September 28, 2023

Bras for a petite frame large bust women

👋🏽 Hi, Tish here. Owner of She Science. As a petite frame large bust woman myself this is a post I have been keen to get out and on to the screens of the desperate women of Australia.

Over the past 9 years we've had the pleasure of seeing over 25,000 different ladies through our store and a common story we hear is that bras for a petite frame last bust proportion are a nightmare to find in mainstream retail.

Why are petite frame bras hard to find in Australia?

Commonly in Australia brands will start their size range at a size 10 (also referred to as a size 32). It's rare to find Australian brands producing small band size bras, particularly when coupled with a larger cup size. Some Australian brands will produce size 8A, 8B and 8C for teenagers, but then drop the size 8 thereafter.

In fairness to our Australian brands and retailers, it's important to consider that most size 6 or size 8 women actually naturally select a size 10 (or 12 😭) for themselves in the change room and this fuels the lacklustre range available for petite frame ladies in stores. If women aren't demanding a broader size range then brands won't justify producing the stock.

This coupled with the fact that our Australian population is so small and many brands and retailers find it hard to hold stock in a very broad range of sizes and as such choose to stick to the "middle of the bell curve" sizes. From a commercial perspective this is a much easier position for them to take. But it doesn't help the frustrated petite framed women of Australia.

Is the petite frame large bust proportion common in Australia?

A smaller ribcage and larger cup size frame is actually very common in Australia. Granted our specialty retail store see's a high proportion of these customers because we cater comprehensively for these sizes.

This size profile is also very common in teen girls who have developed a large bust early, but is certainly not limited to this age group. As for myself, I am a 35 year old woman wearing a 6F after various periods of weight gain, weight loss, pregnancy, breastfeeding etc.

Size 6 bras and size 8 bras are also a common size for asian and indian women, as well as women from the UK.

With most Australian women wearing a bra far too big around the ribcage the prevelance of this size in Australia would be dramatically misquoted if looking at the stats of our big brands and retailers.

🎥 Here's a link to a video explaining 'How a bra should fit and why'

Where to find size 6 bras and size 8 bras?

Good question! You won't find petite frame bras for a large bust in mainstream retail stores, or at least not with a comprehensive range. You'll need a specialty independent store that offers a range of international brands catering to smaller frames, like our bra store She Science.

Independent stores like ours are run by passionate Bra Fitters who see the dire need for accessibility of petite frame bras in Australia.

Our retail store carries brands like Freya, Panache, Shock Absorber, Fantasie and Royce, Sugar Candy - all of whom cater to the petite frame customers comprehensively in their range of bras.

What is the smallest size for a bra?

While there is the odd small international brand or custom bra maker that will cater to a size 4, a size 6 (or size 28 in the UK) is generally considered the smallest band size commercially available. Brands such Freya, Panache, Royce, and Sugar Candy all start at a size 6 - all of these brands can be found at our retail store.

There are a lot more brands that will start their sizing at a size 8 (size 30). However, most brands still choose to begin at a size 10 (32).

What will happen if I wear a size too big for me?

Because most of the support from our bra actually comes from the band around our ribcage it is important this fits snug. If you settle for a bra that fits too big around your ribcage the bra will not be able to offer it's best support, nor will the support last long.

It's best to have your bra fitted firmly on the loosest hooks when it is new so that as it stretches you can adjust inwards to maintain that strong firm support. If you buy a bra too big in the first place it's likely you'll start on the tightest hooks and as that bra ages you won't have any room to adjustment and counteract the stretch.

👉🏽 Read: The most common (and critically important!) factor women get wrong with their bra fit

Our favourite size 6 bras and size 8 bras...

Petite Frame Large Bust Everyday Bras

These "favourites" include D-J cup everyday bras in a size 6 &/or 8.

Freya Idol | D-H cup, 6-16
Underwire, moulded cup full coverage T-Shirt Bra

Panache Ana Plunge | D-GG cup, 6-16
Underwire, soft lace, plunge bra

Envy Full Cup Underwire Bra | D-J cup, 6-16
Underwire, decadent lace, full coverage bra

Panache Cari Spacer Balconnet | DD-G cup, 6-16
Underwire, spacer foam, balconette T-shirt bra

Petite Frame Large Bust Sports Bras

These "favourites" include D-H cup everyday bras in a size 6 &/or 8.

Shock Absorber Active D+ Classic | D - H cup, 8 - 18 (fits small)
Wire free + straight straps

Panache Sports Bra | B - HH cup, 6-18

Underwire + Convertible straps (racer back + straight straps)

Freya Sonic Sports Bra | D - GG cup, 6-14

Underwire + spacer foam + convertible strap configuration

Petite Frame Large Bust Wire Free Lounge Bras

These "favourites" include E-H cup wirefree or lounge bras in a size 6 &/or 8.

Sugar Candy Basic Bralette | F-H cup, 6-18

Wirefree lounge bralette

Royce Skyla | D-F cup, 6-16
Wire free + moulded cup t-shirt bra

Andorra Non Wired | E - G cup, 8-14
Wire free + lace everyday bra

One of the lucky ones located in Victoria? 😉

Come and see us for a Sports Bra fitting in Camberwell. Our team of dedicated experienced Sports Bra Fitters will spend 30 minutes with you trying on as many high impact technical Sports Bra options as you'll allow us to. We work with 18 industry leading brands from all over the world, so there really is something for everyone. We run strictly by appointment (and are often booked out) so don't forget to make a booking before you arrive 💁🏽‍♀️

She Science, our Specialty Bra Store offers cup sizes A - J and band sizes 6 - 30. We work with 16 industry leading brands from all over the world. Our comprehensive Sports and Everyday Bra fitting service is available by appointment, out of our fitting suite in Camberwell, Melbourne (Australia). Come on in and we'll find you your best match taking in to account your size, shape, activity demands and personal style preferences. Our team of experienced bra fitters would love to meet you.