How Should a Bra Fit?

A bra is an essential part of your everyday look. It should give support, shape, lift your breast and separate them. You should be in a comfortable and breathable bra. It’s not easy finding the perfect fit since we all have different breast sizes and shapes. Ensure that you fit your bra before buying it so that you won’t regret the outcome.

This is the part that provides most support and it keeps all other parts of bra in place. The band should be comfortable and snug. It offers the support alongside the straps if any.

A too tight band can cause red marks around your chest. Wearing a bra with a small band ends up putting lots of pressure on your chest. This is unhealthy and it leads to sensitivity because it stresses the muscles found at the front of the chest wall. A smaller band could also cause the back bulging as it presses the flesh.

You at times find your bra riding up in the back. The band is loose and it only means you are on an oversize or worn out bra.

The cups are normally supposed to enclose the whole breast. You could be in a fitting bra but with the wrong cup size.

In such a scenario, you will realize there is a gap between the cup and the chest wall. This shows that you are on a bigger cup size than you should wear.

At other times you find your breasts spilling out over top of your bra. It simply implies you’re on a smaller cup than it should be. The cups should be fitting but if your cups get flimsy, do away with it. It’s an old and tired bra.

After a long day in your bra, there should neither be bruises nor pain. If the straps squeeze your shoulders, pinch marks are visible after removing the bra. This is caused by too tight or too small bra straps.

Loose straps keep falling off the shoulder and if adjustable, get them to an appropriate size. If not, do away with the worn out bra.

If you have sloping or narrow shoulders, go for wide straps as they are more comfortable.

It’s the small fabric strip between the cups. It is supposed to lie flat against your breast. It is affected by the band, cup size and breast type. If the breasts are spilling over, it means that you wore a smaller cup size or a tight band or the wrong bra type.

It’s a strip made of metal, plastic or resin sewed under the cups. It’s supposed to support, shape, lift and separate breasts. The breast should be inside the underwire and supposed to be directly under each breast. The most obvious reason some women hate the underwire is wearing the wrong size and type. For example, people with wider breast should go for a bra with a broad wire.

Most bras have a set of hooks at the back of the band. You are supposed to close on the loosest hook for the first few months. With time, through wear and tear, the band stretches out and that’s when you move to the next loosest set.

If the hook and eye closure fastens on the tightest set when the bra is new, it’s the wrong band size.

• It’s good to change bras. Whether your breasts are growing or not, ensure you replace the old bra. A bra that is too old, too big or stretched can’t offer recommended breast support.
• Have about six to seven bras in your wardrobe for a longer lasting effect.
• Wash your bra after wearing them two to three times.
• A well maintained bra should go seven to nine months. By this time the band is loose, worn out, showing off the elastic and the straps keep falling off the shoulder. It is very embarrassing.
• It’s unhealthy to wear a small or tight bra as it puts pressure on your breast and stresses the muscles. You may end up finding difficulty in moving your arms, pain, swelling or bruising.