The C cup size is often regarded as the most desirable cup size. They’re on the larger side, but they’re not large enough to cause back pain.
If you want to learn all you need to know about the C cup size, then this article is for you. Here, we’ll discuss what a C cup size is, what C cup boobs look like, how different they are from a B cup or a D cup, and much more about this cup size.
Let’s dive in!
What Does a C Cup Size Mean?
Being a C cup size means that the difference between your bust measurement (measured at the center of your breasts where they’re the largest) and your band measurement (measured right under your boobs) is around 3 inches.
This may sound confusing at first but don’t worry. We’ll explain how cup sizes work in detail now, with a special focus on the C cup bra size.
You’re probably familiar with how bra sizes are measured. In the US, they usually have a number (measuring the band size, right under your breasts), and a letter (measuring how larger the size of your bust is compared to the band). You need to measure both the number and the letter to get to the right bra size. Thankfully, this isn’t as difficult as it sounds.
So, the first thing you need to measure is your band size. With a tape measure, you should measure all the way around your rib cage, right below the breasts. If you get an odd number (for example, 35), increase it by one (in this example, to 36). This is because bra sizes use even numbers.
To get the most accurate measurement, stand straight and tall when measuring yourself. Also, the tape measure should be snug, but not so tight that it is uncomfortable.
DO NOT ADD 4-5 INCHES to your band measurement. This is an outdated method that the large majority of bra manufacturers don’t use anymore. Yet, I still find places on the internet where this advice is shared. If you stumble upon those, just ignore that advice.
The second thing to measure is your bust measurement. You get this number by measuring all the way around your breasts. Instead of measuring under them, you measure right across the center of your breasts, where they’re the largest.
To recap, you need to measure the size of your band, which is your chest size measured right under your breasts (this is your band size or the “number” component in the bra size). Then, you need to measure the size of your bust, which is your size at the point where your breasts are the largest.
Your cup size is then easy to calculate. All you need to do is to take the difference between the band measurement and the bust measurement. If the difference is 1 inch you’re an A cup size, if it’s 2 inches you’re a B cup size, if it’s 3 inches you’re a C cup size, and so on as shown in the following table.
This may be easier to understand with an example. So, if your band measurement is 30 inches, and your bust measurement is 33 inches, your bra size is 30C (And if your bust measurement was 32 inches instead, you would be 30B. With a bust of 34 inches, you would be 30D).
If your band measurement is 36 inches, and your bust measurement is 39 inches, your bra size is 36C.
Note that the “number” part of the bra size is always equal to the band measurement. The only thing we calculate in these examples is the “letter” part (cup size).
Benefits of a C Cup Size
C cup boobs are generally considered to be average or on the larger side. However, this can vary a lot depending on your body type. C cup boobs on a slimmer girl may look large. It also depends on the country, and in many European countries C cup boobs are considered just average. In some countries like Japan, C cup breasts are pretty large.
The C cup bra size is one of the most desired bra sizes. They’re generally large enough to be desirable, but not large enough to cause back pain or affect your posture. Given this, C cup boobs are a very common choice of women who undergo a breast augmentation procedure.
A survey of 2,000 American and European men and women showed that the large majority of people consider the C cup size as the ideal size. This was true both for men and women. In fact, more women chose the C cup size than all other bra sizes combined.
What Do C Cups Look Like (C Cup Breasts Examples)
It was nice to learn new things, but you must be wondering what C cup boobs actually look like. Let’s take a look at examples of some celebrities with C cup boobs.
One thing you’ll probably notice is that their boobs will vary a lot in size. This is because the C in a bra size only measures the difference between the bust size and the band size. But, without the actual band measurement we don’t get the full picture.
To put simply, a woman with a band size of 30 inches and a bust size of 33 inches, and a woman with a band size of 36 inches and a bust size of 39 inches will both be a C cup bra size. This is because the difference between their bust size and band size is the same (3 inches).
However, these two women will look quite different. And even breasts that have the exact same bra size can look different. A slim woman may appear to have larger breasts than she actually does, while an overweight woman may seem to have smaller breasts than she does.
A celebrity who is a C cup size is actress Jennifer Aniston. She is a 34C bra size, meaning that her band size is 34 inches and her bust size is 37 inches. Another famous actress with the same cup size is Angelina Jolie.
A celebrity who is reportedly a 32C bra size is actress Blake Lively. This would put her band size at 32 inches and her bust size at 35 inches.
C Cup vs D Cup
The D cup is one cup size larger compared to the C cup. This means that for women with the same band measurement, the bust of a woman with D cup boobs will be 1 inch (2.5 cm) larger compared to the woman with C cup boobs.
C Cup vs B Cup
The B cup is one cup size smaller compared to the C cup. This means that for women with the same band measurement, the bust of a woman with B cup boobs will be 1 inch (2.5 cm) smaller compared to the woman with C cup boobs.
These two cup sizes are one of the cup sizes considered ideal by most Americans and Europeans, with C cup breasts being the most desirable.
C Cup vs A Cup
The A cup is two cup sizes smaller compared to the C cup. This means that for women with the same band measurement, the bust of a woman with A cup boobs will be 2 inches (5 cm) smaller compared to the woman with C cup boobs.
While C cup breasts are considered average, A cup boobs are on the smaller side.
C Cup Size in Inches
If we measure in inches, a C cup size means that your bust size is 3 inches larger than your band size. This means that if your band measurement is 32 inches, your bust measurement is 35 inches. And if your band measurement is 38 inches, your bust measurement is 41 inches.
C Cup Size in Cm
If we measure in centimeters, a C cup size means that your bust measurement is roughly 7.5 cm larger than your band measurement. This means that if your band measurement is 70 cm, your bust measurement is 77.5 cm. And if your band size is 90 cm, your bust measurement is 97.5 cm.
C Cup Size Chart
C Cup Size (UK)
If you’re from the UK, be aware that cup sizes in the UK may differ from those in the US. But, these differences are only prominent for larger cup sizes.
When it comes to the C cup size, it’s the same as in the US. To reiterate, a C cup size in the UK means that the difference between the bust and the band measurement is 3 inches, just like in the US.
So, just like in the US, a 36C in the UK would mean that the person has a band size of 36 inches and a bust size of 39 inches.
C Cup Size Infographic
Conclusion
The C cup size is around the average bra size, although it’s on the larger end. Women with C cup boobs have the most desirable cup size. They probably won’t have back pain issues, and they have a great selection of different bra types to choose from.
Here, we discussed what a C cup size means, what C cup boobs look like, and a lot more about the C cup size.
The founder, editor, and writer of most articles on Ultimate Bra Guide. An experienced bra fitting specialist turned blogger. My website Ultimate Bra Guide has been featured in relevant publications such as Glamour, Bustle, Elite Daily, Alldaychic, Everyday Feminism, and so on. Get to know me better at our about page.