How should you write bra sizes?

[Edward Teach]

I need advice on how best to write bra sizes in fiction. Should it be; 32B, thirty-two B, thirty-two b, or something else?

Don't lecture me on writing about women's breasts, etc. I know about all that. I just need to tell a bra size in a story and haven't found good advice on how it should be written. So I decided to ask some experts.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

I would say 32B, though I don't think I've ever mentioned bra size in a story.

 

[NotWise]

I would write 32B, or (more likely) "kinda small."

 

[Edward Teach]

I would say 32B, though I don't think I've ever mentioned bra size in a story.

Thanks, Smutty.

 

[Priscilla_June]

Is the size of the bra important? I feel like it gets a little too specific for a work of fiction. Probably more creative and artistic ways to describe a woman’s breast size?

 

[Edward Teach]

I would write 32B, or (more likely) "kinda small."

 

[Edward Teach]

Thanks, Wise. This is a specific situation where a woman is joking about bra sizes and gives a specific.

 

[Euphony]

Is the size of the bra important? I feel like it gets a little too specific for a work of fiction. Probably more creative and artistic ways to describe a woman’s breast size?

There are but it seems OP had already made the decision and we are focusing on the technical.(hey, Strunk & White you missed a spot!)

I'm assuming a narrow band of possibilities where such specificity works.

I will offer that bra sizes are hardly universal and women often are in the wrong size.

But if catering to an audience where 34B specificity turns the crank, you can assume everyone's working on a common understanding/an easy soft or forgiving audience.

 

[KeithD]

I need advice on how best to write bra sizes in fiction. Should it be; 32B, thirty-two B, thirty-two b, or something else?

Don't lecture me on writing about women's breasts, etc. I know about all that. I just need to tell a bra size in a story and haven't found good advice on how it should be written. So I decided to ask some experts.

It's a measurement, so 32B is just fine. (Chicago Manual of Style 16, 9.16)

 

[Edward Teach]

Is the size of the bra important? I feel like it gets a little too specific for a work of fiction. Probably more creative and artistic ways to describe a woman’s breast size?

Thanks, PJ.

There are but it seems OP had already made the decision and we are focusing on the technical.(hey, Strunk & White you missed a spot!)

I'm assuming a narrow band of possibilities where such specificity works.

I will offer that bra sizes are hardly universal and women often are in the wrong size.

But if catering to an audience where 34B specificity turns the crank, you can assume everyone's working on a common understanding/an easy soft or forgiving audience.

Is the size of the bra important? I feel like it gets a little too specific for a work of fiction. Probably more creative and artistic ways to describe a woman’s breast

Is the size of the bra important? I feel like it gets a little too specific for a work of fiction. Probably more creative and artistic ways to describe a woman’s breast size?

There are but it seems OP had already made the decision and we are focusing on the technical.(hey, Strunk & White you missed a spot!)

I'm assuming a narrow band of possibilities where such specificity works.

I will offer that bra sizes are hardly universal and women often are in the wrong size.

But if catering to an audience where 34B specificity turns the crank, you can assume everyone's working on a common understanding/an easy soft or forgiving audience.

Thanks, Euphony.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Is the size of the bra important? I feel like it gets a little too specific for a work of fiction. Probably more creative and artistic ways to describe a woman’s breast size?

Yeah, exactly. You can just give a general description, if necessary; that should do it. I will often mention a person's height, however, but not always. I don't mention a man's penis length either, for the most part. If would have to be something extraordinary, one way or the other, and so far it hasn't been an issue.

 

[CharlieFuck32]

I personally get off on seeing the bra size. Just my .02

 

[ronde]

I need advice on how best to write bra sizes in fiction. Should it be; 32B, thirty-two B, thirty-two b, or something else?

Don't lecture me on writing about women's breasts, etc. I know about all that. I just need to tell a bra size in a story and haven't found good advice on how it should be written. So I decided to ask some experts.

I very seldom write about an actual bra size. The only times I have it was a female character describing her bra size, and once after a male character saw the female's character's bra hanging over the shower rod. I believe in the US at least the cup size is always capitalized. As for the chest size, I like to use numerals, but the hyphenated word is also correct.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I can see certain circumstances where stating a size is necessary. As Keith said, use the number/letter combination.

"Can I help you, sir?"

"Umm, I want to buy some lingerie for my girlfriend."

"Certainly. What size is she?"

"Err... More than a handful?"

"I'm afraid you'll need to be a bit more specific."

 

[Edward Teach]

It's a measurement, so 32B is just fine. (Chicago Manual of Style 16, 9.16)

Thanks, KeithD.

I very seldom write about an actual bra size. The only times I have it was a female character describing her bra size, and once after a male character saw the female's character's bra hanging over the shower rod. I believe in the US at least the cup size is always capitalized. As for the chest size, I like to use numerals, but the hyphenated word is also correct.

