Strictly Come Dancing star Chelsee Healey's recent wardrobe malfuction got me thinking, once again, about the importance of wearing the right bra. The Strictly wardrobe designers may stitch bra cups and shapewear into the costumes to keep everything where it should be - but Chelsee has still developed a 'jiggle test' to make sure she never pops out again. Her voluptuous curves (surgically enhanced, in case you wondered) need the right support to look their best, and it all starts with regular bra fittings.
Statistics say that 80% of women in the UK are wearing the wrong size bra. Think you're not one of them? I bet you are! A quick straw poll in the Dollymix office and of my lovely Twitter followers revealed that most of us hadn't had a bra fitting for at least five years, if at all. It's something all women should do every two years.
Unfortunately, even when you get fitted you might not walk out with the right bra.
An independent survey by Which? last year saw mystery shoppers going for bra fittings at various UK lingerie specialists. Of the bras they were sold, only 25% were rated as a good fit by experts.
So where does this leave us?
Well, in the UK, there are two different types of bra measuring technique. The first, known as the 'plus four' method, involves a tape measure and some maths. It works on averages, and calculates band and cup size based on the difference between the measurements around and below the bust. Historically, this results in a big band and small cup and is the method used by brands like Marks and Spencer. It's the measuring technique responsible for the fact I was wearing a 38B bra in my early 20s.
The newer method throws out the tape measure and relies on sight and feel. These modern fitters have ditched the outdated tape measure method in favour of experience, knowledge and plain old common sense. They look at the bra you're currently wearing, assess the fit, and then get you to try on a number of sizes until you find the one that provides the right support. They also encourage you to try different sizes from different brands as the fit varies so much.
By this method, I came up a 34E. That's two band sizes and four cup sizes difference to the plus four method.
But who's right? Well, since being fit in a smaller band and bigger cup, I've never looked back. Clothes fit better, I had a cleavage where I used to have a gap, and my boobs sit forwards, not halfway under my armpits. While I do think some of these fitters will try and get you in the tightest band and biggest cup possible purely for the 'shock' factor during the fitting, there's no denying this method is better than anything using tape measure. I'm not the only one who thinks so - two brands that famously use this way of fitting came out top in the independent fitting survey; John Lewis and Bravissimo.
So how do you know if you're wearing anywhere near the right size?
The most important thing to remember is that the band should take the strain, not the straps. It should sit flush to your skin with only enough space to slip two fingers underneath, not your whole hand. The band should sit straight all the way around - if it rises up at the back, it's too big. When you buy the bra, it should fit you on the widest hook, because the band will stretch with wear and you can then move in to the inner hooks to maintain a tight, supportive fit.
Image from BraStop Fitting Stories - see how the band provides no support at the front and drops away from the body?
Still not sure?
Do your bra straps dig in? You need a smaller band size.
Do your straps slip off? You (may) need a smaller band size.
Does your bra ride up at the front during the day? You need a bigger cup size.
Does your bra ride up at the back? You need a smaller band size.
Do you get fleshy bits at the sides, under your arms? You need a bigger cup size.
Do your boobs spill out over the top? You need a bigger cup size
Does the fabric crinkle or gape on the cup? You need a smaller cup size
Does the central gore stick out, not flush to the skin? You need a bigger cup size.
Does the underwire sit lower than it should, leaving a gap? You need a bigger cup size.
Do you get back ache or pain? You need a new bra!
Because of the prevalence of the tape measure method, most women in the UK are wearing too big a band and too small a cup. Stats say 36C is the most common bra size in the UK, but if all those women were wearing the right size bra, we'd probably find a 34D or DD was actually the most popular.
We've been taught to believe that most of us are around a 34 - 36 band, but this is not true at all. A 36" band probably isn't providing enough support for most people who wear it (I was once told you don't need a 36 unless you're at least a size 16). Cup size is relative to band size, so the cup on a 30DD is not the same as the cup on a 36DD and neither size as a huge as lads mags would have you believe!
BraStop.com's 'Fitting Room' page and Freya's 'The Holy Fit' website both have some great advice on self fitting, but nothing beats going to a good specialist store and being fitted by an expert who can advise not only on size, but on what styles will work for your bust. So go and get fitted and find out where you're going wrong! Just don't be afraid to speak up if you don't think the fit is correct. The more of us that are wearing the right size, the more sizes shops will make available, the better we'll look and the more comfortable we'll feel!
Some of my fave bra blogs & resources:
Freya Fitting Talk
Curvy Kate blog
Invest in Your Chest
Busts for Justice
Fuller Figure Fuller Bust
Petite Coquette
Bravissimo
BraStop
Figleaves
Boux Avenue
[top image: BBC. Hero image: Curvy Kate]
