When it comes to bras and breasts, there are a ton of misconceptions that just simply aren’t true! In some cases, these myths can actually be harmful in that they prevent women from finding their correct bra fit, resulting in perpetual daily discomfort. This is due to various beliefs including about the straps, bands and even the marks that a bra can leave on your skin!
However, these myths are not just limited to bras and their components. There are also a lot of myths about boobs themselves, whether that is in regards to sagging, asymmetry, size or something else. In many cases, these misconceptions can lead to insecurities – even when the situations are extremely common. Although we cannot cover every false belief about bras and breasts in one article, Beija are here today to debunk some of these myths!
We hope that this advice will help you find bra wearing more comfortable, reduce any unnecessary worries and better equip you with the knowledge needed to help with your next bra purchase. So without further ado, let’s bust some myths about bras and breasts!
Bras – Fit
To begin with, let’s talk about some common bra myths. At Beija, we believe that comfort is the most crucial aspect of bra wearing – especially since bras are typically worn for most of the day. Therefore, the following misconceptions are focused on size so that you can be as comfortable as possible in your bra.
Marks
Firstly, many women believe that if a bra leaves marks on your skin after you take it off, then it’s too tight. This isn’t actually true, and a well-fitting bra is likely to leave an impression on your skin at the end of the day, similar to how other items of clothing such as jeans, knickers or socks do. To hold up the weight of your bust your bra needs to fit firmly against your body, which can sometimes result in marks on your skin.
Support from Straps
To continue, many women falsely believe that the majority of the support for their breasts comes from the straps. However, this is incorrect. The truth is that almost all of your bra’s support should come from the band (up to 80%).
Alternatively, the role of the straps is to hold the cups in place and ensure that they fit snugly against the breasts – it is NOT to lift the whole bust! If the straps are doing too much work, the weight of your breasts can pull them down at the front, resulting in pain. If you find your straps digging in too much, it might be time to try a thicker, stronger band.
Size Consistency Between Brands
It’s a common misconception that once you know your bra size, it will be applicable to every different bra or lingerie brand. However, this isn’t the case. In fact, you can have several different bras all from different brands and in different sizes, which all fit. Although it can be rather frustrating, just like other types of clothes each brand of lingerie can fit differently, meaning many women find their size varies between companies.
In fact, it’s even possible for the size to vary between different styles and designs… within the same brand! This is due to different shapes and compositions such as push-up, plunge and balconette just to name a few. This is one of the reasons it’s so important to be properly fitted for a bra and try before you buy. Why not join us in our flagship store in Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross – where one of our friendly experts can carry out a free in-store bra fitting? If you’re not in London, worry not, we have an online bra fitting service available too.
Breasts
With some common myths about bras covered, let’s talk about boobs. As an independent retailer, we meet a lot of women in our store on an everyday basis, many of whom may have noticed something about their breasts which they are not sure is normal or not. Additionally, we hear or see lots of things about boobs in films, TV and media that can easily skew and warp people’s perception of what is ‘normal’ or ‘standard’, which often does not reflect reality. Whether this be in regards to size, shape or something else, let’s run through some common misconceptions about breasts.
Size – DDs
Although they get a lot of attention in the media, there is a misconception that double D’s are the biggest bra size and are massive. The reality is that bra sizes extend far beyond DD, with many women in the UK actually having a much bigger size, something that surprises many ladies in our changing rooms.
For example, we have actually developed our Beija Z category, which is specifically designed for women with larger busts. Despite many thinking that DD is the largest cup size possible, our Z category actually starts there – this range is designed for cup sizes DD-H, providing the ultimate comfort and support for women with larger chests.
At Beija, we think it’s important not to get too hung up on the letter of your bra size. Instead, you’ll always feel comfortable and confident wearing a well-fitting bra, which is why we encourage regular bra fittings, which leads us onto our next point.
Constant Size
Some people think that their breasts will constantly stay the same size throughout their life, or at least they believe that they won’t change by much. However, the truth is that even a small weight gain or loss of a few pounds could be enough to alter your cup size. At Beija, we encourage regular bra fittings to ensure you stay comfortable year round.
Boob Asymmetry
Finally, we’re not really sure where this comes from, but there’s a bit of a misconception that both boobs should be identical in size. However, breast asymmetry is actually very common, with most women having one boob that is at least slightly larger than the other. This can range from a small, barely noticeable difference all the way up to one breast being an entire cup size or two bigger than the other, in some cases.
Although perfectly normal and common, the implication of this is that during fitting, you should fit the size to the bigger boob in order to avoid discomfort or pain from wires poking into your skin! So, if you’ve observed that one of your breasts is bigger than the other, fear not. It’s actually quite normal – and now you know the optimal way in which to be fitted according to your body!
Beija London
Well, there you have it! Here you have some of the most common myths and misconceptions regarding both bras and breasts! Hopefully this knowledge will help you during your next bra purchase, whether that be ensuring the correct band support or measuring your fit using your larger breast (assuming one is larger than the other – very normal!).
Whatever the case, our goal is to help you find bras that you will feel confident, sexy and comfortable wearing on a daily basis. The easiest way to do this is to join us for a free in-store bra fitting in our flagship store, located in Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross St Pancras. One of our experts will be happy to help you out, where you’re more than welcome to be professionally fitted and test our high quality materials. It’s also just a great day out, with lots of great shops, restaurants, bars and cafes within walking distance.
