Bra Sister Size Calculator & Chart

A similar cup volume on a different band - and when the swap actually helps.

A sister size holds roughly the same cup volume on a different band. Go down one band and up one cup, or up one band and down one cup. AU 12C, 10D and 14B are sisters. They are not interchangeable – the band changes how tight the bra is around you, which changes how it feels and how well it supports.

How the swap works

Cup letters are relative, not absolute. A C cup on an AU 10 band holds less than a C cup on an AU 16 band, because the cup is graded up as the band grows. So when you shrink the band by one step, you have to grow the letter by one step to keep the volume roughly the same.

  • Band feels too loose? Go down a band, up a cup. AU 14C becomes 12D.
  • Band feels too tight? Go up a band, down a cup. AU 14C becomes 16B.

“Roughly” is doing real work in that sentence. The volumes are close, not identical, and the shape of the cup changes too – a smaller band with a bigger cup is deeper and more projected.

When a sister size is the right move

  • The cup fits well but the band rides up or you can pull it far from your back.
  • The cup fits well but the band leaves deep marks or makes it hard to breathe comfortably.
  • Your size is sold out and you need the nearest usable alternative.
  • A brand runs consistently tight or loose in the band and you have decided to compensate.

When it is the wrong move

  • The cup is the problem. If tissue is spilling out, you need a bigger cup at the same band – not a sister size, which keeps volume constant.
  • You are chasing a smaller-sounding letter. Moving from 12E to 16C does not make anything smaller; it makes the band looser and the support worse.
  • You have already gone two steps. Past one step in either direction the shape diverges enough that the fit rarely holds up.

Sister size chart

Find your size in the first column. The other columns are the two sizes worth trying.

Scroll the table sideways on a narrow screen.

Sister sizes for every AU band and cup (method 0.7)
Your sizeBand feels loose - tryBand feels tight - try
8A--
8B-10A
8C-10B
8D-10C
8DD-10D
8E-10DD
8F-10E
8FF-10F
8G-10FF
8GG-10G
10A8B-
10B8C12A
10C8D12B
10D8DD12C
10DD8E12D
10E8F12DD
10F8FF12E
10FF8G12F
10G8GG12FF
10GG8H12G
12A10B-
12B10C14A
12C10D14B
12D10DD14C
12DD10E14D
12E10F14DD
12F10FF14E
12FF10G14F
12G10GG14FF
12GG10H14G
14A12B-
14B12C16A
14C12D16B
14D12DD16C
14DD12E16D
14E12F16DD
14F12FF16E
14FF12G16F
14G12GG16FF
14GG12H16G
16A14B-
16B14C18A
16C14D18B
16D14DD18C
16DD14E18D
16E14F18DD
16F14FF18E
16FF14G18F
16G14GG18FF
16GG14H18G
18A16B-
18B16C20A
18C16D20B
18D16DD20C
18DD16E20D
18E16F20DD
18F16FF20E
18FF16G20F
18G16GG20FF
18GG16H20G
20A18B-
20B18C22A
20C18D22B
20D18DD22C
20DD18E22D
20E18F22DD
20F18FF22E
20FF18G22F
20G18GG22FF
20GG18H22G
22A20B-
22B20C24A
22C20D24B
22D20DD24C
22DD20E24D
22E20F24DD
22F20FF24E
22FF20G24F
22G20GG24FF
22GG20H24G
24A22B-
24B22C26A
24C22D26B
24D22DD26C
24DD22E26D
24E22F26DD
24F22FF26E
24FF22G26F
24G22GG26FF
24GG22H26G
26A24B-
26B24C28A
26C24D28B
26D24DD28C
26DD24E28D
26E24F28DD
26F24FF28E
26FF24G28F
26G24GG28FF
26GG24H28G
28A26B-
28B26C30A
28C26D30B
28D26DD30C
28DD26E30D
28E26F30DD
28F26FF30E
28FF26G30F
28G26GG30FF
28GG26H30G
30A28B-
30B28C32A
30C28D32B
30D28DD32C
30DD28E32D
30E28F32DD
30F28FF32E
30FF28G32F
30G28GG32FF
30GG28H32G
32A30B-
32B30C-
32C30D-
32D30DD-
32DD30E-
32E30F-
32F30FF-
32FF30G-
32G30GG-
32GG30H-

Worked example

Someone is wearing AU 14C. The cups are fine but the band rides up when she raises her arms and she can pull it 8 cm from her back.

  1. The cup is not the problem, so keep the volume.
  2. Down one band: 14 becomes 12.
  3. Up one cup: C becomes D.
  4. Try AU 12D. If the band is still loose, 10DD is the next step.

Confirm with the seven fit checks before buying more than one.

Get both sister sizes automatically

The calculator returns your starting size plus both sister sizes, and tells you which to reach for depending on how the band feels.

Open the calculator

Still not sure? Calculate your starting size