Why does every Monavida bra style fit differently?

Every Monavida bra style has its own size chart, and that's not a mistake. The Daily Essential comes in 12 sizes with cups up to H, while the Posture Lift only has 6 sizes with cups up to DD. That's why you might wear a size large in one style and an XXXL in another, even though your body hasn't changed at all.

It feels strange the first time it happens. You order two bras, both from the same brand, and the size recommendation is completely different between them. Below, you'll find exactly why that happens, with a quick self-check for each cause so you can test it on yourself right now.

Why does every style have its own size chart?

Monavida measures and sizes every style separately. A bra's band and cup measurements get translated into a size like S, M or XL, and that translation works differently for each style. That's because every style has a different design: different fabric, different fit, sometimes a different number of sizes in the whole range.

• Daily Essential: 12 sizes, S to 3XL+, cup B to H, band 32 to 48
• Lace Lift: 10 sizes, S to 4XL, cup A to F
• Posture Lift: 6 sizes, S to 3XL, cup A to DD
• Secret Support: cup B to DDD, band 32 to 48

See the difference? The Daily Essential covers a much wider cup range than the Posture Lift, even though both start at size S. That means a size label in one style covers something entirely different than in another.

Try this: measure your band snugly under your bust, then your bust at the fullest point. The difference between those two numbers gives you your cup size. Look up that combination in the size charts for two different styles you're considering and compare which size you land on. Often the difference shows up right away.

Why does a style with fewer sizes jump around more?

The Posture Lift only has 6 sizes to cover a cup range from A to DD. The Daily Essential has 12 sizes for a range that goes up to cup H. Fewer sizes automatically means each size has to cover a bigger chunk of the scale.

If you fall right between two sizes, you'll notice that gap faster in a style with few sizes than in one with more steps in between. The Daily Essential has a size in between that smooths out the difference. In a style with fewer sizes, that in-between step gets skipped, and you suddenly land a full size up or down from what you're used to.

Try this: count how many cup sizes fall between two neighboring sizes in the chart. If you land right on that line, your body just doesn't sit neatly in the middle of a size in that particular style, and a different size might actually fit better than the label suggests.

What happens if your cup falls just outside the chart?

Some styles stop sooner than others. The Drawstring Push-up goes up to cup C, the Jelly Push-up up to cup DD, the Daily Essential all the way to cup H. Say you wear a D cup: you'd fall outside the Drawstring's chart, but land right in the middle of the Daily Essential's.

When you fall just outside a style's chart, you automatically get bumped to the largest size that still fits reasonably, even if your band measurement would normally call for something smaller. That can feel like the size is "off", when really it's just the limit of that particular style.

Try this: look up your own cup size in the chart for the style you want to order. Is your cup in the last column, right at the edge? Then you know the size you're given is mostly driven by that cup limit, not so much by your band.

Why does the same size feel different depending on the fabric?

A size medium isn't a fixed thing. It's a translation from a size chart into a piece of fabric, and that fabric is different for every style. The Daily Essential uses memory foam cups that mold to your shape, with a double layer on the sides that holds everything together. The Posture Lift is fully seamless with extra-high sides for a smooth silhouette. The Lace Lift uses lace, which stretches differently than foam.

Less stretch means a size feels tighter. More stretch means the same size sits looser. That's why a size large can be spot on in one style and slightly too tight, or too loose, in another.

Try this: pull the side of your current bra with two fingers. If the fabric gives easily by a couple of inches before it's taut, you're dealing with a style that has a lot of stretch. If it barely gives at all, you're in a less forgiving style, and if you're torn between sizes, go up rather than down.

Could it be your body, not the style?

Sometimes it's not just the charts, it's your body too. Breasts are rarely exactly the same size, weight fluctuates, and some women have been stuck between two standard sizes for years. Of the nearly 2,900 women we surveyed, 8.2% name the wrong size or cup as their biggest frustration with bras. That's not nothing.

I've always been in between sizes and never found a bra that fits 100% right

We hear this kind of comment often, and it also explains why one style suddenly seems to work while another doesn't. You're literally sitting on the edge of a chart that works for most women, just not quite for you.

Try this: measure each breast separately, the same way described above. Is the difference more than one cup size? When in doubt, always go with the larger cup, and check which style's chart gives you the most room for that.

Which style gives you the least hassle?

Want to avoid this kind of guesswork as much as possible? Pick a style with a wide size chart, so you're less likely to hit a limit. The Daily Essential Bra comes in 12 sizes from S to 3XL+ with cups up to H, the widest range in our lineup. That means you're less likely to land right on the edge of the chart, which saves you a lot of trial and error.

Still torn between two sizes, even within this style? It helps to share your exact band and cup measurements and get a second opinion instead of guessing on your own. You can read how to do that in this article on sharing your bra size by message or email.