A lot of people wear the wrong bra size for years without realizing it, simply because they've never been shown what to actually check. Here's the checklist, plus a video walking through it.
Video: “8 Signs You're Wearing the Wrong-Sized Bra” · hosted on YouTube.
The checklist
Rides up at the back
The band should sit level, front and back — if it climbs up, the band is too big.
Spilling over the top or sides
Tissue overflowing the cup edge is a clear sign the cup is too small.
Gaping or wrinkling fabric
Loose, wrinkled cup fabric usually means the cup is too large.
Digging in or constantly slipping
Straps doing too much work is often a symptom of a band that's too loose.
Poking the sides or center
Wire should sit flat against your ribcage — if it pokes, the cup shape or size is off.
Not lying flat against your chest
A floating center panel usually means the cups are too small for your shape.
Next step
If you recognize two or more of these
It's worth re-measuring and running your numbers through the bra size calculator, or checking your current size against a sister size if the issue is mainly the band. Most fit problems resolve with a size or style change rather than needing a whole new approach to bra shopping.
Questions
Wrong-size warning sign FAQs
Even one persistent sign, like the band riding up or the wire poking, is worth acting on rather than waiting for several to appear.
Yes — some fit issues only show up after a few hours of wear, or after the elastic in a band has stretched with use.
Yes — trying the full checklist while tags are still on makes it much easier to return or exchange if something's off.
Also useful