I recently bought a couple of new bras after suspecting that my bra size had changed and thought it might be a good idea to chat a little bit about bras and finding the right size etc. on here. 

It turned out I was correct and after a fitting I left with two new very comfortable bras. I am just over the average end of the bra spectrum at a 34E and have had back trouble in the past because of poor fitting bras. These new ones felt so comfortable that it was almost odd. I soon realised I’d been wearing the wrong size for about half a year, which is worrying. It’s not that I didn’t care, in fact I’d been meaning to get fitted for a new bra for more than half of that time, it’s just that life and work took over. How silly is that? The majority of women wear a bra everyday, so it’s pretty important that we are wearing the right one. 

Now how about some horror stories to prove my point?

When I was 13 years old I actually had a member of a very well known, established high-street store tell me that wearing underwire bras can cause cancer. Yes that actually happened, and I was a very impressionable teenager at the time. I was so worried I tried to find non-underwire bras, and stopped wearing the ones that I had. Obviously I soon found out that this wasn’t true after I told my mum a few months later. Several years on and I finally went back to the same store to be fitted for a new bra. The woman looked at me, and without measuring me, told me I was a 32C. Up to this point I’d been wearing a 32E so I knew this wasn’t true. I tried to tell her this but she refused to believe me and told me to try on the C cup bras she had brought me. I was quite upset but tried them anyway, because “Hey, this is her job so she must be able to do it properly, right?” Wrong. The bras were painfully uncomfortable and I left the store very annoyed and with no new bra. 

I haven’t been back since.

My point here is that there are a lot of myths and silliness concerning bras and your size, so it’s important that you know what is best for you, and that you get the best fit. If I had let these people leave a long-term impression I would be wearing the completely wrong bra for me, and I’d also probably have long-term back problems. There are a lot of things to take into consideration when buying a bra such as the size, fit and style of the bra – not all styles will fit in your particular size or offer you the support you need. That’s why I think it’s important to be fitted, because you can discuss sizes and styles with the assistant. They’ll tell you which will fit you best and which ones to stay away from. Alternatively you can try finding out your bra size yourself at home. This method can be flawed, but is helpful for those who aren’t comfortable with doing it in a store.

I have since been to several other high-street stores that have offered great bra fittings, which I would highly recommend. These are House of Fraser, Ann Summers and Boux Avenue. All 3 stores offer something different but have impressed me with their services. I buy my regular t-shirt bras from Boux Avenue (sizes A-G) and at only £18 each, they are a bargain! I have a couple of lacey bras from House of Fraser, which are a little more expensive but offer great quality. Finally if I fancy something a bit sexier I go to Ann Summers, who have some gorgeous bras for larger busted women – something that is not always easy to find. 

So here’s to finding the perfect bra for you – good luck!