I would write 32B, or (more likely) "kinda small."

I can see certain circumstances where stating a size is necessary. As Keith said, use the number/letter combination.

"Can I help you, sir?"

"Umm, I want to buy some lingerie for my girlfriend."

"Certainly. What size is she?"

"Err... More than a handful?"

"I'm afraid you'll need to be a bit more specific."

Thanks, Russ. There are many circumstances where bra size needs to be written. Maybe it involves a purchase, as Russ mentions, or maybe it's part of a magic act, "And with the wave of my wand, this 32B becomes..." or hell, maybe it's a CIA code name. Damn, folks, there'

I very seldom write about an actual bra size. The only times I have it was a female character describing her bra size, and once after a male character saw the female's character's bra hanging over the shower rod. I believe in the US at least the cup size is always capitalized. As for the chest size, I like to use numerals, but the hyphenated word is also correct.

Thanks, Ronde.

 

[Edward Teach]

I personally get off on seeing the bra size. Just my .02

Thanks, Charlie.

 

[bestkeptsecret678]

I’m with those who would prefer to describe a female character’s breasts, versus stating a size. Broadening the point, one can make the same argument about male parts. Give the reader a worthwhile image, and avoid stating how many inches are involved.

(Now I’m mentally questioning whether I’m guilty of this myself in past stories…)

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I really try to avoid measurements, but have had to mention bra sizes once or thrice. Sometimes it’s necessary. So, yes, ‘32B’ is the appropriate way.

Pedantry Warning! One reason some people cringe over written bra sizes is that they are often written by people who have no idea how the sizing system works. For writers (male writers in particular as women probably already know) wanting to use specific sizes, for heaven’s sake do three minutes basic research! Bigger letters and numbers don’t always mean sexier. OK, it’s symbolic, I get it, the mention of a D cup is like a fire bell to some. But it can also be like squeaking chalk on a blackboard.

Google ‘sister sizes’ to see part of the problem. There are a lot of women wearing differently-sized bras but who have the same size boobs. For instance, Miss 32B we were just speaking of actually has the same size breasts as ladies wearing 30C, 34A and 36AA bras. Really and it’s not a question of mis-sizing.

Research can be fun…

 

[EmilyMiller]

How should you write bra sizes?​

B-r-a<space>s-i-z-e-s

 

[Booleanean]

do three minutes basic research

From the Writer's Resources here on the site: https://www.literotica.com/s/26dd-vs-36b

I personally limit myself to "effectively none, small, medium, large" and even then only when it's really necessary for some reason. Much more fun to show rather then tell. Talk about the way someone looks in a low cut dress, or how they feel wrapped around his cock, or pressed against her own breasts. Have the female POV character complain about her back, or the difficulty in finding clothing that de-emphasizes them if they're huge, or finding low dresses that don't immediately expose her down to her navel if she leans more than 15° forward from perfectly upright.

One of my characters from an unpublished story lost everything she had, and a wealthy friend-of-a-partner took them shopping for an entire new wardrobe, and even then mentioning an actual size turned out to be unnecessary and uninteresting.

But yeah, if you do feel the need (which can be fine), read the link, look at some pictures, and then describe your characters.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I can see certain circumstances where stating a size is necessary. As Keith said, use the number/letter combination.

"Can I help you, sir?"

"Umm, I want to buy some lingerie for my girlfriend."

"Certainly. What size is she?"

"Err... More than a handful?"

"I'm afraid you'll need to be a bit more specific."

So far I've never had a plot that specifically required that. Obviously, you did.

 

[EmilyMiller]

B-r-a<space>s-i-z-e-s

More positively. If I am the narrator, then I might describe myself using a bra size (as obviously I would know that), but tend to avoid it when describing other women. I tend to say larger than me, or much larger than me, or -exceptionally - only a bit larger than me (no one past puberty is smaller than me of course ).

When I adopt a male narrator, then I avoid sizes.

Em

 

[Djmac1031]

"I'm afraid you'll need to be a bit more specific."

"Um... somewhere between apples and cantaloupes?"

 

[onehitwanda]

squeaking chalk on a blackboard.

crrrrrrrrrtshsssssssssscssrrsssrrrtssssssssssseeeeeeessssssbuggeroffeeeeesrccccrrrttssscreeee

 

[lustychimera]

I need advice on how best to write bra sizes in fiction. Should it be; 32B, thirty-two B, thirty-two b, or something else?

Don't lecture me on writing about women's breasts, etc. I know about all that. I just need to tell a bra size in a story and haven't found good advice on how it should be written. So I decided to ask some experts.

The general rule is to avoid using numerals in a story unless it would be really clumsy not to. And yeah, thirty-two B looks goofy af. Nothing wrong with 32B.