May the Odds be in Your Favor...

The Question

How do I find the perfect bra?

By Nina Garin (Contact) Union-Tribune Staff Writer

2:00 a.m. April 25, 2009

Yes, yes, by now we all know we're wearing the wrong bra size.

?We wear our bra for more than 12 hours a day,? Nethero said. ?So a good bra is an extremely important issue for women.?

What's the big deal with fit, anyway?

Well, for starters, Nethero said wearing the right bra can make you look both thinner and taller.

But there's also the issue of breast tissue. Nethero believes a bad bra can cause the tissue to sag or lose firmness, and that can lead to long-term damage.

?The weight of a breast can pull on your neck, diminish blood flow to your head and even cause headaches,? she said. ?With a good bra, you're supporting that weight and taking the stress off the rest of your body.?

What happens during a fitting?

Be prepared to be topless for a good half-hour.

It might be a bit awkward, but Nethero said her employees go to a two-week ?bra school? and they've seen just about everything.

But they don't rely on a measuring tape. ?Measuring tapes give you a number,? Nethero said. ?But not volume.?

The Intimacy fitters assess how your current bra fits, adjusting the straps and checking the cup, to determine what size you should be wearing. Be ready to try on close to a dozen bras.

What makes a bra fit well?

The band is most important, as Nethero said it provides 90 percent of the support. ?It should be firm, yet comfortable,? she said.

Cup size comes second. Breasts should neither spill over nor have room.

The bra needs to be comfortable, and that means no straps that slip or bands that ride up.

Without a fitting, it's common for women to mistake loose bands as a better fit, so while you think you're a 36C, you may actually be a 34D.

Am I too big to wear fancy bras?

Frilly, pretty bras may be hard to find at places like Victoria's Secret if you're larger than a C cup.

With the proper fit, women over a size D can still wear sexier styles like lace or a more revealing demi-cup.

Is it worth the money?

One thing about a nice bra is it costs money ? anywhere from $60 to $120 for just one.

It's a big investment, but it's arguably the most important article of clothing you wear. A bra affects how clothes fit and can affect how you feel.

How do I care for my new bra?

You can wash it in the gentle cycle as long as the bra is in a netted bag, so that underwires don't twist and the back doesn't pull or stretch.

But Nethero recommends hand-washing with cool water and a sensitive soap.

Never, never put a bra in the dryer, because the heat ruins the elastic. Hang dry.

It's a good idea to buy two or three and then alternate them throughout the week to minimize wear and tear.