It's easy to look at me and believe I am "bigger than a D cup". For my breast volume to be a D, the band size would have to be 44 inches around (Aus 22) instead of 32 (an Aus 10). As we know, cup sizes are relevant to band size, so a D cup (or even G cup) will look completely different on a smaller frame.
There have been many articles and blog posts alike that have debunked the myth that Marilyn Monroe was a size 16, as a size 16 had completely different measurements 50 years ago. In current times, she would be an Australian size 6 or an American 2 (although I have read that her clothes won't even zip up on a size 2 mannequin because it was too big for the dress).
As an extreme hourglass, her measurements were, according to her dressmaker, 35-22-35 (another source puts her as 36-23-37).
Yet apparently she was a 36D. If this was truly the case, her ribcage measurement would be the same measurement as her bust, which would make her an A cup. There is no way that is possible. With a 22-24 inch waist, Marilyn's ribcage was probably around 26 inches at the most, meaning her bra size would have been close to a 26G-GG by today's standards.
The only way to debunk the generalisations of larger busts being a D/DD/E cup is if women realise that our perception of what large cup sizes are is incredibly skewed. Once more women are wearing the right size bra and people are more educated about what bra sizes mean, women will be happier, healthier, more confident and no longer will they squeeze into smaller bras because they "couldn't possibly be a D cup".
JM