How-to tell if a bra fits

When a bra fits correctly, among other things, the center gore will touch one's ribcage, regardless of the bra style.

How to figure out if a bra fits can sometimes be complicated.

What you will need

• Bra in question
• Large mirror

Steps

1. Make sure that there is decent lighting.
2. Remove your shirt, but keep your bra on. If testing a new bra, it should be fastened on the end set of hooks (the loosest fit), so it can be tightened it as it stretches over time. If testing an old, stretched out bra, start on the loosest hooks, then tighten it if necessary.
3. "Scoop and swoop" your breast tissue fully into the cups of the bra, as breast tissue may have migrated into the armpit or the back from wearing ill-fitting bras.
4. Let yourself settle into the bra. Walk around. Do some jumping jacks. Lie down, sit up, make any and all actions while wearing the bra that you would need to make in a normal day.
5. Check that the band of the bra is not riding up in the back or falling down in the front. If either of those things are happening, the band is too loose. If you are experiencing pain from the tightness of the band, it may be too small. However, a too-small cup will also make the whole bra very tight and uncomfortable. In either of these cases, a different size may be necessary.
6. Adjust the straps to a point where they should sit firmly on your shoulders. There should be no indentation, but, at the same time, they need to be firm enough to not to fall down. If they fall off your shoulders, the cut of the bra may not be correct, or the band of the bra is too large. The straps would then be wide-set at your back, making them too wide for your shoulders.
7. Make sure the bra will not blister, chafe, or scratch you. A too-wide band, cheap materials, and ill-fitting underwire could cause this.
8. The underwire should rest on the "root" where your breasts are connected to your chest. The underwire should never rest on breast tissue or on air.
9. The center gore should rest in-between your breasts. It should not sit on tissue, nor should it float.

See also

• Breast shape
• How-to bra shop
• How-to determine bra size#Troubleshooting