How to buy a well-fitting bra if you have big boobs
IMAGE VIA BRAS AND THINGS
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
BI ra shopping doesn’t have to be painful.
As an angsty adolescent with freshly-acquired boobs, I remember feeling so excited to go shopping for my first bra. After years of wearing cartoon character crop tops and singlets ‘with shelving’ (I was completely flat-chested but my mum humoured me, bless her), I was finally joining the ranks of girlies with alphabet cup sizes. No more shopping in the kids’ section for me!
The charm quickly wore off as my boobs – which came in quite late to the party – continued to grow at what felt like an alarming rate. And because I didn’t particularly love the bra shopping experience to begin (less womanly magic, more elderly woman under fluorescent lights with a tape measure), my rapidly-expanding chest suffered through many months of ill-fitting underwires.
For more musings on big boobs in fashion, head here.
It wasn’t until I settled into my chest that I finally invested in some high-quality lingerie – and I couldn’t believe the difference it made to my confidence (and wardrobe). Clothing looked better on me, I felt infinitely more secure and I didn’t have to deal with the red marks and digging straps anymore. So as a well-fitting bra convert, I was excited to see Bras N Things’ new size-inclusive collection. Below, the brand’s Head of Product, Jessica Lauppe Guy, speaks on how to buy a great bra if you’re someone with bigger boobs.
Why is it important to find a well-fitting bra?
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Comfort! If your bra fits well, it will feel amazing to wear all day. Also, a great fit can really benefit so many things – from back health [to your] silhouette in clothing to confidence!
If you’ve got a bigger cup size, then back support is crucial. Go for styles with thicker straps and a wider band with more hooks… there are a lot of factors that can make bras uncomfortable. [Factors like] shoulder straps not being the right width and digging in because they are holding the weight of the breast tissue. The bra around the body needs to be firm enough to hold it in place so the straps are not doing all the work, but wide enough that they don’t dig in and sit flat on the body.
A great option would be the Body Bliss range. The second generation has been designed for those with a fuller cup size, with plenty of comfort additions like a soft pillow hook and eye closure, convertible straps… and a wide band that creates a smoothing effect under clothes.
What are some of the key indicators we should be looking for in a well-fitting bra?
There are four key factors to look out for: no spill on cups, no riding up at the back, no slipping cups and comfort! When fitting a bra for your cup size you will need to factor in a few things… if you are a size DD+, you have extra weight. [This] means more support is needed – after all your bra is holding a couple of kilos of breast tissue!
In the bra fitting stage, it is important to know that bust shapes can differ between A cups to DD+ women. You might have a pear-shaped bust (which sits lower on the body), or some women might sit higher on the top where cleavage is exposed. You need to find the right cup shape that suits the bust.
For example, some people suit a balconette shape, where they fall into the cup, while others need a plunging shape to hold them in.
For those who don’t want to go in for a bra fitting, can you explain how to self-fit?
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Finding the perfect-fitting bra is made easier for our consumers! If you get stuck, you can refer to our measurement steps online and use the calculator to look at the result.
The first thing you will need to do is find the band and cup size for your shape… the first step is to determine your body size, which is based on your ‘under bust’ size. The second step is to determine your cup size, which is based on your ‘over bust’ size and how it ‘fits’ with your body size (using our clever fitting matrix).
You need the band feeling firm around the body for no ride up, no slip-on straps and a well-positioned wire and cup capacity so that the wire sits flat to the ribcage and the cup is just right the capacity. No spillover and no excess!
What are some of the important bras to have to build out your wardrobe?
Something smooth for a solution every day, something special and a sports bra! Fabric is important. We often try to make it as delicate as possible while still giving support. The Body Bliss 2nd Gen Full Cup Bra is the perfect example, as it’s designed with the fuller-cup woman in mind. It provides all-day support and comfort.
The inside of the binds has a rigid sling of fabric hidden inside the foam, which holds everything in. We also add an extra lining in most cups, which you won’t be able to necessarily see – but it adds [support] and helps to shape [the bra]. We are proud to have increased our sizing range up to size 22 and H cup, offering customers more choices in their lingerie options than ever before.
For more on big boobs and fashion, head here.
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