Lingerie Trends

We’ve all seen those comedy films where a shy guy wants to buy his girlfriend a bra. When he has finally gathered enough courage to enter a lingerie store it turns out he doesn’t know what size bra he is looking for. He either holds up his hands in the classic ‘cupping stance’ or stammers, “They’re kind of like yours but than larger…”

Well, guess what? Turns out many women don’t know what size – let alone shape – to look for either:

Women may come in all shapes and sizes but they’re likely to have one fashion item in common: a wrong-fitting bra, says undergarment expert Susan Nethero.

She has concluded from extensive field research that 85 percent of all women are wearing the wrong bra size.
- Source: Top 10 mistakes when buying a bra, MSNBC, Nov. 1, 2006

To make matters worse, the size and shape of your breasts vary over time. As one article points out, “Breasts wax and wane depending on factors such as hormonal changes, pregnancy, and breast-feeding. When we put on weight, they do too.” Hence you need to re-measure your bra size at least once a year; more often if you have experienced major body changes (e.g. pregnancy, weight loss, etcetera).

If you are among the 85 percent of women who wear the wrong bra size, you’re not doing yourself any favors. An ill-fitting bra may result in unsightly bulges in the back, the ‘four boobs syndrome’ in the front, a poor posture, and even the loss of firmness of the breast tissue. The latter often occurs when well-endowed women wear minimizer bras, which bind an compress breast tissue resulting in the loss of firmness.

A properly fitting bra, on the other hand, is not only comfortable- it’s truly flattering. The perfect bra can lift, separate, accentuate, minimize or maximize – all you have to do is find the right one. And there we can help.

Bra Fitting Tips and Advice

We advice women of all ages to check the Bare Necessities Bra Fitting Guide. It is accompanied by a Bra Primer that helps you find the perfect bra for any occassion.

Note that you do not necessarily need the services of a professional bra fitter. Good information and common sense goes a long way:

• The cup should completely contain the breast with the exception of push-up bras and demi-wire styles.
• The breast should not spill over the top or sides of the cup. This indicates that the cup may be too small.
• The cups fit smoothly. Gaps or puckering indicate that the cups are too large.
• The bra should be snug but not too tight around the body.
• The back of the bra should stay down and not ride up on the back. This indicates a large band size. Try one band size smaller.
• The center of the bra should lie flat against the breastbone. Otherwise, the cups may be too small. Try a larger cup size or a different style.
• The straps should be adjusted to support comfortably without pressure or cutting.
• The bra feels comfortable.

Burn Your Bra!

Once you’ve found your current best fit, buy yourself a standard set up good bras. Then burn your old ones. You’ll no longer need them. Speaking of which, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with going braless from time to time, and should your significant other buy you an intimate present, wear it for special occassions….

International Bra Size Conversion Chart

If you’re an international shopper – either in person or via the internet – you’ll also appreciate this handy conversion chart:

Keep in mind that European sizing runs slightly smaller than American sizes.

No related posts.