If the bra you're wearing now is not a comfortable bra, the problem could be that you don't have the proper cup size. What is the correct cup size for you? That depends on a lot of variables.In case you didn't know, cup sizes vary depending on the band size. For instance, the cup size of a 34DDD is smaller than the cup size for a 40DDD. They're both DDD cups, yet the 40 is bigger than the 34.
I've been doing bra fittings since 1971, and I've found that most of the women who come to me to find out the correct way to measure for a bra are wearing a bra that's 3 or 4 BAND sizes off, AND 3 or 4 CUP sizes off. In short, they're way, way, way, way, WAY off. Even if a woman has properly gauged her cup size, because her band size is off so much, the result is a cup size that looks right on paper, but on the woman it ends up being too small or too big. The result is a bra that makes your clothes fit poorly, a bra that makes your body feel poorly, and a bra that makes you look fatter than you really are.
What about an under wire bra? Many women hate bras with an under wire in the cups because the under wire jabs them right in the boobs, the most tender part of our bodies. If you're one of these women, I can guarantee you that the only reason you hate an under wire bra is because you've never worn an under wire bra that was the right size bra for you. Remember, it's called an under wire bra, it's not called a jab your boob bra. An under wire is supposed to be an improvement.
If you have the right bra cup size, the under wire will maintain the cup's shape over a long period of time, but the wire itself won't poke you because it's going around your boob, not into it. That's what an under wire is designed to do, fit around your boobs, maintain the cup's shape, and give added support for your boobs. Saying you hate an under wire bra because it's jabbing your boobs is like saying you hate ketchup because it ruins your coffee. If you use the product the way it was designed to be used, you'll get good results.When you're looking for the right bra cup size for you, keep these things in mind, and don't be afraid to ask for a different size than the store clerk might recommend. And remember that many, many women are wearing a bra that is 3 or 4 sizes off, both in band size and in cup size. You may be, too.
By Sylvia Danese DiCola