You're Wearing the Wrong Bra - Here's Why

A few weeks ago I went to Victoria's Secret to buy some lingerie. It was for my boyfriend's birthday, and I hadn't bought lingerie -- or a new bra -- in years. I picked out a silky black number in my size and went to try it on. Disaster. It looked all wrong. I had spillage on the sides of the cups. It didn't cling in all the right places. So NOT sexy.

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I called for the fitting room attendant. "We need to go bigger," she said. BIGGER? Before I knew it I was in a 34D. I had never been a D in my entire life -- I grew up as a B. Visions of Hooters girls and Playboy Playmates floated through my head. I can't be a D. But I was. And the crazy part? Not only was the spillage gone, but the bra actually looked good on me.

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Apparently, I'm not the only one trying to squeeze my boobs into smaller cups (this celeb definitely does). Experts say 80 percent of women wear the wrong cup size. To get to the bottom of this bra fit mess, I spoke with some of the best bra fitters around. They covered everything from shoulder pain and puckered cups, to how often you need to get fitted and when you should ditch your old bras.

Click here for the full story, or keep reading for some of their best tips.


How To Know If Your Bra's Too Big
If your band rides up in the back or your cup is puckering or gapping, it means your bra is too big. A properly fitting bra is straight across the back, and snug against the body. As Danny Koch, bra expert from the famous Town Shop in New York City, says, "the tighter, the better," and she recommends running a finger under the band. No more than one finger should fit under it.

Tomima Edmark, founder of HerRoom, an online lingerie boutique, has another fitting trick. She suggests having a friend or fitter place a hand under the back strap, palm on the back. Then, turn the hand so it's perpendicular to the back, with only a pinkie finger touching. Next, have the person try to remove his/her hand. If the strap is tight enough at least four fingers will remain stuck under the band. A too-large cup can easily be swapped for a smaller size, and the cup should lay flat against the breast.

How to

Know If Your Bra's Too Small
Your bra is supposed to be tight, but how tight is too tight? According to the experts, it's too tight if you have spillage. Luckily, there's a simple way to change this. All you need to do is add more cup. Spillage can happen in a few places. You may have some bulge by your armpits on the sides of your cup, or overflow around the top of the cup. (We'll touch on back fat later.)

Usually, spillage just means you need a larger cup. Koch says most women misinterpret this overflow by going up in a back size when they really need to go up in the cup size. "Many women are afraid to go up a cup size, but you'd be surprised; it's a very subtle change. Cup size change is fine tuning, while a band size change is very significant," says Edmark.

Other Bra Issues
Of course spillage and large bands aren't the only problem when it comes to bra fit. What about back fat, stretch marks, or painful shoulder strap indentations? Here's what you need to know:

Back Fat: Back fat usually comes from being overweight, or from aging skin, which is softer as we get older. Edmark suggests finding a bra that has a lot of back coverage to minimize the bumpy look under clothes. And if that doesn't work, "Wear a shape wear camisole. It gives a flatter appearance," says Edmark.

Stretch Marks: Unfortunately, stretch marks are a reminder of a bra mistake you've made in the past. "Stretch marks are from not having a lot of support. Many girls didn't wear the right bras as they were growing, and that lack of support creates stretch marks," says Koch. (For lingering stretch marks, try a stretch mark cream, like Ambi Soft Even Stretch Mark Diminishing Body Oil, $7.99.)

• Shoulder Strap Marks: If your straps are digging in, that means you're not getting the proper support from the back and the cup, and all your breast weight is pulling on your shoulders. According to Edmark, your straps should only support 10 percent of your breast weight, and she suggests this simple test: "Put on your bra. Stand up and pop off your straps. If it turns into a strapless bra and stays up, you're good," says Edmark. And if you still have shoulder mark issues, Koch's store sells little bra shoulder pads that slip underneath the straps.


The Right Way to Put Your Bra On
Now that you've got a properly fitting bra, you need to know how to put it on (there's more to it than just strapping yourself in). Edmark has these simple instructions:

1. While standing, bend over and pull your bra on. Let your breasts fall into the cups. If there's a seam or a point, make sure your nipple is in the point.

2. Next, check underneath the bra, making sure there's no extra tissue hanging out.
3. Finally, take your hands and adjust your breast in the cup, pulling in any extra tissue around the sides.

Sounds like extra work, but putting on your bra the correct way makes a huge difference in how your boobs look and feel.

For the rest of our bra fit tips, click here.


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