Myth No. 5 - I need to adjust my bra throughout the day

Absolutely not! If you are wearing the right bra for your shape, then you should hardly be able to feel that you are wearing a bra.

It's time to break up with your bra if:

• You feel like ripping it off as soon as you get home
• You always hike your bra straps up to give you more lift
• The wire digs into your breast tissue
• Throughout the day you need to squash your boobs back into the cup

Here's the boring, factual bit:

Bras are worn to support breasts made up of connective tissue, mammary glands and fat. Breasts don't have muscle to support them, which is the reason a well-fitting bra is so important. Not only will an ill-fitting bra feel uncomfortable but it may lead to loss of firmness, sagging, headaches and back pain.

Now here's the important bit that could change your life (or at least make it more comfortable!):

A well-fitted bra feels like a second skin - providing support and comfort for your breast tissue. There is simply no need to compromise on comfort for fashion - modern lingerie designers are creating stunning, feminine AND sexy bras in fashionable colours and styles for women of all shapes and sizes. Yes, including yours. If your bra is uncomfortable there will be a reason and the culprit can be identified and eliminated with the help of a very good bra fitter. However, if you would like to investigate the reasons yourself, read on...

The most common cause of an uncomfortable bra is the back band is too big. If your bra isn't anchored firmly under your bust to support your breasts, it forces the underwire into parts of your breast where it should not venture. It also compromises the support that is necessary from the back band. Remember that with bra sizing, the cup size increases with the band size - so you may be wearing a bigger back size than you need. This means that the solution is often 1-2 back sizes smaller and 3 - 4 cup sizes bigger. We know that, unless you understand exactly how bra sizing works, this will sound ludicrous to you!

Another reason could be that although the bra fit may seem okay, the style may not work for you. Some bras are too high on the sides, and others (such as plunge bras) often do not work for more mature women as you need to be firm enough to not fall out. Some women are sensitive to certain materials; others are fuller in the middle so the cup may not be deep enough to provide separation. Women who want 'lift' but can't find the right bra style may not have tried a moulded bra before as they think  it will make them look bigger (which is usually not the case) so instead hike the straps up so far it puts a strain on their back. Unfortunately there is not one style to suit all body types!

Does any of this sound familiar to you? If the answer is yes, head to a professional bra fitter and find out your correct bra size. A good bra fitter will spend time with you to help you find the right style for your body shape and your clothing preferences. You honestly won't believe how much more comfortable and confident you'll feel!

At Brava, we're experts in D Cup & Up so we offer a beautiful range of lingerie & swimwear in sizes 6-22, D-K cup. If you're overdue for a fitting, we welcome you to visit one of our stores in Melbourne or Sydney. If you can't get to a store, we'd love to help you via our Virtual Fitter service which enables you to find your perfect fit and style from anywhere in the world!