Bra Sizes Tripled in Last 30 Years on Average, From 34B in 1983 to 34DD

The average American bra size has tripled in just 30 years, from 34B in 1983 to 34DD today, according to a study released by the lingerie retailer Intimacy last Wednesday.

Weight gain and implants were factors that have contributed to the increase, according to the study. Additionally, Intimacy claims more women are choosing bras that better fit their busts, rather than squeezing into smaller bras.

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"Instead of forcing D+ breasts into A to D cup bras, women are beginning to purchase larger cup sizes (G cup, for example) that actually fit properly," Intimacy spokeswoman Erika Graham told Racked.com.

"[Twenty years ago] the American market carried less than 20 sizes, so women with bigger breasts squeezed into bras that were two or more cup sizes too small," Graham added. "Therefore, the idea that breast size is increasing is perhaps slightly inflated due to women actually purchasing larger (and more accurate) bras for themselves."

Lingerie retailers have been increasing their bra sizes to satisfy the demand.

The trendy Italian lingerie label Cosabella is now offering size 38 bands for C, D, and DD cup bras, which they introduced just last year, Racked.com reported.

"I simply believe the industry is focusing on larger cup sizes more in terms of offering, where they had never offered luxury or fashionable product before," Guido Campello, Vice President of sales, branding, and innovation for Cosabella said.

The online lingerie retailer Figleaves.com told Racked.com that their bestselling bra size is a 34 E.

In its study, Intimacy interviewed more than 60,000 customers at its 16 stores nationwide, the Huffington Post reported.

Intimacy's Kate Terhune, public relations and marketing manager for the lingerie retailer, credited an episode of Oprah Winfrey's talk show in 2005 with informing women about picking the right bra size.

The bra business grew by $700 billion in just one year following that show, Glamour.com reported.

"More women actually know what bra size they are wearing now," Terhune added. "It's not necessarily that women's breasts are growing. I mean, diet and exercise play a part in it, but women are just more educated and have more options."

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