Wearing the wrong size bra ?

Monday, 27th February 2006

80% of women wear the wrong size bra, we take a look at why this occurs and the questions every women should ask...

Well I'm sure you've heard it before and here at Intimate-Secrets.co.uk we've certainly produced articles with news that more than 80% of women are wearing the wrong sized bra before, but ask yourself are you? Do you know if your bra fits correctly? And when did you last buy a new bra?
For the sake of your own personal health you should be able to answer all these questions, why? Well many of our younger customers will be able to get away without wearing a bra, or wearing one that doesn't support them properly because their young muscles and tendons keep things in place. Unfortunately this doesn't go on forever because as we age things can start to droop!! And anyway, an ill fitting bra or no bra combined with droop under a T-shirt or close fitting top is not a good look.
From a personal health point of view there are more serious problems that can occur, especially if you have a curvy figure. Breasts that aren't properly supported can lead to problems with your back, shoulders, skin irritations and self-esteem. A well fitting bra will give you a fantastic shape combined with comfort making you feel fantastic and you won't even notice you’re wearing it. Your silhouette under clothes will also look better as a correctly fitting bra will make your curves look fantastic and thus boost your self-esteem considerably.

Although many women already know about the problems associated with wearing the wrong size bra women generally do little to correct this matter and repeatedly buy the same size and style of bra which may not suit them. We go into a store, get measured and told we are a 38G and that’s all we buy.
It is often best to just use the tape measure as a guide to your size and keep trying on bras until you get a style and size that fits properly. This is often due to a number of variables:

• The fabric  used
• How the fabric is cut
• The level of support offered by the fabric
• The design of the bra
• The style of the bra (full cup, balconette, half-cup, strapless, bustier, padded etc )
• Variations in sizing between brands
• Differences associated with how the bra is made
• Fashion sizing (i.e.: putting smaller sizes on the label than the garment actually is …)

If the bra is the right style and size for you, it will:

• Feel comfortable – you won't know you’re wearing it and there will be no red marks
• The back band will be parallel with the front band
• If it is underwired, the underwires will sit comfortably at the back of the breast without digging in. The front of the underwires will sit comfortably between your breasts and rest against your breast bone.
• The cups will be full – not overflowing. 
• No sagging
The straps will not cut in, and they won't slip down.

When you do find a bra that fits properly, why not buy more than one!

So, when you have bought the right bra don't forget to follow the care instructions to keep it doing its job as long as possible or take a look at our lingerie care article. Bras usually only have an effective life of 6 months and will lose some elasticity each time they are washed thus you will probably need to alter the straps and the hook position over that time to compensate for this.

Lingerie is the very foundation to a great look, get the right fit and you will look fantastic. Get it wrong, well......... need we say more.

Intimate-Secrets.co.uk - Lingerie, your intimate-secret.