When was the last time you had a bra fitting?
The New Year sales are a great chance to revamp your wardrobe with some of the winter looks you’ve been coveting.
But as well as snapping up the latest trends, it’s the perfect opportunity to make sure your underwear is working for you too.
Which leads us nicely to the rather personal question: when was the last time (if ever) you had a bra fitting? Statistics reveal that the average British woman will wear six different bra sizes over their lifetime, and that an astonishing 80% of us are currently wearing the wrong bra size or style.
From sporty to sexy – there’s a style for everyone
There are plenty of styles of bra to choose from, depending on your shape – from a more practical sports or t-shirt bra, to a sexy, plunge or strapless model. (If you want a more thorough guide around the many style choices available, check out M&S’ online style guide.)
Choosing the wrong bra style or fit can give you unsightly bulges, squash your natural shape and not give adequate support to your curves. If you’re blessed with ample ‘up top’, M&S explain what you should look for in a good fit – they even explain the best way to put a bra on.
Get measured in-store, or in the privacy of your home
Specialist lingerie retailers Figleaves had their own online Fit Mission with handy online fitting video and bra calculator. Figleaves is closed now, however US customers can shop Figleaves lingerie and swimwear at Next. International customers can find their localised store here: Next International.
Bravissimo, meanwhile, have a wealth of bra fitting and style guides and information on their site. So even if you are reluctant to go for a fitting on the high street there is plenty of advice available to check your size in the comfort of your own home.
Give your old bras to Oxfam!
If you’re one of the 80% of British women who had mistakenly bought the wrong sized bras, don’t ditch them once you’ve got yourself a lovely, new (perfectly fitting) collection. Oxfam would love to take your old bras off your hands to help support relief work in Senegal and across the globe.
And if nothing else, surely that’s a great reason to get the tape measure out!
By Karen Skagerlind of Wardrobe Wand.
