Most women are all too aware of the pain that a poorly fitted bra can bring, yet a staggering amount seem to avoid a bra fitting at any cost. As an experienced Bra Fitter it’s no surprises that one of the most common remarks we hear at the end of a fitting is “why did I put that off for so long?”
Naturally, I think there are plenty more than 5 reasons you should have your bra fitted every time you buy one, but these are certainly the main points I’d like women to think about.
General bra discomfort
Wearing a bra that fits well will rid you of the “fiddle factor” that comes with a poorly fitted bra. If a bra doesn’t fit you you’ll notice things like the underwire poking you, your breast tissue falling out of the bra and the straps putting pressure on your shoulders. All these irritations will have you fiddling with your bra hundreds of times a day to improve your comfort momentarily. One visit to an experienced Bra Fitter will put a stop to all that, sounds good to me!
Shoulder pain
A bra that isn’t fitted firmly enough around the ribcage will increase the load across the shoulders – a nasty result particularly for those with a heavy bust. Because the band that runs around your ribcage is responsible for supporting most of the weight of the breasts, if this isn’t fitted properly the shoulder straps are then relied upon for support. The shocking truth is that the shoulder straps are not there to support the breasts, but rather to stabilise the breast tissue and work as a secondary means of support.
Lots of women in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s are of the believe that the support in a bra actually comes from these shoulder straps. This is why so many ladies will tighten their shoulder straps repeatedly in order to try and improve their support. Unfortunately, this will only further exaggerate shoulder discomfort and won’t do anything to fix their lack of support.
Breast Sag
While studies can’t isolate support from bras as being the only factor that will reduce the rate of breasts sagging, it is certainly considered anecdotally as an important factor. A bra that doesn’t fit has no ability to function as a supportive solution, this is because the fit is such an important part of how the bra delivers support.
Embarrassment
We talk a lot in store about the spring a well fitted bra can put in someone’s step – because it really does. No one feels great about having the double boob look under tight tops or feeling like their breasts are about to leap out of their bra when running across the road. After a professional bra fitting you won’t have to worry about these issues plaguing your day.
Not to mention the number of women that opt out of activity all together because of their breasts. I get it, it’s embarrassing to have your breasts seemingly bounce out of control – and it’s unlikely this doesn’t go unnoticed by onlookers. A study conducted at the University of Portsmouth suggests 17% of women consider their breasts their main barrier to being active.
Long term postural issues
Did you know a size 36D bust weighs approximately 1.5 pound per breast? That’s a lot to be carrying around all day everyday so you want to make sure you’re distributing the weight of the breast tissue across both the front and back of your body. A bra that doesn’t fit well will not transfer the weight of the breast to the back at all. So a heavy unsupported bust will lead to a hunching of the shoulders and poor standing & sitting posture. Over many years this postural habit will result in a tightening on the chest muscles, a permanent rolling forwards of the shoulders and a rounding of the thoracic spine.
Need more reasons to have your bra fitted?
Just to reel off a few more here are some further reasons you should have your bra fitted next time you buy a bra
- If you’re an athlete, a well fitted high impact sports bra can improve your on-field performance.
- A well fitted bra will flatter your shape. Women often suggest they feel slimmer or prefer their shape after a bra fitting.
- A Bra Fitter will guide you to the right shape and design bras for your unique breasts. This will save hours of frustration in the change rooms.
- A Bra Fitting can also work to reduce non-cyclical breast pain that causes havoc for so many women.
Author Profile:
Tish Tily is the founder of leading bra store, She Science. Tish is an experienced Bra Fitter having personally fitted over 10,000 A – J cup ladies. She was independently trained in the UK and continues to undertake further education at any opportunity to progress her wealth of industry knowledge.
(Images copyright by Tish Tily)
