Tips from a Gossard Insider! (Part 2)
Hello again fellow Gossard Girls!
So when it comes to shopping, the majority of us ladies have it down to a tee – we know what we want, we know what we like, and most importantly we know what styles, colours and shapes suit our figures. We all know our shoe size. We all know our dress size. So why don't over 80% of women know their bra size? What makes a bra any less important when it comes to the right fit?
When it comes to wearing the correct size bra, a lot of women don't really know where to start, and believe me, I also got it completely wrong before I got involved in the lingerie business (I was wearing a bra 3 cup sizes too small for me!)
After I completed some fantastic bra fitting training from one of the biggest lingerie brands in the UK (I have a certificate and everything!) I now consider myself an expert when it comes to bra fitting. So here in this blog I am going to fill you in on some of the most important things to look for when trying and buying a new bra. I would firstly say to go and get professionally measured to start you off. If you have no idea what bra size you are, go and get fitted. Lingerie departments have a huge range of styles and sizes to try on compared to being at home, and you will also have your own personal assistant to run and get the bras for you! It will eliminate the confusion and stress and you will leave the fitting room feeling like a new woman!
Firstly, a bra should feel firm and supportive. It should always feel like it is doing its job! All too often ladies get the back size wrong. When a bra starts to feel tight, ladies generally go up the back. What really needs to increase is usually the CUP size (it is usually the wire digging in that makes it feel tight or uncomfortable!)
The band that runs around you should run parallel all the way around. It shouldn't "ride up" at the back (e.g. when you see girls and you can see their bra peeking out above their vest top – it means it's too loose for them!) Another way you can tell if it's too loose for you is by lifting your arms up above your head. The bra should stay in place and nothing should move or fall out (no escaping boobs coming out from underneath!)
The part of the bra that sits in the middle between the breasts and under the cups is called the Cradle. This should sit snug and flat to your breast bone as much as possible. This should also stay in place when you lift your arms up.
Always fit a new bra on the LOOSEST hook. This ensures that after it has been worn and washed and therefore stretched a little, you will have two more hooks to tighten it up, and it means it will last longer for you!
The cup is the most important part of the bra in regards to a good fit. The wire needs to sit right behind the breast tissue. When trying on, "scoop and swoop" the whole of the breast with your hand right into the cup, in a cupping motion to ensure the whole of the breast sits in front of the wire. If the cup is too small and the wire starts to dig in, this can be extremely uncomfortable and in some cases it can damage the breast tissue – so be aware of this!
This leads me on to the "double boob." This is when the cup is far too small and you start to see the breast spilling out over the cups. This is a pretty good indicator to go up a cup size or two, especially if you tend to wear fitted T-shirts. A correct fitting bra will give you a fantastic shape under all clothes, with no lumps or bumps, but a smooth, rounded shape.
Bra straps should be kept tight as this is where all of the support lies! Loose bra straps can equal drooping or sagging (which nobody wants!) They don't have to be exactly level on both sides, just make sure they are comfortable, but supportive at the same time, whatever feels the most best for you!
Always fit a bra to the largest breast. It is extremely common to have one slightly larger than the other one. A lot of the Gossard ranges, such as the Superboost, Ooh La La and our fashion ranges (A-D cups) have removable extra padding for that extra "oomph". You may decide to keep these in both cups, or perhaps take it out on only one side to even things out a bit, the choice is yours!
Be aware that bras can come up slightly differently depending on the brand or the style. The style of bra (padded plunge, half cup, balcony or full cup etc.) can alter your size for various reasons. This is because they all designed differently for different purposes – e.g. for support, minimising, coverage, uplift or cleavage. So if you have chosen a padded plunge bra with extra padding/gel or air, then you may need to go up in the cup slightly so that you don't get the dreaded "double boob!"
I'll let you in on a handy piece of info – dark coloured bras such as navy blue or black can often come up tighter. This is because they have to go through more of a dying process, which can make it feel more snug, whereas white bras may come up feeling a little looser in comparison!
Staying on the theme of colour, did you know that a nude bra is actually better to wear under a white top than a white bra? You would automatically think that white under white is an obvious answer, but white can sometimes 'glow' underneath a white shirt. It obviously depends on how sheer the material is, but from experience, nude works every time! Gossard have some fantastic nude bras such as the Superboost Satin or Glossies range which are invisible under white clothing!
