Letâs face it: We can do better when it comes to bras.
Whether weâre guilty of wearing the wrong size, going too long between washes or worse â washing them incorrectly â thereâs a slew of things than can go wrong when it comes to our precious undergarments.
Thanks to the fine folks at Rigby & Peller, weâre feeling a bit more supported when it comes to bra maintenance. The U.K.-based lingerie retailer has over 75 years of experience finding the perfect bras for their customers, and is now helping women in 41 locations worldwide.
We chatted with Candece Etafo, Rigby & Pellerâs Fifth Avenue boutique manager in New York about all things bras. Herewith, 11 things she wants you to know.
1. Youâre probably not getting measured nearly as often as you should be.
If the last time you were measured for a bra involved a Victoriaâs Secret employee wrapping a pink measuring tape around you in middle school, itâs definitely time for a check in. Etafo notes that âA lot can happen, life changes. You could get pregnant, you could gain weight, you could lose weight. So much happens in life that you should check in with your lingerie stylist every six to eight months.â
2. If your clothing doesnât fit properly, chances are it has nothing to do with the actual clothing.
Having everything in its correct place is crucial not just for supporting whatâs underneath, but for making sure everything looks right on the outside, too. Etafo says, âYou need a firm band. A loose band is why your breast tissue is sitting lower when it should be higher. You might say, âI know Iâm not a size 12, this 10 should fit.â Once clients come in and get in the right cup size all of a sudden it fits, they can move.â
3. Tightening your straps when a bra feels loose is far from a cure all.
We are quick to tighten straps on a bra to make it feel more supportive, but in reality, itâs the band that does all the work. Etafo explains: âIf you needed to put it into numbers, the band is really doing 90 percent of the supporting. Itâs important that the band, not the straps, are very firm.
4. Youâre not washing your bras enough. Period.
When was the last time you washed your favorite bra? A week ago? A month, perhaps? Weâre not here to shame you, but we are here to shock you. Etafo says a bra should be washed after every three wears, and those wears should never be in a row. âYouâre stretching them out. Would you do that to your favorite pair of shoes? Your favorite jeans? No.â Just like your clothing, you should rotate your bras.
5. And youâre probably not washing them correctly, either.
Weâre all guilty of throwing our bras in with the rest of our laundry every now and then, but Etafo says thatâs a big no-no. âIdeally we want to hand wash with a lingerie wash. However, Iâm a realist, I know we live in a busy city so if you do have to, a lot of new machines have a hand wash cycle or a delicate cycle. You can close the bras and put them inside a wash bag. After theyâre washed you want to hang them dry. Whatâs important about using lingerie wash is that it has ingredients that help your fabric and band bounce back into place. Itâs good for anything like your bodysuits, swim, hosiery, etc.â
6. Straps should *never* dig in to your shoulders â no matter your bra size.
And if they do, Etafo says you âneed shoulder cushions in your life.â
7. But itâs OK for one cup to be slightly less full than the other.
Everyone has one breast that is a bit bigger than the other, and Etafo says even if there is a small gap or space on one side, it wonât show through your clothing.
8. Not all bra sizing is created equal.
âA D is a D, but a DD is the same as an E,â Etafo says. âThere might be a tiny difference in some retailers, but typically not. In this country weâre used to doing D, DD, DDD but itâs actually D, E, F, G, H, etc. You have a specific cup size, and you should always go by the U.K. sizing so you know the correct one.â
9. Sleeping in a bra is your choice, but...
âThe more supported your breast tissue is, the more elevated they will stay,â Etafo says. She recommends women wear supportive sports bras, if they do choose to sleep in them.
10. Even if you have enough bras in your wardrobe, chances are youâre not wearing all of them.
We all have those bras in our dressers that havenât been touched in years, and Etafo says itâs time to give those the boot. âWeâve found that women only wear two out of the 10 bras in their wardrobe. Ideally you want to have between seven and 10 that you wear regularly. That includes a strapless, a sports bra and a convertible.â
11. Most of all, we need to take better care of our bras.
Wearing the right bra can change your entire look and the way you feel, so why are we still treating them like afterthoughts? âYou have to give that same tender loving care that you do to you clothing as you do to your bras,â Etafo says.
Check out more tips from Etafo above, and please excuse us while we wash every bra weâve ever worn (in lingerie wash, of course).