Could you be wearing the wrong bra? It’s more likely than you think
<p dir="ltr">Bras are an item of clothing we wear most days (if not every day), so it makes sense to wear bras that fit and are comfortable.</p>
<p dir="ltr">But with various sizes, styles and brands out there – and needing to fit them to our own unique body shapes – finding something that actually fits can feel like an impossible task, causing us to settle for the next best thing time and time again.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Not any more! To get an insight into how women can find a well-fitting bra, and just how often we should be getting fitted, <em>OverSixty </em>spoke to experts from New Zealand lingerie brand <a href="https://www.bendonlingerie.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bendon Lingerie</a>. Here’s what we learned.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>5 signs a bra doesn’t fit</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">“As women, we’ve long been accustomed to all sorts of minor everyday discomforts - from wearing an uncomfortable bra that requires us to readjust every 30 minutes, to a blister-forming pair of stilettos,” the Bendon Lingerie team explains.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“But thanks to decades of cultural shift and breaking away from the need to satisfy societal norms, we know we deserve better and honestly, if it’s uncomfortable, bin it.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">The team at Bendon Lingerie have five main signs they tell women to look out for, including: </p>
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<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Uncomfortable underwire</p>
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<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Straps that are too tight and dig into the skin, or too loose and fall off the shoulder</p>
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<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">If your breast bulge over the top of the cups</p>
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<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">A bra band that rides up your back (it should sit flat and be parallel to the ground)</p>
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<p dir="ltr" role="presentation">The gore (the centre front triangle piece) is either digging in or not sitting flush against the body</p>
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<p dir="ltr">For a visual guide to determining whether your bra fits, head <a href="https://www.bendonlingerie.co.nz/blog/post/bra-fitting-101#ill-fitting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Myth: Bra shopping is a nightmare</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Now that you know what a bad bra looks and feels like, you might be dreading having to purchase new, well-fitting bras - but getting fitted and staying open-minded about your size can make the task much easier.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“It’s a common misconception that getting bra fitted is a difficult process,” they say.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Having been invited for a bra-fitting with the Bendon Lingerie team in Sydney, I can confirm as much. After deciding on a few different styles and starting with the size of my most recent bra (which I reviewed <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/review-a-sustainable-bra-worth-the-splurge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>), we were able to settle on not one, but two, bras that fit my shape and were incredibly comfortable in just 10 minutes - and in slightly different sizes than what we started with.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Our best advice is not to get stuck on the size you think you are, and to be open-minded about trying different styles,” the team tells me.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Have confidence in the fitter to assist you in finding what you want.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“We understand that getting fitted can be a confronting process for some women - we hear a lot of women not wanting to go up a cup or band size because it’s ‘not their size’, but bras are quite complex garments. Ours are often made up of a minimum of 26 parts, so there is a lot of room for differences to exist.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">Their ultimate advice? Focus on finding bras that are comfortable over specific sizes, since that will be what makes you feel your best.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>When were you last fitted?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Since finding a bra that fits relies on being fitted, how often should we be doing it?</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Bendon Lingerie team tells me there are several tell-tale signs it might be time, such as if your bra is uncomfortable or doesn’t feel like it's supporting you anymore, you’ve never been fitted, or your clothing size has changed.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ideally, it’s best to be fitted every time you buy a bra, but since that can be hard to achieve, doing one every 12 months “is a good habit to get into”.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>A strong foundation for every outfit</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">“It’s not so much a surprise, but something that women should keep in mind when shopping - our fitters will always ask this question when beginning a fitting too,” the team says.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“For example, plunge bras are great for low-cut tops and dresses, smooth cups are great under clothing with clingy fabrics, and contour bras can help create more shape and natural lift for ageing breasts.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">Bras can also be a fashion statement all on their own, with the pairing of lacy longline or corset-type bustiers and oversized blazers an example.</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>
