A good bra gives you a boost

1. A good bra gives you a boost

2. To have and to hold for all kinds of reasons

3. Does your body need a bra?

4. Beware bra health dangers, big and small

5. Size does matter

6. Find your true size

7. Get a perfect fit

8. Maternity bras

9. Hurrah – it’s time for a new bra

A good bra gives you a boost

A bra can be anything from a frilly bit of frivolous luxury to a serious piece of body armour with the sex appeal of a surgical support bandage. Floating in between is the elusive nirvana of bras: a bra that not only flatters but also embraces the breasts in a firm hand-like hold, allowing the wearer to flit about the tennis court or dance floor in complete comfort.

To have and to hold for all kinds of reasons

Unfortunately, because women wear bras for all sorts of reasons, there is no bra for all seasons. If there were such a thing as a super-bra, not just a wonder-bra, it would do all this:

• Support and lift the breasts
• Improve their shape
• Dial up or dial down cup size
• Reduce sagging
• Create cleavage
• Restrict bouncing movement during physical activity
• Look sexy and womanly
• Improve the fit and fall of clothes
• Cover up under sheer or clingy tops

Which is why most women have a variety of bras, often in a variety of colours including the basics of nude, black and white. The average is around six bras each. There are no physical health advantages to wearing a bra.  But the thought of going out without their ‘girls’ suitably packaged – be it silky gift-wrap or sturdy athletic number- makes many women feel quite faint, and possibly even sick to the stomach.

Does your body need a bra?

They might make you feel dressed and comfortable, or glamorous and groomed, but contrary to popular belief, bras do not prevent sagging caused by age and breastfeeding.

You don’t even need to wear a bra for sport. As you may have noticed, many female athletes don’t bother with a bra unless they have a large bust. Ironically, large-breasted women often have trouble finding a sports bra that meets all their needs for comfort and restriction of movement.

Bras are proven to alleviate back pain in large-breasted women.  Conversely back pain is particularly common in women with large busts who wear bras that offer insufficient support. This is because when choosing a bra, they’ve overestimated the width of back and underestimated the cup size, resulting in the weight of the breasts being carried by their shoulders rather than support around the chest.

Beware bra health dangers, big and small

• Badly fitted bras are known to cause breast pain in large-breasted women

• A poorly fitted bra can cause chafing and irritation
 
• A bra that is too tight will cause uncomfortable constriction of the rib cage

• A bra that is too small or too tight can compress the breasts against the chest, possibly constricting the lymphatic system and inhibiting its performance.  Over 85% of the lymph fluid flowing from the breast drains to the armpit lymph nodes. Most of the rest drains to the nodes along the breastbone. A badly fitted bra affects both areas. The lymphatic system removes wastes and toxins from the body so lymph must flow free or else compressed tissues are constrained instead of drained.

• Too tight bras can also pull vertebrae forward and down, interfering with back, shoulder and chest movement.

• Pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers are advised against wearing underwire bras

Size does matter

A correctly fitting bra will make you look and feel fabulous. Yet as many as two thirds of all women walk around in bras that are the wrong size. This is because many women choose bras without any assistance and have no idea how to measure themselves for a bra.

There are standard formulae for choosing the correct bra size, but bear in mind that different brands, fabrics and styles can affect fit. By far the best way to choose a bra is to have one professionally fitted at a specialist underwear or lingerie store, or department store.

(If you’re old enough to have memories of tightly corseted and steel-permed gorgons terrorising the changing rooms of Grace Bros’ lingerie department, you can relax. Those ladies finally retired and have been replaced by far less scarier bra-fitting experts.)

If your local lingerie store doesn’t offer a fitting service, you could measure yourself or ask your partner or a friend to help you.

Keep in mind that your breasts may swell slightly ahead of menstruation, so you may need to have a bra or two in a bigger size for that time of the month.

Find your true size

To get a good idea of your bra size, measure around your rib cage directly under your bust. This will tell you what band size to select: 8, 10, 12, etc.

Then measure around your chest across the fullest part of your bust, which is often across the nipples. You should be wearing a comfortable plain bra when you take this measurement but it’s not mandatory. The difference between the bust measurement and the chest measurement tells you what cup size to choose.
- A difference of 2.5 cm is roughly an 'A' cup
- A difference of 5cm indicates a 'B' cup
- 7.5cm indicates a 'C'
- 10cm indicates a 'D'
- 12.5cm indicates a 'DD'
- 15cm indicates a 'DDD'.

Select a range of bras according to your size and try them on. You’ll probably find a particular brand has a fit that suits you and feels best.

Get a perfect fit

• Lean forward to let your breasts fall into the bra cups
• Then stand up and fasten the bra using the middle hook
• Check that the bra band fits snugly without being too tight. It should run in an even line around your rib cage – not pull up at the front or the back. The lower edge of the band should anchor under your shoulder blades for better support – the lower the back, the better the support.
• Adjust the straps so the band fits comfortably under the breasts and around the rib cage. If it seems to slip forward, if you find yourself pulling up on the straps, or it feels as if your breasts are falling out of the bottom of the cups, the band size is too big
• Check that you are able to breathe in deeply while wearing the bra. If you can’t, it is too tight
• If the bra has underwire, check that they lie flat against your rib cage without chafing. If they feel uncomfortable, the cup size may be too small
• The centrepiece of the bra should lie flat against your breastbone, without gaps between the cups. If the centrepiece bridges away from your body, you should try a larger cup size. If it puckers, try a smaller size
• The shoulder straps should lie vertically at the front and back and not dig into your skin – you should be able to run your finger smoothly under the strap. The straps should not be the bra’s sole supporting mechanism – support should come from the band around your ribs
• The bra cups should completely contain the breasts, with no flesh bulging at the sides, under the arms or at the front. If there is any sign of this, then try the next cup size
• If the cup does not fit smoothly and there are wrinkles in the cup, you probably need a smaller cup size

Maternity bras

Your bra becomes particularly important for comfort and support when you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Your breasts will sometimes feel heavy, sensitive and uncomfortable. You will want specially designed maternity bras that have firmer and wider straps, greater coverage of the breasts and are made from soft cotton fabric to allow the skin to breathe. 

Breastfeeding can leave your nipples raw and tender. This is likely to be worsened by moisture trapped on the skin by a nylon bra. Choose feeding (or 'nursing') bras lined with absorbent cotton to avoid further irritation and even infection. Look for a bra with feeding flaps that are easily opened with one hand. Avoid underwire bras while breastfeeding, as the wire could dig into a milk duct, causing a painful blockage.

Hurrah – it’s time for a new bra

It is important to replace bras regularly, as they lose elasticity with repeated wear and washing and give less support over time. Besides, nothing looks worse than a greying bra that’s lost its mojo. Check that the fit is correct each time you buy a new bra, as your body may have changed since your last purchase.  And try not to be too practical in all your choices – lingerie is one part of your wardrobe where you can be as outrageous as you please.

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