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For a clothing item that's usually hidden, the fit of a bra can make an enormous difference. A study by retailer Marie Sue Lingerie found that more than 80 percent of Irish women were wearing the wrong bra size. This is a visual faux-pas and can cause back, neck and shoulder pain.
- No matter what your body shape, your bra should not be painful to wear. This can be a problem of your bra being too small overall, but it can also be a matter of your band size being too big.
- The chief function of a bra is to provide support, so this is a clear sign that it is lying down on the job. Check that the band size isn't too big. If this does not provide relief, try a different style.
- If you're having a problem with the back of your bra riding up, your band size is too large. A tighter band gives more support where you need it.
- Again, this is due to the band size being too large. The shoulder straps are responsible for supporting too great a proportion of your weight.
- This could be due to two reasons. Either your band size is too big or your shoulder straps need to be loosened. Your bra should fit snugly enough to allow you to move with confidence.
- No part of your breasts should be peeping out of the top or sides of your bra. This is a sign of a bra that's too small. Under extreme circumstances, this can create the dreaded quadra-boob effect.
- The uni-boob look usually occurs with non-underwire bras and is due to the design, rather than the specific fit. Either switch to an underwire bra or search for a bra with a different fit.
- This problem affects underwire bras. It's not as obvious under clothing, but it can make the bra quite painful to wear. The solution is usually to move up a cup size.
