Common bra problems

Wrong size

Women often find it difficult to find the correct bra size. To achieve perfect sizing consistently, a bra would have to be custom made, because a "one-size-fits-all" manufacturing process is fraught with difficulties. Breasts vary in the position on the chest, and in their diameters.

A number of stores have certified professional bra-fitters specialists. However, even bra fitters have been shown to be quite variable in their recommendations. Buying "off-the-shelf" or "online" bras is unwise if the buyer has never tried on the brand and type of bra that they are interested in buying. Some bra manufacturers and distributors state that trying on and learning to recognize a proper fit is the best way to determine a correct bra size, much the same as with shoes. Some critics observe that measuring systems such as the one described above often lead to an incorrect size, most commonly too small in the cup, and too large in the band. For anyone, especially cup sizes larger than a D, one should get a professional fitting from the lingerie department of a clothing store or a specialty lingerie store.

Wrong fit

Some women intentionally buy larger cups and pad them, while yet others buy smaller cups to give the appearance of being "full". Finally, the elastic properties of the band make band size highly unreliable, and in one study the label size may be different from the measured size. Fashion and image drive the bra market, and these factors often take precedence over comfort and function.

As already noted, there is no agreed standard across all manufacturers for measuring and specifying bra size. Obtaining the correct size is further complicated by the fact that the size and shape of a woman's breasts fluctuate during her menstrual cycle, and also with weight gain or loss. Even breathing can substantially alter the measurements.

Biological change

As breasts become larger, their shape and the distribution of the tissues within them changes, and becoming ptotic and bulbous rather than conical. This makes measurements increasingly unreliable, especially for large breasts. Similarly the heavier build a woman has, the more inaccurate the underbust measurement as the tape sinks into the flesh more easily. Finally, most women are asymmetrical (10% severely), with the left breast being larger in 62%, especially when the breasts are large.

Many of the health problems associated with bras are due to fitting problems. However, finding a comfortable fit is described as very difficult by many women, which has affected sales. Medical studies have also attested to the difficulty of getting a correct fit.

Tell-tale signs of a poorly fitting bra

 If you’re not sure whether your bra fits your properly, take a look at our guide to the most common bra fitting problems and see if any of these sound like you. If so, follow the advice for how to improve the fit.

Back band higher at the back

Your back band should be horizontal all the way around your body. If it goes up at the back towards your shoulder blades then it is too big and has slid up to the wider part of your back. If you have this problem, try a small back size.

Shoulder straps too tight/ digging in

If you have this problem, first try loosening the shoulder straps. If this makes your bust sag noticeably then you have been relying too much on the shoulder straps for support, which should be coming from the back band so you need to go down a back size. If you find that straps feel like they dig in even when you have the fit right, look for bra style with wider or padded shoulder straps, which will be more comfortable to wear.

Back-band too tight

You should be able to pull your back band away from your body by about two inches but no more. If it’s so tight you struggle to get it on or it feels uncomfortable or even painful then you should go up a back size.

Underwire not flat against your body

If the underwiring does not rest neatly against your body and moves out in between your bust try going up a cup size.

Underwire digs in

Your bra underwire should sit around the breast tissue and not on it at any point or dig in. If this is happening to you then you need to try a bigger cup size.

Overspill at the top of the cup

Don’t be tempted to think that your bust is supposed to spill out over the top of your bra to look sexy – the top of the cup should be flat across your bust rather than cutting in to the flesh. The ‘double boob’ effect when you’ve got a close fitting top on is a sure sign that your cup size is too small. Keep trying a cup size bigger until you find the fit that’s right for you.

Bra cups look baggy or wrinkled

The fabric of your bra cups should be smooth when your bra fits properly. If the cups are crinkled because they are not being completely filled out then try a smaller cup size. If they are puckered because they are over-stretched then you should go up a cup size instead.

