Shopping for a bra can be a real pain. Do you wear old worn-out bras long past their time simply to avoid finding a new one? Every time you get dressed, you end up frustrated due to poor fit, awkward lines, and uncomfortable underwire.
Stop! It’s time to go shopping and find bras that really fit. A good bra can help improve your posture and your confidence. When your bra fits better, your clothes fit better, and you stay comfortable all day long. But how do you find this dream bra?
Don’t wander the store. Grab a few bras, and hope for the best. Use this ultimate bra fitting checklist to find a bra that perfectly fits your body and helps you rock any outfit.
Step One: Look at the Bras You Have
Take stock of the bras you do own. Put them on and evaluate them in terms of comfort and support. What do you love about them? What do you hate about them? What bras do you wish you have? Do you have bras for everyday occasions as well as a sultry date night look?
Do you wish they fit better under t-shirts? Bring a tight tee to the mall to see how bras fit underneath. Do you hate how the underwire constantly pokes into your ribcage? Consider shopping for an everyday supportive bralette. Do you love how your bra with three clasps offers more support? Shop for a more structured new bra.
Step Two: Take Your Measurements
Women’s bodies change constantly. Don’t trust that the bras in your underwear drawer are still sized correctly to your body. Get a soft tape measure and take some quick measurements before filling your online cart or hitting the mall.
- Wrap the measuring tape around your ribcage, just below your bra band, to get the band measurement. Bras are sized by even numbers; if you land on an odd, you’ll have to size up or down. Try a few options to see what works best for you.
- Measure your bust by wrapping the tape around the fullest part of your chest.
- Find your cup size by subtracting the bust measurement from the band measurement. A 1-inch difference is an A cup, 2 inches is a B, 3 a C, and so on.
You’ll want the band of your new bra to fit snugly enough to support your chest without being too tight or uncomfortable. Your breasts should sit gently in the cups without additional space or spilling over them.
Step 3: Try Sister Sizes
Not all bras are sized exactly the same. If a certain style doesn’t feel quite right, you could try it in a sister size. A different band size could help you properly fill the cups. For example, if you try a 34C but it feels slightly loose, go down a band size to a 32, but up the cup size to a D to get a better fit.
Step Four: Evaluate Your Breasts
Find the best bras to compliment your unique breast shape. A bell-shaped bust would benefit from the added structure of an underwire to give them a lift. Plunge bras can help separate close-set breasts, whereas wideset breasts could use some padding to create cleavage.
Similar to how our bra size changes throughout a woman’s life, her breast shape may change as well. Stand in the mirror and look at your breasts. Use this as an opportunity to do a self-breast exam. Think about what cuts and styles could bring the most life to your chest.
Step Five: Consider Your Closet
If you dread bra shopping, you don’t want to have to go anytime you decide to wear a daring outfit. Look at the clothing in your closet and pick bras that will work underneath your clothes.
Get a strapless bra to wear with your spaghetti-strap dresses and rompers. Pick out a racerback t-shirt bra for under tanks. Don’t avoid wearing your new dress with a plunging neckline. Find a bra that will let you wear it with conviction.
How about your lingerie drawer? Bras are about more than just function. Do you have any beautiful bras you love to wear for special occasions? Having a pretty bra and panty set can be a huge mood booster. They can become your secret weapon on days you need a confidence boost.
Step Six: Put Your Bra on the Right Way
Stop ruining your bras by putting them on the wrong way. It is easier to clasp the bra in the front, invert the cups, flip it around, and then flip it over and slide the straps onto your shoulders. However, you’ll ruin the shape and structure of the bra much faster.
Lean over at a forty-five-degree angle and glide into your bra. Start from the front of your body. Slip the straps over your shoulders and gently guide your breasts into the cups. Then reach behind you and secure the band on the loosest setting. That way, as the bra naturally stretches over time, you can continue to move to the tighter eye hooks and get more wear out of every bra.
Not only will putting a bra on this way help you find the best fit – it will help your bras last longer, which means you won’t have to go on this dreaded shipping trip for another year or two.