The Bra Lecture
I give this lecture a lot -- it seems like most people haven't ever gotten anyone to tell them how to distinguish a well-fitting bra from a badly-fitting bra.
A disclaimer: I am not now, nor have I ever been, in any way involved in the lingerie or bra-making industry. I do, however, like to see people in properly fitted bras, as it makes it easier to ogle their breasts. Who *wouldn't* want to be the person dispensing the advice that makes everyone look the proverbial ten pounds lighter and ten years younger?
Forthwith, the Rules of Bra:
NB, this was originally an LJ-comment to someone who complained that she didn't know when her bras fit or how to take a stab at picking the right size. All instances of "you" etc. should be replaced as appropriate for the person buying the bra.
- Measure yourself right under your breasts. Start with band sizes right around that number. (Old measuring schemes tell you to add 5" and round up, but I think this leads to a lot of women in bras that are way too big for them.)
- Measure yourself across the widest part of your breasts (usually, this is across the nipple, but not always. Determine your cup size from this number (you'll usually go up a cup size for every 1" of difference between this number and the first, up to a C cup, and then every 2" after that). Note: This means that your cup size and your band size are interdependent and if you change one you'll probably need to change the other. You may also be one of those unfortunates who has perfect 36C breasts on a 38-size body. See the problem solving section.
For example: I measure 34" under my breasts, so I wear a 34 bra. I measure 40" across the widest part, so I wear a DD cup. (7" of difference).
When bra shopping:
- 80% of the support should come from the *band* of your bra. If you can't slip the shoulder straps off and still be reasonably supported, it doesn't fit.
- When you first buy a bra, you should be wearing the band at the *largest* hook. Bras stretch out with wear, so you want to make sure it'll keep being supportive as it does so, for maximum length of use. It should be relatively *tight* around your ribcage -- see last point about supportiveness.
- The band should lie *flat* to your chest between the cups. If it doesn't you need bigger cups.
- Your cups should not run over, either on the top, sides, or bottom. If they do, consider bigger cups or
a different style. (Seriously, once you get past a certain size, balconette cups are *not* a great idea if you don't want to jiggle like Jell-O.)
- On the other hand, your cups should be reasonably well-filled and you should feel supported all the way around your breast. If this is not happening, you may need a smaller cup size.
- If you can, get measured every six months, or if you change size dramatically before then. I recommend a good department store (Macy's or Nordstrom's are usually good bets) rather than Victoria's Secret, who have notoriously under-trained staff.
- Replace your bras any time they become insufficiently supportive, or if the underwire starts poking through. (For me this tends to be about every six months or so, but I *am* wearing cheapie Target bras.)
- Don't wear your bras more than one day in a row -- you don't have to wash them every time you wear them if you don't want to, but you need to give them at least one day to un-stretch and resume their original form between wearings. I recommend owning 4 - 6 bras and cycling through them if you can afford it.
Remember *always* that different manufacturers cut differently, and that you're still in for some hell in trying on different sizes -- but at least now you'll know what actually fits while you're doing it.
The underwire of my bra cuts into me.
Two solutions here: Try one size up in the band (you may need to go down a cup size to do this), or try a different manufacturer/style. Look for fuller-coverage bras, they tend to be cut more widely in the cup than otherwise.
The straps are too long.
Shorten them. No, really. If you've gotten to the furthest shorten you can go, cut 'em and resew 'em shorter.
The cups on this bra are perfect, but the band is too big/small.
A properly fitting bra is going to feel really really tight for the first few days you own it, especially if you've never had one before, so be wary of saying it's too small before you've had a chance to do the strap-slip test.
If it really is too big or small, you can either add more eyes to the end of the strap to make it bigger, or take it in at the sides to make it smaller (note that you want to take it in evenly at both sides or you'll wind up feeling sort of lopsided).
The band is perfect but the cups are too big/small.
If it's just a little itty bitty bit too much or little, try another style. If that doesn't work, consider changing your cup size. (This can be sort of traumatic, but it's better to be minorly traumatized than to have to deal with an uncomfortable bra.)
My breasts are different sizes.
