Many women only go for a bra fitting just once in their lives (if that), so it's unsurprising to find that 80 per cent of us are wearing the wrong size in the UK.
As the world’s leading lingerie brand, Victoria’s Secret has 2,000 bra fit experts worldwide; we spoke to one of them, Edita Solak, to find out why so many of us are wearing the wrong size and what we should be doing to prevent it.
How to know if you're wearing the wrong size
"We must look at four components: band, cups, straps and centre gore," Solak explains, adding that, while your bra might feel comfortable, it's the wrong size if it's not exactly fitting to the contours of your body.
If the band is rising up your back it means you're wearing a size too big; if you have spillage over the cup it means it's too small. No matter what size you are, the centre of the bra should always sit flat to your ribcage and if the straps are falling down, you might need a bra with adjustable straps.
Why so many of us are getting it wrong
"Some women wear band sizes that are too big due to feeling it should be loose for comfort—but 80 per cent of support comes from the band so a bra should fit snug and still feel comfortable at the same time," says Solak.
If you have a gap in your cup it's easy to mistake this as being a size too big, but in some instances you could just be wearing the wrong cup shape - not all bra styles were made to fit all breasts. Solak also advises against wearing a size too small to gain more cleavage, as this isn't providing proper support. "If a cup is too small then the bra's wire sits on the breast tissue which may cause discomfort and not support you properly. We would recommend trying different bra silhouettes to find a frame that suits you best."
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How to make sure you're wearing the right one
Solak recommends that that you should have a fitting every six months, as "your body is always changing". To make sure that your bras offer you the best support between these fittings, it's really important to take care of them when washing so they stay in shape. "The best thing to do is hand-wash all bras and then dry them on a flat surface," she explains. "Bras should be interchanged every day or two so that they keep their elasticity and don't wear out too quickly." She recommends that once you find the perfect-fitting bra that you love, you should have three on hand - one to wear, one to wash and one to rest.
Below, Victoria's Secret Angel Romee Strijd, face of the Bra Fit campaign, shares her health, fitness and beauty tips.
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