They say most women are wearing the wrong bra size. You’ve probably heard it a million times; I know I have. Like ‘tailor your cover letter’, it’s something I know, and understand, but it took a long time to truly CLICK.
Thanks to Reddit’s A Bra That Fits, I’ve been re-educating myself. I’ve never been properly fitted in my life. For one, budget meant I never went to the kinds of places where they had professionally trained staff – and those kinds of stores intimidated me to hell anyway. Add to that the fact that I barely needed a bra at all and there was just no point. I muddled through and congratulated myself on being able to get away with not having to spend tons on pricey bras, unlike my chestier friends.
But recently all my bras more or less reached the end of their usable lives at once. I figured, let’s do this right!
Reddit was right. I needed a smaller band and bigger cup. And as it turns out, shape is really important! Lots of styles just won’t work for me. There’s really nothing to it but trying a bunch of brands and sizes, as they’re all so different. (I think that Stella McCartney just might be my holy grail brand … but wow, they are NOT cheap. For now, I’m making do with other brands until I can jump on a sale or bring myself to shell out.)
To be honest, I’m still on the hunt for the honest-to-goodness perfect bra, if it exists. Realistically, it’s a crapshoot. The odds are terrible. Consider all the variables: width, height, spacing, projection, firmness, fullness (and that’s across both vertical and horizontal planes)…
But having a pro fitter actually in there with me, sizing me up and bringing me specific bras that she thought would fit well, was life-changing.
Fun fact: I’ve been putting them on wrong forever. See, I assumed bras should just FIT and if not, well then they’re the wrong size – you shouldn’t have to manipulate yourself to fit into a bra. But no, the scoop-and-swoop technique is for real. In Japan, they even had a step-by-step diagram in the changing room of the bra shop I went into explaining exactly how to scoop and swoop.
Even more galling? T knew ALL THIS TIME and never said a word. Duh, he said, you’ve basically just been using them as nipple covers (um, yeah! That’s all I needed!)
In short: my husband knows more about bras than I do, and wearing bras that fit is rocking my world.
Love it! Makes you feel more too, that nothing is falling out the wrong spots! I learnt that technique early on. And sports bras are my saviour. I spend big $ on them.
I find bra shopping to be so stressful, in part because I have never been able to find an underwire bra that actually feels good for a long period of time. As embarrassing as it is, I use workout and other no-wire bras for my everyday. It works… sort of.
If it makes you feel any better, I’m such a weird bra size that I have to pay $80-$120 every time to get one that fits remotely well, and I can’t find a way around that cost – can’t get ’em second-hand, they don’t go on sale, etc!
The other thing I only discovered recently is that your bra size fluctuates quite a bit so getting refitted every year or two is important for keepings things comfy…
I’m in the same boat as Rebekah in the bra department (uncommon size). You’re completely right, the difference between a somewhat fitting bra and a correctly fitted bra is life changing!
I found a great bra fitter a few years ago and it was a fantastic experience. Now that I’ve found a brand and style that fits and looks good, I stick with it. Even though I’ve moved across the country and can’t go to that bra fitter anymore, I order them online. 🙂
Haha, scoop and swoop. I don’t remember when I started doing that, but now I can’t even fathom how one would wear a bra without doing that. It seems so uncomfortable in my mind.
It’s amazing how much difference it makes when your bra actually fits! And how hard it can be to find one that does.
You might like The Little Bra Company, I tried them some years back and it was revelatory!
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