One of the most confusing things in a woman’s life, is buying bras.

Why is bra buying so confusing?

confusion of bras

Pin to your breast health and/or lingerie shopping guide boards

We believe there’s a few reasons why the confusion of bras frustrates women so much. They include:

  1. We’re not taught how to wear a bra when our breasts start to develop, so we don’t know what to look for, or how they should fit to help our breasts and bodies be as supported and healthy as possible
  2. Women’s bodies are constantly changing size and shape, with hormones, the time of day, time of the month, life changes, age, and operations
  3. All bras fit differently, with different shape cups and depth of bra bands suiting us more than others.
  4. Bras are sized differently, even those by the same manufacturer, you can need different sizes to fit well and comfortably. It’s important not to be concerned about what the bra size label says, as we explain in this article.
  5. Uncomfortable seems to be normal, so many women don’t ask for help or look further than the closest bra to hand.
  6. We don’t talk about breasts and bras in the same way as we do other parts of our bodies, or our personal lives. I’ve no idea why, but girlfriends may talk about sex in their circle, but not how if their bras are comfortable, or that their boobs are constantly hurting.

I’ve been buying bras for close to 50 years. It could be that most of that time I’ve been buying and wearing unsuitable and mis-sized ones too. It’s a sobering thought for sure but you can only know what you know and having met Tracey-Jane and become part of her wonderful bra-fitting world I know now those days of underwire agony or unsuitable balconnette styles is over.

To be measured properly is a good thing but also to work with another women who is unfazed by anything and gently supportive in what is an intimate conversation is revolutionary and I’m never going back.

Sally Baker, Therapist

Why do we even need to wear bras?

Many women find wearing a bra is more comfortable than not, (although in some research about half women surveyed said they’d never been comfortable in a bra). This is mainly due to the weight of breasts, and a bra being the support of that weight, in theory evenly and well across the back.

Some women like the shape bras give them, (again, many have never tried on bras that contour their natural shape), under particular outfits. The popularity of the t-shirt bra is often said to be because it’s a smooth line under a smooth top which women prefer.

Why are bra fittings are so confusing?

Having fitted over a couple of hundred women at the Tu boob pop up in central London, it became clearer to us why bra fittings are so confusing for women.

They’ve either never had a bra fitting before, OR, the bra fitting they had focused on the bra size and not educating the woman on HOW the bras should be fitting that it was totally bamboozling to them. The Bra Lady team spent time with each lady they saw talking them through HOW the bra should fit, and WHAT it was doing to help them. The LOOK, FEEL and SUPPORT each bra gave was talked about. And the final part of the jigsaw, when you put your top on over the bra you’re trying and you see what your shape and clothes look like with this style and shape bra.

Many women asked for their bra size, and a measurement. However, a measurement is only ever a guide to the bra size you need. A measurement doesn’t account for your body shape; breast shapes and where they’re placed on your chest wall; the difference between your breast shapes and sizes; and your height will have an effect on the bra sizes and styles right for you too.

How to be less confused about bras bra sizing and bra fittings

Ask for help! You don’t know what you don’t know and there’s many myths spread that just aren’t true about your breasts, and how your bras affect your breast health. If you’ve never been told or shown how to wear a bra, or what styles best suit your current body and breast shapes, then how are you supposed to be able to get it right when bra shopping?

In recent research by Tu, half the women said they were too embarrassed for help. What if you trusted your professional bra fitter, who is passionate about helping you get comfortable and supported in the best way for you, who is trained in bra health and breast health ?

Bra fitters when they’re training see many different body shapes and sizes. Breasts of different shapes and sizes are perfectly normal, and what’s normal for you is perfect for us to help you with. Most bra fitters are sensitive to your needs, and we don’t need to see your breasts to be able to fit you well. There’s discrete ways we conduct the bra fitting, in a store, at an event or in your home. We’ll talk you through each step so you understand what we mean and what we’re looking for as bra fitters.

Some bra fitters, like those who run our email and online bra fitting service, and bra subscription service, are so experienced in bra fitting, and with the bra stock they use, that they are confident and able to talk you through bra fitting by phone, email, webchat or in an online secure meeting room.

Please don’t continue to be confused about bras, bra fitting or bra sizing. EVERY ONE of us is different. And [un] luckily for us, every bra style is different too! That’s where the experts come in – bra fitting you.

If you’ve got any questions you’re happy to ask openly, please do so in the comments so that others can learn from your questions. We’re her to Support you…through life. Use our bra fitting experts to take the confusion away, and put a smile on your face That’s what happens when you finally find the right bra for you 😉


Bra fitting course attendee