Over the last 30 years, the average bra size has expanded from a 34B to a 34E, according to a new study from bra retailer Intimacy. Besides possibly obvious reasons, such as plastic surgery or weight gain, I decided to dig a little deeper and find out the real reason women are buying larger bras.

It turns out one woman can be credited with the initial boost in bra education, and that's Oprah Winfrey. In 2005, she devoted an entire show to helping women find the best-fitting bra and since then the industry has exploded.

According to Kate Terhune, public relations and marketing manager for Intimacy, the bra biz grew by $700 billion in just one year following that show. Kate said women would wait six hours just to be properly fitted with a bra.

"More woman actually know what bra size they are wearing now," said Kate. "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."

This study follows the news of Jockey introducing a brand-new bra sizing system that focuses on breast volume and shape, not just bust size. Jockey will send measuring tape and bra cups to your home and then you can order bras online.

__Clearly we are all a lot savvier in the bra department these days! Have you been fitted for a new bra recently? Would you recommend it? Discuss!

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