What I Shared on The Forties Formula Podcast
Recently, I had the pleasure of joining the hosts of The Forties Formula Podcast to talk about something I have spent the last two years helping women understand:
Your bra should not hurt.
Yet every day at Supporting Eve, I meet women who believe discomfort is simply part of wearing a bra. They tell me about neck pain, shoulder grooves, headaches, back pain, straps that constantly fall down, wires that dig in, and the overwhelming feeling of relief when they finally take their bra off at the end of the day.
Many are surprised when I suggest that the problem may not be their body.
It may be their bra. (RSS.com)
The Statistic That Shocks Most Women
During the podcast, we discussed the fact that an estimated 80–95% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. (Apple podcast)
Not one size out.
Not slightly imperfect.
Often significantly wrong.
The challenge is that most women have never been taught what a properly fitting bra should actually feel like. They simply adapt to discomfort and assume it is normal.
It isn't.
Headaches, Neck Pain and Shoulder Pain
One of the topics that generated the biggest reaction was the connection between bras and headaches.
A poorly fitting bra can place excessive strain through the neck, shoulders and upper back. When breast weight is not properly supported by the band, the straps often end up doing far more work than they were designed to do.
The result can be:
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Shoulder pain
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Neck tension
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Headaches
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Upper back discomfort
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Poor posture
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Skin irritation and pressure marks
Many women spend years treating the symptoms without ever considering the bra as a contributing factor. (Listen on Spotify)
The Biggest Bra Myth
If you've followed Supporting Eve for any length of time, you'll know one of my favourite myths to challenge:
Underwires are not the enemy.
A correctly fitted underwire should sit around your breast tissue, not on it.
When a wire is digging, poking or rubbing, it is often a sign that the size, shape or style is wrong.
Blaming the wire is a little like blaming your shoes because they're two sizes too small.
The issue is usually the fit.
Why Bra Fit Changes Throughout Life
Another important part of our conversation focused on the reality that bra size is not fixed.
Our bodies change.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, weight fluctuations, perimenopause, menopause, exercise habits, medication, surgery and ageing can all affect breast shape and size. (Watch on YouTube)
Many women are still wearing the same bra size they were fitted into years ago.
The problem is that their body has moved on.
Why We Don't Use Measuring Tapes at Supporting Eve
One of the things that often surprises people is that we don't use tape measures during fittings.
At Supporting Eve, we use a specialist fit-by-sight method that focuses on:
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Breast shape
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Breast position
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Tissue distribution
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Ribcage shape
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Comfort
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Support
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How the bra performs on the body
A tape measure can provide a number.
It cannot tell you whether a bra actually fits.
The goal isn't to achieve a particular size label.
The goal is to find a bra that works for your body.
The Takeaway
The most important message I hoped listeners would take away from the podcast is this:
You should not have to tolerate an uncomfortable bra.
If your straps constantly fall down, your wires dig in, your shoulders ache, your neck hurts, or you count the minutes until you can take your bra off, it may be time to reassess your fit.
A well-fitted bra should support you, not distract you.
And sometimes the solution isn't buying more bras.
It's finding the right one.
Listen to the Full Episode
I joined Amanda Lim and Jasmin Dhillon on The Forties Formula to discuss bra fitting, breast health, perimenopause, common bra myths and why so many women are living with discomfort they don't need to accept. Listen to the episode here
Caroline Warren is the founder of Supporting Eve, Singapore's independent bra fitting boutique specialising in expert fit-by-sight bra fittings, sizes 28–48 bands and A–K cups.