Bra myths and truths
According to some studies, seven out of ten Spanish women do not wear the correct bra. How to properly buy this garment?
Rosario Santa María
Although the knowledge that Spanish women have that a bra is made up of size and cup has improved (in the first investigations, 90 percent of Spanish women did not know what the cup was), the studies continue to show that seven out of ten Spanish women do not wear the correct bra. Francesc Puertas is an expert in bras and advises brands in the sector. Professor of corsetry in the Master of Breast Pathology and Senology at the University of Barcelona and author of the book "The bra, myths and legends... and user manual" (ed. Arcopress), has inspired SAYFIT, a group that disseminates knowledge in corsetry that He gives lectures and expert prescription classes, and has developed a free APP to calculate cup and size, and discover with a geolocator the stores and brands that are closest to users to buy bras. What should buying a bra be like? ? The bra is a piece of clothing used on occasion, which requires a thoughtful purchase and not on impulse. According to information from SAYFIT, one in four women looks for a store in which they trust and feel well cared for. For this reason, I always insist on going to expert stores (not to be confused with specialized ones), where they advise women, based on the questions that lead to knowing what use they want to give it: partying, invisible, comfort, sport, sleep, pregnancy, postoperative, allergies... Why are there so many women who don't wear the right bra size or cup? It is necessary to start using the two measures to remember what we must do to buy a bra. The second part is to know the morphology, to decide which pattern is the most suitable for each user. For this, it is advisable to know stores that know how to do it. How do I have to measure the chest to know the right size? Two measurements must be known: the one below the breast (the inframammary fold) and the one of the depth of the bust. The size is the first measurement, rounded to 0 or 5, we know the European size. Adding 15 we know the French and Spanish size. To know the cup, if the difference between the two measurements is 15, it is a B cup. The cup changes every 3 centimeters. Based on this example, a woman who measures 74 centimeters under the bust, we round up to 75. The European size is 75. The Spanish and French sizes are 75+15= 90. If you are wearing a size 95, surely you have a cup above B.Main health problems associated with not wearing the right bra. Injuries and pain that subside when the right one is used. It was calculated in its day that half of the consultations for breast pain would be avoided just by using the right bra. Main discomforts: straps that fall, that are too tight... Fundamentally, injuries from wearing sizes or cups that are too small or too large. One of the usual examples is that of a user who goes to an establishment, tries the cup on top of her sweater and thinks that with this measure she has made the right choice. When she puts it on, she adjusts the straps until she feels supported. The result is that the bra rides up the back, the straps dig into the shoulders and the rigid pieces press into the skin. In other words, it leaves marks on the skin, it cuts off the microcirculation of the shoulder and leaves marks in the form of calluses where the ring ends or begins. Why is it so important to wear suitable/sports bras for running, playing sports... ? A bra does not cause disease, but it does cause injury. Take as an example, running without a garment that supports and prevents the chest from moving at will. If the appropriate pressure is applied to the type of sport (riding is not the same as Pilates), it supports the chest and prevents sudden movements that could break the "Cooper's ligaments" which are the microligaments that are in the skin: the chest It does not have muscles and, therefore, it is supported by these ligaments and by a bra. Advice that you would give a woman with a lot of chest to choose her bra. That the measurement be taken under the chest and with the simple steps that I have indicated, know the size. Go to an expert store and tell them that you know your size but not your cup, and give enough information to whoever should help you find the garment, to help you make the right choice. And don't leave the store until you've tried it on and have no doubt about what you need or want.
Recommendations for women with little chest. The same. But depending on the shape of your chest, the occasion of use and how you like to see yourself, you will have alternatives in the store, so you can find what you are looking for. Washing care to keep our bra in good condition for longer. Most bras are made of synthetic fibers. Not being careful when washing or drying them can cause deterioration of the fabrics. Therefore, the best advice is cold water and air dry (not in a dryer or on a radiator). Although it must be remembered that a bra built with simple elements tends to last much fewer washes than a bra made with highly durable fabrics and elements. A garment that has cost a few euros and withstood five washes is always more expensive than another that has cost prices above forty euros and that after a hundred washes is still fine. The latest in bra technology… Technology advances considerably in the bras. As an example, micromodal, a fiber derived from beech cellulose, which retains 50% less moisture than cotton and which, in turn, is a natural hypoallergenic garment. Perfect for sports bras or bras for women with allergies. Also therapeutic microencapsulated fibers with mineral elements that never leave the fabric no matter how much they are washed. Seamless preformed lace. They are also beginning to develop fabrics that adapt to the shape of the chest, with support capacity. In terms of trends, this spring, the bras that are worn are... Obviously, the trends are not set in standards, as they were a few years ago. years, but she dresses as she feels most comfortable and, therefore, beyond other considerations, each woman decides by looking at her outer clothing, which is the best combination with the garment that is going to dress her inside. In invisible bras, their construction and how they shape the chest prevail. In the sexy ones, the lace, the necklines, the decoration of the straps are still important... In the basic ones, colors are very much in relation to the trends of outer garments. In the sports pronounced lines that show its technical construction. In nurseries, basic colors are avoided to use more and more decorations and patterns.
*Article written by journalist Rosario Santa María.
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