Plus Size Concepts

10 Steps to a Comfortable Bra

Most women have worn the wrong size bra for so long, they have forgotten that bras can be comfortable! Life's tough enough without your bra giving you a bad time. Here's 10 tips to get you comfortable and looking terrific.

1. To measure for the perfect fit: a) Measure around your rib cage, right under your bra. Round up to the nearest even number (e.g., 51" rounds up to 52") and then add 4" to get your band size; b) Measure around the fullest part of your bust over your bra; c) Subtract band size from the bust measurement. If the difference is 6", then your cup size is B, 7" a C, 8" a D, 9" a DD and so forth.

2. Your band size or cup size may change if you gain or lose weight, tighten up from an exercise program or have a child. Measure every time. Don't just automatically buy the same size as last time!

3. Some women have particularly full or heavy breasts, but not necessarily bigger breasts or bigger cup sizes. Look for bras with special construction, fabrics and straps made especially for the "fuller" woman. And don't forget to adjust those straps and pull up those breasts to the middle of your chest. Your clothes will fit better and you will have a more youthful appearance.

4. If your bra's band is too small, buy a larger band size -- don't just add an extender. Extenders just make the back of the bra wider which causes the straps to slide off your shoulders and you lose support in the front.

5. If your bra is cutting below your breasts, increase the band size (wear a 44 instead of a 42), don't go up in cup size. You should be using the middle set of hooks, leaving you some room to tighten or loosen your bra as your size changes. Be careful not to wear too big a band, you will just lose support because your bra will ride up in back.

6. If your straps cut into your shoulders, your heavy breasts need extra bra support. Consider an underwire bra with wider, more cushioned straps, a wider band under your bust and more support around the sides. I also recommend the great plastic pads you put under digging straps called Shells¨ (available from JW Ramage and QVC.) And, don't forget to throw that bra out when it loses it's support!

7. If your straps slide, look for the new "non-slip" bras where the back straps are attached in more of a "V" shape in the back, closer to the center hook area.

8. If your breasts spill out over the sides of your bra, the cup size may be too small or the bra may not be made of a material with enough support.

9. If your underwire bra cups seem to shift up and come to point in front, you have a narrow front and wide back. You should buy a bra where the cups have a narrow connection which allows the two bra cups to move separately. Goddess, Vanity Fair and Lane Bryant all make them.

10. You should have enough bras to always be able to air out your bra before you wear it again. You should also have multiple styles and colors of bras to match your different wardrobe needs: A smooth cup bra for knits. Skin tone bras for sheers. A black bra for darker colored clothes. A strapless longline bra for more open necklines and arms.

Do yourself, and your appearance a favor. If your bra doesn't fit well, don't hesitate to consult a professional bra fitter at a department store. She can make sure you are wearing the right size and suggest special fabrics and styles to meet your particular needs.