Panache High Impact Underwire Sports Bra 5021
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Panache High Impact Underwire Sports Bra 5021
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Cleo Asher Balconnet Bra - Black
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Dana Balconette Plus size Strapless Bra by Panache
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Panache Envy Balconnet Bra in Ivory
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Panache Clara Full Cup Underwire Bra 7255
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Dana Plus Size Strapless Low Back Bra by Panache 9670
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Panache Tango Balconnet Bra Blush
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Panache Estel Full Cup Bra - Honey
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HH Cup Bras: The UK HH, Fitted and Explained
HH is a UK full-bust cup — two steps above H, roughly a 12-inch difference between bust and band. It's a specialist size, made mostly by UK houses like Panache, Cleo, Elomi and Sculptresse, and it's where fit stops being about the letter and starts being about construction.
Below: where HH sits on the UK ladder, what it converts to in US and EU sizing, how sister sizing rescues a bra that nearly fits, and which styles actually hold at this cup instead of collapsing under the volume.
What is an HH cup?
HH is a UK-system full-bust cup — two cups above H, roughly a 12-inch bust-to-band difference. In the extended single-letter system US full-bust retailers use, it converts to a US L (EU L), though almost every brand that makes this size labels it UK-style. The letter is relative to the band — a 32HH and a 40HH aren't the same volume. Shop HH cup bras in t-shirt, balconette, sports and full-coverage styles, bands 28 to 44.
How to choose an HH cup bra
At this cup, construction does the work the letter can't. Five things separate all-day support from a bra you fight by noon.
| What to check | What good looks like | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| The band | Firm and level all the way around, snug on the loosest hook, barely a finger under it | At HH the band carries most of the weight — a loose or riding band throws the load onto the straps and the cup fails |
| Cup construction | Three, four or more seamed sections rather than a single moulded piece | Seaming is what shapes and lifts real volume; a one-piece moulded cup flattens and loses projection at this size |
| Side support panels | Firm panels inside the side of the cup, pushing tissue forward | They stop breast tissue migrating toward the underarm — the single biggest fit issue at HH and above |
| Straps & hooks | Wide, cushioned, fully adjustable straps and four hooks or more | Narrow straps dig and can't distribute the weight; more hooks give the band the tension it needs |
| Underwire | Tall, wide wires that sit flat in the crease and fully encircle the breast root | A wire that's too narrow rides onto tissue and digs; at HH the root is wide and the wire has to match it |
HH vs. H vs. J: UK, US & EU
Where HH sits, and what the same cup is called in each system.
| UK cup | Bust − band | US equivalent | EU equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| H | ~11 inches | K | K |
| HH | ~12 inches | L | L |
| J | ~13 inches | M | M |
| JJ | ~14 inches | N | N |
Why does UK use HH where US uses L? The UK ladder doubles some letters (G, GG, H, HH, J, JJ) as it climbs, while the US full-bust system runs a single continuous alphabet (…K, L, M, N). They count the same cup volumes — a UK HH and a US L are the same cup — they just label the rungs differently. Nearly every bra made at this size is a UK-labelled full-bust brand (Panache, Cleo, Elomi, Sculptresse), so you'll almost always be shopping the UK letter. The practical takeaway: trust the band-plus-cup fit, not the letter. If you're converting up from an H that spills, HH is the next stop; the cup below is our H cup edit, the cup above is J.
Find your HH cup bra
Pick the card that matches what you need it to do — then tap through to shop.
Everyday t-shirt bra
Smooth-lined but seam-supported cups — the good ones at HH hide seams under the fabric without losing structure.
Shop t-shirt bras →Balconette & full cup
Side-support panels and a tall wire are what hold an HH forward and up. Full-cup shapes contain the most.
Shop full figure →Sports bra for an HH cup
Encapsulation with a hook back and firm side panels — a compression shelf can't control bounce at this volume.
Shop sports bras →Converting up from H?
If your H cup spills at the top or under the arm and the band is right, HH is the next cup. See the H edit to compare.
Shop H cup →Need the cup above?
If an HH still spills with the band snug, the next stop is J (US M). The J edit is the same fit logic, one cup up.
Shop J cup →Not sure it's your size?
UK, US and EU all label this cup differently. Run your size through the converter to be certain.
Convert my size →At HH, a bra lives or dies on its construction. The letter tells you the volume; the seams, the side panels and the wire tell you whether it will actually hold.
The HauteFlair StandardThe complete HH cup sizing guide
How UK cups climb, what HH converts to, sister sizing, fit checks and the vocabulary.
01How to measure for an HH cup at home+
Two measurements, one subtraction. Take them in a non-padded bra or none at all:
- Band: measure snugly around your ribcage directly under the bust, keeping the tape level and parallel to the floor.
- Bust: measure loosely around the fullest part, without compressing.
- Subtract band from bust. Each inch of difference is roughly one cup — about 12 inches lands in UK HH territory (a US L).
At this size the number is only a starting point. Breast shape, root width and how the volume distributes matter more than the tape, and brand cut varies. Use the fit checks below to confirm.
02Why UK, US and EU disagree at this cup+
The systems count the same volumes but label the rungs differently once you climb past DD:
- UK sizing: doubles letters as it rises — …G, GG, H, HH, J, JJ, K. HH is two steps above H. Nearly all full-bust brands (Panache, Cleo, Elomi, Sculptresse) use this.
