Tuesday, November 2, 2010

How to Put a Bra on Correctly (It's Important!)

 You cannot tell if your bra fits right if you do not put on your bra correctly. One of reasons so many women wear the wrong size is that your bra can seem okay when you first put it on. (incorrectly.) However, when you wear too small cups and a too large band, you are smashing your poor breasts' tissue to the sides and top and into your armpits, even. This is terrible for your breasts! Here's how to do it right.

  1. Put on the band and hook it. It doesn't really matter whether you prefer the put-it-on-straight method or the put-it-on-in-front-and-twist-it-around method.
  2. The straps should not be too tight at this point. If they are, loosen them up. Once you are used to this bra you can keep them on the length you like.
  3. Lean forward and put the straps on your shoulders and fit your breasts into your cups.
  4. This is the most important part! Neglect this step at your peril! Reach into the cups, to the side, under the wire in your armpit. Pull the flesh forward and up. If you have “armpit fat,” pull this in too. Trust me.
  5. At this point, if you have bulging or "four boobs" above the top of the cups, it means you are wearing the wrong size! 
  6. Now you can tighten the straps. Don't tighten them so that they are pulling on your shoulders, just tight enough so that there isn't any slack and there is a slight bit of tension.

 Please note that, if you are wearing the correct size, the cups will probably seem a little bit "empty" and too big until you scoop the flesh into them. But as long as the top of the cups sits smoothly on your breasts after you scoop in, the cups should be a good size.

27 comments:

  1. I have a question: What if I bulge over when I just gather everything in, but by the end of the day I have two lumps of fat on either side of my cups but my breasts fit into the cups?

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    Replies
    1. Sounds like your cups are too small hun

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  2. mintylotus- hmmm. I am wondering if a smaller band size and bigger cup size(or two) might help. The "lumps of fat" are breast tissue, and you want to train them back into the cups. It could well be that the tissue is moving back *because* the cups are slightly too small for it.

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  3. I am brand spanking new to this blog, and am in love! I'm unfortunately not as curvy as you are, but I still have a ridiculously difficult time finding clothes to fit my 38-29-39 shape.
    I have been looking through, but I can't find it: do you have a swimsuit post?

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  4. Hi Taryn,

    I'm glad you like my blog so much! I hope I can help you find clothes that fit! :-)

    I don't have a swimsuit post, but since it's getting to be swimsuit weather I probably should write one! Do you have any specific information you want to know/want me to write about swimsuits?

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    Replies
    1. Check out http://www.suerice.com.au/ They're in Australia and pricey, but super easy to deal with, surprisingly fast, and if you follow the directions on their website incredibly easy to get the right fit. They specialize in big busts and their suits are AWESOME.

      Delete
  5. Very interesting! A few months ago, I got fit for a nursing bra (terrible, terrible experience that inspired me to open my own shop here). As usual, to fit big boobs into a smaller bra, I pushed my breasts out to the side as my mother taught me. The bra fitter told me, "Good job!"

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  6. Anonymous- Oh, dear... well, good for you for starting your own shop!

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  7. I am also interested in a swimsuit post! I am waiting for new styles to come out in Bravissimo which is where I usually buy my bikinis. This year I want to by a one piece but am debating whether I should get a tankini. Can you give me any ideas, recommendations, which do you think is most flattering on a curvy body? I am petite 5 ft 1 and weigh 125lbs and use a
    30 H...ugh!!

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  8. I tried for a one-piece and it didn't work because of my small rear, i am not sure what size the rest of the suit is? i got a 34H panache and it was sooo cute i just hated to send it back but i got the tankini in the same style with a solid bottom and i like that too!

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  9. What do you do when the straps are so tight they cause pain, even though you're in the right band size, but the band is tight so it doesn't sit under your boobs, it sits a little lower instead, but one size up slides up your back on the smallest setting? Would you be in too big of a band or too small of a band?

    Also, I find it easier to tighten the straps before putting the bra on entirely. It's impossible to do once you have the bra on...kind of like being able to lick your own elbow. Not gonna happen, lol. So I'll tighten the straps, put the bra on, scoop (oops, quad-boob even though I'm in the right cup size and one larger will be too big, yet I'm falling/sagging in the current cup size throughout the day), wiggle around in it, pull straps towards neck until they don't slide off, take bra off, tighten straps....And repeat. Screw it...I'll just wear my trusty 3 sizes up sister size. (That literally just happened to me with a Freya Rio, even worse with a plunge style, so then I went to a VS full coverage cotten bra)

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  10. Hi .. my bra size is 34C and I have armpit fat under only of my underarms and not on eithers sides.. after i wear the bra, i pull in the underarm fat but it moves out after sometime.. so i decided to go up a cup size after reading ur blog.. but since there is flab unser only one of the underarms, the cup is nt full for the other.. pls help!!

