A bra is a woman’s primary undergarment. She wears it a lot throughout the day to provide bust support and feel comfortable. But with an ill-fitting bra, the opposite happens. The breast can turn sore, and she may feel a lot of discomforts. Hence, it but right that women make sure they wear the right size of bra to reap their intended benefits. However, the problem lies in women not knowing how to fit a bra, making them buy awkward-fitting ones. This problem is so prevalent that 8 out of 10 women were found to be wearing the wrong bra size.
In this article, we’ll discuss further the pros of wearing a bra and the cons of wearing one that doesn’t fit right.
The Anatomy of a Bra
One of the reasons women wear improperly fitting bra is because they don’t know which parts should match which area of the body. Hence, we need to go back to basics and understand the bra’s different main components to know how to fit a bra properly.
- Upper cup. It’s also frequently called the top cup and serves to put the breast in shape. With the support of the shoulder straps, the upper cup holds the breast towards the body. Some upper cups are made with an elastic material to adapt to a woman’s bust size, especially because some women have different sizes of breasts. This is the first thing that you should look into when choosing a bra.
- Under cup or bottom cup. The main purpose of the bottom cup is to lift the bust upwards and provide reinforcement. To make this part even studier, some manufacturers place lining or padding inside, so it’s capable of lifting the breasts.
- Cup side. When choosing a bra, the side support should not be overlooked as it’s the only thing that provides side support, so that the busts do not project out towards the armpit.
- Side seam. Some bras have side seams reinforced with a side bone for better support. Not all bras feature this part.
- Wing. Bras that do not have side seams have side and rear portions made in one piece that is called a wing.
- Back. Contrary to what many think, it’s not the cups that provide the most support but back. The back should be elastic so that it adapts to the body and feel comfortable. Backs are made from different materials with varying levels of elasticity and come in multitudes of designs.
- The raised bottom edge is one you should pay attention to, especially when using an underwire brassiere as it delivers added comfort when sitting down. It also lets the underwire fit snugly onto the breastbone for maximum support.
- Underwire is placed in the underwire band. Some bras have underwire bands that you can insert and remove wires as you wish.
- Ring and slider allow adjustments of the shoulder straps.
- Band length refers to the full reach of the bra around the body.
- Hook and eye fastening allow bra width adjustments.
- Shoulder straps usually come adjustable. They provide lift to the bra.
Guidelines in Fitting a Bra
Here are steps on how to fit a bra that is right for your size.
- Familiarize your cup size. Knowing your cup size will allow you to choose the right bra to provide your breasts with the best support. The right cup size will prevent gaps or spillage and should fully contain the busts.
- Ensure that the band is even from front to back. It provides 90% of breast support, so make sure it fits snugly.
- The bra should still fit when hooked at the farthest eye. The bras will lose elasticity over time and will eventually stretch out. Hence, making sure it fits even on the loosest hook means you can still use it by that time.
- The bra should be stable even with strap movement. If you move the straps up to 1 inch on both sides, the bra shouldn’t shift. If it does, it won’t be able to provide the support that bras should give.
Benefits of Wearing Bra
Why bother wearing a bra, much less learn how to fit a bra when it’s so much comfortable going braless? Here are experts’ notes on the benefits of wearing a bra – correctly.
- The breasts attach to the chest wall only through the breast’s backside, making it quite unstable. Most of the breast tissues do not have support, and movement may cause trauma or pain to unsupported breasts. This goes especially true to women with an active lifestyle and those who engage in running and exercise. A bra stabilizes the busts and prevents after-workout tenderness.
- Even if you’re a stay-at-home person and don’t move around a lot, a bra is still essential as it prevents the breast from sagging. While many other factors make breasts sag, allowing them to hang freely for longer periods will eventually result in drooping.
- Wearing a bra also gives women some degree of flexibility in wearing clothes. Some fabrics can be too thin that nipples mark on the outside. Others have loose necklines that the breast will show when she bends or stoops down, which can be uncomfortable. Know more about bra sizes.
Conclusion
Going places with or without a bra is all up to a woman’s choice. But if you’re the type who finds wearing a bra comfy and necessary, know that choosing the right bra with the right size will truly benefit you. Hence, we give you this guide on how to fit a bra for you to maximize the pros of wearing one.