Does it seem like there is not a single bra out there that fits you perfectly? Do you often stumble upon a mirror/glass door and suddenly see something protruding near your chest and are silently embarrassed? Trust me when I say this, I know exactly how you feel. I’ve been there, done that! But, to be honest, I did not have my basics right. Hey, better late than never!
After my last bra shopping disaster, I did some research and had a revelation. So, everything I (thought) knew about bras was wrong!
But worry not, I have it all sorted out now! Let’s take it from the top, unlearn, and relearn. Together!
How To Choose The Right Bra?
Choosing the right bra is nothing but knowing your exact bra size for every type. However, we can’t just magically arrive at this number. We need to work backwards and connect a few dots to get there. So, before we deep dive into learning how to measure and understand other aspects, let’s go over a few pointers.
As a rule of thumb, your bra should fit snugly around your body. It should neither be too tight nor too loose.
Always hook your bra at the closest (first) eye and run your two fingers along the breadth. Your fingers should slide comfortably. The bra will loosen up with time, and you can hook it on the next eye then.
If your bra is riding up your back and you’re always pulling it down, you need a smaller size (band).
Bend forward and wear your bra so that everything goes into the cup and nothing hangs on the wire.
Make sure the cup is taut, and there is no extra room.
Move your arms around like a windmill to see if your breasts are falling out or hanging from the bottom, your bra is riding up, etc. In that case, try adjusting the straps first. Otherwise, you will need to go with a smaller cup size.
If your bra straps are pinching or digging into your shoulders, or there is spillage of breasts, making the two of them look like four, you need a bigger size.
When you go up or down your bra size, the cup size also differs. For example, if your size is 34B, a bigger size for you would be 36A. Or, if you want a smaller size than you choose 32C and vice versa.
It is easier to determine your band size first, and then map it with your cup size.
Remember that your breasts should be approximately midway between your elbows and shoulders.
The cups will do the heavy lifting and the straps will support them, so do not forget to adjust them the first time around.
How To Measure Bra Size?
Honestly, there is not one hard and fast rule that says one size fits all, not all bra types, I mean. It is worth mentioning that you must try a bra of every type before you are sure of the size. There would not be a radical difference in the sizes for every type/brand, but there would, most definitely, be some. Research shows that 80% women are oblivious of their true bra size. And for all you know, you might be wearing an incorrect one as we speak. The most obvious aspect we all go wrong with is the band size, amongst several others.