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Go shopping for a bra in India and you’ll see the same story everywhere. Small, Medium, Large. Maybe XL if the store is feeling generous. Or you get those number sizes that are obviously just copied from some international brand’s chart without any thought to whether they actually work for Indian women. Spoiler: they usually don’t.
Why Sizing Is So Messed Up
Here’s the thing about standard sizing—it was created based on specific body types that have nothing to do with how most Indian women are built. And bodies are complicated. It’s not just about being small or large. It’s about proportions.
Your bust size compared to your ribcage. How long your torso is. How wide your shoulders are. The shape of your ribcage itself. I’ve seen two friends who both claimed to be “Medium” try on the same bra, and it looked completely different on each of them because their bodies are built differently.
So what happens? Women end up making ridiculous compromises. Buying a bigger band size because that’s the only way to get cups that fit. Or squeezing into cups that are too small because at least the band is right. Dealing with gaps at the top of the bra or underwires digging into the sides. That’s not fit. That’s just survival.
And this isn’t just annoying—it actually hurts. Back pain because your bra isn’t supporting you properly. Shoulder pain because the straps are doing all the work they shouldn’t have to do. Irritated skin from bands and wires sitting in completely wrong places. Years of this adds up.
What Inclusive Sizing Should Actually Look Like
Real inclusive sizing isn’t just adding “XXL” to your existing lineup and calling it a day. It’s understanding that different bodies need different approaches entirely.
A 34C and a 40C aren’t the same bra in different sizes. They need different construction. Different support systems. The engineering is fundamentally different.
Proper inclusive sizing means you can get a 32DD or a 42B. That petite women with larger busts aren’t left with nothing. That plus-size women with smaller busts don’t have to buy bras with giant cups just to get a band that fits.
And all the different types of bra should be available in all sizes. Why should only medium-sized women get strapless bras that work? Why are wireless options only for small cups? Everyone deserves the full range of options.
Indian Bodies Aren’t Western Bodies
Indian women are built differently than Western women on average. Torsos tend to be shorter. Shoulder structures are different. The way bust and band measurements relate to each other follows different patterns.
Underneat gets this because they design specifically for Indian bodies. Their sizing is based on actual measurements of Indian women, not just taking Western sizes and hoping they work.
Straps positioned for shorter torsos instead of leaving weird gaps. Bands that work with different rib cage shapes. Cups designed for how breasts actually sit on Indian body types. These details matter enormously for actual fit versus just technically being able to close the hooks.
How Bad Sizing Messes With Your Head
The sizing problem isn’t just physical. When you go shopping and can’t find your size anywhere, what’s the message? That your body is weird. Abnormal. Not worth making clothes for.
When sizes that should theoretically fit you don’t actually fit, it’s way too easy to think “my body is wrong” instead of “this design is bad.” I’ve watched friends beat themselves up over not fitting into bras when the real problem was the bras were poorly designed.
Extended sizing says something different: your body is normal and deserves good innerwear, period. Underneat makes inclusive sizing central to what they do, not some special “extended range” you have to hunt for. All their styles come in all their sizes.
It’s Not Just About Making More Sizes
You can’t just take a 34B pattern, scale it up, and call it a 38DD. That’s not how bodies work. The engineering needs to change.
How the fabric is distributed. The shape of the underwire. How the straps are constructed. How many hooks are on the band. All of this needs to be different for different sizes to actually provide proper support and comfort.
Good brands test their designs on real women with diverse bodies throughout development. They get feedback from actual wearers. They adjust the construction based on how things perform on different body types.
Figure Out Your Actual Size
A lot of the “I don’t know my size” problem comes from brands having wildly different sizing systems and nobody explaining how to measure properly. Women need actual, detailed instructions that account for body variations.
Underneat has thorough measuring guides for their specific sizing system. They explain what to do when your measurements fall between sizes. How to account for different breast shapes. Why different types of bra might fit differently even in the same size.
Also, your bra size isn’t permanent. Bodies change with weight fluctuation, hormones, pregnancy, breastfeeding, getting older. Measure again periodically instead of assuming you’re still the size you were five years ago.
Why Extended Sizing Costs More
Making lots of sizes is expensive. More inventory to manage. More complicated manufacturing. Companies often pass those costs to customers, making inclusive sizing pricier.
But think about actual value. A bra that fits properly performs better, lasts longer, and stays comfortable. A cheap bra that doesn’t fit ends up costing more through being uncomfortable and needing replacement sooner.
Underneat prices their extended sizes the same as their standard sizes. They treat inclusive sizing as just regular sizing, not some premium thing.
How to Find What Works
The most important thing is letting go of the idea that your body should fit predetermined sizes. Your body is what it is. The bra should fit your body, not the other way around.
This means trying sizes you’ve never worn before. Trying different brands with different sizing systems. Trying different styles that work better for how you’re built. The “right” size is whatever actually fits and feels comfortable—not whatever size you think you should be.
Where Things Are Heading
Body-positive fashion has to mean fashion that fits diverse bodies. For innerwear, that means extensive sizing developed with real attention to how different bodies need different approaches.
Brands like Underneat that make inclusive sizing core to what they do are changing what women can expect when shopping for innerwear. Every single body deserves comfortable, well-fitting, well-designed innerwear. Inclusive sizing makes that achievable for way more women than traditional limited size ranges ever did. This isn’t radical. It’s just basic respect for the fact that human bodies are diverse.