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  11. Like mintylotus, I have two (tiny) lumps of fat at my underarms (they're there even when I don't have a bra on, in fact, I rarely wear a "proper" bra. I can pull them in, but as soon as I stand up and move my arms they pop back out. (maybe this is normal anatomy and has nothing to do with my bra lol)

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  12. How should the band be fastened? Should you hook it on the tightest hook or the looser one?

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  13. When I first learnt about bra fitting, I didn't know about that and assume the woman who told me to try on a 30F/G (well, she said 28, but I feel better in a 30, but according to most people Freya is a bit tight) was wrong and I'm currently wearing a 30E.

    Following your advice, I've put all the fat back in my bra and now have four boobs. Unfortunately, it's impossible to find anything else under a 32 band size (or over a F cup size unless you need a 36/38 band size) here so I'm not sure I should buy one online with a bigger cup size.

    It tends to be so expensive.

    Interestingly, I'm stuck with 32D in my country (as DD are usually a bit to big) and most sellers would like me to fit a 34C while the 32 is plainly too big ! And the 34 makes my back look even fatter.

    I'm trying to educate my friends about it (especially a 32B who has a visibly thinner ribcage than I do since I have wide bones unfortunately, and a 36C whose breasts are drowning into the cups), perhaps one day they'll be brave enough to say "no" to what manufacturers force them to wear.

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  14. Thanks to this post, I discovered my size was way off! I was wearing a 10D in AU sizes(that's a 32D, right?) and between investigations and refusing to try a 14D on and requesting a 12DD and 12E, I discovered I'm a 10F/12E :D Three sizes different, and I'm finding it's so much better! I used to wear push up bras all the time and I didn't feel like I had any cleavage. Now my silhouette looks so much better, and I don't even have to try hard to get cleavage! I shudder at the thought of how my boobs sat in a pushup bra with cups 3 sizes too small;pushed up a bit, slightly mono-boobing, and flopping out of the edges as armpit/back fat? Ugh! I don't know how I went this long without even noticing! Now I have to save my pennies, and retrain my boobs, which are definitely sighing in relief now. :)

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  15. Is there really such a thing as this armpit fat being "migratory breast tissue"? I started doing arm exercises with weights to get rid of it. I measured myself by your instructions and get a band size that to me feels too tight when I try it on. And a cup oh my gosh a DD? I've been wearing a 36 C for years so is this why my side boob at armpit developed? I've also had back band fat!! To make matters worse my left side has increased the past few years to a whole cup larger than the right!! Tomorrow I'll go searching for a bra that is a 34 DD or E and see what happens.

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  16. This post has helped me so much! Here I sit, trying to figure out why I just popped an underwire on a bra with slightly loose cups (that manages to leave imprints on them nonetheless!). First, I tried the bend-and-scoop method. Still loose. After laying the bra against my chest and seeing where the cups should end - before my breasts do, apparently - I tried the more labor-intensive method of scooping and then tugging the cups into position. Suddenly, the cup is not loose anymore. Now this is a full-figure bra, so my breasts can't spill out, but they look a little... swollen, for lack of a better word. The nipple is level with the seam, but the overall look is heavy and even slightly bulging on the bottom. Also, it is difficult to breathe. Now I know why I'm having problems.

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  17. I was a 36DD from age 14 until after the weight gain of child bearing. After my boys were born, I was a 38DDD or F. Most of the bras I could find in those sizes still didn't fit! I was measured once at a bra store and the woman told me I was a D cup. She even got upset when I tried on bras in the size she recommended and because my girls wouldn't fit in the cups, bought a larger cup size. Fast forward 20 or so years and I finally had reduction surgery. The doc was scared to remove more than he did, so now I'm at a 38D. I'm happier with the "smaller" cup size though I'm still very well endowed. I've tried on millions of bras since the surgery in December of '08 but have only found ONE bra that fits! It happens to be a VS Biofit bra in 38D (40D is better if it's the 7-way multi fit biofit bra). I did try on EVERY bra at VS with no luck until the biofit. Now I can grab my size and purchase without trying it on. I had high hopes of buying any bra in my size after the surgery, but I've found I'm in the same boat as I've been since 9th grade. I was never pudgy or overweight, I was a 36-24-38, 5'6", and maybe 115 lbs when I graduated high school at 17 yrs old. Now, I am considerably bigger but my bust is once again my teenage size. Disappointed in VS bras in general as they don't fit the models or everyday women. I do give 2 thumbs up to their Biofit line though, so some of you may want to try it. Each cup size has padding in bottom of cup that varies according to the cup size. This padded area gives me lift without spilling out. Of course, I've not tried the unlined variation of the biofit, only the padded/lined versions. Demi and full coverage both fit my curves!! :)
    Thanks for your blog....LOVE IT

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    Replies
    1. Sounds like for your teenage size you would have been around a 26H or 28G,no wonder you couldn't find bras.Maybe a 30F,but for sure not a 36 band!They had you wearing a band the same size as your bust. O.o That's really sad.
      I don't know your current underbust measurement,but I'm guessing you could be around a 32F-32H now.38D is the most common misfitted bra size.For someone to be a 38D,they need to measure 38 inches around their ribcage,NOT adding inches,and then 42 around their bust.
      I encourage you to try this calculator,it's pretty accurate.
      http://www.butterflycollection.ca/bra-size-calculator/
      And Bratabase is a great resource as well.

