How to Buy and Wear a Sport Bra

Okay, I admit. I notice when a woman is running and her breasts seem to be running in the opposite direction. Don't pretend you don't notice the same thing. If you are active, should you not wear an active sports bra?

Did you know that 80% or more of all women have the wrong bra size or an ill-fitting bra on right now!  Exercise, puberty, pregnancy, breast feeding, age, enhancement or reduction, weight loss and weight gain, even your time of the month can cause a change in your size. Fit and size are just as crucial, if not more so, than a bras overall cuteness.

So how do you find the right fit? Before you can size sports bras, you need to be able to size your daily bra. Grab a tape measure or head to your nearest department store’s lingerie department and ask for a bra fitting. For an everyday bra, follow these steps:

1) Measure the width around your back and front side, just under your breasts, in inches. For example, 34 inches.
2) Measure the width around your torso over the largest part of your breast (typically your nipple). Now, subtract one number from the other and the difference is equal to one cup size. For example, if your measurement is 36 inches around, then you’d be a 34 B. Got that?
3) Clasp it on either the first or middle (preferable) hook. Why? The hooks allow for growth and shrinkage of both your girls and the fabric of the material. Adjust accordingly. If you’re already on the largest hook width, you need to move up a size. Your band should not dig into your flesh, or cause that dreaded “back fat.”
4) Now, put the bra on. Easy, right? Wrong! Bend slightly at the waist and wiggle the bra into place so that it cups your breasts comfortably.
5) Shoulder straps should fit snug, but not so much that they are digging into your skin. If they leave a mark long after you’ve shed the boulder holder, you need a bigger size. As well, straps should not slip off your shoulders and make you do the tug dance. If so, your straps are too long or your bra too small.
6) The cups should fit smoothly over the curve of your breast at the cleavage. They should not gap or fit too snug that your “cup runneth over.”

Now that you’ve got the right bra size, you can size sports bras. And let's be very clear, if you are active, it's in your best interets to wear a sports bra.

Vigorous physical activity causes a woman's breasts to bounce which can compromise the skin and ligaments that provide the fragile support structure for breasts, resulting in sagging. An every day bra, plain and simple, is incapable of preventing bounce. There are two basic styles of activity bras: the compression style and the encapsulation style. The compression style is an appropriate choice for smaller chested women, such as A and B cups. This style, as suggested by the name, compresses the breasts against the body and prevents any jiggle or vertical movement. It is usually a pull over style bra which can make for some difficulty getting it on and off, especially when you’re drenched in sweat and your arms are so sore they’re about to fall off after a tough weight lifting session!

For larger cup sizes, the compression style bra will likely give you the dreaded “uniboob” look and may not completely prevent bounce and thus stretch marks. Those with a larger cup size will want to consider the encapsulation style bra in which each breast is tenderly tucked into its own cup with equal support to both. This style usually comes with a hook and eye type closure which makes it very easy to get it on and off and to ensure a proper fit and support. Ultimately, whichever type you choose is dependent upon your support needs and what feels most comfortable to you.

Sometimes it takes some trial and error. That’s what fitting rooms were made for! So go on and try a couple of different styles and different sizes too. There’s no exact science to finding the right fit, but you can save yourself some time and hassle by trying one size larger and one size smaller to see which is the best fit. Try on your shirt or athletic top over your active bra. Do you like how it feels, supports, looks?

Some final tips, if I (and the bra-fitting-mother-guru) may:

• Do not wash your active wear or everyday bras in anything but cold water, on a gentle cycle in a lingerie bag or hand wash.
• Do not ever put them in the dryer. Lay flat or hang to dry.
• Fibers, materials, and wires in your active and everyday bras break down very quickly from regular use and washing, compromising their job of supporting your girls and decreasing likelihood of stretch marks or going south for the rest of your life. Please, please, please replace your bras regularly. Six months is about the shelf life for regularly worn bras; twelve for those that undergo less rigorous use and abuse.