E cup size: a UK E and an EU E are one inch apart
Two different cups are called E. On a UK tag, E is six inches of difference between bust and band, the cup the US calls DDD and EU and French charts call F. On EU and French tags, and as Victoria's Secret's and ThirdLove's alias, E is the five-inch cup the UK and US call DD.
UK E: 6 in, 15.2 cm of difference
| UK | US | EU | FR | AU | JP (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30E | 30DDD | 65F | 80F | 8E | G65 |
| 32E | 32DDD | 70F | 85F | 10E | G70 |
| 34E | 34DDD | 75F | 90F | 12E | G75 |
| 36E | 36DDD | 80F | 95F | 14E | G80 |
| 38E | 38DDD | 85F | 100F | 16E | G85 |
| 40E | 40DDD | 90F | 105F | 18E | G90 |
US E: 5 in, 12.7 cm of difference
| UK | US | EU | FR | AU | JP (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34DD | 34DD | 75E | 90E | 12DD | F75 |
AU follows Berlei; Wacoal, Freya and Elomi keep UK FF and GG instead. JP is approximate because Japanese cup steps are 2.5 cm rather than one inch; our JP column stops at I. Wacoal's guide continues to JP K. "n/a" means outside this converter, not that the size does not exist. Cup-system definitions.
E cup size in inches and centimetres
A cup letter is a difference, not a volume. On a 34 band, a UK E is a 40 in (101.6 cm) bust and a US E is a 39 in (99.1 cm) bust. Every row is the band plus the cup's inches, the same arithmetic the calculator uses.
| Band | UK E bust | US E bust |
|---|---|---|
| 30 in | 36 in (91.4 cm) | 35 in (88.9 cm) |
| 32 in | 38 in (96.5 cm) | 37 in (94.0 cm) |
| 34 in | 40 in (101.6 cm) | 39 in (99.1 cm) |
| 36 in | 42 in (106.7 cm) | 41 in (104.1 cm) |
| 38 in | 44 in (111.8 cm) | 43 in (109.2 cm) |
| 40 in | 46 in (116.8 cm) | 45 in (114.3 cm) |
Which E is on the tag
The letter is the same; the size behind it depends on the ladder the brand uses. Each reading, and who prints it.
| Reading | Difference | UK | US | EU | AU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK E | 6 in (15.2 cm) | 34E | 34DDD | 75F | 12E |
| US E | 5 in (12.7 cm) | 34DD | 34DD | 75E | 12DD |
- UK E. The UK ladder runs DD, E, F: E is the sixth inch. Wacoal and Freya pair it with US DDD, and EU and French charts print F.
- US E. Victoria's Secret prints its cup rows "DD (E)", and ThirdLove uses E for DD. EU and French charts also print E for the five-inch cup.
Sister sizes keep the E cup's volume
Go down one band and up one letter, or up one band and down one letter, and the cup volume stays the same. Shown for UK E on a 34 band.
| UK | US | Compared with 34E |
|---|---|---|
| 32F | 32G | Tighter band, 1 letter up |
| 34E | 34DDD | This size |
| 36DD | 36DD | Looser band, 1 letter down |
The full diagonal chart, with fit fixes for a band that rides up or digs in, is on the sister sizes page.
What the +4 method does to this cup
Our +4 comparison rounds measurements to whole inches, adds 4 to an even underbust (5 to an odd one) and subtracts the padded band from the bust. Differences below 1 are labelled AA. For UK E (6 in) that changes the answer on every band.
| Underbust | Bust | Measured band (UK) | +4 method (US) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 in | 36 in | 30E | 34B |
| 34 in | 40 in | 34E | 38B |
| 38 in | 44 in | 38E | 42B |
White and Scurr (2012) found the traditional method overestimated band size and underestimated cup size (Ergonomics 55(6)). A size from an older calculator may not be the size on this page.
E cup bras: which brand charts list one, by band
Some charts print individual sizes; others state band and cup ranges separately. Being inside both ranges does not confirm that the brand makes that combination. None of these checks confirms stock.