How to measure bra

Fitting a Bra

Wearing a bra that fits is much better for your breast health. It is frequently stated, from the results of surveys that between 70 and 100% of women wear incorrectly fitted bras. This may be partly due to a lack of understanding of how to correctly determine bra size; it may also be due to unusual or unexpectedly rapid growth in size brought on by pregnancy, weight gain, or medical conditions including virginal breast hypertrophy.

Although all bras are labeled by size, many women find that the only way to obtain a bra that fits properly and achieves the effect they want is by trying a bra on with each bra type, model and brand.

Though many countries use the metric system, the majority of nations still use imperial units to determine the under band size of the bra itself.

There are several methods which may be used to provide an approximate size by taking measurements. However, bra sizing systems differ widely between countries, between manufacturers, and between brands and designs, which can create many problems. Many researchers have demonstrated that these problems arise because fit requires knowing the breast volume, not the body circumference (the distance around the body), which is what is actually measured. Although bra sizing uses the circumference to estimate the volume, this has been shown to be highly unreliable.

The size of a bra is commonly described by two values. The first is the band size (under band), a number based on the circumference of the chest under the bust, excluding the breasts. The second is the cup size given by a letter of the alphabet, and relating to the volume of the breasts themselves. For example, a 30D bra has a 30-size band and a D-size cup. Cup sizes typically start with AA, the smallest, and increase alphabetically. Double or triple lettering systems are also used, e.g. DDD for F or AA for a size smaller than A.

To provide women with better fitting bras, manufacturer Playtex recently introduced a range of half-sizes between cup sizes A and D. These half sizes are denoted by fractions, so that Playtex now provides bras in A, A¹⁄₂, B, B¹⁄₂, C, C¹⁄₂, and D cups.

Band size is usually determined by measuring body circumference under the breasts as tight as possible. A second measurement is a loose fit taken of the chest circumference over the fullest part of the breasts (overbust). The cup size can then be calculated with tables or a conversion tool from the difference between these two measurements.

The mean underband circumference in the UK is 34 inches (86 cm). For the overbust measurement, this is 40 inches (101 cm), for women 18–64 years.

Follow these four easy steps to ensure you are shopping for the right bra size:

Measurement number 1: Measure under your bust line.

Put on your best-fitting, unpadded, under wire bra. Measure underneath the bust line and make sure to measure tightly. Be sure the tape measure is straight across your back.

The general rule of thumb for all measuring is: less than ½”, round DOWN, more than a ½”, round UP. So if your measurement is 32 ¼”, call it 32. Write this number down. This is measurement number 1.

Band Size: Calculate your band size.

If measurement 1 is UNDER 33 inches, add 5 inches. If this number is odd, round up to the next EVEN number. If measurement 1 is OVER 33 inches, add 3 inches. If this number is odd, round up to the next EVEN number. Write this EVEN number down. This is your band size.

Measurement number 2: Measure over the bust line

Measure over the biggest point of your bust line. This is a looser measurement. Make sure the tape measure is straight. Write this number down. This is measurement number 2.

Cup Size: Calculate your cup size.

First subtract measurement number 1 from measurement number 2. Then consult the following chart to find your cup size.

The back strap (under band) and cups should provide most of the support rather than the shoulder straps, which are responsible for a number of health problems.

When viewed from the side, the under band that runs around the body should be horizontal, should not ride up the back, and should be firm but comfortable.  The underwires at the front should lie flat against the rib cage (not the breast), along the infra-mammary fold, and should not dig in to the chest or the breasts, rub or poke out at the front. The breasts should be enclosed by the cups and there should be a smooth line where the fabric at the top of the cup ends.  There should not be a ridge or any bulging over the top or sides of the cups, even with a low-cut style such as the demi bra.

