10 tips to feel comfortable in any bra

Sometimes knowing your right bra size isn't enough to feel comfortable in your new and/or old bra. There are simple tips to follow to make sure the bra fits well and makes you feel good. After all, your bra is just a piece of lingerie that's supposed to boost your confidence rather than cause trouble.

When wearing a bra make sure that:

1. The cups are filled out so they fit smoothly. If there are wrinkles, you may need a smaller cup size. In cotton/spandex underwire bras, there should be a little excess fabric in the cups in case of shrinkage. If there is overflow at the top, under the arms, you should try a larger cup size.

2. Breasts don't spill out of cups. If they do, try a larger cup size or choose a bra style that offers more coverage through the cups.

3. Bra straps are adjusted to give support to the bust without cutting into the shoulders. If the straps are falling down, you may not be filling up the cups. Try a smaller cup size. Again, if the straps are falling down, you can try tightening them. If it doesn't help and the straps fall down all the time anyway, you may want to try another bra style – T-back, U-back or racerback style.

4. You don't have red strap marks. If you do, try loosening the straps. If that doesn't work, you may want to try another bra style, a more breast-supportive one, so that the shoulder straps mustn't do all the uplifting.

5. The bra band is fitted though doesn't cut into your skin. A properly set bra should sit lower on the back than in the front and sit comfortably below the shoulder blades. The back of the bra should not ride up above the bra line. To avoid this you can go for adjusting the straps by fastening the hook on a tighter enclosure, or loosening the bra's shoulder straps. If nothing works try a bra that's one band size smaller.

6. Your breasts are held snugly in place. To make sure they do, try lifting your arms, bend over, run or jump.

7. Underwire lies flat against the chest. If not, like for instance, standing away from the body, suggest a bigger cup size. The thing is, all pressure should lie on the underwire to support the breasts. If the bra has it, make sure the underwire doesn't dig into your skin or slides onto your breast tissue.

8. If one of your breasts is bigger than the other, fit the cup to the bigger breast. To compensate the size, tighten the strap on the other cup.

9. If you're small-busted and desperate to look fuller, always go for a padded bra, a cleavage-enhancing bra or a demi bra which can lift breasts and visibly enhance cleavage.

10. On the contrary, if you're big-busted, opt for a full-coverage bra with underwire and wide straps. This way you'll get as much uplift as needed without straps digging into your skin.

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