There are a few items in every woman’s wardrobe that induce sheer panic at the thought of shopping for. Bras for small busts are the most common offender (closely followed by jeans of course). No matter your cup size, trying to find the perfect bra – that is, one that fits properly, is in stock in your size and you actually like the look of – can feel like a mammoth task.
But unfortunately, there is no getting away from the fact that we all need to provide some support for our boobs – and having a smaller cup size doesn’t preclude you. While you may not require as much support as someone with DD-cup breasts (we’ve revealed the best bras for big boobs here), a good bra – wireless or otherwise – is still an absolute must-have.
Need proof? Bra expert Jill Kenton, who has fitted bras for the likes of Madonna and the late Princess Diana, said: “Wearing no bra at all can cause breasts to sag if the tissue is left with no support.” Cosmetic surgeon, Dr Dirk Kremer of Harley St. Aesthetics agreed, telling us that “wearing a bra can help to stop premature sagging, as it means that the connective tissue within the breast isn’t stretched as much throughout the day.”
Convinced? Same. If you have a smaller chest, read on for my guide on how to find the perfect bra for you, plus my edit of the best bras for small busts. I’ve tried and tested a lot.
First up: make sure you have the correct cup size…
In an ideal world, getting measured for your ‘perfect fit’ is the breast start (sorry) to any bra shopping journey. But if you don’t feel comfortable heading back out to the shops just yet, you can use our genius guide to how measure your bra size at home. While we all like to think our bra size hasn’t changed since our mum/friend/sister last cajoled us into getting a proper fitting, the fact is, it almost definitely has.
Consider the fit…
Forget what you thought you knew: all bras are not created equal. A bra style that works for a friend might not work for you – even if you are the same cup size.