These are the five times you need to get fitted for a new bra – so how many have YOU accidentally missed?
LET'S be honest - no one actually likes going for a bra fitting.
After all, they're uncomfortable, time-consuming and - most of all - COLD.
But if you frequently wear the wrong bra size, you can run the risk of back pain, premature sagging and bad posture.
According to , there are five key times in our lives where we should ALL be getting our bra sizes measured.
So how many have YOU accidentally missed?
1. After finishing puberty
Most women get measured for their first bra when they start going through puberty.
But it's equally as important to have another fitting in your late teens too when your breasts have stopped growing.
Eight in ten women are wearing the wrong size bra, according to research, and half of women have not had a bra fitting in more than seven years.
Even if you don't think you've gone up a cup size, having another fitting once you've finished puberty could prevent you wearing an ill-fitting bra all through your twenties.
FIVE TIPS TO FIND THE PERFECT BRA FROM BLUEBELLA FOUNDER EMILY BENDELL
- The band should be parallel to the floor and sufficiently tight that only two fingers can fit under the elastic
- The centre point of the bra – between the cups – should sit completely flat against your body
- The side wire should be flat against your ribcage and not digging into breast tissue at all
- The cups should be big enough that your breast sit fully inside them without spilling out at all
- The straps should be adjusted so you can only fit two fingers on top of each other to give the right pressure for your shoulder
2. As your weight fluctuates
The whole point of a bra is to provide your boobs will support.
So if you've lost or gained a few pounds in lockdown, it's important to figure out your new measurements - even if you're not at your goal weight yet.
Last year, TikTok star Madison - who was a sales assistant a prominent lingerie company - revealed how you can measure yourself at home in just two steps.
3. After having a baby
It's commonplace to wear maternity bras when you're pregnant and/or breastfeeding.
During your second and third trimester, it's recommended that you move to wireless bras to reduce the risk of mastitis.
As very few women go back to their pre-baby bra-size, it's important you get measured again after you've given birth.
4. When you come off hormonal birth control
The hormones in birth control pills can have an impact on your cup size - but only as long as you're taking them.
So if you notice that your breasts have grown while taking the contraception, it's a good idea to have another fitting when you come off in case they shrink again.
5. When you begin going through the menopause
Some women experience a loss in breast density during the menopause which is what causes boobs to sag.
So during this time, it's mort important than ever wear the correct bra size which offers enough support.
How to measure your bra size at home:
To measure your bra size at home, all you need to be wearing is a non-padded bra and have a tape measure in inches to hand.
First, you need to measure around the bottom of the band of the bra directly under the bust - making sure the tape is very snug.
Take the measurement in inches and round it up to the nearest inch.
If the size is an even number add four, and if it is odd add five - this will then give you your back size.
Then take the tape measure across your bust and again measure in inches, rounding to the nearest inch.
The difference in the inches between the two then gives the cup size. For example, a one inch difference would make you an A, two a B, three a C, four a DD, five a DD, six an E and so on.
So if your back size is 34 inches and your bust size is 37 inches, that would make you a 34C.
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