Overall, the most important aspect of a good fitting bra is that it supports you well, gives you a good shape and above all, feels comfortable. At the end of the day, if your bra irritates you and feels uncomfortable, you are not going to wear it. A good fitting bra should feel comfortable, but you should be aware that you have one on! If you find that you have gone down a back size or two and it feels tight – bear with it, it will stretch!
A correct fitting bra can make all the difference. It can change an "ok" outfit to a "WOW" outfit. If a bra is firmer and more supportive, it can actually change your posture. A lot of the ladies I have fitted have actually commented how it made them stand taller, therefore making them look and feel more confident and fabulous. By having a bra that lifts upwards and pushes forward, it can also give you more of a waist, creating a lovely silhouette figure under clothes.
From having some of my ladies crying tears of happiness in the changing room to dramatically throwing their old bra in the bin there and then right in the store, it really does prove a correct fitting bra can do wonders!
Jo (Gossard Girl blogger!)
x x
Tips from a Gossard Insider! ...
Ladies! ... there really isn’t anything to worry or be embarrassed about when having a bra fitting.
Hello fellow Gossard Girls!
My name is Jo and I am a Merchandiser for the Gossard and Berlei team. I am also the team’s “expert bra fitter” and I am on-hand at Fashion Shows, Press and Fitting Events to provide my skills and help out. I am delighted to be the official blogger from the Gossard team and will be keeping you up to date with my travels and adventures in the wonderful world of Lingerie!
As I’m sure most of you are aware, over 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. That’s a staggering amount considering there are so many facilities in the high street for us ladies to get measured and fitted. From having worked in a Lingerie department as a bra fitter myself, excuses such as “I never have time” (its takes roughly about 5 minutes!) to, “I’m too embarrassed to show a stranger my boobs” (you can keep your bra on the whole time and we do leave the fitting room whilst you are getting changed!) were heard on a daily basis.
So to dispel the myths around bra fitting, Debenhams decided to launch a Live Bra Fitting event, which took place in the window of some of the busiest and largest stores across the country. As this is an issue that I feel very strongly about, I was more than happy to represent Gossard and off I went “ooop North” to the lovely Liverpool Store to give out some expert advice to those in need!
The aim of the day was to just make people aware of how quick, easy and simple a bra fit can be, whilst also pointing out the most important things to look for/check when buying a new bra. Paired with my lovely model Anna, we took centre stage in the store window, facing the busy high street… Anna is a very brave lady and looked absolutely stunning in our gorgeous ranges that were available in store.
With Anna modelling the vintage Beau plunge bra, the press arrived, and were soon to start snapping away, and as expected the crowds started to form. This was then my time to shine and stepped forward to give advice on all aspects of bra fitting. I talked through the fitting procedure, and then showed an example of a bad fitting bra compared to a good fitting one (and before you start to wonder, Anna did get changed in a private changing room and not in full display!) My tips on what to look for in a good fitting bra, and what to be aware of in a bad fitting one will be coming soon in my next blog!
I thought it was important to stress that it took no time at all to get measured, and that it was always ensured that a bra fit was embarrassment and hassle free – (oh and that it usually took place in a nice quiet fitting room and not the main window facing the high street!)
The members of the public were slightly stunned at first (many not realising Anna was real!) but after the initial shock of seeing a walking and talking mannequin they soon began to really engage and listen to the advice being given, with some ladies going straight up to the Lingerie department for a free fitting!
A correct fitting bra can do wonders. The correct underwear can usually make or break and outfit. Not only will it feel more supportive and comfortable, but it can give you so much more confidence. Many women that I spoke to that day said that problems they had included; falling down bra straps, not enough lift and support and bras that rubbed or chafed them. All of these problems are easily fixed by a bra fitting as these shouldn’t happen if you are in the correct size.
The day as a whole went extremely well and I was so pleased that we were able to make the general public aware of how easy it is to get fitted. The ladies (and gents!) of Liverpool were so good natured and we had a lot of fun!
Next time, I will be filling you in with my detective skills….stay tuned!
Jo x x