A pair of breasts can weigh several kilograms. For instance a pair of "D cup" breasts may weigh three to four pounds, dependent on band and cup size. One of the principal functions of a bra is to elevate and "support" the breasts, that is, to raise them from their normal position lying against the chest wall. The bra's shoulder strap should bear little weight. This is considered the defining characteristic of the bra: supporting the weight from the back and shoulders, as opposed to lift from below (as corsets do). Over-reliance on the platform (back strap) for support will lead to undue compression of the breasts; so much of the weight tends to be carried by the shoulder strap, particularly for larger breasts. The major engineering weakness of the bra is that it acts as a pulley, transferring the weight of the breast from the lower chest wall to higher structures such as the back, shoulder, neck, and head. This can result in pain and injury in those structures, especially for women with pendulous breasts.

Quote:  The only courage you ever need is the courage to live your heart's desire - Oprah Winfrey

Revolution of bra - Part II (Emergence of various categories)

The Ultimo Bra - May 2000

By the time of the second millennium women were adding inserts to their bras called affectionately chicken fillets.  However, help was soon at hand with the development of the Ultimo bra, a silicone gel filled bra that creates cleavage whilst giving comfort.  It was launched in May 2000 and became a must have accessory for those in need of a boost.  It has enhanced some of the most famous breasts in the world today including those of Julia Roberts and Kylie Minogue.

The Ultimo was invented by a British woman from Glasgow called Michelle Mone.  It took three and a half years to develop the Ultimo and a great deal of hard work and tenacity on Michelle's part. Unlike normal padded bras the silicone makes the bra feel real so the inserts move and feel like real breasts in wear without the bra squelching the breasts into unnatural positions.

Ultimo select fabrics and components of the highest quality such as polyamide microfiber which is finer than silk and so soft to the touch. They also use a patented liquid silicone gel which has the ability to mimic breast tissue, resulting in a comfortable mould to create a super cleavage. So effective is the bra that people often believe wearers have had breast implants.

Other various types of bra may be classified as:

