I’ve been meaning to make this post for
quite some time now as bra knowledge is an area that I would say I’m pretty
savvy in, so I figured Today’s post would be a great time to share that
knowledge. The first thing (and I would say most important) thing that I wanted
to address is how to check for a proper fit. I made a short video ( It’s the
video below) about what to look for when trying on bras, but I also want to
dedicate this post on elaborating on what I mentioned in the video.
Fit
The video above
focuses on the different areas that you should be checking for a proper fit:
Band, cups, breastbone, and straps. The
band is the most important place to check for fit, as it is responsible for around
ninety percent of your bra’s support. To also check the band, put the bra on
and raise your arms above your head. If your bra slides up when you raise your
arms, then the band is definitely too big.
The other ten percent
of your bra’s support comes from the support offered by your straps. As the
percentage the straps offer is minimal, it is not the most important part of
the bra. A manager I worked with actually made a comment that with a supportive
bra, you should be able to take off the straps and still feel supported by your
bra. While writing this post, I totally tried this and to my surprise, my bra
stayed in place and still felt pretty supportive. So, that was rather neat.
The cups should
fit smoothly on the top of the breast. If it is beginning to indent the breast
tissue, the cup is too small. If you have extra space in cup, the cup is too
big. Another thing to note is that if the underwire is poking you in the armpit,
then the cup might be too big. A proper fitting cup should encircle the breast
tissue, but stop comfortably at the side of the breast.
As I mentioned in the video, a proper fitting band should
feel snug, but still wearable. You should be able to fit at least a finger in
the band and have a little bit of give. I mentioned being able to fit two
fingers in the video, but one finger is actually best. For the straps, you
should be able to fit two fingers between the strap and your shoulder. Of
course, if your straps feel like they are sliding down, by all means tighten
them. The two-finger trick is just a general rule.
In summary, a proper
fitting bra should be smooth in the cup, have a snug yet supportive band,
comfortable straps, and a centerpiece that lies flat on the breastbone. The last
portion might not always be true though (I elaborate on that in the video). Overall for fit, the most important thing is
that you are comfortable. You are the one that will be wearing it, so make sure
it is something that you are happy with.
Sizing
For bras, the
sizing is broken up into two components: the band (number) and cup (letter).
The band measures the width of your rib cage, while the cup measures the amount
of space you need to fit your breast tissue. I like to think of these two
factors as separate entities as it makes it easier to understand sizing. It’s
funny because I vaguely remember a situation where a girl was bragging about
her bra size saying, “Yea, I’m a 38!” and it was comical because she thought
that meant she had big boobs, when in reality it just meant she had a wider rib cage.
To start with
sizing, I’d say it is super important to get measured because it will help you
get a better estimate as what band size you should be wearing. The band is
measured by the bra’s number and this number can range anywhere from a 30 to a
44 and increases in increments of 2 (ex: 30-32-34-36-etc.). You can also find
numbers outside of this range, but for the most part these are the most common
ones. For places to get sized, I recommend either Soma or Nordstrom’s. If you work at Victoria’s Secret, I am sorry,
but I’ve had so many people come in with the size VS measured them and it doesn’t
fit well. Just saying.
The bra’s cup is
represented by a letter. This typically ranges from A-G, but of course other
brands can have different lettering. For the cups, the most common would be: A,
B, C, D, DD, DDD, and G. Most brands don’t offer E’s or F’s, but some do. The A-DDD
is pretty standard lettering in the bra industry. Once you go past DDD, the
lettering can mean a whole different thing to each brand, so I’d be aware of that.
For most of us, this typically isn’t a problem we need to worry about as most
ladies tend to be in the lettering range I mentioned.
Putting the two
components together, you’ll end up with a number-letter combo (eg. 36D). The
most important part to remember though is if the bra is not fitting properly,
you’ll want to consider the two components separately. For example, if you try
on a 36D and it doesn’t fit right, note where it doesn’t fit. Is the breast
tissue spilling out of the cup but band feels okay? Try a bigger cup size but
keep the band the same (so, if you tried on a 36D, try on a 36DD). Does the
band feel uncomfortably tight? You’ll most likely have to go up a band size and
down a cup size. Why is this? Because when you go up a band size, the cup size
also gets a bit bigger. So, a 36D cup won’t be the same as a 38D cup. If when
you tried on the 36D the cup felt fine but the band felt too tight, I’d try on
a 38C next time to give you more space in the band but keep the cup the same.
If the band and the cup don’t fit, then you’ll have to change the size of the
cup and the band. So to illustrate, if you tried on a 36D and both the band and
the cup were too tight, try on a 38DD next. As you can see, sizing can be a
little complex, so you might need to play around with your letter-number combos
when trying bras on.
Remember, the size is just a size. It doesn’t have any
meaning behind it. So, if you are wearing a 32A or a 42G don’t get fixated on
the size. Just focus on whether or not the bra is doing what it’s supposed to
be doing, giving you support. I say this because I’ve had so many ladies come
in to try on bras and they’ll refuse to wear a certain size because they’re “not
a 38” or “a DDD sounds horrible”. If the 38 fits you well, wear the 38, end of
story.
Care
For care, the
most important thing to remember is that if you take care of your bras, they
will last you longer. The best way to care for your bras is to hand wash them
and hang them up to dry. The hand washing part you can be a bit lax on, as who
really has the time to do that. You can either wash them in a lingerie bag, or
if you have enough of them, wash them by themselves on gentle. What you can’t
be lax about is drying. Never (and I mean NEVER) put your bras in the dryer.
The heat degrades the fabric and destroys your bras. If you’ve had a situation
where the wire is popping out, you more than likely were drying it in the dryer
(Shame on you!). Always hang dry your
bras. I know when I was in college, I would hang them on the rod in my closet
to dry. It was super simple, and something you can do if you don’t have a
laundry line.
On average, bras last about 6 months. This number
will of course, depend on how often you wear and wash them. If you have one or
two bras that you wear every day, they might not make it to the 6 months. But,
if you have 4-5 that you rotate, you could make it 6 months and beyond,
depending on how well you take care of them. I have quite a few bras, so I’ve
had some of mine for at least two years and they still are in great condition.
I’ve obviously washed them many times and none of the wires are popping out, so
this is evidence that with proper care you can make them last. Ideally, I’d say
aim for at least 3 so you can rotate them, but obviously having more than that
is better.
Quality
Like any other article of clothing, bras are an investment. If you buy
yourself a good bra and take care of it, you can get it to last you a while. I
know the bras we sell at our boutique range from $44-$60 depending on the
style, but the fabric we use is really great, so paying the price tag is totally
worth the money. So, when you are out shopping, pay attention to what you are
purchasing, because more money doesn’t always necessarily mean better quality.
I know this was a lot of
information, but I am hoping it made sense. As always, if you have any
questions, do not hesitate to leave a comment. I love getting feedback about my
posts and also offering what I know. I hope you guys had a great week and stay
posted for what I have coming next week. Next Thursday, I have my monthly
recap, and that one is always really fun, especially if you want to know what I’ve
been up to. Have a really great weekend and I’ll talk to you soon!
~Genesis<3
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