| Brand | UK E (6 in) | US E (5 in) |
|---|---|---|
| Elomi | Cup within guide range; bands 32 to 48 stated separately; combinations unconfirmed | Cup within guide range; bands 32 to 48 stated separately; combinations unconfirmed |
| Freya | Cup within guide range; bands 28 to 44 stated separately; combinations unconfirmed | Cup within guide range; bands 28 to 44 stated separately; combinations unconfirmed |
| Marks & Spencer | Chart entries: 30 to 46 | Chart entries: 28 to 46 |
| Victoria's Secret | International chart: 30 to 44. US guide: bands 30 to 46, cups A to O; combinations unconfirmed | International chart: 30 to 44. US guide: bands 30 to 46, cups A to O; combinations unconfirmed |
| ThirdLove | Cup within guide range; bands 32 to 44 stated separately; combinations unconfirmed | Cup within guide range; bands 32 to 44 stated separately; combinations unconfirmed |
Elomi: US underband and cup sizing, 32 to 48 bands and B to O cups (UK B to K; its chart continues to UK KK). Freya: bands 28 to 44, UK cups B to K. Marks & Spencer: its UK row lists sizes from 28AA to 46K (no FF, HH or JJ); matched here by the label as printed. Victoria's Secret: US guide: bands 30 to 46, cups A to O, not every style in every size; international chart: bands 30 to 44, AA to DDD (UK E). The US ranges do not confirm every band/cup combination. ThirdLove: bands 32 to 44, AA to H in US labels, plus half cups; the ranges do not verify every combination or the UK pairing for G/H.
What is particular about the E cup
A US "E" cup usually means a UK DD, not a UK E
Victoria's Secret's own size chart prints its cup rows as "DD (E)" and "DDD (F)": the brand's "E" is an alias for DD, one inch smaller than a UK E. EU and French charts also label the five-inch cup E. If a chart prints "DD (E)", its E is the five-inch DD. If it lists E after DD on a UK ladder, it is the six-inch cup.
Is an E cup big?
The letter cannot say, and here even the letter is ambiguous. A UK 34E holds the same cup volume as 32F and 36DD. A 30E and a 40E share the letter and little else; the band sets the volume.
Marks & Spencer's US column is not steady
Its US size guide prints a UK 34E as a US 34DD and a UK 36E as a US 36DD, but a UK 32E as a US 32F. Wacoal and Freya print UK E as US DDD. Shopping M&S from the US, go by the UK label.
What the +4 method does to a six-inch E
A 34 in underbust and a 40 in bust measure 34E, the UK E. The +4 method pads the band to 38 and takes the cup from 40 − 38 = 2 in, so it prints 38B: a band two sizes up and four cup letters down. 30/36 gives 34B the same way.
Quick answers
Is an E cup the same as DDD?
A UK E is: six inches of difference, which the US labels DDD. An EU or French E is the five-inch cup, a UK and US DD.
What is a UK 34E in US sizes?
US 34DDD, EU 75F, France 90F and Australia 12E.
What are the sister sizes of a UK 34E?
32F on a band one size tighter and 36DD on a band one size looser. All three hold the same cup volume.
Other sizes and tools
- Bra size calculatorMeasure your size with both methods shown
- UK to US converterAny size in any of six systems
- Sister size chartThe full diagonal chart and fit fixes
- A cupWhat the letter means, by band
- B cupWhat the letter means, by band
- D cupWhat the letter means, by band
- DD cupWhat the letter means, by band
- F cupWhat the letter means, by band
- G cupWhat the letter means, by band
- H cupWhat the letter means, by band
Sources
Each source was opened and checked on the date shown, or on 25 September 2026. Where sources disagree, the page says so instead of picking one silently.
- Victoria's Secret Customer Care, "Size & Fit: Bras & Bralettes": US guide states bands 30 to 46 and cups A to O, not all styles in all sizes; bralette rows print DD (E) and DDD (F) (opened 25 September 2026)
- ThirdLove, "How To Measure Your Bra Size At Home": DD = E and DDD = F; half-cup sizes; do not round (opened 25 September 2026)
- Victoria's Secret Customer Care, "Size & Fit: International Size Chart (Outside the U.S.)": US sizes sold; bands 30 to 44, cups AA to DDD; US DDD = UK E (opened 25 September 2026)
- Wacoal, "International Size Guide": UK AA to GG paired with US AA to J; AUS/NZ keeps FF and GG; band and cup rows are separate, not a stock list (opened 13 October 2026)
- Freya, "International Bra Size Chart & Bra Sizing": band and cup tables in UK, EU, FR, AU/NZ, US and JP (opened 25 September 2026)
- Marks & Spencer US, "Bras size guide": UK, AU/NZ, US/CA, EU and FR conversion table (opened 25 September 2026)
- White J, Scurr J. Evaluation of professional bra fitting criteria for bra selection and fitting in the UK. Ergonomics 2012;55(6):704-711: 45 women; the traditional method overestimated band and underestimated cup
- Wikipedia, "Bra size": UK and US cup ladders, the +4 method, EN 13402 and JIS cup steps
- Berlei Australia, size charts: AU band = underbust row, cups A to H with no FF or GG