Bra Fitting Guide Does your bra fit correctly? A good fitting bra is essential for our posture and how we feel about ourselves, and having a bra that fits correctly, looks and feels great, it can make a huge difference to our daily lives. Approximately 70% of all women are wearing the wrong size bra. A correctly fitted bra can make a world of difference, will be much more comfortable to wear and often will make you look slimmer too. The tips below can help you chose the correct size. How do bra sizes work? Cup sizes are indicated by letters, such as A, C, DD, etc. A is a small size cup, D, E and F are larger sizes. The further down the alphabet, the larger the cup size becomes. Band sizes are indicated by numbers, such as 16, 18, etc. The cup is proportional to the band, that is why (example) 8DD bras have smaller cups than (example) 18DD bras. This means that when the cup fits but you need to change your band size, then the cup of the new bra needs to be altered as well, for example if you go down a band size from 24DD, then a 22DD will also be smaller in the cup size. You would then need to get a 22E for cup size. All this in reverse when you go up a band size. To help you choose the correct size bra, please refer to Bra Size Calculator Ask your mother, partner or best friend to help you take the measurements, rather than doing this yourself. A bra that fits correctly The underwire fits snugly against your ribcage but will not dig in. The centre of your bra sits flat against the skin. The underwire follows the contour of your breast. Your breast fits the cup without bulging or spilling over. The straps are not digging into your shoulders. The band sits straight without riding up. The band is snug but not tight. Putting on your new bra Loosen the shoulder straps before putting the bra on. When you have adjusted the band correctly, you can tighten the straps. They should support lightly, without too much pressure on the shoulders. Use the middel row of hooks to fasten, you can then go more tight or more loose if required. Make sure the underwire sits where the breast tissue begins, not below or on the breast itself. Lean forward, holding the underwire out slightly and move the bra from left to right a few times. This will allow for the breasts to fall naturally into the cups. When standing straight, rearrange your breasts into the cup, if required. As most women have one breast slightly smaller than the other, it is recommended that you purchase a bra that fits the larger breast, to avoid bulging and unpleasant pressure on the larger breast. You can add some padding to the cup that fits the smaller breast. Place the padding at the lower part of the cup. Experiment with padding in front of a mirror until both breasts seem equally sized. Washing your bra It is always best to wash your delicate lingerie by hand. Use a small amount of a mild liquid detergent or Eco Dishwash Liquid in luke warm water, rinse well and hang to dry in the shade or better still, lying flat on a towel. As cold wash powders used in toploader washing machines are very agressive and the agitator can also damage your bra, we advice against this method. Frontloader washing machines with a program for delicate fabrics on low termperatures can be used but best is to place your bra in a special bra bag. Your bra's life will be considerably longer and it will stay looking great with just a little extra care. Bra size converter This Bra Size Converter is an easy to use online tool should you plan to buy bras in a foreign country.