3 things to know when finding the perfect bra

If you tend to find yourself loathing going bra shopping - you’re not alone. Time-consuming and more than often frustrating, trying to find the perfect bra is a universal conundrum for women.

Checking you’re wearing the right bra size is more important than most of us might think and while we would always suggest getting fitted properly, because of our ever-changing bodies, it’s also important to learn how to check our bra size ourselves at home.

Thankfully, to make it that bit easier, the lingerie brand ThirdLove has created a bra calculator, which takes all the stress and time out of finding your bra size. Check yours now by clicking the link below and scroll down for 3 of the most important tips from the brand.

How to choose the right bra:

Go for fit over style

It may sound obvious, but when picking out a bra, comfort should always be chosen over style. In fact, most of us will find that we’ve probably all been wearing the wrong bra size for years. Part of this reason is that most of us have more than often choose bras that we think will look good but have not actually too much thought about the fit. There can be consequences of this too, with it being proven that wearing the wrong size bra can be damaging to your breast tissue and cause complications later in life.

There are some key things to look out for when checking to see if your bra cup is the right size. A quick hack to this is what is called ‘the T-shirt test’, whereby if you put on a white T-shirt and if you can the bra very clearly, whether it's the cup edge bulging or gaping, or the strap or the sides where it might be digging in - you're wearing the wrong size.

=Find your right boob shape

There is no such thing as ‘normal’ when it comes to our breasts. Instead, boobs come in all shapes and sizes and no two people have breasts that look exactly the same. Which is why when it comes to buying a bra, it isn’t all just to do with size. Actually, we should be thinking about which bras are best suited to the shape of our boobs. Here are some of the most common boob types:

Slender breasts are slimmer at the top and fuller at the button, and tend to be slimmer in shape. A wireless or a V-shaped bra, that will give the illusion of a fuller bust will be the best option for you.

Teardrop boobs, as the name would suggest are rounded but slightly less full at the top, giving the shape of teardrops. Luckily for you, these are the most easygoing type of breast shape, suiting most bras.

Relaxed boobs are distinguishable by their lax shape and downward-pointing nipples. If this is you, opt for a push-up bra which will give both life and dimension.

Check the fit shape

When it comes to the fit and feel of your bra, it should neither be too tight, digging in nor loose enough that your straps fall down. In fact, no matter what type of bra you’re wearing, the band should fit comfortably around your body, snug but not tight. A quick tip: Always start wearing a new bra on the loosest hook and hook tighter as the band stretches over time.