Bra Fitting Tips

Bra Fitting TipsI'll never forget the morning that I was about to leave for school in six grade and my mother ever so gently stopped me right before I walked out the door for the school bus. I was wearing a hand me down striped cotton bra that had belonged to my older sister Cassie and apparently I wasn't wearing it properly. "So, it needs to be lower to line up with your actual ....… Chest." My mom tugged the bra into place as I had stuffed it with Kleenex and was wearing it approximately 4 inches above where it should go. My bra was positioned more like a necklace than an actual useful undergarment. These were the first bra fitting tips I ever got.I spent a few years rogue buying things from Marshall's in the size I imagined I was. By this point I no longer needed the Kleenex and was hunching over trying to hide the fact that I had developed a fuller chest than I desired. I remember being a teenager and having other girls tease me about my chest and it just made me want to disappear. One girl pronounced loudly during silent reading when we were 14 that "Megan's chest is going to be so saggy when she's older… How embarrassing!" Well, the good news is with the proper bra fitting tips that actually does not have to be true. Ha.My first bra fitting took place in a small boutique in Maine when I was doing some shopping to get ready to go to college with my godmother. We were looking at bras and she asked me what size I was so I answered 36b. I can distinctly remember her face at that moment when she looked me up-and-down and just said " oh no, absolutely not. No one has ever fit you properly for a bra before have they?" I was shocked to learn that day when I was measured that I was a 32DD. I actually remember feeling very upset and I think there may have even been tears. The older European woman measuring me was very sweet and she said: "you are going to be so surprised when you wear the correct, size. Everything is going to feel more comfortable and your clothes will fit so much better." She was 100% right and the proper size made all the difference.I think that there is a certain stigma about bra size and we all seem to decide that it actually matters what the numbers say… But the numbers don't matter at all, what matters is that you feel your absolute best and you maximize your potential. A properly fitted bra gives better support which comes from the band not from the straps. Most people wear their bras slightly too high creating a ridge in their skin because it is not properly positioned. Victoria's Secret (at least in my experience) does not have a band size below 32 but there are many many people who are 28 and even 30. As it turns out my band size is actually a 30 and I can't believe how much more comfortable it is when the band fits properly.Rigby and Pelletier has a great selection of bras and if you make an appointment they will take the time to measure you and find something that really works for you. Isn't it funny that we all spend time and money on the things that people see on the outside but for things that we wear every day we often just use what we have or grab something quickly that's on sale? Bra fitting tips.Make sure that you have been measured for the proper band size. I recommend going somewhere other than Victoria's Secret as they will always try to sell you a bra that they carry but they do not carry very small band sizes or very large.Wash your bras by hand or on the delicate cycle inside a protective mesh bra bag to prolong the life of your bras and do not dry them.Buy a bra which fits you on the last hook when you purchase it so that as it stretches you can adjusted to a tighter hook.Rotate your bras and do not wear the same bra two days in a row so that it can have a break and go back to its original shape.If you've worn a bra frequently make sure to retire it after year as you will no longer be getting the support from it that you need.Don't be upset about your cup size. So many women are wearing B's when they should be D's. You're worth is not determined by the size of your bra. Get over it and where the undergarment that makes you look your best!When you are trying on bras make sure to bring a shirt or two with you so that you can try it on to see the shape of the cups and if you feel comfortable with how it looks for day today wear. I wear lots of scoopneck's and full coverage bras show so I need something that is cut lower like a balconette.Maybe talking about bras is a personal thing, I don't know but I believe that the things that you do for yourself add up to the best end result. Beauty is taking care of yourself and feeling great every day and if you are wearing an ill fitting bra and it's riding up itching you or  is uncomfortable in any way, you're going to be distracted from being the best you. You'll be amazed how much a proper bra fitting can change your life. Do you have any bra fitting tips to add to this? I'd love to hear from you!