46A Bras

A 46A means a 46-inch band with a A cup — roughly a 1-inch difference between your underbust and your bust measurement. Cup letters are not consistent between markets: UK-sized brands like Panache run a different ladder to US labels, so your 46A may sit a letter along depending on who made it.

How a 46A should fit

The band carries nearly all the support, so it should feel firm on the loosest hook and sit level all the way round. At A cup the more common fitting error is a band that's too loose paired with a cup that's too big — if the centre gore lifts away from your sternum, the cup is oversized, not the band.

Sister sizes to try if 46A isn't right

• Band feels loose but the cup is right — try 44B
• Band is comfortable but you're spilling over — go up to 46B

Best 46A styles

Balconette and plunge shapes suit a A cup well, and a lightly lined cup adds shape under fine knitwear without padding it out. Bralettes work here in a way they don't at fuller cup sizes, because there's less weight to support.