THE RIGHT FIT
Did you know that 80 per cent of women wear thewrong-sized bra? It means not only are their boobs not looking their best, they’re also at risk of permanent damage. Maralyn Young, bra-fitter and founder of Casamia boutiques, says that a poorly-fitting bra can cause discomfort, pain and tissue damage. That’s why it’s important to be fitted by a professional in a specialist bra store. “Don’t leave it up to amateurs. Get professional help – it doesn’t cost a thing.”
BTW…
Even once you’ve been fitted, it’s still a good idea to not only try on every bra you want to buy, but to also get a professional to check each one. Coz like clothes, the sizes of bras vary between brands, and even within brands (due to differences in the manufacturing process). You might find you’re a totally different cup size from one bra to another, and you don’t want to buy the wrong one!
NO BLUSHES NECESSARY
You’re probably cringing right now about having to get professionally fitted – we know, it’s completely awks to have a random in your change room while you’re half naked. The thing to remember is it’s their job – they’ve seen it all before, they’re women themselves and they’re not going to do anything you’re uncomfortable with. “Bra fitters at specialist boutiques are sensitive to girls – we’re not going to barge into the dressing room,” says Maralyn. “If you feel uncomfortable there’s usually a dressing robe you can put on. Then we just test to see if the bra is fitting you correctly. We’ll look at the cup and feel the back – and we do it very discreetly.”
BRA BASICS
It’s all well and good to get a bra professionally fitted, but you still need to know how to getyourself into it properly when you’re at home. Yes, there is a right and wrong way to wear a bra. You need to:
1. Make sure the straps aren’t too tight or too loose. They should sit comfortably on your shoulders without digging in or falling off!
2. Start out using the end hooks on the back strap and only use the inner hooks as the bra stretches and you find it’s not fitting right. Like the shoulder straps, the back strap should be firm against you without digging in or riding up.
3. Adjust your boobs when you put on a bra. It’s not as simple as clipping it on and heading out the door (er, with some extra clothes on!). Once it’s on, you need to slip your hand into each cup and lift all the tissue up to ensure it’s sitting in the underwire. You don’t want it digging into your sensitive breast tissue.
4. Alternate your bras. Don’t wear the same one over and over again every day – it will fall apart way too fast. Maralyn suggests a good number of bras to have for everyday use is three – so you’ve got one to wear, one in the wash and one spare.
5. You can usually get one to three wears out of a bra before you have to wash it. When you wash your bras, make sure you use a special laundry bag or handwash them so they don’t get damaged.
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