Tips for Properly Fitting a Bra

According to experts, chances are the bra you have on right now is thewrong size. Conservatively, 8 out of 10 women are wearing a bra that either doesn't fit them properly now, or possibly never fit right to begin with. Why is this? There are many reasons:

• You are wearing a bra that has stretched or sagged out of shape with time and wear
• You bought a bra by size only, without making sure it fit your body
• You are wearing a bra that just isn't made for your body type
• You were measured by a professional for a bra, and are still wearing that same size years later.

How do you know you have the right bra?

First, your breasts should sit comfortably in the cups. This means cradled by the material, with no part of your breasts dropping out the bottom or bulging over the top. You should not feel the underwires digging in to your breasts, ribs or breastbone. You should feel supported, but not squeezed. You should also not see any extra material or saggy cups. The band supports the majority of the weight, not the straps. The band sits level all the way around your body, front and back. It especially should not rise up in the back.

How to measure for your bra

First, always wear your most comfortable bra when measuring for a bra. Not wearing an under-garment when you measure will almost always lead to buying a bra that is too small. Next, if possible have someone else measure you. Just the act of reaching up to hold a tape measure will cause your measurements to change. Last tip, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE NUMBERS!!! Measurements are just a way of putting you in to the correct size garment. Saying you are a certain size is a form of vanity that will inevitably cause you to lose sight of the most important feature of your bra, COMFORT. So, feel free to say you are whatever size you want, even cut the tags out of your bra so no one sees. But NEVER, EVER lie to yourself and buy the wrong size.

Band Size

As mentioned, start with your most comfortable bra. One which does not compress or minimize your bust. Standing in your normal posture, with your arms hanging naturally by your sides, measure around your body just under the armpit, high across the back and over the top of your bust. You should be able to hold 1 or 2 fingers inside the tape measure to make sure it isn't too tight. Take that measurement, and ROUND UP to the nearest even number. This is your Band Size.

Cup Size

Again standing naturally while wearing that comfortable bra, measure loosely across the fullest part of your bust. Again, don't pull the tape too tight, but also don't leave it too loose. Take this measurement, and subtract the band size. Using the difference in measurements, find your cup size in the chart below. IMPORTANT NOTE: Very rarely will you land on a round number for this difference. And unfortunately whether you round up or round down depends on your body and the bra style. So use these numbers as a starting point, and move up or down a cup size until you have the one that fits the best. You will find that each manufacturer is a little different, but they usually are consistent across their model line. US CUP SIZES Less than 1" AA 1" A 2"B 3"C 4"D 5"DD 6"DDD **If you don't see the number you got when you did the math, please email us and we will be glad to help you determine what size to order. Final words on Bra Size When you try a bra on, first thing you should do is position yourself properly. Using your hand, reach across your body to the opposite side breast and cradle it gently. Use your hand to lift it lightly, and bring the breast tissue from the side or bottom forward and up. Don't pull it, gently set your breast in place where is is supported by the cup material. All women have breasts that are slightly different sizes. On some women it is totally invisible, others it may be as much as a cup size or more. Fit your bra for your larger breast.

Now, PUT ON A WELL FITTING T-SHIRT. This is the best way to see what your bra does for your looks. Any un-natural bulges? Wrinkles in the cups showing through? Edges of the cups gaping and causing bulges? If you look great in a nice t-shirt, you will look great in everything else. Don't rest until you find the one that really makes you look your best.

• The band should stay level complete around your body. If it lifts at the back, it is probably too big.
• The center gap of the bra, between the breasts in front, should be flat and centered. It shouldn't extend over the edge of the breast. If it does, you may need to go up a cup size.
• Underwires should not dig in. If they do, you need to adjust cup size.
• Straps should help support you, but the majority of the support should come from the band. The straps just keep everything in place. If the band is too big, the straps will dig in to your shoulders, and also stretch more over time.

Speaking of stretch, always give your bras a day off. Wearing your favorite bra 2 or more days in a row will lead to it wearing out and stretch much faster. Today's fabrics will recover if you give them a break. Do this whole exercise again every 6 months. Women's bodies change for a variety of reasons. You may need to adjust up or down to ensure you continue to get the best service and support from your under-garments.