Before you do anything else, you have to check if you're wearing the right size.
So put on your best fitting bra, find a decent sized mirror and follow these easy steps.
The wires at the front, in the middle of your chest (called the centre-front) should sit flat against your body.
The wires should sit flat against your rib cage in the crease of your bust with absolutely no lifting away.
Breast tissue should be encased completely by the wire. The wire should sit behind breast tissue, under your arms.
Cups should fit with no bulging over or gaping at the top.
The back-band should sit horizontally cross your body, in line with the wires at the front of your bra.
Your back-band should be nice and snug. You should not be able to pull it more than 2 inches from your back.
Your straps should be adjusted in length to give support to the cup but should also be comfortable.
Follow these three steps for your perfect fitting bra.
Pop on your most comfortable bra, measure around your rib cage just under your bust. Make sure the tape's level all the way around, then pull slightly tighter than you would normally wear your bra. Breathe out and take the measurement, then check it against the table below. Your ideal back and band size is in the right hand column.
If your band size has changed, it's most likely your cup size will too. So you'll want to go up one cup size for every band size you go down and vise versa. For example, if you were wearing a 38C bra, but now need a 32 back, we'd suggest that you go up 3 cup sizes and try a 32E to start with. However, you may still have to go up or down your cup sizes.
Once you've ordered and recieved your bras, it's time to make sure they fit. The best way to do this is to check for common bra fitting problems. So we've listed them here, along with simple instructions on what to do if problems occur.
First, find out how to measure yourself and check if your bra fits with Sarah's step-by-step fitting guide.
Then, take the lesson one step further with Sarah's shape-focused style videos.
Simply choose the woman whose size is the closest match to your own and see which styles Sarah recommends!
Problem: Cups baggy or creased
Your bra should fit perfectly without gaps or puckering of the fabric. If there are any visible creases in the cups, the cup is too big.
Solution: Try a smaller cup size
Problem: Shoulder straps dig in
Your back band should provide most of the support. So when your straps are digging in, it's sign that the back band is too big.
Solution: Try a smaller back size
Problem: Back band riding up
If your bra rides up, your back band's too big and you won't get the right support. Test this by putting your fingers under the band and pull it away from your body - it shouldn't stretch more than 2 inches...
Solution: Try a smaller back size
Problem: Back band too tight
Your back band must be firm but comfortable. If youve tried on your new bra and it hurts, your back band is the wrong size for you.
Solution: Try a bigger back size
Problem: Wires lift away from body
If the wires are pulling away from your body in the middle or sitting on top of your breast at the front or side, your cup size is too small...
Solution: Try a bigger cup size
Problem: Wires dig into the breast
The wire at the side of your body should sit behind your breast, not on it. When a bra fits you properly, the wire encases the bust completely and does not sit on or dig into the breast.
Solution: Try a bigger cup size
Problem: Bulging out
If your cup size is too small, your bust will bulge over the top and the sides of the cups. Try bigger cup sizes until the top of the cup lies totally flat on your bust. If in doubt, try a t-shirt over your bra!
Solution: Try a bigger cup size
We suggest you go up a cup size for every back size you go down, and vice versa!
