Raise of hands, how many of you have dealt with too tight bra straps, back pain, painful underwire jabs, and about a million other negative side effects of wearing a bra?
For those fortunate enough to have small(ish) breasts, bra shopping, and bra wearing, may not seem as daunting – we small breasted women can after all sport bralette’s or minimal support bra’s without having to pop an Advil to counteract the neck and back pain. While some women may wish for larger breasts when trying to fill out a low cut top, or impress a new fling, the majority of women with larger then average breasts speak of the inconvenience of their breast size, starting with the difficulties surrounding bra shopping.
Not only are bra’s outrageously expensive, they are after all pretty much a requirement in today’s society, but they can also be next to impossible to find in your size, especially if you don’t know what you should be shopping for. Walking into your local Victoria Secret unprepared will land you in a dressing room with a handful of overpriced bra’s that may feel comfortable during the split second try on, but end up sitting in the back of your drawer three weeks later mocking you for spending so much money on them.
So, how do you prepare? Do you simply consult the “experts” at the Victoria Secret store, or their online bra-sizing guide (https://www.victoriassecret.com/bras/find-your-perfect-fit#)? Please no; let us all remember that the “experts” at the Victoria Secret, and similar brand, stores, equipped with their measuring tape and list of popular selling bra’s are the same gals that you sit around the quad with during lunch. Getting a quick measure done from a store like this is a great place to start, I mean really how hard is it to measure around your breasts, look at a chart, and rattle off a band and cup size? But ladies, we need to take it a step further in order to find prince bra charming.
First, let’s narrow down which style bra is best for which breasts. Note, there are hundreds of unique bra styles so for simplicity sake, I’ll just cover the basics.
Push up bra’s = Smaller Breasts
The illusive push up bra is a great option for smaller breasted girls, these highly padded bra’s can fill you out by lifting your breasts to optimize your cleavage line; let’s just not take it too far, there’s a thin line between push up bra and the bra equivalent of protective sports gear.
Demi Bras and Strapless = Average to Large Sized Breasts
Demi bras have wide set straps and are good for the “Average sized” girl with B-C cup breasts. These beauties provide enough support to avoid pain while also giving a little extra boost for your girls. For larger breasts girls, demi bra’s can be a great option as well, especially when you’re looking to add more shape, or lift, to your breasts.
Strapless bras on the other hand have almost zero support, aside from some underwire and a (hopefully) thick band, and yet they are one of the most practical bras for those strapless dresses. While these bras may not work for larger breasts given the lack of support, and can cause smaller breasts to appear flat, the inbetween size of a B-C cup is perfect for the strapless bra. The trick is finding a strapless bra with grip so it’s not constantly slipping, one with minimal padding so you don’t feel like your boobs are popping out, and one with good underwire so you’re not getting jabbed everytime you move.
T-Shirt Bras = Large Breasted and Universal
T-shirt bras with their thick straps, wide band, and minimal padding and no underwire are perfect for the large breasted female looking for comfort and support. However, at the same time these bras can be worn by nearly any sized woman for a comfortable, invisible look under t-shirts or clingy, form-fitting clothing.
It’s important to note that you might not have one universal size–you should adjust according to which bra you plan on wearing. Once you’ve narrowed down your bra styles and figured out your general size, I highly suggest you book an appointment at a high-end lingerie store (even if you don’t plan on buying anything, really who can afford that stuff?!). Prices aside, the employees at these stores are, usually, experts on all things bra related and are equipped to not only measure you properly, but also suggest the bras which will match you needs and have you contemplating if those extremely high prices are worth it after all.