Many women end up buying a bra that is not right for them. Such bras can end up being painful and unpleasant to wear. It’s important to choose a bra that’s comfortable and practical. Below are just a few mistakes to avoid when choosing a bra to make sure that you buy the right one.
Choosing too small a cup size
Many women underestimate their cup size – in some cases putting up with a bra that’s two or even three sizes too small. A larger cup size will ensure that your breasts aren’t spilling out and that they’re not squashed. Obviously, you don’t want to go too big either, so make sure that there is no visible space between your breast and bra cup.
Getting the band size wrong
A lot of women meanwhile overestimate how big a band size they need. The right band size is important for providing enough support – if the straps are too loose, your breasts won’t be supported and you may experience chafing from your straps. Ideally, straps should be tight enough that there isn’t any slack when putting your bra on. Just make sure that they’re not so tight that they dig into your shoulders.
Forgetting your breast size/shape can change
Weight gain/loss, pregnancy and changes in hormone levels can all cause our breasts to change shape and size. Just because you were a certain size last year doesn’t mean that you will be this year. It’s worth frequently measuring your bra size to make sure that it hasn’t changed. This can prevent you from buying a bra that’s too big or too small.
Sacrificing support for stylishness
If you have larger breasts or breasts that sag, it could be important to choose a bra that offers a lot of support – otherwise you could end up with sore breasts and back ache. Strapless bras and low strap bras have become more popular in recent decades because they allow people to wear backless and off-the-shoulder clothes without revealing their bra straps, however these types of bras don’t offer a lot of support and so should be worn seldomly. Similarly, you may want to avoid frequently wearing bras with little coverage. The likes of these super cute balconette bras can offer a good balance of support and stylishness.
Not considering what you’ll wear them with
When buying a bra, make sure to consider when and where you’re going to wear it. Certain styles of bra are better for certain occasions. For example, you don’t want to own lots of dark bras if you wear a light shirt in a formal setting most days – these bras are likely to be visible through the shirt. Nude toned bras could be much better for these occasions.
Skimping on poor quality bras
You don’t need to spend a huge amount of money on a bra for it to be comfortable, however you should be wary of very cheap bras. Some of these are likely to be much poorer quality, meaning that they’ll wear out much more quickly. To prolong problems such as stretched bands, exposed underwire and broken cusps, it’s best to invest in good quality bras.
