From laces and ruffles, to bright colors and adorable floral prints, we can’t deny that wearing pretty (and matching) underwear makes us feel sexy and good inside. For some reason, it boosts our confidence and assures us that we’re powerful and fierce, that we can conquer every obstacle that life throws at us.
But to find the perfect underwear, we must look beyond the pretty, especially when it comes to bras. Yep, those bras on the rack that you’ve been eyeing may be cute, but the question is: are they the right size? More than having pretty underwear, we must see to it to find underwear that fits us perfectly. According to Women’s Wear Daily, the results of a survey done by international brand Triumph show that 64% of 1000 women wear the wrong bra size. Now, that’s a big number, so the chances that you may be wearing the wrong bra size are pretty high.
Why bother knowing “the right bra size”, anyway?
1. Wearing a bra in the wrong size may cause neck pain and migraine.
A common mistake done by women who use a bra in the wrong cup size is that they tighten the shoulder straps to make it “fit better”. This puts unnecessary pressure on the shoulders, though. According to experts, support should not come from the shoulder straps, but from the bands. That means that there should still be support coming from underneath the breasts even without the shoulder straps.
2. An ill-fitting bra will not flatter your body and will make you appear bulky.
Ever wondered why you feel like you’ve got your life together when you wear good underwear? It’s because you really do look better in them. They don’t just flatter your figure, either; they also make your outer clothes look better!
How will you know what the right bra size is?
The golden rule is that if you feel any sort of discomfort from wearing your bras, you are most likely wearing the wrong size. If you would like to know if you’ve been wearing the wrong size all your life (or if, who knows, you might have grown a cup larger!), here’s a simple guide to help you out:
1. To get your band size: Stand straight and relax without inhaling too much. With a tape measure, measure all the way around your body, placing the tape measure right beneath your breasts (example: 30 ½). Add five to that number, rounding up if necessary to the next even number (36).
2. To get your cup size: While wearing a bra, measure completely around the fullest part of your bust (across the nipple) without pulling tight. Make sure the tape measure goes around your entire back (38).
Subtract this number from your band size (38-36=2). The result will indicate your appropriate cup size, based on the following guide:
0 = AA
1 = A
2 = B
3 = C
4 = D
5 = DD
6 = DDD
Congratulations! Now that you’ve confirmed your bra size, there’s no reason for you to settle for the wrong ones anymore. Look for a cute bra in the right size, put it on, and you’d feel (and see) the difference right away. Remember, you deserve pretty (and perfect-fitting) underwear all the time!
Sources:
http://www.brasize.com/bra-fitting.html
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/fashion/best-bra-guide-0800qa