Here at Curvy we’re mad about all things bras and knickers and that includes making sure that our lovely customers are in the correctly fitting sizes. That being said it can be harder than it seems to ensure that your bra is fitting in the best way it can and that’s where we come in.
There’s some pretty crazy stats which make education around bra fitting even more important. For instance, over 40% of women are over a DD cup and not only that but over 80% of women, in general, are wearing the wrong size - they are huge numbers!
So, in order to start tackling the problem head on, we wanted to point out some of the issues that women in the wrong size might face, then if they apply to you, you know it’s time to switch up your size. Here goes…
1) The back band of your bra is riding up.
So what does this mean and how can you stop it from happening? In short, if your back band is riding up they you’re wearing a back size that is too big. The reason the back band rides up is the weight of the breasts at the front pull on the straps and therefore lift the back band making it into an ‘upside down U’. In fitting, 80% of your bust’s support should come from your back band (think of it like a shelf) so if it’s not giving you a snug hug then it’s probably to big.
Bra fitting note: Big back sizes are the biggest cause of women wearing the wrong size - because when the back band is wrong it skews everything else too!
2) Your cups are gaping or your boobs are falling out.
Your cups are the part of the bra that holds your boobs. The cup needs to be large enough to encase ALL your breast tissue with no space in the cup that isn’t filled and no tissue escaping out of the cup. As we mentioned in the point above, the back band is where you need to start to get the correct bra size overall, if you tried to determine your cup size first it would all get very confusing.
Bra fitting note: Cup sizes are relative to your back size so, find the correct back size and then try cup sizes until you find one that encases your breasts the best - it should give a smooth and lifted appearance.
3) Wires aren’t sitting flat against your body.
The wires are essentially part of the cups, they determine how wide the cups are and where they sit on your body. On a correctly fitting bra, the wires should ‘tack’ again your ribcage (this means sit again your body, firmly, at every point). They should be sitting flat in the middle of your boobs and also be sitting far enough back under your arms that the wires aren’t sat on breast tissue.
Bra fitting note: A very common issue which is related to the back band is that the wires can move around too much and allow breast tissue to come out of the bottom. Your back band needs to be firm and your wire needs to sit up against where your boob joins your body.
4) Your straps are falling down or digging in.
It’s a common misconception that the straps are what support your boobs but this isn’t the case. Straps are simply there to help the rest of your bra do its job properly, they hold it in place meaning the correct support doesn’t waver at any point. Your straps should always be set to a ‘two finger tension’, meaning you can fit two fingers under the strap. They shouldn’t be falling down, if they are then make sure you adjust the tension and if they’re digging in then they’re either too tight or the rest of your bra isn’t fitting correctly and too much weight is being put on your straps.
Bra fitting note: Straps do not have to be shortened to exactly the same length, they should be as long as they need to be to ensure the bra and the cups are fitting correctly on each side. If this means different lengths then so be it!
Correctly fitting bra checklist:
Back band:
- Horizontal and parallel with the floor.
- Can fit two fingers under the band but it feels snug and doesn’t move.
- If it’s a new bra ensure it’s always fastened on the loosest setting (You tighten as it’s stretches to maintain support).
Cups:
- Fully encasing all the breast.
- A lifted and smooth appearance.
- Projection with no gaping or bulging.
Wires:
- Sitting flat in between your boobs.
- Touching your ribcage all the way from the centre to under your arm.
- No digging or excessive movement.
Straps:
- Sitting comfortably on your shoulders at a two finger tension.
- No digging in.
- No falling down.
If you check this list and your bra is doing everything it should be then you can be sure you're in the right size! If it's doing anything it shouldn't then please do try some different sizes until you can get the perfect fit, you can thank us later!
If you'd like some support with this then please do feel free to use the chat feature on our site where our customer support will be more than happy to help or contact us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