Get a bra that fits the larger of your two breasts and buy what is probably the most unfortunately named thing ever to encounter lingerie to fix up the other side: the chicken cutlet. It's better to make sure that your larger breast is properly supported than to have it be squished and quadraboobing over the top of a too-small cup. You don't want to leave your smaller breast unsupported, though, because that'll give you lop-sided jiggle and be rather uncomfortable. Don't worry, a difference of up to a cup size is pretty normal. If the difference is larger than that, or is new, please, check with your doctor to make sure nothing's wrong.
This is in no way a comprehensive reference, but here are three places I like to shop.
Keep in mind that you really *ought* to go get a proper bra fitting somewhere you trust the people to know what they're doing -- an upscale department store is a pretty good bet there, VS isn't, usually. Mail order is for people who are sure their bras fit right, or who are not faint of heart about ordering and returning things that don't fit properly. That being said:
FigLeaves. They let you select by size and by color, and have pretty bras in almost every size from 28A to 54F.
Target. Only good for DD and under, but they have a pretty good selection of bras in 32 - 40 A - DD for not terribly much money. Note that you get what you pay for, and these stretch like a bitch after a few washings.
Title Nine. The queen of sports-bra manufacturers, they have a fairly large range of sizes and will let you pick your own supportiveness level.
If you're not in the US, I can't really help as much, but brands to look for are La Perla and Le Mystere (also available in the US, but they tend to be rather expensive here). Check out the Knickers Blog for better references.
All bras, pretty much without exception, are labelled "hand wash in cold water, hang dry." You can cheat and put them in the washing machine on the gentle cycle in cold water (make sure you close them first to protect the hooks and eyes), but you must drip dry them -- the dryer's too hard on the elastic. I put this in the clear so that all of you can go out and preach this gospel to your friends -- even if their bras don't fit right, we can at least save them from sagging more than they have to due to bras worn out before their time.
Link and quote cheerfully and as necessary. This advice was compiled from many sources, including "What Not to Wear," the scary scary lady who fitted me for my first bra, the scoldings I've gotten from everyone who's fitted me since then, and the appreciative wolf-whistles I got when I got my first bra that really fit.
A disclaimer: I am not now, nor have I ever been, in any way involved in the lingerie or bra-making industry. I do, however, like to see people in properly fitted bras, as it makes it easier to ogle their breasts. Who *wouldn't* want to be the person dispensing the advice that makes everyone look the proverbial ten pounds lighter and ten years younger?
Forthwith, the Rules of Bra:
NB, this was originally an LJ-comment to someone who complained that she didn't know when her bras fit or how to take a stab at picking the right size. All instances of "you" etc. should be replaced as appropriate for the person buying the bra.
- Measure yourself right under your breasts. Start with band sizes right around that number. (Old measuring schemes tell you to add 5" and round up, but I think this leads to a lot of women in bras that are way too big for them.)
- Measure yourself across the widest part of your breasts (usually, this is across the nipple, but not always. Determine your cup size from this number (you'll usually go up a cup size for every 1" of difference between this number and the first, up to a C cup, and then every 2" after that). Note: This means that your cup size and your band size are interdependent and if you change one you'll probably need to change the other. You may also be one of those unfortunates who has perfect 36C breasts on a 38-size body. See the problem solving section.
For example: I measure 34" under my breasts, so I wear a 34 bra. I measure 40" across the widest part, so I wear a DD cup. (7" of difference).
When bra shopping:
- 80% of the support should come from the *band* of your bra. If you can't slip the shoulder straps off and still be reasonably supported, it doesn't fit.
- When you first buy a bra, you should be wearing the band at the *largest* hook. Bras stretch out with wear, so you want to make sure it'll keep being supportive as it does so, for maximum length of use. It should be relatively *tight* around your ribcage -- see last point about supportiveness.
- The band should lie *flat* to your chest between the cups. If it doesn't you need bigger cups.
- Your cups should not run over, either on the top, sides, or bottom. If they do, consider bigger cups or
a different style. (Seriously, once you get past a certain size, balconette cups are *not* a great idea if you don't want to jiggle like Jell-O.)
