The Fundamentals
How to find your correct bra size
If you can't visit one of Brava's stores use the below guides to find your correct bra size. You must be guided by the way your bra feels to you and if it feels uncomfortable, even if it appears to be the correct bra size, then it's probably the style that does not suit you. View Brava's Bra Style Guide for more information.
How to put your bra on correctly
Before we show you how to find your correct bra size, you need to put your bra on correctly. Not putting your bra on correctly is like putting your shoes on the wrong feet.
Lean forward so your breasts fall naturally into the cup.
Place your straps over your shoulders.
Always do the back up on the loosest hook.
Lean forward and jiggle to ensure your whole bust is in.
Adjust your shoulder straps so they are taut, but not too tight.
Separate your bust so the middle wires sit on your chest bone.
Smooth over the cups and look in the mirror.
You should feel very comfortable and supported.
Correct Band Fitting
The cup should fully encase your breasts.
The band should stay put when you raise your arms.
Wrong Band Fitting
The band should stay firm and not ride up.
When you lift your arms, the band should not lift.
Fitter's Tips
- The back band should fit snug against your skin, be horizontal around your body and not ride up your back.
- You should always fit your bra on the loosest hook.
- Drop your shoulder straps, your back band should not move.
- If your band is too big then go down one band size. But remember, the cup size reduces with the band so you will need to increase the cup size by at least one cup i.e. 14D to 12DD.
Correct Cup Fitting
The cup should fully encase your breasts.
The wire should sit behind your breasts.
Wrong Cup Fitting
No part should cut into your breast tissue.
This wire is sitting too close to the breast tissue.
Fitter's Tips
- Your breasts should be fully encased by the bra.
- There should be no bulging from the top of the cups or under your arms. The wire should sit behind your bust.
- The wires in the middle need to sit flat against your rib cage and against your chest bone at the centre.
- Wires should not sit anywhere on your breast tissue.
- If your cup is too small, increase by at least one cup size.
Correct Strap Fitting
Shoulder straps should be taut but comfortable.
You should feel comfortable.
Fitter's Tips
- Your shoulder straps should be taut, but not so tight that they leave red marks on your shoulders.
- The weight of your bust should be supported mainly by the back band and the cups, not the shoulder straps.
- As long as your back band is firm enough then this should take some strain off your shoulders.
With every bra you try
- Move around to determine comfort
- Try your t-shirt on for shape
- Tell your fitter how the bra feels to you
- Don't buy it if it's uncomfortable
- Don't buy it if you are unsure
And then there is puberty, menopause, pregnancy, weight loss, weight gain... the list goes on. The best thing you can do for your figure and self esteem is to visit a Brava store for a professional bra fitting. Our lingerie range for us curvy women is the best Australia has to offer. It's not rocket science! However, women are made in delightfully different shapes and sizes and bra manufacturers differ their sizings dramatically. You will not necessarily be the same size every time you fit a bra on yourself. View all our bra fitting resources in the Bra Fitting Room.
