We help a lot of women into their first fitting bra. This usually means that they start wearing a smaller band and a larger cup (mostly because so many stores fit women into bands that are too big). There is an instant joy at putting on a bra that encases all your breasts and lifts them into the right place but what can you expect to feel after a few hours, days and weeks of wearing your right fit?
Firstly though... Should you be able to feel your bra at all?
Busty women have been a little deceived about how their bras should feel. There's this idea that you shouldn't be able to feel your bra at all and I'm afraid that simply isn't true. There are definitely some things you shouldn't be able to feel in your bra:
1) Straps digging into your shoulders
2) Any poking into your breast tissue (the end of a cup wire is usually guilty)
3) Your band chafing your back (this happens when it rides up - taking your back with it!)
These are signs that your bra definitely doesn't fit but there is one thing that you will be able to feel in a correctly fitting bra:
1) You should be able to feel your band. This doesn't mean it will be tight but snug enough to feel (think about the feeling you have when you wear supportive but comfortable tights).
Things to look for in a more comfortable band
Quite simply, the deeper your band the less you'll feel it. This is straight-forward physics; imagine the entire weight of your breasts resting on a piece of dental floss then imagine how they'd feel resting on a giant rubber band. When you wear a deeper band the pressure is spread out over a greater area reducing the amount you feel it.
How will your brand new, correctly fitting bra feel after ONE DAY?
In a perfect world your new bra would be like wearing silk woven by fairies from the moment you put it on until you send it off to bra heaven, however, a new bra is like new shoes, it needs some time to break in. Bras are incredibly complex to make and the more pieces there are in a bra the more sections there are to break in. This simply means that the seams need to soften and the elastic needs to stretch to your figure so that the bra works for your shape.
How will your new, correctly fitting bra feel after A COUPLE OF WEEKS?
By this stage you will have washed your bra and this has done a few things. It will have washed off the starch that bra manufacturers insist on spraying all over new bras (if you have an allergy to starch then you should wash your bras before wearing at all). It will have softened (and by this I mean break down which is the inevitable progress of every bra) the fabric so that the stitching is softer. It will also have stretched the elastic slightly (I don't mean stretched it out) so that your bra can move with you more. By now your new bra should be feeling like a good friend.
How will your correctly fitting bra feel after a COUPLE OF MONTHS?
By now you and your bra should have shared some great outfits, collected some crumbs in your perfectly supported cleavage and enjoyed some luxorious washes in lingerie detergent. You may well find that you are already on the second hooks and this is where you will be for most of your bra's life because the bra has molded to your figure (if you buy a bra that fits brand new on the middle hooks you'll migrate to the tightest hooks very fast with nowhere else left to go). If you're taking care of your bra you can be on these hooks for a while. As the elastic breaks down further you'll move to the tightest hooks and be there for about one to three months before it's time to say goodbye and start again.
Do you have some tricks for breaking in a new bra and turning it into a trusty friend fast? xx
The first time I purchased a bra in my true size, I was horribly uncomfortable for the first week. I was wearing a bra 6+ inches too big in the band. It was the equivalent of going from oversized sweatpants to skinny jeans. I used to do fittings years ago, and would need to warn ladies when we did huge changes like that to break them in like a pair of shoes. It takes a while to get used to it, but after a few washings, you won't even notice that you're wearing one!
ReplyDeleteYou raise such a good point Kimberly - it's probably not a good idea to migrate from an ill-fitting band that is six inches too big straight to your correct size. It's best to come down in stages, probably to a band that is just 2 inches bigger then switch down to the tightest band later. Thanks for bringing up this great point. xx
DeleteThis is a fantastic article - really really helpful to manage expectations. I found it particularly good to know when it's the right time to buy a new bra, so thank you!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome lovely Sarah. Thank you for commenting, that was a lovely surprise! xx
DeleteI was either wearing 36 band or no bra, then was converted to no +4" ) recently. And it seems that I have problem with that. I have 31" ribcage and wearing 32" bras (and I definitely can put 2 or even 3 fingers under the band without problems) I'm getting red marks from underwires that fade after the night but they are still visible. Returned for not wearing for one day - marks were still there, very faint, but there! Is it consitered normal?
ReplyDeleteHello! This is very normal and something that should continue to fade as your body adjusts to wearing the correct size. Your skin is literally getting used to being in the right bra which can take a few months. The style of bra you wear can reduce the marks on the body - good things to look for are deeper bands, cotton or microfiber materials and breathable designs. You're right to keep an eye on things, but don't worry, some marking are normal (as long as they're not on your shoulders you're in a good bra!) xx
DeleteThank you! That is very reassuring!
