Who needs bra fitting tips? Well, according to research most of us! Eight out of ten women are wearing the incorrect sized bra according to onehanesplace.com an online intimate apparel store. Wearing the wrong size can be uncomfortable, and make our look droopy or bulging especially in full figured or well endowed women. One Hanes Place says that you should be fitted for a bra once per year, and after any significant weight gain or loss, and during and after pregnancy. Women’s breast and body tissue change often as we know, getting less firm as we grow older, why wouldn’t you want the perfect fit to look and feel your very best?
Susan Nethero, known nationwide as the bra whisperer, is a bra fitting specialist who owns and founded Intimacy, Bra Fit Stylists which has 229 bra fitting store locations in the United States and Canada combined. She has been featured on Lifetime’s hit show, How to Look Good Naked, and TLC’s show What Not to Wear. Susan claims “our aim is to enhance a woman’s sense of inner beauty through her most intimate foundations”. Her website http://myintimacy.com has a plethora of bra fitting tips and a photo gallery of the collections that intimacy offers such as Prima Donna and Marie Jo, both high end lingerie brands. Intimacy also offers free bra fit makeovers If you are near one of their locations. Can’t make it to an Intimacy location? Try one of these online bra fitting guides from Victoria’s Secret or Bare Neccessities.
Of course we would all love some higher end brasserie’s and lingerie, not to mention the time to get to a professional fitting, but what to do if we are on tighter budget and time constraints? To help you out, I have compiled a few basic bra fitting tips on how to get the right sized bra for you. Although bras come in many different styles, the same fitting instructions apply to all styles:
If your bra rides up in the back (tends to show the dreaded “back fat”) your band size is too large and you should purchase one size smaller than you are currently. Women’s breast tissue loses firmness as we grow older, Nethero says “When you buy a bra, make sure it fits you in the loosest hook. That way you can tighten the bra to the second and third hook as the bra ages and retain the firmness and the lift.”
According to Kohl’s store bra sizing product guide, you can tell that you are wearing the wrong size if “the center of the bra isn’t lying flat against your breastbone. If it’s not, you might not be getting the support that you need”. Another sure sign of wrong size is if you are “literally busting out”. “Unless you are wearing a demi bra, most of your bosom should stay inside the cup. If not, you should try a larger cup.” Never go to a smaller cup to get fullness, it only ends up in discomfort. If you are looking for that irresistible cleavage try a push up or padded bra to get the extra enhancement you want.
The website www.lindasonline has an in depth trouble shooting guide for mis-fittings, here are some great tips from their site:
If your bra straps continually fall out of place and you’ve already tried adjusting the length of your straps, there are two possible reasons. “One problem could be that your bra is too old. Over time, the elastic that is in most bra straps stretches out. “If you are having this problem with a new bra, the bra is most likely not the right style for you. Many bras are designed with straps that are wide-set, or far apart from each other. While this style is fashionable, it is definitely not for everyone! Petite women or women with sloped shoulders should make sure to buy bras that have close-set, fully adjustable straps.” Bra straps should not hurt your shoulders, or make indents. “First things first, your bras straps should NOT be holding up your breasts. The weight of your breasts should be lifted from the band of the bra, not hanging from your shoulders. If your shoulder straps are digging in, your bra band may not be doing its job. Try going down to a smaller band size for more support.
If these are not the bones you have to pick with your bra fit, refer to the Linda’s Online Bra Problem Guide for more information on how to fit women with irregular breast size, hiatal hernias, high rib cages, osteoporosis, curvature of the spine and other issues.
Now that we have covered bra fitting techniques, let us go over how to properly care for your bras. The elastic in our bras are broken down over time due to usage and washing. Experts say that bras should be replaced every six to nine months. To keep your bra in the best condition and to help make it last the longest follow these tips from essentialbodywear.com:
A woman should have at minimum three bras “one to wear, one to care, one to spare”, meaning the one you are wearing, the one you are washing, and the clean one ready for use in your drawer. “The same bra should not be worn two days in a row. The elastic will recover if given a day off to breathe and regain its shape.” Even though you should not wear your bra two days in a row, a bra need not be washed after every wearing. “A bra can be worn 3-4 times in between washings to help extend its shelf life.”
Handwash your bra in gentle soap specifically made for lingerie. Esssential Bodywear says not to use Woolite because that soap is made for natural fibers and not recommended for synthetic fibers. I checked Woolite’s website to validate this claim that Woolite is not recommended for synthetic fibers, but Woolite states that their soap is acceptable for “all types of fabrics and all colors in all washing cycles. However, after running an Internet search asking if Woolite is safe to use for washing a bra, there were many lingerie experts stating that Woolite should never be used for washing bras. Your choice, but better safe than sorry, I am staying away from Woolite for my lingerie!
Although your bras should be hand washed, if you absolutely don’t have the time for that and put them in the washing machine, “clasp the hooks and eyes on the bra band and place in a lingerie bag lying flat. Use the delicate cycle, and whether hand washing or machine washing, always use cold water. “Cold water will assist in shocking the elastic to restore its stretch memory. Warm/hot water will cook the residual soap into the bra and break down the fabric.”
Never put your bra in the dryer, even on a delicate cycle. Always air dry your bras lying flat or hang dry, but hang only by the centerpiece, not by the straps.
Store your bras lying flat in your drawer, do not invert the cups into each other to save space. “By inverting the molded cup it is compromising the integrity of the mold and will cause the fabric to ripple after repeated incidents.”
In summary. For a comfortable bra wearing experience, get fitted professionally, or do it on your own, purchase at least three quality bras for rotating properly, and take care when washing and storing your bras. Proper bra care and fit leads to the appealing display of your breasts and body in your clothes. You will love the results!
