In case you didn't know, it's National Bra Fit Week [1]! Since Susan Nethero [2], an expert bra fitter, says that 85 percent of women in America wear the wrong size bra, what better time than now to help you all find one that does? So if you're still buying the same size bra you wore in college or if you're wearing bras you owned before your pregnancy, it's time for you to go bra shopping!
To see some helpful tips
- Get measured by a professional. Go to any department store's lingerie department and ask for a proper bra fitting.
- The band (the part that goes around your back) provides 90 percent of the support, so make sure to measure your ribcage carefully. You can wear your clothing to take this measurement, but don't wear a bulky sweater or jacket. It's better, really, to not wear any clothes at all. These ladies have seen it all before so don't be shy!
- Make sure to secure the bra on the last hook (the loosest notch) when trying it on, because your bra will stretch with wear and you'll need the ability to tighten it later. Make sure the band fits snugly, but not so that it creates a back roll.
- Slip your shirt or blouse back on so you can be certain the bra looks and fits well under your clothing.
- When determining your cup size, bend over at the waist and shimmy your way into the bra. This will evenly distribute your weight into cups.
- If the band of your bra rides up your back, it's the wrong size. The straps of your bra should not slip from your shoulders or dig into them. Straps should be about 10 percent of the support; remember, 90 percent of the support comes from the band.
While there's a time and a place for sexy lingerie [3], your everyday bra should be about comfort and support. If you're wearing a bra that's too small and you spill out of the cup, you could be causing a loss of firmness — and you don't want to smash your breast tissue! Also, if you're wearing a bra that you can't fill out, you could be causing stretch marks, so the proper size really is more important than you think! And if you'd like a brief lesson on the history of the bra [4], check out what our friends at the Frisky have to say!
Source [5]