Just because you have been wearing a bra size for ages doesn’t mean you are wearing the right size. When you chose your size, there were influencing factors that led you to go for that size. But now you need not be influenced. You can take a decision better with accurate measurements. All you need is a measuring tape and a bra size chart. That’s it, and you can get your actual bra size to compliment your breasts with the right snug support, feel, and best look.
How do you know that you are wearing the right sized bra or not?
An obvious question coming to your mind would be, how do you know if you are wearing the wrong sized bra or the right one? Definitely, you need to be sure about the bra size so that you can either carry on with the size or choose the corrected size. There are some signs and symptoms exhibited by your body, which would tell you if you are wearing the wrong bra. Here they are:
- Does your breast tissues spill out while wearing the bra? The spilling may be noticed at the sides or above the bra line, or below the bra line. If the breasts are not held correctly by the bra, then this causes spilling. The spilling of tissues indicates a misfit bra, which is exerting pressure at the wrong parts of the breasts. The consequence can be very bad. The breast is a support-less mass of fat and tissues only getting support through the skin holding it in place, can lose its original shape under such odd pressure at the odd places.
- Does your bra cups form a pouch or pocket in the front where you should be feeling the fullest part of the breast? If there is room enough to add padding or fabric etc. inside the cups to fill them up, or you feel a portion of the fabric is loose, then the bra is a wrong sized one.
- If your breasts are coming out of the bra cups downwards or slipping out of the cups with brisk activity or movements, then your band size is not right, and hence the bra is wrong sized.
- If your bra straps are sliding off your shoulders, then it’s a sure indicator of the wrong bra size. The shoulder straps should not be coming off and should rest nicely and snugly on the shoulders. Again the shoulder straps should not be too tight to dig into your skin. If you slide in two fingers under the straps, they must easily go in and out, and even after that, the straps should rest on the shoulders without any extra tightness or looseness. In case they slide off the shoulder or dig in too deep on the shoulders to leave marks on the skin after you take them off, then your bra is wrong sized for you.
Facing any of the above issues with your bra can be too bad, and the consequences can be breasts losing their shape, or young and developing breasts losing their healthy development and shape, and matured breasts losing their elasticity. Other problems from extremely tight bras can be compression of breast tissues to such extent to create pain inside, skin rashes, and problems for lactating women.
How to choose the right sized bra?
To choose the right sized bra, you need only two things. One is a measuring tape, and another is a bra size calculator. Using the measuring tape, you need to take your breast measurements at two places- one is under the breasts and another over the breasts. Thus the two measurements are referred to as under bust and over bust measurements. The underbust measurement gives you the bra band size. The over bust measurement gives you the cup size.
When you feed the details into the calculator, you get the right size. You may also find the right size by tallying through the size chart. Both ways, when you get the right size, then also you must know that this size would not apply in case of all bra types. Some bras may fit well for you in the next cup or band size while some bras may fit you well when you pick the next smaller size. This happens because of the design and build of the bras. As per bra type, padding, the wire used or not, elasticity, and many such factors, the bra size you get from the measurement although accurate, may not always help in some bra types. That’s why women keep noted the sister size for their bra.
Size confusions
The size of one brand may not be the same as of another brand. If you chose a full coverage bra of one brand in 34C, then it essentially need not be the exact size when you match it with another brand’s 34C. This happens because every country and the brands follow their size chart. Hence, while buying bras, you must refer to the size of the manufacturer you are buying from. Then only you end up buying the right sized bra.
Sister sizes for bras
According to your dressing style and activity, you choose a bra type. A sports bra fits tighter than a regular daily wear bra. And again a push-up bra would have a different effect on the shape of the breasts. Therefore there would be a few correct sizes actually for one woman. As per the bra type, the cup and band size may vary one size up or down. If you are choosing a sports bra, you may need a band size smaller than you wear. Sister sizing for the bra works in this way that if you choose a smaller band size then take a cup size higher than you wear with this. Do the vice versa for a bra with one band size big.
Finally
The aim should be, not to compromise with a bra size that is a misfit and uncomfortable for you. If you have been accustomed to a wrong size for years, then it’s never too late to change it and switch to the right bra size.
