We’ve all heard the expression that “size doesn’t matter.” For a man, this expression means something completely different than for a women. Let me explain.
Thanks to the mass media and Oprah, women are running around in a sheer panic about being in the wrong size bra. Women are truly concerned about their size and are very unsettled when they learn they’ve been wearing the wrong size bra for the last 20 years.
Let me share a bit of perspective on the so-called bra sizing mayhem has played out in the bra industry. On one hand we can thank the mass media for focusing on bras. It has forced women to take better care of themselves, which women need to be reminded of constantly. However, this bra fitting madness and being in the wrong bra size just might be a myth. In fact, many women may not be in the wrong bra size, but they may be in the wrong brand. Further, women may not be taking proper care of their bras, so they may have the right size bra, but a bra that is not functioning properly because it has not been rightly cared for.
Are You in the Wrong Bra Brand?
We’ve all been there…. we’re trying on jeans. Some fit well, some bulge at the butt. Gap jeans may be more generously cut than Seven for All Man Kind jeans. Every brand and style of jeans is different, right? Well, the same goes for bras. You may looking stunning in a certain sized bra. Then you try on bras of the same size and they don’t fit right. Each brand is going to fit differently – and so many women are in the right size, but the wrong brand. Most women would agree that size doesn’t matter – it’s how the bra fits and makes you feel that truly matters.
For example, say you are a 34B in a Felina bra. Did you know Felina bandwidths typically run a little less generous? That’s because Felina cuts so many bras at once on its line that the bandwidth gets smaller and smaller the farther down the line the bras get cut. So if you are a 36B in Felina, and they cut 1000 bras, can you imagine what the 999th bra bandwidth can be? Also, if you are a 36B in Felina, you might be a 34B in a Chantelle bra, and a 34A in a Le Mystere bra. Chantelle is typically truer to size, while Le Mystere cups can be more generous. Most women can wear two different sized bras – just like most women have different sizes of jeans in their closets. Each brand just fits differently.
Is Your Bra Functioning Properly?
Just because you’re in the right size and brand for that matter, it doesn’t mean your bra is working well for you. Our bodies change so much – weight loss, weight gain, pregnancy, hormones, medication, childbirth, etc. All these fluctuations in a body can force your bra to change shape too. Also, how a woman launders her bra is important to having a properly functioning bra. Bras should be handwashed with gentle soaps and air-dried (never run a bra through the dryer or wrung out). Heat and soaps can break down a bra rendering it useless. Bras should also be dried flat to avoid stretching.
So bra size doesn’t matter after all, ladies. Oprah may have been wrong about the bra size mayhem, but that doesn’t mean you have to be wrong too. Just remember that getting a properly fitted bra involves finding the right size, brand and fit – and it means properly caring for your bra too.
