Written by Editorial Team
Till very recently, women in India were quite embarrassed about shopping for bras. As a result, most women end up wearing bras that are wrong for them – either because they felt that asking for the right kind was too audacious or because they did not know their right size. This article helps you with the perfect bra shopping.
Fortunately, things are changing, slowly but surely, thanks to exclusive online lingerie shops and the fact that most cloth department shops now have an exclusive (and isolated) section for lingerie with staff to help measure your size. Knowing your right size, however, is only the first step. Read on to understand tips to choose the perfect bra for you.
In This Article
If you are like many women who have spent a lot of money buying the wrong kind of bra, then these tips will surely come handy for you:
There are two elements to the size of your bra: cup size and band size. If your breasts are spilling from the sides of your cup, then you have the wrong cup size. If the flab is sticking or bulging out from the side of your band, then you have the wrong band size. If your bra is not giving you the required, snug fit and lift, then you have the wrong band and cup size.
In India, in general, women tend to wear bras that are a size smaller – perhaps because of the embarrassment involved in asking for a bigger cup or perhaps because they do not know their right size. SO understanding your size is the first and most important step.
Do not fall for the all-purpose bra trap. There are different kinds of bras – tee-shirt bras, minimizer bras, sports bras, etc. And each one of them has a specific purpose. See the next section to know the five kinds of bras that every woman should own
There are online lingerie shops like Zivame gaining popularity in India. You can not only buy the size and type you want from the comfort of your house but also get access to a wide range of international brands. Each bra would be accompanied by a detailed size chart, which again makes your shopping experience better. And the best part is, most of these websites offer “try and buy” and return policies
Bras tend to stretch up to 2-3 inches upon use. So when you buy a bra, make sure it fits the best in the loosest hook (i.e. The last hook). This way, over time, when the bra stretches, you can use the tighter hooks
While funky colors, laces, and embroideries are all great, make sure that you buy something that is practical and comfortable. A good bra is expensive. Ensure that you wear it under a tee-shirt, a dress, a saree blouse, and a Kurti, before making the choice. Also remember that with time, breast size also changes and you will need to get yourself measured. Try going in for a measurement every 6 months
Apart from these shopping tips, you also need to take good care of your lingerie. Hand wash is strongly advised. Do not iron, do not bleach, and never put in the dryer. Also, once a bra does go past its due date, it is wise to find another one. Do not continue to use old and worn-out bras, for it will result in saggy, pointing downwards breasts.
Following are the top 5 must-have bras for every woman:
This is a tricky period. Your breasts are changing in shape and size. And you do not know if and when you should buy a bigger sized bra. But interestingly, your bra size might not change much in the first and second trimesters. By the third trimester, instead of buying a new set of bigger sized bras, our suggestion is to directly buy bigger sized nursing bras.
You would definitely need to buy them after your baby, so why differentiate two sets when you can wear nursing bras while not nursing too? Furthermore, nursing bras are made of very soft and comforting fabric, so if your nipples are sore by the last trimester it becomes a great choice.
When in doubt about whether you need a bigger cup size or band size, follow this rule- if opting for bigger cup size, go down in the band size and vice versa.
The bra should be tight enough so that you get a feeling that it is holding. However, the tightness should not be so much that it makes it uncomfortable to wear the bra. At any point in time, you should be able to insert two fingers easily under both sides of the bra at the same time.
Read Also: What are Maternity and Nursing Bras?
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