The Penny Wiser | Urban Consumerism

Foundation Economics: Get Fitted for a Bra

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		Eight out of ten women are wearing the wrong size bra. Are you one of them? Most women wear a bra wrong for their body type or wrong for their garment. To be a wise bra consumer, every woman must get fitted by a professional. Bra shops and department stores offer complimentary professional measuring by certified bra fitting consultants. Learn your basic fit profile to smart shop for bras whatever end of the price spectrum you ultimately buy. The number of the bra size refers to the circumference of your torso and called the Band. The alphabet of the bra size is the dimensional size of your breast, known as the Cup. Professionals will measure you and suggest brands for your size, style, and price range.

Most retail store brands don’t carry cup sizes beyond “D” (the Wacoal line being one exception). Don’t be turned off if you find your perfect cup size is a “G” or “H” when you’ve been used to a “C” or “D”. The professional fitter is a wise and helpful resource who’ll fit you accurately and arm you with information. You’ll then “know great fit” even when you’re shopping at the bra bargain table.

Fit and Fashion
So, you’ve had your fitting, now what? Now it becomes a matter of making educated choices. There are many, many styles and types of bras - full-figure, sports bras, demi- cups, strapless, halter bras, minimize, microfiber, underwire, prosthetic bras to name a few. Add in some ribbon and some lace and there’s something for every body and every need.   Getting properly fitted enables you to purchase products that fit your body type, size, budget, and lifestyle.

Keep in mind that a bra is like the foundation of a building. It should be capable of holding everything up and securely in place.   The band should fit snuggly and not have more than 2 inches of give in back.   The bra should be comfortable and generally invisible. Because the bra is a “foundation”, it’s wise to invest in the best possible product affordable for you.   Check out the helpful video How to Measure Your Bra Size for some common bra fitting problems and solutions.

Solid Bra Brands
Just as there are many bra styles and fabrications, there are hundreds of brands. Wacoal is famous for dependable construction, fit, and comfort. There are sizes and styles for every body type from 32A to 56M. Bali and Vanity Fair also have great products for the well-endowed woman. Other solid lines are Calvin Klein and Lilyette.   Maidenform, Wonder Bra, and Victoria’s Secret are good choices for more youthful and smaller-chested females. Expect to pay upwards of $75 or more for some of the better department store brands.

To be in-the-know about products, sales and promotions, get on the contact list of the fitting consultants in your favorite store. There are great deals out there. Now that you are armed with the right bra information, get fitted, get shopping and start saving. Be sure to get your daughters measured by a professional too.

KWIK TIP:
Many department stores and bra shops offer BOGO’s - buy one, get one offers. Bra and panty club memberships are another option for saving.

Claudia Harris is a professional Image Consultant. Her business Imagez is located in
St. Charles, MO.

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