• Adhesive - a bra which adheres to the breasts; features no straps or bands of any sort. This type of bra is intended for backless and strapless fashions. 
• Average Figure Bra - just what it sounds like. The average figure bra is generally worn by women with average figures; the B and C cup sizes.
• Bandeau - a simple band of cloth worn across the breasts, providing little support or shaping.
• Belly Dance Bras - No matter what style of belly dance you may be studying, you will definitely want a beautiful belly dance bra. Guaranteed to improve your chest rolls.
• Bridal Bras - Support for all that cake cutting.
• Built-in bras - sometimes known as shelf bras (not to be confused with the shelf-bra described below), are a supportive brassiere-like structure on the inside of another garment, such as a swimsuit or tank top, which provides support for the bust without the need for a separate bra. In most such garments, these consist of a horizontal elastic strip, although some do have cups and underwires as with other bra types. These are easily removed, if desired.
• Bullet bras - are a type of full-support bra with cups in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution with its axis perpendicular to the breast. Bullet bras were invented in the late-1940s.
• Convertible bras - have straps which may be detached and rearranged in different ways depending on the outfit. Alternatives to regular straps for strapless bras are beaded bra straps or clear plastic bra straps that provide support and style. This bra is designed with fashion versatility in mind. It can convert from a conventional bra to a strapless, halter, backless, and sometimes even a t-back bra to meet your fashion needs.
• Cupless bras - (also open cup bras; cf. shelf bras below) is a brassiere frame with no support cups, or which exposes the nipples with notched or contoured support cups. Usually worn as erotic lingerie, a cupless bra can cause the shape of the nipples to be prominently visible on an outer garment.
• Demi bras - also known as balconette bras, a half-cup bra style, with wide-set straps and horizontal bust line. Often seamed or boned, it gives great cleavage and a frame-like effect. These offer less support, but enable low cut garments to be worn without the bra being seen. Demi bras may be designed to provide lift as a push-up bra does.
• Full Figure Bra - If you are a large breasted woman, you will want a full figured bra. Full figure bras offer proper fit and comfort for larger sizes and designed to offer good support for the whole of the breasts and, as such, are a typical, practical bra for everyday wear.
• Gel bra - consist of two molded, silicon gel filled cups that have a reusable adhesive on the inside of the cups and are designed to clip together to draw the breasts together and upwards without straps or a band.
• Leather Bras - If you like leather, the leather bra is one more way to get your fix.
• Hand bra - is a modeling technique wherein the woman, though topless, conceals her areolae by covering both breasts with her hands.
• Mastectomy bras - are designed for mastectomy needs so that a prosthesis may be held in place and are intended for individuals who have lost one or both breasts in the treatment for breast cancer.
• Male bras - are bras worn by men with Gynecomastia, usually to flatten and conceal rather than lift and support.
• Maternity bras - are designed such that they can be expanded to adjust as the breasts growth in size over the course of pregnancy. Maternity bra may also refer to nursing bras.
• Minimizer bras - are designed to de-emphasize the bust, in particular of large-breasted women (34 C or above). Minimizers, by compressing and shaping the breasts, help to create the illusion of being a cup size or two smaller.
• Name Brand Bra -some people only want brand names and you know who you are. Brand loyalty is an important aspect of the bra industry. Once you find a great fitting bra, you will want to be able to get more from the same manufacturer.
• Novelty bras - designed more for show, and sensuality than function. Include unusual materials, such as leather, or design such as Peephole bras, which have cups which loosely cover the breasts, but include holes around the nipples.
• Nursing bras - are designed to help make breastfeeding simpler by allowing for easy access to the nipple. Traditionally, nursing bras are made with flaps of fabric over the cup which can be unclasped and pulled down to access the breast. Perfect for any breastfeeding mom.
• Padded bras - are simply bras with padding inside the lining. They are designed to provide a fuller shape for small breasts and an alternative to bra stuffing, a practice among teen-aged girls in which tissues, sugar packets, cotton balls, or socks are placed inside a bra to simulate larger breasts. Unlike push-up bras, however, most padded bras support the breasts but do not significantly lift them. (see also Water bras)
• Push-up bras - are structured so that the breasts are lifted and placed closer together to enhance the cleavage. The best known brand of push-up bra is the Wonderbra. Many push-up bras contain padding, typically made of foam or rubber, but some contain gel-filled pads. The main distinction between padded bras and push-up bras that incorporate padding is whether the padding is centered under each breast to simply lift them, or whether the padding is centered outside the centre of each breast such that it pushes the breasts inwards.
• Shelf bras - essentially a rigid band (underwired) along the inframamary line that pushes up without actually covering any, or only a thin strip of the breast.
• Sport Bras - provide firm support for the breasts, and are meant to prevent discomfort or embarrassment during vigorous exercise or any physical activity, You shouldn’t even consider doing sports of any kind without one!
• Strapless bras - with no shoulder straps, primarily designed for wearing with clothes that reveal the shoulders, such as halter neck tops, evening wear, strapless evening gowns and tops.
• Teen Bra - the right bra for beginners and their changing bodies. These are generally the AA and A cup sizes.
• T-shirt bras - are designed without raised seams, so that a tight t-shirt may be worn without the bra being visible.  It is soft and smooth and looks great under casual attire.
• Trainer bras - are designed for girls who have begun to develop breasts but have yet to be considered "developed" enough to allow for a standard-sized bra to fit properly. They are of simple construction and offer little, if any, support.
• Vintage Bra - You might be seeking the cone shaped, pointy bras from the 40's, or maybe a corset or bustier is more your style. Vintage bras have become popular in modern times but are just as restrictive!
• Water bras - were a vogue, in which bras were padded with a water gel. Air bras were a similar concept.
• Underwire Bra - Underwire bras or wire bras give you a "lift'.

Quote:  We are rich only through what we give, and poor only through what we refuse - Anne-Sophie Swetchine

Revolution of bras - Part I

Utility Bras 1940
Fashion history is always affected by material shortages during and immediately after wars,  In the war era after 1940, bras were made from minimal fabric when they bore the Utility mark. Utility bras were serviceable bras using broche, a cotton backed satin or drill and often peach pink in color.  Supplies were very limited and were best ordered.  Twilfit manufactured utility bras and Twilfit were a household name for roll-ons and bras in the 1950s.

