Bra shopping is such a conundrum. Retail department stores and even specialty sports stores carry a limited size range. S, M, L and XL do not count as bra sizes. Good shoes don’t come in those sizes and good bras don’t either! You can almost always find 36 A-D; past that, it’s dicey. That range doesn’t cover very many body shapes!
I liken bra shopping to shoe shopping. If you want to wear great-looking shoes – your feet are going to suffer some consequences. Same with bras – if you want to look cute, your breasts are going to suffer. The information I’m giving you here is for people who are ready for support and comfort over appearance.
Since most people are not a 36, make sure you measure your bra band and order that measurement. When you put on the sports bra, the band will be noticeably tighter because the major point of support in a bra is the band (not the straps!). This is good for two reasons – you get more support and you can wear it a little longer. Be sure it’s tight on the last hook. Then you can move up hooks as the elastic loosens (and get more wears!)
Generally, every bra company has its own bra size calculator, so put in your two measurements, then order three different cup sizes in the same band size. If you measure your bra band as 34, buy your regular cup size and the next two cup sizes up (most people wear a bra that is too small in the cup.) That way you’ll get three in the mail to try and hopefully one of those will fit.
A Word on Price
Sadly, finding the right bra and affording it are two different things. Be ready to pay $60-100 for a good sports bra. Discount store bras do not provide the support of higher quality brands. Even well-known athletic brands have grades of bra quality, so the well-known logo does not necessarily mean higher quality support.
If you wear anything greater than a C cup, you should not be wearing a compression bra (the type that immediately comes to mind when someone says sports bra). You have too much breast tissue for compression to adequately support your breasts in physical activity. Choose an encapsulation or hybrid bra option.
Bare Necessities has a wide range of brands, sizes and options, as well as a good search filter feature. Try starting your search there. (They don’t pay me to say that.)