For awhile now, I’ve had email exchanges with community members about building your wardrobe. From investment pieces to what to buy when you get your first job to how to evolve your personal style, I’ve tackled these questions over the past few years with many of you. To make this information available publicly, I’ve decided to put together a series on building your wardrobe. We’ll tackle everything from basics to refinements to the art of outfits. If you have a specific topic you’d like to see covered be sure to let me know in the comments.
Let’s start off at the very beginning (a very good place to start).
When it comes to any wardrobe, nothing will look good unless you have the right foundation pieces. And for us ladies that means bras. The right bra can make you stand up straighter, ease back pain and help your posture. The wrong bra can make you look heavier, cause you to slouch and impose unneccessary back pain.
Note that this post is going to be biased by my personal experience. I purposely wear the wrong bra size — I buy 34Ds and 34DDs because my true size (32E) is damn near impossible to find. Much of this advice can be applied to any cup size but some recommendations will be based on my need to support my bust.
How to tell if a bra fits.
The first thing you need to know is how to tell if a bra fits you. The most important thing is comfort — if a bra is hurting you at the end of the day, it’s either not the right size or not made well! If underwires are digging into your arms or if your back aches these are signs that the bra you have on is not right.
Depending on the style of bra you wear, here are several good rules of thumb:
– the back bra strap should always be under your shoulder blades and should not slide up over the course of the day
– no skin should be bulging around the back strap
– the cup should completely cover your breasts in the front and on the sides for a full coverage bra
– your breasts should not slide together or form a “quadra-boob” (when extra breast tissue pops out of the top of the bra)
– the shoulder straps should be tightened no more than 3/4 of the length of the strap and should not dig into your shoulders
– the front cup portion should not slide or sag down over the course of the day
– the underwire should end below your armpit
Determining your cup size.
One important thing to remember is that your cup size can change just like your dress size. You should get yourself measured at least once every two years. Manufactures also refine their fit, so it’s possible that your breasts can stay the same size yet your cup size may still change. Don’t be attached to any one size — concentrate on fit.
If possible you should get your size via a professional measurement. Here in NYC there are several stores that provide this service for free. My choice is Intimacy, a local franchise that has a couple of locations in the city. Many department stores (i.e. Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Macy’s) also provide this service for free. During your fitting the measurer may ask you to remove your clothing, though your bra will be on the whole time. If you’re not comfortable with this some stores can measure over your clothing but note the sizing will not be as accurate.
During the fitting, the professional will measure over your chest, around your diaphragm, over your shoulders and across your back to determine your size. Remember to breathe! Don’t suck in either as this may cause your sizing to be off.
How do you want your breasts to look?
This is a potentially awkward discussion but an important one to have nonetheless. Personally, I prefer bras that make the breasts look rounder and hold them slightly higher. There are also bras that have more sepration between cups with a more conical shape (think 50s bras), bras that push the chest up from below to create a more pillow-like appearance (balconettes or gel bras) and bras that minimize your size (athletic bras, minimizers).
Choosing your bra style(s).
Personally, I own a range of bra styles. I have full coverage and demis, racerback and exercise bras, plunge bras and push-ups. At work, I wear only full coverage or demis as I don’t feel the other styles are work-appropriate. With some cup people you may not be able to tell what style someone is wearing, but I feel it’s very obvious when I’m wearing a plunge or push-up bra.
In finding a brand I like, I’ll usually purchase one bra from a store and wear it for a day (after washing it). Bras that are not comfortable get returned.
My favorite discount retailer bras:
H&M full coverage/demi bras: H&M is kind of a crapshoot, as very few of their styles come in a D cup. But the ones that do are usually great. All of H&Ms bras have a push-up aspect to them, which I find helpful for wearing under their blouses. (Convenient, huh?) They tend to be lacy and frilly and I appreciate that the straps aren’t too thick. Sometimes my back will hurt in these bras, so I don’t buy many of them. For $12 it’s worth the experiment. I wear a 34D at this store.
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My favorite mid-range retailer bras:
Gap’s Favorite T-Shirt Bra: This bra comes in two styles (lace back or regular) and both are equally comfortable and versatile. I was happily surprised by Gap’s bra selection — with the exception of the wireless styles which I cannot wear I like them all! This style is my favorite because it is full coverage and supportive. The color range is nice and works well with the items I have in my wardrobe. This is my favorite bra at the moment, and I stock up every time Gap has a 40% off sale. These bras seem to last about 2 years before they start to show wear. The stores in NYC carry cups ranging from A to D in most styles. I am a 34D at this store.
Aerie’s Hannah and Katie Bras: Surprise! Aerie, an unexpected brand, carries two of my favorite bras. For those not familiar Aerie is American Eagle’s intimates offshoot. They also carry some clothing. Their Times Square store in NYC has a full selection of intimates, including just about every bra size. I’m so impressed that a store targeting teens and college students carries D and DD cups. I was a C cup in middle school and a D in high school and it was very difficult for me to find bras. I only wish Aerie had been around back then.
Katie is Aerie’s full coverage style and Hannah is a demi with straps that can be worn in classic or racerback style. I am almost always a 34DD in Katies and a 34D in Hannah. These bras create a slightly more bullet shape than the round style I’m used to. But they are both very comfortable. Most of the styles are patterned, which is pretty by itself but hard to wear in the summer (or with the sheer styles many stores currently favor). Aerie often runs promotions on their bras for 25% off or something similar. These bras last about a year before starting to show wear.
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A couple of higher-end brands I like:
Calvin Klein Bras: Most of their styles only go up to C cups, but the ones that do come in D work well for me. I like the perfectly fit style best, which is the middle of their 3 fit zones. This is the only brand whose plunge bra fits me correctly all the time. They have a beautiful lace bra called the Bouquet which has worked well under my low-cut tops. I wear a 34D here.
Chantelle Bras: Expensive? Yes. But with a wide range of sizes and styles this brand is worth the splurge. They specialize in pretty but supportive styles. There’s nothing more annoying than when bras in my size have thick, ugly straps. Chantelle seems to understand this and offers comfortable bras that look pretty whether you’re an A cup or a EEE. These bras can be found at department stores and in most intimate boutiques.
Places I stopped buying bras from:
Victoria’s Secret: In high school and college this was my go-to bra brand. I still buy bathing suits and occasional clothing here. But I no longer buy bras here. About 2 years ago they changed their fit and now I’m stuck between being a 34D, which is too small, and a 34DD, which is too big. Additionally I found their bras were showing serious wear (i.e. underwires popping out) after only 6 months. I stop in the store every once in awhile to see if the fit has improved but as of 2 weeks ago their bras don’t fit me.