Women also made their own bras from paper patterns or magazine guidelines for making bras and French knicker sets.  The fabric they used was sometimes parachute silk, parachute nylon or old satin wedding dresses.  Come the 1950s changes in textile technology saw new developments in all underwear items, but particularly in the costumes history of bras.

Latex to Dunlop's Lastex to Elastic
Although rubber had been around some time, it needed to be transformed into a textile fabric for use in clothing.  By the 30s, bra history was to change forever when Dunlop chemists were able to transform latex into reliable elastic thread in all sorts of dimensions.  The yarn was knitted or woven and eventually made into washable Lastex fabric.

Mr & Mrs Smith

Take a look at Angelina Jolie in Mr & Mrs Smith 2005 - all suited up on black latex corset / mini-dress replete with fishnet thigh-highs and a garter belt.  The latex corset sale did not pick up but the fishnet were seen on runways as wide ranging as Christian Dior and Versace.

Gossard Wonderbra 1968-1990s

Gossard Wonderbra ad

Memorable bra history was made when Gossard launched its Wonderbra campaign in 1968.  The byline went something like this - "makes 34 look 36, makes 36 look pow wow..."  It was and is still true.  Initially 36C was the top size of this revolutionary under wired bra that was a must for V-neck dress of the late sixties.  Low necked V caftans were transformed by the cleavages from a Wonderbra.  Eventually demand led to larger size being produced and is made today up to size 38D.

Those who longed for one, but were just one size too big simply bought a bra replacement fastener and used it as an extender.  They just hoped for the best and as the breasts were all pushed to the front a little pain was worth it to get the cleavage that no other bra could produce.  False inserts of extra wadding or foam rubber could be inserted into little pockets in the Wonderbra to give a little more fullness where the bust was lacking.  Eventually as women got larger, manufacturers increased the size range of such push bras.

In the 1990s when silicone breast implants and other implants caused scares, many women looked to bras to improve their breast size.  The Wonderbra was a huge hit and bestseller all over again in the 1990s.

It was and still is a magic bra, but Gossard eventually sold the rights to the name.  Gossards best alternative today is an uplift bra called the Ultrabra. 

A little history researched done on Wonderbra - although the Wonderbra name was first trademarked in the U.S. in 1935, the brand was developed in Canada. Moses (Moe) Nadler, founder and majority owner of the Canadian Lady Corset Company licensed the trademark for the Canadian market in 1939.  By the 1960s, the Canadian Lady brand had become known in Canada as "Wonderbra, the company." In 1961 the company introduced the Model 1300 plunge push-up bra. This bra became one of the best-selling Canadian styles and is virtually identical to today's Wonderbra.  In 1968 Canadian Lady changed its name to Canadian Lady-Canadelle Inc., was sold to Consolidated Foods (now Sara Lee Corporation), and later became Canadelle Inc. During the 1970s Wonderbra was repositioned as the company's fashionable and sexy brand, and became the Canadian market leader.

In 1991 the push-up Wonderbra became a sensation in the UK, although it had been sold there since 1964 under license by the Gossard division of Courtaulds Textiles.  SaraLee Corporation did not renew Gossard's license and redesigned the push-up style for the reintroduction of the Wonderbra to the U.S. market in 1994.

Since 1994, the Wonderbra has expanded from the single push-up design into a full range lingerie fashion label in most of the world.In most countries, the brand emphasizes sex-appeal.In its native Canada, the brand however promotes the functional qualities of its products - a departsure from the strategy that made Wonderbra the top-seller in the 1970s.

