Signs You’re Wearing The Wrong Bra

There is one more thing you can do to help improve and maintain your breast health and it has to do with the undergarment that you choose to wear each day – your bra!

Years ago I walked into a lingerie store to kill some time while my daughter was at a tea house birthday party next door. The ladies working at the shop asked if I had been sized recently to which I remarked “I don’t think I’ve been sized since high school.” I think I had guessed which size I was during and after my pregnancy, but never took the time to get properly fitted. After I learned that not only was I wearing the wrong cup size, but also my band size was two sizes too big I was truly in shock! I had no idea I had been walking around for years wearing the wrong bra size!

A survey showed that 80 percent of women wear the wrong size bra. Of those women, 70 percent wore bras that were too small, while 10 percent wore bras that were too big. (Source: HuffPost.com).

Since then, I have made it a priority to make sure I take a few extra steps to ensure I am fitted properly. Poor posture, poor blood flow and back problems can all be attributed to improper bra sizes.

Sizing Broken Down:

The number – or band size – corresponds to your rib cage or underbust measurement. There are to band-sizing methodologies:

The Classic Method: underbust + 4 to 5 inches = band-size (add 4 inches if underbust is an even number, 5 if it’s odd)

The New Method: underbust = band-size

Bra brands that cater to A through D cups tend to use the Classic Method, while brands specializing in DD and above are more likely to use the New Method.

The letter, or cup size, is essentially a ratio — the difference between your underbust and bust at its fullest point.

One inch is an A cup, two a B, three a C, and four a D. Starting with DD, which is a 5-inch difference, each letter doubles before increasing again (e.g., E, EE, F, FF, etc.).

Pro tip: Checking the band, underwire, and breast containment will help you better identify if your bra is fitting well, regardless of variations in sizing. (Source: Healthline.com).

When Your Bra is Too Big:

The issue with that is that anytime your bra band is larger than you truly require – you are sacrificing support AND may be causing damage to your breast tissue in the process. When wearing a properly fitted bra, ALL of your breast tissue should be contained within the cup and the underwire (assuming it is an underwire bra) should be resting on bone behind your breast tissue. If this is not the case, you can end up with lumps, bumps, and in some cases an ill fitting bra can even impair lymphatic drainage – causing your body to retain toxins it should be removing from your system. A properly fitted bra will help prevent all of these issues. (Source: BareMoxie.com).

How Does Your Bra Fit?

Too Small
• Spillover on top or sides
• Center section doesn’t lie flat
• Underwires poke or ride up

Too Big
• Cups wrinkle or gap
• Adjusted straps still slide off
• Band rides up in back

Just Right
• Smooth cups
• Center section lies flat
• Band is low and even (Source: Nordstrom.com).

Get Sized by a Professional:

It is recommended that women get professionally sized annually. Our bodies are constantly in motion – – we gain weight, lose weight and just redistribute weight – so it is important to make sure our measurements have remained consistent. And if you have a preteen or teen, it is really important while they are developing breasts to get them measured because if they are wearing a bra that is either very small or too big size of bra, this can give rise to improper breast shape formation.

Many department stores will offer free sizing. Take advantage of this service and look for stores that have a comprehensive fit-focused lingerie department when possible. Once sized properly, you can start finding the perfect bra for your. If you can’t find your size – many department stores don’t go over 36DDD, then look online or at your local lingerie store. They tend to offer the larger sizes that many women need. At first I was very reluctant to spend over a certain amount for a bra but after being fitted for a bra that felt it had been made just for me I can’t go back to buying off the racks at discount stores. Plus, look at this as an investment in your breast health. These quality bras also will last for years with proper care.

Here are some of our favorite brands. And trust me when I have said I have tried about every brand out there. These are the brands I stand by because they last forever and retain their shape. Worth the extra bucks because in the long run, when the inexpensive brand wears out and doesn’t hold it’s shape very long, you end up spending more. Happy Shopping! Remember Mother’s Day is just around the corner (hint-hint). Would make a nice gift.

PRIMA DONNA
This is one of my favorite brands because they offer practical and gorgeous bras. They take up to 18 months per design to make sure it fits properly – from band width, should straps to where the cups hit a woman’s body. Worth the investment as they will last you a long time!

Prima Donna Perle Plunge T-Shirt Bra, Cafe Latte