How do you find the perfect bra? Bra fitting rules that make shopping online easier

Just like clothes and accessories, we buy lingerie with our eyes. This rule applies both in bricks-and-mortar shops and online. The latest research into Polish women's preferences shows that they prefer to shop online, even at the cost of frequent returns or exchanges. To avoid these inconveniences, it's worth putting a little effort into working out your correct lingerie size. In most brand stores, a bra fitter will help you choose a bra, but what can you do to make sure the one you find online is spot on? We have a few practical tips to help you choose the bra of your dreams.

Women who have been to a bra fitter even once will probably confirm that the bra size she chose for them was quite different from the one they had been wearing until then. Usually the band turns out to be smaller, while the cup is bigger - and often by quite a lot. The wonderful effect of a well-fitting bra is not only a slimmer silhouette but also a visually fuller bust. In the right lingerie, your breasts ‘grow’ and take on the shape you want. Here are three reasons why it's worth investing time in finding the right bra fit:

1. A good bra takes years off you, as it lifts the bust and defines the waist

2. It makes you feel better, because all your clothes fit better

3. It's also an investment in your health, as it helps prevent spine, back and shoulder pain

Bust support and comfort - the two main things a bra must deliver

Before you visit a lingerie shop's website, check whether the bra size you've always considered yours is actually right. Whatever your body shape, the band of your bra must always sit snugly against your body, as its job is to stabilise your breasts. Their weight rests on the band, not on the straps. The fuller your bust, the more important this is. How do you check? A bra fitter slides both hands under the band as close to the spine as possible, then moves them towards the underwires at the sides. The fastening, which sits over the spine, will therefore always be slightly looser, as it has to adapt to your anatomy. The closer to the sides, however, the more snugly the band should fit. The next step is to check how your bra sits. Stand side-on to a mirror and see whether the front and back of the bra are at the same height. If the fastening rides up towards the nape of your neck, it's a sign that the band is too loose. Another sign of a band that's too loose is a wrinkling band or a gaping cup. This can't be fixed by adjusting the length of the straps (usually shortening them), because if the band is too big, the straps will always keep slipping off. The next step is to check whether the cup fits properly. To do this, gently sweep the tissue into the cup with your hand, starting from the shoulder blades. Don't rush, as it's important to do this properly. It's best done standing in front of a mirror, so you can check the results. If you start on the right, use your right thumb to pull the top end of the right underwire away from your body. Lean forward and gently slide your left hand into the top of the cup. Then move your hand towards your shoulder blade and draw the breast into the cup. Repeat on the left side. If you carefully position your breasts in the cups, you'll notice the difference immediately, as your bust will look rounder. It's also worth checking whether the centre gore of the bra (the middle part joining the cups and underwires) sits flat against your chest. Now do you know why a bra can't be too loose around the band? Because as you move, the breasts you so carefully placed in the cups will start drifting towards your back again.

A cup that's too small has a similar effect - not only will it flatten your bust, it will also make it gradually ‘spill out’ at the sides. A bra with a band that's too tight, on the other hand, won't just become an instrument of torture - it can also press on your stomach, causing digestive problems, or stop you breathing properly. What's more, a bra that's too tight will leave red and purple marks on the skin around your ribs. Finally, it's worth checking the position of the underwires, especially if the band turned out to be too big. In that case, the underwires sit in the wrong place and press on the breasts instead of supporting them. Correctly positioned, they encircle the breast and can't be felt. Stand side-on to the mirror and raise your arm. If the line of the underwire points to the centre of your armpit, all is well. If not, it's best to get rid of the bra, as the underwire must never sit on the breast. Prolonged pressure from the cup's structure disrupts lymph circulation, which can lead to lumps and cysts. And if you notice your bust ‘spilling out’ of the bra or rolls forming under your arms, you need a style with bigger cups that will hold the whole breast.

How do you find your bra size?

Start with your underbust measurement. Measure it on bare skin. A tailor's tape measure is best. The tape should sit level all the way round and lie snugly against your body. Measure yourself first as you breathe in, then as you breathe out. The bra band will stretch by about three centimetres, reaching the measurement taken as you breathe in. If the two measurements differ noticeably, your ideal bra should be made from a stretchier fabric. Round the breathing-out measurement down so that the last digit is ‘0’ or ‘5’, for example 73 cm gives a band size of 70 cm, 79 gives 75, 89 gives 85, 93 gives 90 and so on. Why? Simply because the bra band stretches and the tape measure doesn't. Now measure around your bust. The tape should sit at the fullest part of your breasts and run across the nipples. Take the measurement standing up straight, on bare skin or wearing a soft bra. This time, measure as you breathe in, without pulling the tape tight. Once you know your underbust measurement, you can read your cup size from the chart (you'll find the size chart under the FOR CUSTOMERS tab).

Checking whether the bra you ordered fits

Always fasten a new bra on the outermost hook or set of hooks. This is because the stretchy band will give a little as you wear it, and you'll then need to fasten the bra more tightly. Trying on your new bra for the first time:

1. Put it on, positioning the underwires right under your bust

2. Slip the straps on, but don't adjust them yet (they can rest on your forearms)

3. Fasten the bra on the outermost hook

4. Move the straps into place and adjust their length (the straps should be short enough to lift your breasts, but not so short that they dig into your shoulders)

5. Lean forward slightly and sweep your breasts into the cups, easing the underwire away with a finger (your breasts should be separated, with a defined cleavage in the middle)

6. Finally, raise your arms and check that the bra has stayed in place. It shouldn't ride up.

After just a month of wearing a bra fitted like this, the cups will fill out nicely and your back will look smoother. But new lingerie is like new shoes, so don't wear a padded bra from morning till night. The correctly fitted one will most likely be much tighter under the bust and may feel uncomfortable at first. There's a solution for that too. In this situation, bra fitters suggest buying a bra extender or wearing it for no more than 2 to 3 hours a day. The band will soon stretch and the bra will become comfortable. An experienced bra fitter always tells her clients that after 3 months at most of wearing a well-fitted bra, they'll need to swap it for a style with bigger cups. This is normal, as breasts that are properly positioned every day take on their optimal shape and position. And one last tip from the professionals: don't expect to find one bra that meets all your needs. We build up a collection of bras just as we do with clothes, choosing styles for different outfits and occasions. One for a dress with a plunging neckline, another for the gym, and yet another for a backless outfit.