Bra Slips

Bra Slip

Bra slips were a sixties hit for short skimpy dresses and gave a freedom unknown before.  This strange hybrid was an under wired cleavage bra with a short mini nylon slip all in one. Tights, panties, bra slip and top dress and that were it.  Never before had women worn so little.  What would Victorian and Edwardian matrons have made of it all? In the early 21^st century the bra slip made a re-appearance in stores such as Marks and Spencer.

The Return of Cleavage - 1990s

Madonna

Madonna sported ice cream coned circular stitched cups on her Gaultier corset on stage in her 'Blonde Ambition' tour.  Nothing shocked anyone anymore.  Gaultier first did designs based on the conical breast in the 1980s, but it took Madonna to approve the style in the 1990s.  Sexy lace bras came back into the shops.  La Senza, La Perla, Rigby and Peller, Triumph, Lejaby, Victoria's Secret and even Marks & Spencer sold delectable lace bra confections and exquisite matching briefs or thongs. Now of course the Madonna images of her in her coned bra look horribly dated. 

Very plain Tactel underwear slips introduced in the 90s gave such a good line beneath dresses making it at last possible to wear unlined dresses successfully without static build up.

By the mid 90s there were usually only 2 styles of full length all in one corselette girdles at Marks & Spencer. This is an important fact in the UK as Marks & Spencer is a major retailer of undergarments of all types.  The women who shed their bras in the sixties were occasionally seeking a bit more figure control for the straighter sheath dresses back in fashion.  The other option many opted for were Lycra support panties that lifted the bottom or tights with control panels. 

By the end of the 90s the UK bra market alone was worth half a billion pounds.  Another billion was spent on other foundation underwear. 

Bioform Bras - The First Miracle of the Millennium 2000 
With so much capital income possible, it's little wonder then, that Charnos decided to invest heavily in designing a new uplift bra suited to all sizes, but with those with fuller cup sizes in mind.  G cups are included rather than ignored. After research and development was complete they took the plunge and in 2000 they launched the Bioform Bra. 

The Bioform Bra uplifts and contours the breasts so well that it immediately takes ten years off a sideways sagging bust.  If you are past 40 with a full cup size you may realize that you have not seen your breasts in this position for twenty years.  It has an effect that centers the breasts more, whilst uplifting them at the same time.  And it does it up to size 42DD with many smaller sizes going up to G cups.  Probably its greatest achievement is to successfully lift large breasts and make them look more youthful.

The Bioform Bra is helpful for giving a more youthful shape to women who have had trouble getting good uplift before.  To be honest when you put the bra on, it seems to look much like any other, but once you put clothes on top of it you realize the bust silhouette is younger and sexier.  It does take a few days to get used to wearing one and they do not suit everyone.  The sides are quite firm pre molded plastic materials that replace under wires, so the harder feel at the sides of it is different.  It takes a few days to get used to the change of support.  One way of coping with this is to get used to the bra by wearing it on alternate days for a while. 

Wearers who find that shoulder straps normally cut into their flesh will soon notice that the redistribution of breast weight means that unsightly and uncomfortable shoulder welts from strap marks just don't happen.

On the negative side there were only ever a few fabric versions.  The original lace fabric used was not the most eyes catching either, due to technical production process.  To be fair the unfussy fabric did give a smooth tailored outline.  However in 2002 more eye catching attractive, sexier lacy versions were put in the shops and when compared to the original version were much prettier. However due to the change of circumstances at Charnos these bras are hard to get other than via the internet. The bra was designed by two well respected male product design engineers but the cost of putting this bra into production was so great that Charnos sold out a couple of years later. 

After Charnos was bought out the organization restructured, the Bioform bra has sadly been in demise in stores within the UK.  In the UK, one should go to Figleaves for a great selection of bras, lingerie and money off bargains. If you join their email list service you can get regular updates of wide range bras on offer.  Simply great when you know your size and are confident with a particular style.  Figleaves has been as successful as an online venture that it ranks as UK online retailer of the year.

Stay tune to part II of The Revolution of Bras
Quote: The only courage you ever need is the courage to live your heart’s desire.” - Oprah Winfrey