38H Bras

In a 38H, the 38 refers to your ribcage measurement and the H to a bust roughly 11 inches larger than it. If you've been fitted in a US brand and are shopping a European label, expect the letter to shift — the volume stays the same, the notation doesn't.

How a 38H should fit

At H cup, weight distribution is the whole problem. A 38H needs a taut band, a centre gore that sits flush against the sternum, and cups built in three or four panels — a single moulded cup simply cannot hold this volume in shape.

Sister sizes to try if 38H isn't right

• Band feels loose but the cup is right — try 36HH
• Band is comfortable but you're spilling over — go up to 38HH
• Band digs in — 40GG gives the same cup volume with more room

Best 38H styles

Look for side support panels, which push tissue forward and stop it migrating under the arm — the single most useful feature at 38H. Full cup and balconette shapes both work; strapless is harder at this size and worth trying with a longline style, which spreads the weight across a wider band.