Bra Fitting Advice and Measuring Guide
To calculate your ideal bra size grab yourself a tape measure and Click Here!
Thousands of woman across the UK are wearing the wrong size bra. A woman's bust size changes over time due to such things as lifestyle, pregnancy, age and monthly cycle. It's a natural variation but many women take none of this into consideration and continue buying and wearing the same size bra for years. Bras can also stretch by as much as 4 inches across the back over as little time as 9-12 months so what was the perfect fit then, may well be nowhere near the perfect fit now!
How To Tell If Your Bra Is Too Small or Too Large
- Bra straps/sides digging into the shoulders/rib cage. (too small)
- Red marks, chaffing and indentations (too small)
- Breasts bulging out of the top or bottom of the bra. (too small)
- Abnormal back ache or shoulder pains (too small/large)
- Bra rides up at the back (too large)
- Straps keep slipping off (too large)
- Front panel standing away from the chest cavity (too small/large)
Importance Of A Correctly Fitting Bra
Aside from finding a comfortable bra which correctly supports the breasts for purely aesthetic and comfort reasons there are also sound medical reasons for making sure your bra is a good fit. An ill-fitting bra size can cause back and shoulder aches and strains and a general feeling of muscular discomfort and tiredness around that region. Existing problems with the back and shoulders can be exacerbated or prolonged as well. In addition, if your bra fits badly then this can cause irreprobable damage to the breast tissue leading to a loss of form and firmness over time.
Self-Measurement Of Correct Bra Size
Many lingerie stores now have bra fitting services where you can have you bust measurements taken and find the right bra size for you. It is however important to keep re-measuring and be re-fitted periodically to ensure you are still buying the right size bra so self measurement may be a better alternative. This particularly applies to bra-buying online of course.
How do you find your correct bra size? To self-measure your breasts for bra sizing you need to take two measurements:
1) The Band Size - a measurement taken just below the bust around the upper torso which is quoted in inches.
2) The Cup Size - a measurement of the fullness of the breasts, quoted in letters.
For example, a 34C bra measurement has a band size of "34" and a cup size of "C".
To calculate your ideal bra size grab yourself a tape measure and Click Here!
...and now you know your correct bra size measurement, how about taking advantage of some of the latest hot offers and deals on bras around the net:
How Often Should You Calculate Your Bra Size?
If you are currently pregnant, have just given birth or have gained or lost 6-10 pounds in weight then you will probably need to find your right bra measurements again. Menopause too and other changes in lifestyle can affect chest measurements. Everyone else should consider visiting a bra fitting service or measuring their own boob and strap size around every 6 months or so. Be aware again, your bras can stretch dramatically with use so what was the perfect it then may not be close to it now. Wearing old, stretched out bras is as bad as buying the wrong size. Basically, if you bras no longer feel comfortable then the chances are you need to do something to rectify the situation.
How To Make Your Bra Last Longer
To increase the longevity of a bra simply think TLC..look after your bras and they will look after you. A good quality bra will last 2-3 years if treated well, a cheap or badly treated bra can have an effective lifespan of just 3-6 months or less!
Firstly, ALWAYS handwash your lingerie, particularly your bras. If you must machine wash a bra then wash in cool water on a setting for delicates. This will reduce stretching and other damage to the material.
Secondly, when drying always allow them to air dry on a clothes line or indoor clothes horse etc. Never be tempted to use tumble dry your bra as this will damage the fabric and shorten its effective lifespan.
Recommended Online Bra Shop
Figleaves offers a fantastic service for bra buying online. They recognise lingerie buying on the internet, whilst offering fabulous price reductions, suffers slightly from the lack of being able to try before you buy which is why they offer free delivery and free returns on all products. New customers get a free £10 discount voucher by clicking here.
Bra Fitting Guide - How To Measure Cup Size and Band Length - Bra Measuring Advice - How to Tell Bad Bra Sizing
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