- US full-bust: runs a single continuous alphabet — …K, L, M, N. A UK HH is a US L.
- EU: also single continuous alphabet, so EU L matches the US letter here.
Because the size is made almost exclusively by UK houses, you'll usually be shopping the UK letter directly. The US and EU equivalents matter mainly when a chart or retailer lists them.
03Sister sizing, and how to use it+
Cup volume stays roughly constant if you move the band and the cup in opposite directions:
- Band too tight? Go up a band and down a cup — 34HH → 36H holds about the same volume.
- Band too loose? Go down a band and up a cup — 34HH → 32J.
- What it doesn't fix: a cup that's the wrong shape for you. Sister sizing moves volume; it can't change projection or wire width.
At HH, sister sizing is especially useful because the size is made by fewer brands — widening your options by a band in each direction can be the difference between finding the style you want and not. The full logic is in our sister sizes guide.
04The five-second fit check+
Do this in front of a mirror, in profile, wearing the bra on the loosest hook:
- Band level? If it rides up in back, size down a band — at HH a firm band is non-negotiable.
- Gore tacking? If it floats off your sternum, the cup is too small.
- Any spill? Over the top or under the arm means go up a cup — not down a band.
- Any gaping? Empty space at the cup edge means go down a cup.
- Wires in the crease? If they rest on tissue or sit narrow, the wire isn't matched to your root.
Scoop and swoop first — lean forward and settle everything into the cup — then judge. At this volume, tissue that never got into the cup is the most common cause of a "wrong size" verdict.
05HH cup, full figure, plus size: the vocabulary+
- HH cup — a UK-system cup two steps above H; the same cup US full-bust retailers call L.
- Full figure — a cut, not a size. Full-figure bras are built for large cups at any band: heavy seaming, side panels, wide straps, more hooks. Most HH bras are cut this way.
- Plus size — about the band, not the cup. A 30HH is a very large cup on a small band and isn't plus size at all.
- Side support — internal panels that push tissue forward and stop it migrating under the arm. Essential at HH.
- Encapsulation vs. compression — sports bra terms. Encapsulation gives each breast its own cup; compression flattens against the chest. At HH, only encapsulation works.
HH cup bras FAQ
The questions shoppers ask most, answered straight.
What is an HH cup size?
HH is a UK-system full-bust cup, two steps above H, corresponding to roughly a 12-inch difference between your bust and band measurements. In the extended single-letter system US full-bust retailers use it converts to a US L. It's a relative letter, not a fixed volume: a 32HH and a 40HH share a label but hold very different amounts, because the cup is always measured against the band.
What is an HH cup in US sizing?
A UK HH is a US L. The UK ladder doubles letters as it climbs (G, GG, H, HH), while the US full-bust system runs a single continuous alphabet (K, L, M), so the same cup lands on L. In practice almost every bra made at this size is a UK-labelled brand, so you'll usually shop the HH letter directly.
Is an HH cup bigger than an H?
Yes — one UK cup bigger, at the same band. A 34HH has more cup volume than a 34H. But a 32HH is smaller than a 36H, because the band changes what the letter means. This is why comparing cup letters across different bands tells you almost nothing.
What cup size comes after HH?
In UK sizing, J — the ladder runs H, HH, J, JJ, K. (UK skips I to avoid confusion with the numeral.) A UK J is a US M. If an HH is spilling but the band is level and snug, J is the next cup up.
Which brands make HH cup bras?
HH is a UK full-bust specialty, so the brands that make it are the UK houses: Panache and its Cleo and Sports lines, Elomi, Fantasie and Sculptresse. They build for the size with seamed cups, side support panels, wide straps and firm bands — the construction a cup this size needs.
How do I measure for an HH cup bra?
Measure snugly under your bust for the band and loosely around the fullest part for the bust, then subtract. Roughly an inch per cup, with about 12 inches landing in UK HH range (US L). Treat it as a starting point — at this size, breast shape, root width and brand cut move the answer, so the mirror check matters more than the tape.
Is an HH cup considered plus size?
No — plus size describes the band, and HH describes the cup. A 30HH is a very large cup on a small frame. What HH bras almost always are is "full figure," which is a cut built for large cups at any band: heavy seaming, side support panels, wider straps and more hooks. See our full figure edit.
What is sister sizing for an HH cup?
Sister sizes hold roughly the same cup volume on a different band. Going up a band means going down a cup: 34HH sisters to 36H. Going down a band means going up a cup: 34HH sisters to 32J. It's especially useful at HH, where fewer brands make the size — sistering widens the styles available to you.
Why does my HH cup bra gape at the top?
Gaping usually means the cup is too large or the wrong shape — not that you need a tighter band. Scoop everything into the cup first; if space remains at the edge, go down a cup. A seamed, side-supported cup handles asymmetry and shape variation far better than a rigid moulded one at this volume.
What's the best sports bra for an HH cup?
An encapsulation style with a hook-and-eye back, wide adjustable straps and firm side panels — a compression shelf can't control bounce at HH. Panache's underwired sports bras are cut to this size range specifically. See our sports bras.
Sizing guidance here is general and reflects how UK, US and EU cup letters typically translate; charts, cut and cup shape vary by brand, so always check the size chart for the specific bra you're buying. Size availability reflects current stock. Last reviewed August 2026.
Shop HH cup bras
UK HH support — a US L — in t-shirt, balconette, sports and full-coverage styles, built for the cup with the seaming, side support and firm bands the size needs.
