How To Find Bras For Bra Sizes 36D, 36DD/E, 36DDD/F

BRABAR is all about simplifying and standardizing bra measuring. Eight out of ten women don't know their correct bra size, and it all has to do with old sizing methods still being used in the intimates industry — the plus-four method and the armpit method. Both produce the wrong band size, which throws off the whole bra size.

The correct band size is the key to finding your correct bra size. Your band size subtracted from your overbust measurement is how you get the cup size: overbust measurement − band size = cup size. Each inch of difference is one cup size.

36D Bra Size

Example 1 — 36D, Adult Woman
Underbust/rib cage measurement: 36 inches (already even, this is the band size)
Band size: 36
Overbust measurement: 40 inches
36 subtracted from 40 = 4-inch difference = D cup
She has a 36D bra size.

Example 2 — 36D, Adult Woman
Underbust/rib cage measurement: 35 inches (round up to the nearest even number)
Band size: 36
Overbust measurement: 40 inches
36 subtracted from 40 = 4-inch difference = D cup
She has a 36D bra size.

Recommendations:

1. Everyday bra option — Soft Everyday Bra with Back Closure, especially good for a 36-38 band.
2. Crop bra top option — Soft Crop Bralette, unlined and convertible with adjustable straps.
3. Cami bra top option — Everyday Longline Cami Bra, with removable pads.
4. Everyday bra option — Everyday Bra, with a back closure, removable pads, and adjustable straps.
5. Unlined bralette option — Soft V Crop Bra, a comfortable, breathable lounge bra.
6. Lace bralette option — Soft V Reversible Laceback Bralette, reverses for a second look.

36DD or 36E Bra Size

Example 1 — 36DD/36E, Preteen
Underbust/rib cage measurement: 35 inches (round up to nearest even number)
Band size: 36
Overbust measurement: 41 inches
36 subtracted from 41 = 5-inch difference = DD/E cup
She has a 36DD or 36E bra size.

Example 2 — 36DD/36E, Adult Woman
Underbust/rib cage measurement: 36 inches
Band size: 36
Overbust measurement: 41 inches
36 subtracted from 41 = 5-inch difference = DD/E cup
She has a 36DD or 36E bra size.

Recommendations:

1. Everyday bra option — Soft Everyday Bra with Back Closure
2. Sports bra option — browse the sports bras collection for medium-impact styles suited to teens and preteens.
3. Crop bra top option — Soft Crop Bralette, also convertible
4. Cami bra top option — Everyday Longline Cami Bra Top
5. Strapless bra option — Soft Strapless Bra Top, a strapless longline design that hugs the ribcage for support
6. Unlined bralette option — Soft V Crop Bra
7. Lace bralette option — Soft V Reversible Laceback Bralette
8. Everyday bra option — browse the everyday bras collection for a pull-over alternative to back closure.

36DDD or 36F Bra Size

Example 1 — 36DDD/36F, Teen Girl
Underbust/rib cage measurement: 35 inches (round up to nearest even number)
Band size: 36
Overbust measurement: 42 inches
36 subtracted from 42 = 6-inch difference = DDD/F cup
She has a 36DDD or 36F bra size.

Example 2 — 36DDD/36F, Adult Woman
Underbust/rib cage measurement: 36 inches
Band size: 36
Overbust measurement: 42 inches
36 subtracted from 42 = 6-inch difference = DDD/F cup
She has a 36DDD or 36F bra size.

Recommendations:

1. Everyday bra option — Soft Everyday Bra with Back Closure
2. Sports bra option — browse the sports bras collection
3. Crop bra top option — Soft Crop Bralette, also unlined
4. Cami bra top option — Everyday Longline Cami Bra Top
5. Strapless bra option — Soft Strapless Bra Top
6. Unlined bralette option — Soft V Crop Bra
7. Lace bralette option — HUG bralette collection

Keep in mind that you want to be comfortable. The band should be snug like a hug. The straps shouldn't dig into your shoulders or be too loose. For bras with removable pads, try them both ways. If you spill on the sides but the bra otherwise fits well, look for a style with a higher side wing, like the Soft Crop Bralette or the Everyday Longline Cami Bra.

Recheck your bra size once a year as an adult, or every six months as a teen or preteen — bodies change, and so does the correct size.

Is a 36D, 36DD, or 36DDD Bra Size Big?

Not inherently. A 36D means a 4-inch difference between a 36-inch band and the fullest part of the bust — the same 4-inch difference that defines a D cup on any band size, from 28D to 44D. What makes a 36 band different from a 28 band is the rib cage size, not how "big" the resulting bra looks. Similarly, 36DD/E (5-inch difference) and 36DDD/F (6-inch difference) simply describe more volume relative to that same 36-inch band — common, well-supported sizes, not unusually large ones. For the full explanation of why cup letters can't be judged in isolation, see Bra Cup Sizes Explained: A to DDD/F.

Check out the full BRABAR collections for more styles and sizes!