Dear Layla,

Ms. Perfect but Pinched

Dear Ms. Perfect,

I have no doubt that your curves are fabulous, so I can’t help but wonder why you are wearing your bra so tight that you’re wrapping yourself like a sausage? Here’s my advice, your curves should be cupped not clenched in, hugged not dug in, and smoothed but not smothered. A properly fitting bra does not bind you so tight that it leaves marks. My guess is that you are tightening the straps or the band to compensate for an ill fitting situation with size.

I recommend making sure you are wearing the right size first. For instructions on how to get the proper fit, visit Freshpair’s Fit and Size Guide for Women.

Will you do an exercise for me? Take a look at yourself in the mirror, do the cups on the bra look like they sit away from your skin when your straps are loosened? If they do you are tightening the straps to compensate for cup size. If not, it might be the style of bra that you are wearing. You need to look at bras that have a wider strap, if the strap is 1/4″ thick and you have anything larger than a C, you’re putting all the weight of those puppies on that one little 1/4″ spot on your shoulder. No wonder they’re not thanking you at the end of the day!

Thicker straps can help alleviate some of the digging as well as clear up any discoloration. If you don’t mind trying bras with a thicker strap, here are some that I suggest:

Awareness Soft Cup Bra 85276 by Wacoal This style from Wacoal features a nice soft cup with no underwire as well as a padded strap.	Beautiful Benefits Minimizer with Lace Details Bra 75-070 by Vanity Fair For more substantial straps, try this style from Vanity Fair with pretty lace detail.
Smoothing Cup Bra 4500 by Fantasie Seamless and supportive, this style by Fantasie might fit the bill for you as far as support. The wider straps along with the proper size should minimize the digging in effect.	Satin Edge Lined Underwire Bra 35089 by Olga For an elegant and understated statement, try this style from Olga. The sleek straps coupled with the soft cup lining won’t irritate the skin or dig into your shoulders.

Here is another exercise I want you to try: can you fit two fingers in between the band and your skin comfortably? If you can fit more than two fingers between you and your band, then your band is too loose. On the other side, if you can’t fit two, you need to loosen it up.

This may also be another reason why you are tightening your straps. If the tension around your body is not strong enough or is too strong you might be throwing the engineering of your bra off balance! It is really important to get the combination right for a proper fit. For more fitting tips and tricks take a look at Freshpair’s Fit and Size Guide.

It really is about finding the right size in combination with a bra that has the right features to support your body and breast type properly. I hope these options work for you! Happy hunting, Ms. Perfect!

xo,
Layla

This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 at 3:17 pm and is filed under Get Fit Q&A. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.