Improve your body shape! Buy the right bra

With the development of fabrics and design, we can sculpt our bodies simply by changing our bra. Alyson Walsh explains how.

Lingerie experts believe that 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra. So we asked experienced bra fitters, at underwear brand Fantasie, for tips on how to find the right bra.

 

Remember, many a gorgeous outfit has been let down by the wrong underwear, so it's worth investing some time in your purchases. The right buy will help upgrade your look and guarantee red-carpet glamour (just avoid the Victoria Beckham underwear-as-outerwear scenario).

 

Always have a bra fitting before you buy - professional fittings are available in most high street department stores as well as at specialist fitters like Rigby & Peller.

 

Bad-fitting bra: common problems

1.Saggy boobs - the back size is too large; not giving you the support required

2.Double boobs - the cup size is too small, which is when overspill occurs

 

You wouldn't wear the wrong size shoes, so why have a bra that doesn't fit? Wearing the wrong size bra can affect your posture, your confidence and spoil your silhouette. As with shoes, always try before you buy. Bras differ from shop to shop and style to style, and your bust size can change over time.

 

'A good-fitting bra should be comfortable, supportive and give you the best shape under clothes,' says the Fantasie Design Director. A correctly fitting bra should sit firmly but comfortably around the body. Underwires should lie flat against the ribcage, and contain the whole breast. The breast should be contained within the cup with no puckering or bulging in the cup fabric. (For Fantasie stockist information call 01536 764334.)

 

You are wearing the wrong size bra if:

 

Breasts are being squeezed out of the cup, creating a double boob effect

Breasts are not fully contained within the underwire, resulting in wires digging in or boobs dropping out under the wire

The underband is not sitting level at the front and riding up at the back

The underwires are standing away from the body

Breasts are unsupported and drooping forward

The shoulder straps are digging in

 

You are wearing the right size bra if:

 

The underband is firmly anchored around the body, and is level at the front and back

Breasts are fully contained within the underwire

There is no puckering or overspill

The underwires sit flat against the chest wall

Breasts are well supported

 

And the benefits are:

 

Uplifted breasts

An improved posture

Minimised back pain

A waist you never knew you had!

All this just from wearing the correct size bra, so what are you waiting for? Get down to your nearest lingerie department tout de suite!

 

More information

 

For expert advice on buying the right bra, see our top tips feature

 

Find the best control underwear on the market - the Good Housekeeping Institute team squeezed, poked, prodded and coerced their panel of volunteers into many different styles to find the best - read the results here.

 

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