After another busy and exciting day spent with women in the fitting room, I have decided to write a bit more on the loose bra subject. Since the era of women realizing what causes major discomfort in wearing a bra has just started, it is never enough to talk on the subject. Some information needs to be repeated over and over for women to come across this info online or actually to start thinking seriously about this everyday problem.
When a bra band is too loose...
Every day, more and more I see women walking to the fitting room warning me, that they do not want a tight bra, they want it to feel loose, as they hate to feel the band. As usually, it brings a warm smile on my face, as I know (and some of you already know) what causes the bra band discomfort. And I know, I can prove them the true reasons before they walk out happy with their new bra. A bra that's not a loose bra. Attention: what causes discomfort coming from a bra band is a band.... being too loose! When the bra band in your bra is too loose and does not stay in one place, it... moves. Movemeant, even if it is just a little one, is in other words called... rubbing.
If you have a loose bra that rubs your rib cage all day long, it leaves.... marks. And what is hard to believe - women prefer this kind of torture over a bra band that stays tightly against your skin. Even though a loose bra that rides up and down causing breasts to pop out on the bottom or a side, women buy bras too big in a numeric size. When I was starting the bra fitting experience a while ago, I was asking myself a question, how this can be right? Those women are so sure of themselves when they demand much bigger bra, they seem to be experts in their shopping experience. However, as I had an opportunity to fit an enormous amount of women, I realized that there is one thing all those women have in common. Nevertheless they seem to require wrong sized bras, they all are in the category of women who "hate bras", "hate bra shopping", or say "I can never find the right fitting bra". If they were right, they would love the bras overall, wouldn't they.
Center bridge is not touching the skin. Zero support coming from the bra.
After putting the suggested bra on (where you can only pull the bra band about an inch away from the back), it feels tight. It feels tight at the beginning for a woman who always wore a loose bra before. It is natural you feel something against your skin, when it is against your skin. You also should know that after a while skin sensors get numb and you won't experience that feeling for much longer (you wear rings on your fingers, but do you consciously feel them all the time, or just after putting them on first?). Next, I make sure that all the comfort features of the bra are right in place - that the straps are properly adjusted, center bridge of the bra is right in the center and the actual bra band is right below the bust, not sitting on your stomach. Unlike what you get with a loose bra.
After making sure everything looks good I ask women to move in the fitting room, literally jump, bend over, exercise, to experience if the bra is moving with them or it lives its own life and rubs their skin. Bra band that is properly sized for your body will not move even quarter inch when you move. That is called perfect support coming from the band and super confidence that is coming from trusting your bra. This usually is a test when I see a sparkle in women's eyes. They love it when they do not have to adjust the bra again after all these tests - because a bra is to be put on once, in the morninggg. It is not meant to take much of your attention during the day, like a loose bra does. As women become less defensive I like to explain, that the bra that is tight enough will not cause the usual discomfort they used to feel.
Most important, I let them know, that every bra band stretches over time and the bra will not get tighter but looser. Yes, I see a bit of disappointmeant, but than comes another lesson about the additional hook and eye closures that will help to keep the bra tight for longer. The essential feature of the bra with a properly sized band is that it is easier to find the cup sizes that will fit you. Once you have 50% well done it is only another 50% to do, without feeling of being lost in a bra shopping jungle.