1 week Ago
In recent seasons, designers such Yves Saint Laurent and Ireland’s own Simone Rocha have been reviving underwear as outerwear. Think a silk mini with built-in garter straps to give a seductive wink, or lace-trimmed negligees that work both the night before and the morning after. That’s all well and good for the runway, but plenty of us still struggle with making underwear work the way it was originally intended.
You know those red indents that are on your skin when you take your bra off after a long day? Yeah, that shouldn’t be happening. Most women dread getting fitted for a bra. We often treat our cup size as a fun little guessing game instead — one in which we are very rarely correct.
This either leads to our breasts having little support or being housed in a torture mechanism. Plus, the choice is endless, from barely there bras you tape on to full bodysuits. So, I asked for some expert guidance on getting it right.
Fit is everything, so how do you know if a bra is too tight? “A good fit means you should be able to slide two fingers comfortably under the straps and the band. If the straps are digging in or feel too tight, they might need adjusting,” says Paula Furey, expert bra fitter at Arnotts department store in Dublin. “On the flipside, if the band rides up or feels loose, it’s probably not giving you the support you need — remember, most of the support actually comes from the band, not the straps!” When you’re putting on a bra, positioning it backwards on your waist, clipping it and then twisting it up stretches out the elastic, which will wear it out more quickly.
“The best way to put on a bra is to slip your arms through the straps, lean forward a little so your breasts naturally settle into the cups, and then fasten it at the back. If you struggle with back fastening, you can clasp it at the front and gently shift it into place — but try to avoid twisting it too much,” says Furey. Speaking of stretching out the elastic, when is it time to say goodbye to a bra? “If your bra is losing shape, the band has stretched out, straps won’t stay put, the underwire is poking out, or the fabric is thinning, it’s time for an upgrade.
A good bra should fit securely on the loosest hook when new. Over time, as the elastic naturally loosens, you move towards the tighter hooks. On average, bras last six to 12 months with regular wear.
” Naturally, Furey recommends going in-store to get a professional measurement, but she says that the best way to get an at-home measurement is to use a soft tape measure. “Wrap it around your ribcage, just under your bust, to find your band size, then measure around the fullest part of your bust. The difference between these two numbers helps determine your cup size.
There are plenty of online size calculators that can help with the maths.” Walk-in appointments are available in-store, or book online at arnotts.ie Plunge mid-thigh bodysuit, €152, Spanx, Arnotts What your Spanx shapewear says about you.
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