      Delete
  18. I just found this blog last week, took my measurements-27 band, 31 bust and ordered some bras in a 28 C. the bands seem very tight, especially since I am used to miserably trying to keep a 32 A from wandering all over by wearing tight fitted camisoles. Also, I seem to bulge over the top (something that has never happened to me before ever)! What size should I try?

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    Replies
    1. Hey, Amy-

      I'm not the blog runner, but I've had this problem before. : ) If it's bulging, and the band is fine, try a 28D. : D

      The general idea is that you subtract your cup size from the band size.

      I.E.
      31 bust, 27 underbust = 4.
      Let's assume AA is 0, A is 1, B is 2, etc
      ...This makes you a 28D!

      Remember that different brands do different sizes, though, so you might have a variety of bras. But try a 28D from the same place you got a 28C : )

      Delete
  19. Found this awesome blog about 20 minutes ago so I started measuring for the 1000th time, of course. I measured 67 cm band ( or 26' and a bit) and 80 cm cup (31.49'). So my band size would be 26 and my cup (5' bigger) .. E? 26 E does sound freakishly !! In my country where we measure by European standards it's impossible to find anything under a 75 band size , which I think is a 32 in US. I adjust the band and the straps so much that they're digging in and I get red scars, but if I let them any looser my breasts would hurt because of lack of support. I have a 75 B cup (32 B) with no padding that is the right cup size but the wrong band size (too loose if I don't adjust it to its minimum circumference) and a 80 B cup (34 B) with a bit of padding that I also adjust until it digs in my skin and the breasts form that horrible shape where they stick out from the top of the bra. If you were to look at them from the side they form a M shape, the line of the bra digging into the breast like the center of the M.
    As I have stated, in my country my best bet is a 75 B/ 32 B ... and scars. What do you suggest I do? Are 26 E, 28 DD, 30 D, 32 C and 34 B sister sizes? So can I choose from this range?
    I'm so sorry, I know I've written a lot

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  20. So I was fitted at Lane Bryant and the woman told me I was a 38F. Not only does a 38 size band squeeze the air out of me and hurt my skin [if I can even hook it] but my boobs were becoming muffins in the cups [on all sides]. So I bought a 40F thinking it would fit better which is does in the band but the cups still don't hold all of my breasts. Should I be in a 38G instead?

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  21. Hey, not sure what size to go for. My A measurement is 39.5 and B measurement is 32, so I got 7.5
    Would I be a 32FF or 32G?

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  22. this is my husbands blog name. when i where a bra my breast are so heavy that the straps dig into my shoulders and cause sores. i'm afraid of a reduction.needing help in finding a bra to support the weight of my breast sometimes i wear two in hopes of getting the support with out pain. the area under my breast measues 36 by standard messurements and my cup size by the same measurement should be e or f depending on the bramd but they wear out rally quickly because of the wheight my husband loves my breast i probly would too if they wernt so heavy when wearing a bra. because of the pain i don't wear one when i'm home, thank goodness i'm able to be a stay at home mom.

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  23. I am totally confused and in disbelief. I really do not know what to do. I have uneven breast with my right being probably a size or a half size at least smaller than my left. Then, to top it off, I have always worn a 36 b or c. I recently gained weight so got measured and was told I am a 40 b or c. Ok...I thought....this makes sense, since the medication I am on resulted in weight gain. But alas, all my bras don't feel right so I often wear pull over bralettes or sports bras. According to this page, I measure under my breasts at a 38, and leaning over a 45 or 46, laying down a 45 and standing up a 46. So, then am I to understand I should buy a 38 FF? How can this be? I find the cups to sometimes be too big on a 40 C! Other bra sites want me to ADD 4-6 inches to the 38 to get my band, suggesing I should be wearing a 44 band and IDK what cup.This is all very confusing. My breasts are not very big. My sister is a 36 DD or DDD and she is MUCH bigger than I am. Now I know her band is smaller, but still, how can I reasonably think an F will fit when I have extra material on some C bra's....especially full coverage ones (demi bra's fit better). My breasts are sort of squishy after having children. So, should I be measuring them tighter rather than so loosely, which is how I get this large cup size? Please help!

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