- On the other hand, your cups should be reasonably well-filled and you should feel supported all the way around your breast. If this is not happening, you may need a smaller cup size.
- If you can, get measured every six months, or if you change size dramatically before then. I recommend a good department store (Macy's or Nordstrom's are usually good bets) rather than Victoria's Secret, who have notoriously under-trained staff.
- Replace your bras any time they become insufficiently supportive, or if the underwire starts poking through. (For me this tends to be about every six months or so, but I *am* wearing cheapie Target bras.)
- Don't wear your bras more than one day in a row -- you don't have to wash them every time you wear them if you don't want to, but you need to give them at least one day to un-stretch and resume their original form between wearings. I recommend owning 4 - 6 bras and cycling through them if you can afford it.
Remember *always* that different manufacturers cut differently, and that you're still in for some hell in trying on different sizes -- but at least now you'll know what actually fits while you're doing it.
The underwire of my bra cuts into me.
Two solutions here: Try one size up in the band (you may need to go down a cup size to do this), or try a different manufacturer/style. Look for fuller-coverage bras, they tend to be cut more widely in the cup than otherwise.
The straps are too long.
Shorten them. No, really. If you've gotten to the furthest shorten you can go, cut 'em and resew 'em shorter.
The cups on this bra are perfect, but the band is too big/small.
A properly fitting bra is going to feel really really tight for the first few days you own it, especially if you've never had one before, so be wary of saying it's too small before you've had a chance to do the strap-slip test.
If it really is too big or small, you can either add more eyes to the end of the strap to make it bigger, or take it in at the sides to make it smaller (note that you want to take it in evenly at both sides or you'll wind up feeling sort of lopsided).
The band is perfect but the cups are too big/small.
If it's just a little itty bitty bit too much or little, try another style. If that doesn't work, consider changing your cup size. (This can be sort of traumatic, but it's better to be minorly traumatized than to have to deal with an uncomfortable bra.)
My breasts are different sizes.
Get a bra that fits the larger of your two breasts and buy what is probably the most unfortunately named thing ever to encounter lingerie to fix up the other side: the chicken cutlet. It's better to make sure that your larger breast is properly supported than to have it be squished and quadraboobing over the top of a too-small cup. You don't want to leave your smaller breast unsupported, though, because that'll give you lop-sided jiggle and be rather uncomfortable. Don't worry, a difference of up to a cup size is pretty normal. If the difference is larger than that, or is new, please, check with your doctor to make sure nothing's wrong.
This is in no way a comprehensive reference, but here are three places I like to shop.
Keep in mind that you really *ought* to go get a proper bra fitting somewhere you trust the people to know what they're doing -- an upscale department store is a pretty good bet there, VS isn't, usually. Mail order is for people who are sure their bras fit right, or who are not faint of heart about ordering and returning things that don't fit properly. That being said:
FigLeaves. They let you select by size and by color, and have pretty bras in almost every size from 28A to 54F.
Target. Only good for DD and under, but they have a pretty good selection of bras in 32 - 40 A - DD for not terribly much money. Note that you get what you pay for, and these stretch like a bitch after a few washings.
Title Nine. The queen of sports-bra manufacturers, they have a fairly large range of sizes and will let you pick your own supportiveness level.
If you're not in the US, I can't really help as much, but brands to look for are La Perla and Le Mystere (also available in the US, but they tend to be rather expensive here). Check out the Knickers Blog for better references.
All bras, pretty much without exception, are labelled "hand wash in cold water, hang dry." You can cheat and put them in the washing machine on the gentle cycle in cold water (make sure you close them first to protect the hooks and eyes), but you must drip dry them -- the dryer's too hard on the elastic. I put this in the clear so that all of you can go out and preach this gospel to your friends -- even if their bras don't fit right, we can at least save them from sagging more than they have to due to bras worn out before their time.
Link and quote cheerfully and as necessary. This advice was compiled from many sources, including "What Not to Wear," the scary scary lady who fitted me for my first bra, the scoldings I've gotten from everyone who's fitted me since then, and the appreciative wolf-whistles I got when I got my first bra that really fit.