Does your bra fit?

The underwires poke or pinch under your arms or into your breast tissue.

Try going up a cup size. The wire should lay flat against your body and not dig in to any breast tissue (Remember your breasts continue around the side of your body.)

Your bra is hooked on the tightest adjustment.

Go down a band size. Aim to buy a bra that offers a snug fit on the loosest adjustment. A bra can stretch up to 4 inches during its service to us and that is when the smaller adjustments will come in handy.

When you lift your arms above your head, your bra rides up.

The band is too big. You need a smaller band size. Your ideal band size should within a few inches of your ribcage measurement.

The center bridge does not lay flat against your rib cage.

You need a cup with more volume, or to go up a cup size and possibly go down a band size.

The fabric in the cup gaps or wrinkles.

Either the straps need to be tightened or the cup is too big or too tall. First adjust yourself in the cups (see How to Put on a Bra). Next, tighten the straps. If the fabric wrinkles everywhere, go down a cup size. If the fabric wrinkles at the top and the rest of the cup fits well, try going down a band size. (Remember that you must go up a cup size to maintain the same wire size!)

The straps fall off of your shoulders.

After tightening the straps, try this test: Stand in front of a mirror and take one strap off of your shoulder. If your bra does not remain horizontal you must go down a band size. Straps will slip off of the shoulders if spaced too far apart. Going down a band size will will bring them closer together. Alternatively, you may need change bra styles. Select a bra with center pull straps.

Bulging or mounding occurs above the cup.

The cup is too small. Go up a cup size. 

Breast 'spillage' occurs beneath the underwires.

The band is too big. Go down a band size.

The straps dig into your shoulders.

This is because the straps are supporting the breast. Loosen the straps. 90% of your support should come from the band. Only 10% of support should come from the straps - If your breasts aren't supported, go down a band size.

The sides of the bra cut into and irritate your underarm.

The bra is too tall for you, try going down a band size and going up a cup, or try a different bra style. If you don't want a different style, try one cup size down.

You suffer from neck strain, backache and/or headaches

It is possible that you are relying on the straps for support instead of allowing the band to do its job. Go down a band size.

The back band rides up and does not remain level.

Go down a band size. If the back rides up your breasts go down. Keep them up with a snug band.

Little fat rolls occur on the sides under your arms.

This isn't fat! It's your breast tissue! Go up a cup size.

The wire tips outward from the body below the breast.

Go down a band size.

The fabric lies flat under the breast but the cup fits everywhere else.

Adjust your breasts in the cups as explained in 'How to Put on a Bra'. If this doesn't fix the problem, go up a cup size. Your breast may be larger than the wire and unable to sit inside of its curve, therefore it is sitting on top of it.

You readjust yourself and/or your bra throughout the day.

You are wearing the wrong size or style for your body type. Once you put the correct size bra on, it should remain in place and comfortable until you reluctantly take it off at the end of the day.

The wires come out of your bras after a couple months of use.

It is very likely that this is because you are wearing the wrong size, particularly too large of a band. If the bra continuously moves during wear, the channeling that holds the wire is stressed and the wires will poke through. If the correct size is worn, stress to the bra is limited, due to it remaining stationary on the body. Of course, quality and care play important roles here, also.

The wires cross at the center bridge between the cups.

The wire size is too big. Go down a cup size.

Still have questions? Contact us for answers from our Expert Bra Fitters!