Victoria's Secret girls are pros).
Huh.
I got out the tape measure. Did a google search on bra sizing. (In chat the ex volunteered to help. I declined.)
28" ... add two ... what the heck? I'm 30B now? I know I've gained weight. How could it have gone down?
Hold on, hold on. Finish the calculations.
30" band, 33" bust.
That's not a B-cup. That's a C.
I'm a 30C?
How cool is that? And, er, hard to find.
I think it's the unintended consequence of not carrying a day pack with thirty-five pounds of books any more. I've lost an inch of muscle mass across my back and with a little extra weight, plus it being that time of the month... boob benefits.
ETA: Is it silly that now I want a boyfriend to enjoy this with? How does one explain this to potential boyfriends? "Hi, my boobs got bigger and I'm looking for someone to play with them."
Actually, that would probably work.
ETA2: I've been hearing from people who've been told to wear a 32-something when the bra shop doesn't carry a 30.
It's true that you can change your bra style: full coverage bras will handle more breast tissue. This is a good solution for women whose bra size changes a lot during their periods. They can switch to a full coverage bra for their period.
But if you're a C-cup -- you should be able to wear the full range of styles. If the store doesn't carry your size, don't let them try to "make" something else work. Shop somewhere else. Online stores do take returns. As someone who wore a 34B (the wrong size) for years, that's what I plan to do.