What is the Biggest Bra Size in the UK & USA? What is the Difference?

Bras are notoriously difficult to get right, and if you get them wrong then you're in for a world of back pain or crushed chesticles. It is a fine art that requires a professional. But, what got me really interested is what is the biggest bra size that you can buy? Is there a difference between the UK's largest and the largest in the USA? 

So, for all those girls with larger chests, hopefully, this post will help you understand the theoretical sizes in both countries and how big they can actually go. 

Let's get into it: 

Biggest Bra Size in the UK

When it comes to what makes a bra "big", it is generally determined by the cup size - but also the back strap can make that determination too. Cup size is a measure of the difference between the band measurement and the bust measurement so, a larger cup size indicates that there is a greater difference between the band measurement (the back strap) and the bust measurement (the cup itself). 

Let's use an example, a bra with a 42-inch band size may be considered a "big" bra, even if the cup size is an A. And a DD cup is considered to be big, even if the back is small. 

Of course, you should know that it is important to know that a bra's size is not an indication of a person's overall size or shape so, you need to find a bra that is specifically tailored to your body for the best fit and comfort.

So, what is the current biggest bra size in the UK? 

Well, the biggest bra size in the UK will still vary depending on the brand and retailer - Anne Summers for instance is usually slightly smaller than you'd expect, while Primark always have some extra room. Typically though, the largest cup size available in the UK is an L cup. Although, you can get custom bras which go bigger. 

The measurements of an L cup can vary depending on the band so there is no absolute measurement, but rather a measure of the difference between the band size and the bust measurement. We can look at it like this, if you have a 36-inch band measurement and a bust measurement of 44 inches, you would wear a 36L bra. In this case, the L cup size would indicate that there is an 8-inch difference between the band measurement and the bust. 

Sizing is pretty complex with bra size, so things may not always make sense in terms of size. A professional fitting is always the best bet. 

Largest Bra in the USA

Again, the biggest bra size is dependent on the brand, but also more factors than cup size. But the largest cup size available in the US is an N cup - not a 102 zzz as you may find online. This is a hypothetical bra sizing - more on this later. Again, there is no absolute measurement for the N Cup and it is again measured by the difference between the band size, and bust measurement. 

A good example will be: if you have a 36-inch band measurement and a bust which measures at 52 inches, the bra size you wear will be a 36N bra. The N cup size would suggest that there is a 16-inch difference between the band and the bust.

No, 102 ZZZ is not the largest bra size

So, about that 102ZZZ bra size. It is very unlikely that anybody uses this cup size, and it is unlikely that this size is produced regularly, if at all. Some specialized bra manufacturers may offer even larger cup sizes but they will need to be custom-made. 

To get a bra size of 102ZZZ you'd need to use a hypothetical system that would start with a band size of 26 inches and continue up to 52 inches.

Cup sizes would range from A to Z, and then continue on to double letters (AA, BB, CC, etc.) up to quadruple letters (AAAA, BBBB, CCCC, etc.), and then eventually up to quintuple letters (AAAAA, BBBBB, CCCCC, etc.). The ZZZ cup size would be equivalent to a 102-inch bust measurement on a 102-inch band. 

Let's put that into perspective - 102 inches is the size of a large yoga ball or the length of a king-sized bed. That is genuinely enormous and it is extremely unlikely that anybody would be wearing that, and if they do, they have way more to worry about than how well their bra fits. 

The hypothetical 102 ZZZ isn't recognised by the standard sizing rules of a bra, so it is almost entirely a thing of imagination. 

Final thoughts

So, if you have come across that the 102 ZZZ is the largest bra size you can get, you'll be misled by a hypothetical measuring system which is not recognised by standard practice. For the UK, the largest bra size is an L-cup while the USA's largest bra is an N-cup. But, the way these are measured, and inconsistencies in the bra manufacturers themselves,  means that there are no hard or fast rules on the actual measurements of this garment.