Are you wearing the right bra for you?
Chances are you're not because after calling in two lingerie experts, we've found out that many women are actually wearing the wrong size entirely.
Even though we’re constantly advised to get measured for fear of bad posture and sagging boobs, it seems that 70% of women are still wearing the wrong size.
There's also the situation where you'll find yourself picking up a bra in a size that you're pretty sure isn't the right one because it has such pretty lace detailing and you *know* you can make it work....
Yep, we've all been there.
Bra sizes can change often, due to weight gain or weight loss, or even the time of the month.
You can’t bank on wearing the same bra size forever and your size will also differ between brands.
Here are some of the signs that your bra doesn't fit properly.
1. The bra strap rides up at the back and feels loose around the body.
2. There’s a gap between the front centre of the bra and your body.
3. The under-wiring digs in, especially under your arms.
4. Your bust bulges out over the top of the cups.
5. The cups look too baggy or there is a gap between the breast and the cup.
6. You took a chance and guessed your bra size
7. The middle part of your bra doesn't lie flat - this should always be the case
If you do think you might be wearing the wrong size of bra, you absolutely need to go and get yourself measured.
It might seem like yet another thing to add to the already extremely long to-do list but it will be worth it in the end.
For the purpose of this feature, I decided some expert advice was necessary and spoke to two women who are extremely knowledgeable in this particular field.
Julie Mercer, Lingerie Expert at M&S explained that there are four things that should be on the checklist for the perfect bra fit.
1. Underband
The underband should be horizontal across your back. It should be snug but with enough room to fit two fingers underneath it
2. Wires
The wires at the front should sit flat at the breastbone between your breasts
3. Cups
Your breasts should be fully enclosed in each cup and there should be a smooth line where the cup ends
4. Straps
The bra straps should be secure, but not tight. If you drop the straps, the bra should stay in the same place.
This bra may not be practical but it's VERY pretty, bralet €20 and bottoms €11 from the M&S collection
Julie also explained that the department store offers an online 'Bra Fitting' calculator as 23% of women hate having to go for a bra fitting.
With that in mind, there's no excuse not to find out your ideal bra size as all you have to do is visit the M&S website although if you've never been measured, or it's been a while, your best bet is to have a professional do the hard work for you in person.
Mairead Fullam, Personal Shopper at Debenhams, shocked us a little by revealing that 70% of women are wearing the wrong size of bra.
Speaking about the bra fitting services available at the department store, Mairead explained that the service is free and available in every Debenhams store.
She advised:
"Lingerie can be a little overwhelming when you have so many styles and shapes to choose from but our fitters can also talk you through trends , colours and explain everything from balcony to plunge to multiway and full cup. Wearing the right underwear can make or break an outfit".
There's so much more to consider like what shape works best for you and how to recognise common problems that arise from wearing the wrong bra.
Now we want to go for a bra fitting, this one's from Reger by Janet Reger at Debenhams (Bra €42 and briefs €18.75)
However, we'd be here for a week if we went into all that now so we'll leave that information for another piece.
