unBRAlievable!

This post may be a little on the TMI side, but, girls, I think it is quite necessary.

I'll start off with two simple questions:

What size bra do you wear?

and

What is your bra size?

For some of you, the answers to both of these questions might be a no brainer... and your answers might be the same.

But for many of you, they probably aren't.

Now, I'll share with you a story:

Today, I was shopping and poked into Victoria's Secret- not an uncommon occurence. However, today they were hosting an event where, if you got measured for a bra, you were entered to win a pair of sweatpants. I know how to measure myself for bras, but hadn't done it in a while there was free clothing involved, so I set my bags down as the sales lady whipped out her trusty pink measuring tape. She asked me what size bra I was currently wearing, and I confidently told her my size. She responded by telling me that I was measuring out to a full cup size bigger than what I thought I was or what I was wearing. This was a little shocking to me. My bra didn't feel that uncomfortable. I'd heard that most women actually wear the wrong size bra, but I proudly thought I was one of the women on the other side of that statistic. Boy was I wrong!

According to Time Magazine, 

up to 85% of women wear the wrong size bra.

Wearing the wrong size bra might sound about as trivial as wearing a shirt that's "a little big on you", but a properly fitted bra is actually crucial in preventing various health issues.

These include:

Back strain

 A bra that is too small cannot adequately support your bust, causing pressure and unnecessary stress on the back. This can lead to intense pain and can trigger even bigger problems with your muscles and spine.

Poor Posture

Similar to the problems that wearing an ill-fitting bra can cause with your back, the weight of your bust in a bra that does not properly support it pulls your shoulders forward, which not only causes you to look hunched over, but can also lead to a whole host of other issues.

Irritation and Scarring

A bra that is too tight, especially those with underwire, will dig into your bust, causing the skin to become irritated or even scarred. Also, the straps of a bra that is not properly fitted can dig into the shoulders, causing further irritation.

Because of these issues (and because wearing the wrong size bra can be super unflattering!), it is crucial that every lady out there know her size. The best way to do this is to get measured every time you go out to buy a new bra. If you buy your bras from a store where measuring isn't available, you can learn how to measure yourself here.

In the end, a well-fitting bra will not only look better, but will feel better too.

Happy Bra Shopping!