Burn your (Penneys) bras!

No I haven't turned into an old school 'feminazi' I have just decided to reclaim my breasts from cheap, ill fitting bras.

The right underwear can make you look slimmer, improve your posture and support your chest. After suffering from back problems to the point where taking my bra off at the end of the day came as true relief I decided to try and find the root of the problem. 

                   

I have always bought Penneys bras just guessing my size. Due to weight gain, and just maturing in general my breasts doubled in size in a short time, yet I still was wearing bras with the wrong cup and back size! I think women have a bit of a thing about wearing a bigger back size but to be honest if you are broader in the back like I am it just makes sense! 

So I was wearing a 36C and have figured out I am more suited to a 38D or even a DD in some bra makes, that is crazy! I am a cup size and a band size bigger than I was wearing. My bra straps used to cut into my shoulders and my back, and it used to rise up when I walked. All the signs of a wrong fitting bra! Not supporting your boobies girls can lead to sagging and stretch marks, and who wants those...

So how can I figure out if I'm wearing the right bras size I hear you ask? Whip out a tape measure! 

1. Put on your best fitting bra. It shouldn't be padded but a bit of molding is probably fine.
2. Measure around your rib cage, right under your breasts. Keep the tape as straight and parallel to the floor as possible. Measure this tight! You don't need to be straining to pull it tight as a corset, or leaving marks on your skin, or anything like that. But you should measure this much snugger than you would normally measure another part of your body. Write down your rib measurement.
3. Measure around your breasts. Measure loosely this time. It might help to lean forward, especially if the bra you are wearing isn't particularly supportive. Write down this measurement.
4. The rib measurement you wrote down is your band size. If it's a fraction, just round to the nearest whole number. If it's an odd number, say 31, you should try both band sizes around this (A 30 and a 32.)
5. Now take the breast measurement you came up with. Subtract your band size from this number. (For example if you measured 29.5 and you were going to start with a 30 band and you measured 36 inches around your bustline, then the result would be 6.)
6. Each number is a cup size. It generally goes: A,B,C,D,DD,E,F,FF,G,GG, H,HH,J,JJ,K,KK... But, brands can be slightly inconsistent. Some brands might skip some of those, or substitute DDD for E, or something, so double check to make sure that you are buying the size you think you are! In addition, some brands or styles may run large or small and you may have to adjust accordingly.
7. If you thought you were a 36DD, and you come up with something like 30H, don't freak out! You aren't weird, I promise. So many people are wearing the wrong size that we have a really distorted idea of what a “normal” size is. Just give it a try. It's only a number!
   
   
   To be honest ladies there are lots of methods of measuring your bra size, and not all are accurate. To test out if the bra size is correct for you, look for bulging over or under your armpits that means the cup size is too small. If the band doesn't lie flat around your back, you might need to go up a size. Always remember to adjust the straps accordingly. 
   
   
   Another method of measuring your cup size is the Maureen Personal bra fitter. http://www.maureenpbf.com now I haven't tried this contraption personally but it may be worth a go. It is insane how many of us are putting strain on our backs by wearing the incorrect bra size. To be honest I might not even be a 38D but it is all trial and error, and it all comes down to a decent bra also. As hard as it is, I have said that I will not be tempted by Penneys bras and will in future invest in good quality bras. After all you wear these everyday! Marks & Spencers , and Arnotts, and Debenhams all have good quality lingerie. In particular the Debenhams floozie range is very feminine. 
   
   
   So give it a go ladies, you could be surprised with the results! Another tip is to always re-measure yourself after gaining or losing weight, and also pregnancy due to hormonal changes us lucky women's breasts are constantly fluctuating in size so you might find you could go up or down a bra size throughout the year. 
   
   
   Here's to perkier, more supported breasts just in time for October, breast cancer awareness month! Always be sure to check your breasts girls.