Lingerie - Bras
Bras come in so many styles and colors, it's unbelievable. You should have no problem finding a variety of bras out there. Even if you have a larger bust, those bras are also starting to be fun and sexy looking. 80% of women are wearing the wrong size bra. I recommend you get professionally fitted, there will be fitting tips in here as well. But when you go to get fitted, if it isn't comfortable, say something, don't buy an expensive bra you're never going to wear again because you feel it's too tight. Bras can be very uncomfortable for some women. The main purpose of the bra is to shape and give support to the wearers breasts. Different bras will do different things.
Fitting The backstrap (the one that goes around) and the cups should offer the majority of the support, not the shoulder straps. The backstrap, when viewed from the side, should be horizontal, it should never ride up (do not tighted the shoulder straps so much it rides up). This means the back strap should be sitting under the shoulder blades. If you have underwires they should sit flat against the sternum, and sit in the natural fold under the breast. The breasts should be enclosed by the cups, there should be no gaps near the arm pits or in between the breasts. Your breasts should not be spilling over, any where! Trust me that is not attractive and it does not make your breasts appear larger. Underwire or No Underwire? Some women automatically know the answer to that. And it usually depends on their size. The larger the bust the more support that is needed/wanted. The underwire is a way of adding support to the bra. It will keep it more firmly in place against the chest wall. Its up to you how high you want the wires to go, some of them come up mid way and some sit lower between the breasts. The higher the wire is inbetween your breasts the further apart the breasts will be, it will not push your cleavage together. The wire can be bare or covered in plastic and placed in a sewn in area that goes under the breasts. Of course you always run the risk of getting stabbed by a wire if it breaks through the fabric. If your breasts are smaller you may not need this kind of support, but you may like the feel of the wire. Some bras that do not have an underwire tend to feel like a sports bra and loose their shape. Next time your shopping for bras, regardless of your size, try both of them on, you might be surprised, or you'll just appreciate the choices you have. Cups There are different types of cups that you need to consider. There are the padded or foam cups and the soft cups. That is the very basis of the cups available. The soft cup is just a piece of material that covers the breast. This doesn't offer the most support, but it still works. Something to keep in mind is what your wearing over that bra. If it is cold out, your nipples will be hard and more noticeable through a shirt then if you were wearing a foam cup bra. Any stitching on the bra may be noticeable through a thin shirt. The soft cup also offers less shape for the breast itself, which may or may not be a good thing. The foam cup bra is a piece of molded foam that covers the breast. This offers more support and usually comes with an underwire. The benefit of these is what they hide. They are able to hide nipples that are giving weather updates much better. They do a much better job of shaping the breast as well. And they usually look good under any shirt as they are smoother. But if you get one with stitching, extra fabric or lace then that might be visible through your shirt. Straps The straps were never intended to support the breasts, just keep the cups up and the bra in place. Some women are relying on the straps a little too much. The straps as well come in different styles, widths and sizes. Some are stretchy, which is alright for smaller busts. Most straps are adjustable, and if it isn't you may want to reconsider buying it. For larger busts they have padded straps that are designed to take some of the pressure off the shoulders and be more comfortable, this way skinny little straps aren't digging in. If you are relying on the straps to hold your breasts up, here is something to consider. Doing so can give you bad posture, back and neck pain and indents in your shoulders (not permanent I hope). Clasps It used to be that bras just had the clasp and hooks in the back. It could have 2 hooks and up to 4 hooks, the more hooks there are the larger the bra. There are also hooks in the front now! You can decide which is more comfortable for you. Some of the bras with hooks in the front are even adjustable in terms of how closely the cleavage is brought together. MeasurementsMeasuring will give you a general idea of what size you are. But the only way to know for sure is to try different bras on and see how they feel. Different brands will measure and size things differently.To find the size number for the backstrap, which is around the chest, under the breasts is to grab a measuring tape, and wrap it around and then round up or down 1 inch to find the correct measurement. Rounding up can cause the cup size to go down one and rounding down can cause the cup size to go up one. For the cup size measure around the chest, around the fullest area of the breast. Take that number and minus the first measurement. The difference will be the cup size: 0 to 1 ½ inches = A cup, 1 ½ - 2 ½ = B, 2 ½ - 3 ½ = C, 3 ½ - 4 ½ = D, 4 ½ - 5 ½ = DD/E, 5 ½ - 6 ½ = F, 6 ½ - 7 ½ = G European cup sizes from smallest to largest: AA - A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H UK cup sizes from smallest to largest: AA - A - B - C - D - DD - E - F - FF - G - GG - H - HH - J - JJ - K US cup sizes from smallest to largest: AA - A - B - C - D - DD - DDD - E - EE - EEE
As your breasts change shape or become larger or smaller you will need to remeasure.
