The Other Foundation

Hi everyone,

We all know how important foundation is in makeup. The right foundation will make your face look like a perfect piece of blank canvas ready to be painted by Picasso.

Yes, we're talkin' 'bout les brassiers, sisters!

When it comes to clothing, your underwear is your foundation. Yesterday, I went to Kohl's for a quick browse and they had a bra sale. I ended up getting two new bras for myself. When I came home, I realized they were in different sizes. However, both fit me very well. This experience inspired me to write some tips about bra fitting because 80%-95% of women are wearing the wrong bra sizes. I hope you're not one of them and please continue reading for the tips.



1. Determine your bra size:

This article shows you how to determine your bra size. I find it informative but also, I find bras not to be the same in different companies. For example, a 36C at Victoria's Secret may fit you perfectly but a 36C from Calvin Klein may be too small for you. Also, the same size may not translate into same fit within different lines within the same company. If you wear Victoria's Secret bras, you will find that is the case.

Which leads to the second point

2. Your size is a range, not a number:

There are two elements in a perfectly fit bra: the band and the cup. The band is what encircles your ribcage. For labeling, the number indicates the band size, for example, 36. The cup size corresponds to how big your boobs are (I can't believe I just wrote that!) It ranges from AA to DD and beyond.

You may run into a situation when the cup fits but the band is too long. Or you may run into the reverse situation. If both are too big or too small, chances are you get both the band and the cup sizes wrong.

For the first situation (long band), you can remediate by going a band size smaller. However, you need to increase a cup size to compensate.

For example: you find 36C to fit you but the band is too long. If you go down to 34C, the band will fit but the cup will be smaller. To compensate that, you need to go for a 34D and voila, it will fit.

The way cup sizes are molded is the smaller the band goes, the bigger you increase your cup size to get the same fit. If you go smaller: 36C= 34D= 32DD and so on and so forth.

Also, the same formula goes both way. If you decide to need a longer band, just go for a smaller cup size and you'll get a better fitting bra.

3. Be patient

While this seems to be the advice I give to everyone, it is true when it comes to clothes fitting. If you haven't bought bras for a long time and notice significant changes in your body (ie, losing a lot of weight), chances are you need to spend a good amount of time for bra fitting. Some stores have bra fitting service for free so please take advantage of it.

The first time I had a bra fitting was at Victoria's Secret. A sales lady gave me a box full of bras in my size and I went through each and every single one of them before setting on the one I like the most (Body by Victoria.) I find these tips useful when it comes to that kind of situation:

• Wear the bra underneath your t-shirt, preferably the clingiest t-shirt you have: if the cup doesn't cover your boobs, the lines will show through the shirt. Also, you'll find how much lifting your bra can do for you.
• Compare the new bra performance to the one you currently wear: preferably, you don't wear a sports bra. You need to check how lifting the new bra is, whether it gives you back fat rolls, etc.
• Sit down for a while and see if the wires are comfortable or not
• Move around a bit to see if the straps slide out or not.
• Rinse, wash, repeat until you find a better bra. If not, stick with the brand you already wear and buy a new one.

 And please remember, your bras should feel comfortable, not like a booby trap. Yes, it does take time to find good bras but the result is so instantaneous that you don't feel like wasting your time at all. Preferably, you should get your bras measured about twice a year. As we get older, our bodies do change. Therefore, the bras you used to wear in middle school may not fit you anymore.

Have fun with your bras! If you have other tips, please let me know. Also, I'm testing a new comment system so please comment. I really want to see how it works and if it works well, I'll continue using it.

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