Over the last ten years, there has been an increase in the average bra size that women wear. In 1996 the average size was a 36C now it’s a 36DD. Due to this increase, the full figure bra business is booming. In fact, the entire industry is doing quite well with sales increasing by 7.4% between 2008 and 2009. Many believe that Oprah being an advocate for proper fitting undergarments has a lot to do with women buying the correct (larger) size.
In addition to the average size being increased, women with larger bust have more options and sizes to choose from. Before a woman who measured larger than a DDD had no choice but to settle on that DDD and hope that it had enough stretch to support her. Now with bra cups going as far as MM (and probably higher), it’s expected that the average cup would increase. Below I’ve listed more reasons for the increase in average bra sizes.
- Some fashion designers believe that the increase in average breast size is a result of the garment industry. Many clothing manufacturers inflate or deflate sizes according to the times. As all women know, different brands of shoes and clothing fit differently. There’s a big difference in a size 10 from two different companies. And as larger breasts have become more fashionable, possibly C cups have been getting smaller so more women can be proud to have a larger than average size.
- Some sociologists point to the general weight gain among Americans as the cause of the increase in average breast size. Bigger people, the remind us, tend to have bigger breasts. And as obesity reaches epidemic proportions, the breasts of overweight women keep pace with the rest of them.
- A final, and far more terrifying, explanation is that of excessive estrogens in the environment. Due to industrial pollution and widespread use of oral contraceptives, there are high levels of estrogens found in water in many places. In some rivers, fish are dying out because there’s so much estrogen in the water that all the fish are born female. In this scenario, average breast size is growing due to this hormonal pollution.
Valery Amador, Daily Venus Diva -- Daily Venus Diva.
I think it has something to do with more people getting fitted properly. I get lots of people in my boutique that are wearing the wrong size. Ladies who come in wearing B & C cups leave wearing D & E cups. TV programmes like Oprah have helped women realise the benefit of wearing the right size and what it should look like.