Different Types of BrasThere are many bras out there and many of them do different things.Training Bra This bra is for young teens or preteens. They are generally smaller, and come without a wire. The goal is not a lot of support, but to allow the girl to become accustom to wearing a bra. Full Cup Bra These bras are for all women but especially those with larger breasts. They offer more support and have a cup that fully covers the breast and an under wire. Demi Cup Bra The Demi Cup covers half of the breast, with the cup covering the nipples. It is supportive and is usually worn with low cut shirts, to show off the cleavage. Push Up Bra This bra is intended to bring the breasts upwards and together. It will give the wearer the appearance of a larger, fuller bust. These bras are usually used when a top is going to be worn that would show off the cleavage. Some of the push up bras also have a spot for "padding" or "falsies". They often come with the enhancements and include a pocket for them on the inside, or they are built right into the bra. The padding can come in all sorts of materials; water ones, gel ones, air ones, etc. Padded Bra These are really popular with teen girls who want bigger breasts. The cups are lined with padding, which makes smaller breasts look larger. Strapless Bra The strapless bra has no straps or has straps that can be removed. They often have a strip of rubber on the inside of the bra, around the chest to offer some support and stay in place. These bras are good for when you need bare shoulders. Convertible Bra The convertible bra has straps that can be removed and changed around, usually adjusting to a cross back, halter style, or strapless. T-Shirt Bra A T-shirt bra usually has molded cups with no sitiching, designs or lace, so that you have a smooth appearance when wearing it under a tighter shirt. Minimizer Bra The minimizer bra makes the breasts look smaller, by pushing the volume of the breasts to the sides and flattening them. This is popular with women who have really large breasts. Sports Bra The sports bras are usually made of stretchy material, with no under wire. They hold the breasts in and offer maximum support so the breasts are not damaged during exercise. Maternity Bra As a woman goes through pregnancy her breasts change, becomming larger and more sensitive, the maternity bra is designed to change and accomodate this. Nursing Bra The nursing bra is for breast feeding, it allows the woman to keep her bra on while breast feeding. Tt has flaps in the front that clip open and closed, exposing the nipples for feeding. Built-In Bra The built-in bra is one that has been put right into a shirt or swim suit. These are not the best quality, and if you have larger breasts you probably shouldn't rely on this as your only support. Shelf Bra The shelf bra only covers the lower part of the breast, leaving the top and the nipples exposed. This is only used for sexual appeal. Peephole Bra The Peephole bra is a supportive bra, with holes around the nipples. This is designed for sex appeal. Mastectomy Bra This is for women who have had breast cancer and have had one or both of their breasts removed. The bra has pockets in the cup, in which you can add padding to make it look like breasts.
Caring For Your BrasYour care routine for your bras will depend on what type of bra you have.If you have a bra with an underwire, do not put it in the washing machine or dryer. Let me repeat that, do not put it in the washing machine or dryer. Doing so can ruin the overall shape of the bra, it can bend the wires and weaken the fabric which will cause the wires to come out, rendering the bra useless. The best way to care for these bras is by hand washing. They are delicate so you don't need to rub them really hard. Even soaking them in water and soap and then comming and adding gentle friction will do the trick. Then you can hang them to dry. Take care not to mistreat the cups if they are foam cups, doing so can wreck the shape of them. If your bra does not have an underwire, it is ok to put it in the washer and dryer, unless it is really delicate with lace and such, then just hand wash it. Make sure you check the washing instructions for the bra.
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