A bra can be your best friend or your worst enemy; ultimately it all comes down to the fit.
The Problem: Breasts That Swim In Your Cups
The opposite of having spillage over your cups, you have more room in there than you legitimately need or want. “A full-coverage bra can often cause extra space in the cups for women with smaller busts. If you’re smaller on top, a demi-cup bra is best, since the silhouette provides great lift with less coverage,” Volker says. Similarly, balconette-style intimates will flatter shallower breasts, as they are not a full-cup shape, either.
While they can be an issue for smaller-breasted women, Cohen notes that puckering cups are also fairly common for women with separated or splayed breast shapes. Since your breast is resting at the bottom of the cup, it leaves room at the top for unsightly gaping.” Her advice: “First, try tightening the straps. Sometimes that's all you need to do.” If that doesn’t fix it, she suggests going down a cup size (or half a size!), or experimenting with the types of bras you’re wearing. “If your cup fits well but there's a little room at the top, try plunge or push-up bras. These cups are angled, and tend to be cut a little smaller to reduce gaping.”
The Problem: Chafing Is Irritating Your Skin
Your bra shouldn’t hurt you. If yours is causing pain or chafing, something's up. “Sometimes, it’s about a more breathable fabric, but sometimes it’s about the right support system,” Altman says. “Most chafing in bras happens when your breasts are rubbing together or against your rib cage. This shows how important it is to have proper breast separation (each breast needs to be fully encapsulated in the cup, they should not be touching) and lift (the breasts should be lifted away from your rib cage).”
Choosing light, breathable fabrics, like cotton and lace, is also important to keep chafing at bay — harsh materials can irritate sensitive skin. “Styles that include moisture-wicking technology provide added dryness and comfort,” Volker adds.
You should also think about your bra’s elastic. “Anytime you have elastic against your skin, you run the risk of chafing,” Cohen notes. “I recommend getting a style that has a double layer of fabric at the back with enclosed elastic. The beauty of a back-smoothing style like this is that the fabric lies against your body instead of the irritating elastic.”
Baserange Triangle Bra, $44.77, available at Baserange.
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