Do your bras fit you right? If you’re like 85% of American women, the answer to that question is “no.” Most women make the mistake of buying bras that are too large across the back, believing that the bra will be more comfortable if the fit is loose.
In fact, the opposite is true. A loose bra can cause trouble whenever you move –riding up, slipping and shifting. This leads to constant tugging and readjusting, which can irritate your skin and be a constant problem. In addition, poorly fitting bras are a leading contributor to chronic headaches, tingling arms, back pain, breathing problems, chafing, rashes and breast pain.
In fact, a firm-fitting bra across the back is more comfortable and practical. It rides with the movements of your body better and stays in place, even during exercise and other strenuous activities.
A woman, on average, has six different bra sizes in her life. Yet, if you were to open the lingerie drawer of any lady you know, chances are you’ll see she’s wearing the same size bras that she was wearing in high school.
Bras are perhaps the most important and impression-making piece of a woman’s wardrobe. They provide shape to the figure. They can send messages of modesty or exhibitionism. And perhaps most important, they can help to determine what the woman will wear over them.
For a piece of clothing so important, it’s amazing that so many women have absolutely no idea if their
bras are the right size.
Tracy Pfeiffer, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City, provides five telltale signs that your bras do not fit right, and what to do about it:
1. Spillage: If your breasts pillow out of the top of your bra so you look like a beer wench at a Renaissance faire, your bra is too tight. Increase the back size, and possibly your cup size.
2. Puckering and wrinkling: Quite simply, if you’re not filling out your bras, you need a smaller size.
3. Riding up: If you’re constantly pulling your bra down, get a tighter bra.
4. Underwire jutting: If the bra isn’t flush against your ribs, and your bust seems bursting to get out, get a bigger bra.
5. Strap Grooves: Wearing bras should be a pleasure, not a punishment. If the straps dig into you, go for wider straps or a different cup size.
Still not happy with the fit? A professional fitting can help any woman determine whether they’re wearing the right size bras. Most lingerie specialty stores will do these fittings free.
Of course, you may be among the many women who are too shy to allow a total stranger to tape measure their bust line on a busy Saturday at the mall. Fortunately, you can do it yourself at home if you like.
First, get a tape measure, then:
1. Measure around your rib cage, just below your breasts. If the measurement is an even number, add 4. If the measurement is an odd number, add 5. This will determine the band size for your bras.
2. For the cup size, measure around the fullest part of your chest (over your nipples). Then, subtract your rib cage measurement from step 1 from your results here. A 1-inch difference makes you and A cup, the 2-inch difference makes you a B, etc.
This fitting method will work for virtually any kind of bra, including strapless, padded, push up, nursing and sports bras.
So if your bras don’t fit like you wish they would – and they probably don’t, quit settling for what’s in your drawer. Invest in a few bras that are truly a pleasure put on and wear comfortably all day.
About the Author
Toni Elliot is a Phoenix-based writer on subjects as broad as the day is long. She has written extensively for plastic surgeons that specialize in breast augmentation surgery, where she learned much about the importance of wearing well-fitting
bras and women’s general health.
