The seven commandments of bra-buying

Wearing the wrong-size bra isn’t just uncomfortable. It can be downright dangerous. “It can create headaches and migraines,� says Bell. “Or you could get back aches, shoulder aches, or pinched nerves in your shoulders, and it can go right down into your legs with muscle spasms. If your shoulders are supporting your breasts, you’re creating so much pressure on your upper body, and it really should be your back that’s supporting your breasts and holding you in a better posture.�

4. Wash your bras more than you feel like it.

Since the tension of the band is what’s holding your breasts up, keeping it in top shape is key to your bra’s longevity. “Believe it or not, you should be washing your bra after every second wear,� says Molyneaux. “Most people think the fewer times you wash it, the longer it will last and, actually, it’s the opposite. The oils in your body get into the fabric. So inside this strap, if you’re sweating or anything else, eventually that puts a little slick that can make it slip off your shoulders, and it breaks down the fabric. You’re clogging it with all your skin and your oils, who knows what you’ve had on your body in the day. Washing it cleans it out and it breathes again.�

Bell compares bras to blue jeans. When your jeans are just out of the wash, they’re body-hugging. After a day or too, they’re loose and sloppy.

5. Sports bras aren’t all created equal.

Last month, Midnight Magic Lingerie partnered with Anita bras to host a sports-bra-fitting clinic. Just like with regular bras, the right fit is key. What sports bra you need depends on your bust size, the level of intensity of your sport or workout, and how strong your breasts’ connective tissue is.

“You have to think: ligaments and your pectoral muscles are the things that hold your breast tissue to your chest wall, and those are the things that go first,� says Molyneaux. “This is where sports bras come in – if you’re jumping up and down and exercising, you’ve got nowhere to go but south, even if you’re small-busted. If you can keep your breasts supported, they’ll stay in better shape.�

6. Get fitted every couple of years.

Our bodies change over the years, and so, too, do our breasts. Weight-fluctuation, child-bearing, menopause and just plain aging can cause them to get bigger or smaller.

“As weight fluctuates, a lot of women will get new pants or new tops, but they don’t tend to get new bras,� says Bell. “Even if your weight doesn’t change, you should be re-fit every couple of years because your body still changes.�

7. It’s not just about support.

We all know the main function for bras. But if that were the only reason for them, we’d all have a closet full of bland brassieres in plain beige. “Lingerie is the other side of it,� says Molyneaux. “Don’t look at it as just a functional thing. It’s also something sensual and something you can wear as an intimate piece. If you’re in something sexy, you know it. It subconsciously makes you feel good that you’re fit from the inside out.�

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