Myth No. 4 - I Can't Wear Underwires!

Let's get this straight - your bra should be like your best friend. If your best friend doesn't support you, pokes you constantly, and is just a general pain to be around, then you probably need a new best friend, and the same goes for your bra. Your friendly, everyday underwired bra should not be hurting you - at all!

So why do my underwires hurt me?

This could be for a number of reasons but most likely, the size, fit or style of your bra is probably not right for you.

If your everyday bra is well fitted, then you shouldn't be able to feel the underwire (unless you are crazy flexible and doing some top notch yoga, but then why aren't you wearing a good yoga sports bra?!). When it's not fitting well, that's when most of the pokes and pain occurs. For example, if your underwire is poking up into your armpits, it could be that the band of your bra is too loose, causing the bra to ride up at your back when moving. The solution here? A smaller size band that will stay firm around your body, keeping the bra and underwire in the right place.

If you're having the same problem but your bra band is nice and firm? This bra just might not be the right style for you. If you have a petite frame, the underwire might be too long for your shape or sitting too far back on your body.

How do I stop my underwire from hurting?

By getting a proper fitting! We've had plenty of women come to us over the years, telling us that they find underwired bras so uncomfortable that they've given up on them. By the time that we get them into a fitting room and into a well fitted underwired bra, those same women will swear that they'll never wear a wirefree bra again! Remember to work with your fitter too - they can let you know the fit of the bra, but only you can tell if it's truly comfortable for you. When trying on bras, move around like you would normally and feel how it fits while sitting, especially if you have a desk job. If you're making the switch back to underwired bras after a long break, Prima Donna bras are excellent thanks to their rubber coated underwires that are extremely soft and comfortable against the body.

What if I can't get a bra fitting?

That's OK too. You can take a look at our Bra Fitting Fundamentals to help you assess why something may not be quite right. You want to be looking for cups that fully encompass the bust and sit flush against the skin (no bulges at the side!), and a firmly fitted band that doesn't move when you do. We also offer a Virtual Fitter service which allows you to get expert advice from our fitting team from wherever you may be in the world!

Getting the right style of bra can take a little bit of troubleshooting. Some basic tips to keep in mind are:

• If the underwires are too high at the centre and digging in, try a plunge style.
• If the underwires are too far back under the arm or too high in the armpit, try brands like Ewa Michalak or Elomi, or styles like the Panache Jasmine Balconette Bra - all of which are available from D to K cup! The underwires in these styles sit lower or more forward under the arms.
• If you're not having much luck with underwires generally, try the Prima Donna Madison Full Cup Bra or Prima Donna Deauville Full Cup Bra. These bras have soft and forgiving underwires, and just fit brilliantly. We've reviewed both of these bras on this blog as well!
  And if you need further help, feel free to get in touch. Our awesome fitting team are always happy to help.

And what if I really want to wear a wirefree bra?

Wirefree bras can be great, and there are some awesome styles on the market right now that will still give you great shape, lift and style. They can be amazingly supportive, especially when it comes to wirefree sports bras. Bralettes are also totally on trend right now too, we love the Freya Fancies Bralette for D - FF cups.

And as for claims that underwires can increase the risk of breast cancer by blocking the drainage of lymph fluid from the bottom of the breast, there is no scientific evidence to support this. Only one scientific study has looked at the link between wearing a bra and breast cancer, and there was no difference in risk between women who wore a bra and women who didn't wear a bra (Source: www.breastcancer.org). So what does this mean for you? Underwired bras do not cause breast cancer, so you can wear them safely.

Remember, sometimes there are genuine medical reasons that you may need to wear a wirefree bra, such as after surgery. But it can just also be your personal preference. There is no perfect bra that is going to be right for every shape and body, there's only what is right for you!