Tricks to solve your bra problems

Do you have difficulty finding a bra that feels right? Do you feel that whatever bra you wear, it pinches or just doesn’t fit? Don’t worry. Our FAQs and problem fixing guide have the answers to most common issues.

The straps slides down all the time.

If they side down because they have stretched and lost their elasticity, buy a new bra. If you have narrow or sloping shoulders and the straps have been shortened properly there are bras on which the straps are placed close together in the back, so-called no-slip straps. Try to avoid balconette stylesas the straps on these tend to be far apart.

The straps cut into the shoulders or leave marks.

The straps have been shortened too much. Adjust the straps so you can easily get one fingertip between the shoulders and the straps. Your bust should get 80% of its support from the bra band around your torso, not from the straps.

The bra glides up when I raise up my arms.

You are wearing a too-big band size. If you bought it in the right size at the time (and your weight has not changed) the band has probably stretched over time.

The bra cuts into the back.

If the bra is so tight that you are uncomfortable or it leaves marks on the body, you are wearing a bra with too small band size. Try going up a size. If you have the right size and still feel you get more back bulge than you are comfortable with, buy a bra with a wider back which smooths out back bulge.

The bra pinches under the bust.

See the answer above. The band size is too small.

The underwire presses against the breast bone.

You are probably wearing the wrong cup size or too snug band. The underwire should never pinch. If you have the right size, try a different style on which the underwires are not as high or one on which the underwires meet at a different angle.

The underwire presses into the side of the breast.

The cup size is too small on you or you have wide-set breasts with a wide root. Try going up a cup size. If it creases, try a minimizer with extra-wide and shallow cups.

The bra is not tight against the body between the breasts but lies ‘on top’.

This is usually because the band is too big or the cups are not deep enough and thereby force the bra band away from the body. If you have an underwired bra, the underwires should be tight against the body and separate the breasts.

One cup covers more of one breast and goes higher up than the other despite the straps being adjusted equally on both sides.

The volume of one of your breasts is smaller than the other, which is very common among women. The smaller breast doesn’t fill the cup properly. Sometimes the difference in size cannot be seen when you look at yourself in the mirror. Try putting an insert into the cup that is higher on the breast if teh difference bother you

The breasts form a ‘uni-boob’ in the bra.

You are probably wearing a bra with cups that are too shallow or too small. It is more common to get a uniboob in a non-wired bra than an underwired bra as many underwired bras separate the bust. Try an underwired bra. If you have a very big cup size, try a bra with cup seams instead of a moulded one.

The breasts form ‘double breasts’ in the bra.

If your breasts spill over the edge of the cup forming one or two ‘bonus breasts’ it is because you are wearing a bra with a cup size that is too small.

The breasts fall out of the bra when I lean forward.

You are wearing a cup size that is too big. Try a bra with the same circumference but a smaller cup size.

The breasts hang even though my bra is the right size.

If your breasts hang more than you’d like despite wearing a bra, it is probably because your bra is worn out and has stretched or that you are not wearing a bra with enough support. There are big differences between bra styles. Invest in a bra with extra lift support in the under cup, a supportive style with firm material in the cup or at least in the bottom part of the cup and a wide back with a snug fit.

The breasts are different sizes.

Buy a bra that fits the bigger breast and try putting a bra insert into the cup to fill it out. If you don’t want to use an insert, try wearing a contour bra. It has fully padded moulded cups with a fixed defined round shape and will hide that one breast doesn’t fill the cup.

The nipple can be seen above the edge of the bra.

If the cup size is right but the nipple still sticks out above the edge, the cup has a cut that is too low. Invest in a bra with a full cup instead.

The cup is creased.

You are wearing a cup size that is too big. If it creases at the top, it may be because of the shape of the breast. Most natural breasts are not as full or firm at the top as at the bottom. In this case, try a bra with a stretchy material on the upper part of the cup.

I sweat in my bra.

Buy cups made of a functional material, for example, Keep Fresh or Spacer, which lets the skin breathe and doesn’t bind the moisture. Natural fibres such as cotton are breathable but can feel wet as they bind the moisture.

I bought a bra in exactly the same size as my old one but the new one is too tight.

Your old bra has stretched to your body and no longer represents the size printed on the size label. Maybe you have gained a bit of weight and the bra has adapted. Most bras have elastic backs and some also have elastic cups.

The seam rubs against the nipple.

Try a bra that is moulded. If you prefer seams, choose a bra with a lining with a French seam so there are no edges against the nipple. Another option is a fully padded cup.