DeleteI Just moved from a 36 D to a 32 G recently, I bought a dessous bra.
ReplyDeleteI'm 33 underbust 40 over bust so technically if the world was perfect I would be something like a 33FF.
Almost everything fits right in my bra. (since I started wearing the right size I discovered that my smaller breast is significantly smaller than my bigger breast so dessous was definitely a good choice) Even if my band, straps and wire feel great (because I have side heavy breasts) I get a bit of a gap on the top of my bra, is not that noticeable, but I can easily slit my index finger in the gap. I also got told I had some migrated tissue. will this gap will fix over time wit the tissue migrating forward?? or should I go down to a 32 FF? (With the 32FF I Fear that ill get the wire over my breast tissue again) what would be a smart choice?
Hi Sonia - it's great that you've started wearing a better size. The more supportive band will prevent you experiencing problems like headaches, neck strains and rashes caused by a band that's too big. It's very important that you choose the size that fits your largest breast so if the 32G fits your larger side then that's the size you need to stick with. To support your smaller side look for styles with a stretch lace top that will hug to different volumes. Very full coverage styles are also a good idea (especially if the cups have some elastication) because they will support two differently sized breasts. Finally, you can use a foam insert to even out your smaller side. The vital thing is that there is lots you can do to support a smaller breast but you can't make a too small cup fit your larger side so you must fit to your larger breast xx
Deletethanks a lot for the answer! I forgot to mention I'm just 5 2' 1/2 and have a short torso too. the bit of a gap I get between the elasticized top appears in both of my breast tops, in my bigger breast i get a barley noticeable wrinkle at the side, and as i mentioned i can slit my index finger in the gap, (next to my armpit area, where i have some migrated tissue) but the wire fits just right. that's the reason I ask about migrating tissue, is this something I should expect to fix over time?
ReplyDeleteSorry to bother with this kind of question because is the first time I'm in love with the wire fit. can I write directly to the store with some pictures so I can get an opinion?
You can definitely email support@butterflycollection.ca with some pictures to get their opinion. Lots of women get a gap between their bra strap and their bust because they shallow a lot at the armpit. This is completely normal and doesn't affect fit. However, if the area is lower down then, yes, it could be migrated breast tissue that will move back into the cup over time xx
DeleteI want to thank you for explaining what to expect in wearing a bra that fits properly.
ReplyDeleteI had given up on wearing bras a few years back. Then I started having neck, back and shoulder pain. I went to a pain management physician, She told me it was from not having my breasts supported. Then told me not to go to a department store for a fitting, but to try Bratabase.Which I did about six months ago and found that I should be wearing 36H.I ordered a bra and for the first time in my life I felt comfortable and the pain was relived. However there is a gap and in top of the cups, Is this caused from not wearing a bra for many years? Your blog has been a godsend for me.
Fran
Thank you for such kind words, I'm so glad the blog is helpful. I started Butterfly Collection because there was such a lack of full bust bras in Canada and the blog just grew out of sharing bra fit information with my clients. I would imagine the gap is a style issue. If you have shallow breasts then you need shallow friendly bras. This generally means that the cups are less rounded at the top so that you don't get a gap where you breast is less full. In our store we state whether a bra is shallow friendly or not and any good retailer should be able to tell you whether a style they carry is shallow friendly or not xx
DeleteIn a reply to another persons comment you said that having a gap between your bra strap and bust is normal, but what about the opposite? I'm usually cut into by my bra straps. It hurt at first but now it just leaves marks where it digs in. The cups don't gap but do seem to be tall and can cut in a little too, but I've always thought it was because I'm so short. The wires are great though, they don't sit on any breast tissue. Is there any thing you recommend to help with this? Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Shelby - I have a few ideas for you to think about.
Delete1. It could be that you have some migrated breast tissue and your straps are bisecting that tissue. If this is the case then it's most likely that you need a smaller band and the relevant cup size (i.e. if you're wearing a 36F but you really need a 34 band then you'll need a 34FF because the cup volume is the same as a 36F). Measure around your ribcage and your band size should be the same or very close to that measurement.
2. If it's not migrated breast tissue then you could have tall breast tissue that comes up a long way on your body. If this is the case then you might want more cup and less strap - styles like Wacoal's Retro Chic are good for this.
3. You might need a larger cup size. This again can be responsible for migrated breast tissue.
4. You have a wide breast root and need straps that sit wider on your shoulders so that the straps sit on the outside edge of your breast tissue rather than bisecting it - this is the least likely option.
Migrated tissue would be my first inkling so it's worth ruling that out first. Hope this helps xx