Fitting Guide
How a Bra Should Fit
A well-fitting bra has a secure, level band; cups that contain the tissue without cutting in or collapsing; wires that do not sit on breast tissue; and straps that stabilise rather than carry all the support.
Put the bra on correctly before judging the fit
- Fasten a new bra on the loosest comfortable hook, since the band stretches with wear, and starting loose gives you room to tighten later.
- Position the wires at the root of the breast, not on top of the tissue.
- Scoop and settle the tissue into the cups from the side, so nothing is caught outside the wire.
- Adjust the straps until they're snug without lifting the band off your back.
- Move your arms and sit down before judging anything.
- Recheck after wearing it for several minutes, since a first impression can be misleading.
Check the band first
The band should stay level and provide most of the support on its own. Test it with the band-only test. Fasten the bra backwards and upside down, cups not covering the breasts, and check whether the band feels secure without them. A band that's comfortable this way but tight in normal position usually means the cups, not the band, need adjusting.
Check the cups
Look for these separately, since they point in different directions.
- Overflow means tissue escaping at the top or sides, usually too little cup volume.
- Cutting in means visible indentation from the cup edge, also usually too little volume.
- Wrinkling means loose fabric in the cup, usually too much volume for that spot.
- Gaping means empty space, which can mean excess volume, a shape mismatch, or both.
- Cup sliding down is often a band or strap issue rather than a cup-size one.
- Cup depth is whether the cup has enough room front-to-back for your projection.
Check the centre panel
The centre panel (gore) sitting flat against the breastbone is a common fit signal, but not a universal rule. Wireless bras, plunge designs, close-set breasts and some anatomies don't produce a fully flat gore even in a correct size, so don't treat "doesn't tack perfectly" as an automatic fail on its own.
Check the wires
Wires should follow the root of the breast, sit flat against the ribcage at the sides and bottom, and not press into breast tissue anywhere along their length. A wire that pokes, presses on tissue, or sits noticeably below the actual breast fold usually signals a sizing or shape mismatch worth investigating.
Check the straps
Straps should stabilise the cups and stay in place without digging in. They are not the primary support system. If straps are doing most of the work, or digging in to compensate, check the band first rather than just tightening the straps further.
Move before you decide
A bra that looks right standing still can still fail in motion. Before deciding, try these.
- Raising your arms overhead.
- Leaning forward.
- Sitting down.
- Twisting at the waist.
- Walking normally for a minute.
When the size is right but the shape is wrong
If the measurements check out but the fit still feels off, the issue may be construction or shape rather than size. See the Breast Shape Guide.