edukatorz.com

Kicking it old school.

It hurts the Edukatorz whenever we see a lady wearing a bra that clearly isn’t working for her. We consider it a crime against breasts, a crime we just won’t stand for. As a PSA we want to let all the ladies know that everyone can tell when your bra is the incorrect size. Even dudes who may not know that that’s the problem know something’s wrong with your breasts.

Making sure the bra you’re wearing is not only the correct size, but the correct cut for you is important. Wearing the correct bra for you not only makes your clothes fit better, it also improves your posture, makes you look more svelte and it makes your breasts happy. Everyone likes happy breasts.

1) What’s wrong with your bra size?

Apparently 80% of all women wear the incorrect bra size, a travesty of epic proportions. Clearly your breasts aren’t going to be happy if your bra size is incorrect.

When you’re wearing the correct size bra your bra should fit the following way:
- The band should be flat and parallel to your body
- The straps should go straight up or in a slight V and shouldn’t sag or dig into your shoulders
- The cups should fit just below the crease of your breast
- The breasts should snuggly fit in the cup
- The center front should lay flat

Alas, many people’s bras do not fit them like this and they are wearing the incorrect size. Below are some of the tells to let you know what’s wrong with your bra size.
Band Size is too Big
A big problem you see is women wearing a band size that’s too big for her. The band is what supports the breasts the most and should be able to support your breasts largely without the aid of bra straps. A lot of women think they’re a 36C for instance when they’re actually a 34D. You can tell if your band size is too big if the band in the back rides up your back, like a pulley for your breasts, except your breasts are the weight. Your band could also be too big if the shoulder straps are digging into you, since the shoulder straps could be doing the support work the band is supposed to do.

Band Size is too Small
A problem you don’t see as often is wearing a band size that’s too small, but it does happen sometimes and can be really uncomfortable. If the band is cutting into your skin, chances are it’s too small. If the front of the band pulls down causing the underwire to sit down further than the underside of your breast, your band size is too small.

Cup Size is too Big
Cup size is an important factor. A lot of times when women lose weight, they forget that they may have gone down a cup size or two. If the cups look baggy, chances are you need to try a smaller size.

Cup Size is too Small
Your cup size might be too small because you’ve recently gained weight or are going through hormonal changes around your period, pregnancy, etc. If you get the dreaded “tri” or “quad” boob where your breasts are bulging up and over the top of your cups, then your cup size is too small. Your cup could also be too small if the underwire is digging into your breasts underneath your arms. The cup is supposed to support all of the breast tissue, not just some of it.

2) Properly Measuring Yourself

If you’re wearing the wrong size bra, you’re going to have to be properly measured to make sure you’re wearing the correct bra size. We like to go to a fancy lingerie boutique or a department store like Nordstrom or Bloomingdales once a year to make sure we have the right size. If for some reason you can’t make it out to one of these places all you need is a tape measure and you can easily measure yourself or have a friend measure you.

Begin by wearing your best fitting bra (even if it’s ill fitting) and tighten the straps so your breasts aren’t sagging. Take a deep breath and measure around your ribcage directly below your breasts after you’ve breathed the air out of your lungs. Make sure the tape measure is parallel to the floor and directly below your breasts. Once you have the measurement round up or down to the closest whole inch (please tell us you don’t need help rounding). Add 4 inches to the total if it’s an even number and 5 inches to the total if it’s an odd number, this is your band size.

Now that you have your band size it’s time to move onto your cup size. Stand straight and measure around the fullest part of your breast. Make sure the tape measure is parallel and that the tape measure isn’t too binding. Round the measurement you get to the nearest whole number and subtract your band size from this number. Ex. you measure a 36 around your breasts and your band size is a 34, 36″-34″ = 2″ = B cup. We made you a handy chart below to figure out your cup size.

*Note: If one breast is slightly smaller than the the other breast, don’t worry about it, it’s normal. Just try to size your bra so that it fits the larger breast.

3) Get the Right Type of Bra For Your Body

Not every type of bra is going to be a good fit for your breasts. The purpose of a bra is to support your breasts and if you have large breasts, that really cute demi-cup you were eying may not do the trick. There are a bunch of different types of bras, but for now we’ll just familiarize you with the two types of cup sizes. In the future, we’ll delve more into other bra types.

Demi-cup: A demi-cup bra is a bra where the cup doesn’t fully cover the breasts. While very cute, it’s not very functional for women who are a D cup or above since it tends to lead to boob spillage.

Full-cup: Full cup is exactly what it sounds like, a full cup for your breasts. This bra works on all breast types and sometimes is the only choice for those with bigger chests. The full-cup bra may not be the cutest bra out there, but it’s functional. If you don’t think it looks sexy, don’t worry, anyone you want seeing you in a bra probably wants to get you out of your bra.

4) Try Stuff on First

Breasts are a finicky beast and just because you know the correct size and type of bra you want, doesn’t mean it’s always going to fit well. Every brand fits differently, trust us. We’ve tried on 3-4 different brands of the same size bra and only walked away feeling one brand really fit well. Take the extra time to try stuff on and make sure it fits correctly.

When trying on a bra it should fit as stated above. Make sure the straps are properly adjusted and put the band on the loosest clasp to make sure it’s a snug enough fit.

If you want to buy your bras online, that’s cool, we’re all about e-commerce and have been known to buy our accouterments over the interwebs, but this is only after we’re sure of the fit of the specific brand we’re buying.

5) Know When To Say Goodbye

We know it’s sad when you have to say goodbye to your favorite bra, but unfortunately they don’t last forever. The only thing worse than wearing an ill sized bra is a bra that’s clearly worn out. Make sure wear your new bras on the loosest clasp of the band and gradually tighten the band as the elasticity in the band wears out. When the bra is loose on the tightest clasp, that’s when you know it’s time to throw it away.