Bra Fitting Buyers Tips and Advice

More than 80% of women wear the wrong size bra; this quick and easy guide is to help you find out if you are one of them. Although we always recommend coming into Pollard and Read for a complimentary fitting these guidelines should help you identify your problem areas and the possible solution.

The most common forms of a badly fitting bra is having to larger band and too smaller cups. In such cases the bust is only supported by the shoulder straps which can cause unnecessary pressure on the shoulders. Other common problems are listed below;    

• Back Band too High on the Back – If your back band is riding to high up your back when it is being worn, your band size is more than likely too big for you. A correctly fitting back band should sit parallel with the wires at the front. The solution might be trying a smaller band size.

• Back Band too Tight.- If this is the case you will often notice a pain when just sitting or standing on the side of your bust and might find it difficult to get comfortable. You should be able to stretch the back band a little way from the body comfortably, if you can’t do this try a larger band size.

• Shoulder straps digging into your shoulders- This might be a simple case of needing to adjust thestraps; if this is the case remember strap length doesn’t have to be symmetrical because one breast is often bigger than the other! Painful shoulder straps however could also be the result of too larger back band so you are not getting the necessary support and all of the pressure is being put onto the shoulders, if this is the case you might want to try a smaller band size.

• Underwire that is lifted from the breast bone -  Under wiring should always lay flat against the skin, fitting nicely between the rib cage and the bust. If the underwire is lifted then you might want to consider trying a larger cup size. This is also the case if the wiring to the side of your breast is digging in to the side breast tissue.

• Spillage over the top pf the cup – This might be most easily spotted whilst you are wearing a thin or close top. When the cup size is too small it causes the bust to spill out over the cup and leave an unflattering line. Ideally the top of the bust should be in line with the top of the cup. Try a bigger cup until you achieve a nice flat line.

• Creased or loose cups-  Once you have properly adjusted the bust when the bra is on you should not be able to see any creases or puckering in the material. If creases do appear it might be because you need a smaller cup size due to a hormonal change or weight loss.

Wearing an ill-fitting bra can not only be bad for your self-esteem but can also be detrimental to your health. Badly fitting bras can contribute to both headaches and neck pain and according to The British School of Osteopathy can put undue stress on bones and muscles leading to breathing problems.

A well fitted bra will ensure that the breasts a correctly supported from underneath, not just the shoulders and having a correctly fitted bra will ensure breast health for longer and can also make you look slimmer and clothes fit better as a good bra will enhance and flatter your natural shape.

If you would like a fitting please feel free to walk in and one of our trained fitters will try to help but alternatively to avoid disappointment please call us on 01263 714011 to book an appointment. All our fittings are carried out in a private fitting room and in the strictest of confidence. We hope that we can make the fitting experience informative and fun but most importantly we want you to leave confident in your purchase and in yourself.