Bras (or over-the-shoulder boulder holders as my aunt likes to call them) are a curse and a blessing for women everywhere. They keep you lifted and sitting pretty but it’s also a relief when you take one off. Being that most women where a bra about 80-90 percent of the time, it’s imperative that you make sure you are wearing the right size bra. But how can you be sure?
Start by facing the facts: 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. So while you may be pretty sure that you are wearing the right bra size, it’s more likely that you are wrong.
Next check for signs that your bra is too big or too small. Ask yourself these questions:
Do I have spillage? Does it look like you have two extra boobs? Are your boobs spilling out of the front or sides of your cups? If yes, your bra is too small.
Which hook is my bra on? If you are wearing your bra on the tightest hook, your bra is too loose. You should never be able to pull your bra more than an inch away from your back. You should always be able to wear your bra on the first hook.
Does the middle of my bra touch my chest? If your bra doesn’t lay flat against your chest or when you lift your arms you can see spillage underneath, your bra is too small in the cups.
So what can you do?
Tip 1: You can start by getting measured once every six months. A bra fitting is a quick and painless procedure and it can be done right over your shirt so what do you have to lose? Stores like Victoria’s Secret, Macy’s, Aerie, Soma and Nordstrom in Towson Town Center all conduct free bra fittings.
Tip 2: Be careful every store doesn’t measure the same way. Meaning you could be a B-cup in Victoria’s Secret and go down to Nordstrom and measure at a D-cup. Neither measurement is wrong, it is just specific to the store you are in.
Tip 3: Always be sure to try-on a bra before buying. Yes, I know sometimes we are in a hurry or just simply don’t feel like waiting in line for a fitting room but a bra measurement is just an estimate and there are factors that go into what you measure at over top of your clothes (like the type of bra you’re wearing during the measurement) so to make sure you’ve been fitted correctly, try on the bra.
Erin is a sales associate at Victoria’s Secret and has been trained on the above information.