A Checklist to Follow Before Buying your Bra

Women who wear perfect fitting bras have the proper support that their breasts need, which then contributes to proper posture, confidence, and good health. Conversely, wearing the wrong bra size can contribute to neck, shoulder, or back pain, which could lead to poor posture or worse—a deformity in the spine from the change in the curvature of the back from years of bad posture.

Prevention is better than cure, so how can women tell if the bra they’re wearing is the right one? Here’s a checklist to follow before buying your bra:

The perfect fit

For the perfect bra size, take these measurements first, taking care that tape measure isn’t too tight or too loose around the body:

• Band size, measuring around the rib cage just below the breasts, provides 90% of the support that the breasts need. Bust measurement is the widest part of the bust area along the nipples, measuring this area all-around from back to front. Cup size measures the fullest part of the breast and should comfortably cover the breasts.

Kinds of bra

• Different kinds of bra provide comfort for specific needs. Know what kind of support your breasts need—consider your daily activities, the clothes you prefer to wear, your body frame—especially for women who have large breasts. There are special plus size bras especially designed for them. Trying on a bra is just as important as trying on clothes and shoes, so make sure you try them on for snug fit and comfort. To know if the bra fits perfectly, you should be able to place two fingers snugly under the band around the back of the bra.