WOMEN WEAR DAILY
Is your body full and lush or slim and svelte? Women's bodies have been celebrated since time immemorial. From the breast baring beauties of ancient Crete to the painted ladies of Peter Paul Rubens to the Women of photographer Annie Lebovitz. Fashion tries to police not only what we clothe our bodies with, but the very bodies themselves. But fashion, as we know only too well, fades. Flat chested flappers dissolve into full figured sex goddesses who give way to stick thin fashion models who bow to big, beautiful rappers. While my private agenda is to promote acceptance and joy in our own individual contours, I gotta admit that at times we all need a little boost. So we may as well make the best of 'em.
Over The Shoulder Bolder Holders
A phrase coined, no doubt, by some modern Neanderthal.
Eighty percent of women wear the wrong size bras! We used to have to go to a specialist to get fitted with every new bra we bought, but the plethora of purchasing possibilities has made us lazy.
Ill fitting brassieres can create itchy, irritated skin and aching backs to say nothing of a certain down in the dumpy look.
You should measure your bra size once a year. Even if your weight hasn't changed, your shape may have.
Individual bras should be worn no longer than three or four months. The modern fibers they're made of start to wear out and break down and just don't hold you up the way they should after this amount of time and wear.
If you have a collection of bras and wear them intermittently, they will, of course, last longer.
Test the cup, straps, and back band before you buy. Stretch it from side to side and up and down. You want to be sure it doesn't stretch too easily in all directions, if it does it'll wear out more quickly and won't give much support. I always replace elastic straps with woven ones.
Make sure your new bra fits best when hooked on the loosest option. This gives you some leeway when the band starts to stretch with age.
Getting fitted by a professional is still the best idea. They know their stock and which style would work best for what body, they'll do alterations for a small fee, and they'll tell you when they're having a sale!
But if you just don't have the where-with-all...
Here's How To Do It Yourself:
If your breasts stand alone you can do this in the buff, if they'd benefit from a lift - measure in the best bra you own.
Wrap a flexible tape measure around your rib cage just under the bust line. This will be your bra/band size.
Next measure across the fullest point of your breasts. This number will help you figure out your cup size.
Bras are sized in even numbers. If your measurement is odd - round up.
Each inch of bust measurement above the rib cage/band measurement denotes a higher cup size. For example : rib cage = 34 inches, breasts = 38 inches your size is 34D; rib cage = 39 inches, breasts = 40 inches your size is 40A.
There is no agreed upon standard within the industry with regards to bra sizing. As a matter of fact even within a single manufacturer's product line, the sizes may be inconsistent, so don't get discouraged if a specific style doesn't fit. Just try a different size.
