by Melissa Logos
The most common issues of an ill bra fitting are when “the girls” fall out of the cup, the underwire is uncomfortable, the band rides up your back, the center does not lie flat on the chest wall, the cup is empty, or maybe the straps do not stay up. In a properly fitted bra, your girls should be fully supported by the band and the breast tissue needs to be completely encapsulated into the cup. Here are some tips to help you shop for the right bra, and remember, a professional fitting is the best place to start.
SNUG HUG
When you have the correct bra on, the band should feel like a snug hug. It is essentially what is supporting your breasts. The band should always be parallel with the ground, and it needs to be snug enough that it will not shift.
CUP IT
The cups in a bra should encapsulate all of your breast tissue, which needs to be inside the underwire. Breast tissue should not fall out of the top, bottom or the side, and it is important to scoop and swoop all of the tissue inside of the wire. Not all bra styles work with all breast tissue types, so find the cup that works best for you!
BACK FLUFF
Back fluff is a pretty term for what is known as back fat, and a well-fit bra will help. All breast tissue that falls into the underarm needs to be pulled forward into the cup. You may have to go up in the cup to support the tissue. Remember, the snug band will anchor the girls.
BAND MATTERS
The most common reason your straps may fall would be that the band is too large. Keep in mind, the straps are proportioned to the band size. You may need to go up in the band for comfort, to get more volume in the cup, or to eliminate back fluff. Having the correct band size will help keep those straps up!
WIRE OR WIRELESS
Underwire serves a purpose and helps support your girls. Sometimes ladies experience life-changing events and the underwire should not be worn. Consider a non-wire or alternative wire bra in this case. However, the band still needs to be snug and the cup needs to be full.
BODY CHANGES
If you have had an augmentation, reduction or lift, a correctly fitting bra is still important. If the body changes, the tissue still needs to be supported.
FIT THEN STYLE
Find your correct size and then move on to style. Buy the bra that works with your breast tissue — one that lifts, supports and is comfortable.
Melissa Logos is the owner of Foundations Professional Bra Fitting located at 9138 Carl Legett Road, Suite C, in Gulfport. Private professional bra and swimwear fittings are available by appointment: (228) 896-3688. For more info, visit foundationsbrafittings.com.