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Hiya ladies. Welcome to the ultimate underwire troubleshooter.
First you need to make sure you are correctly fitted, and that you know which underwire width is best for you. Most underwires issues come from wearing the wrong size.
* Find your correct bra size: most complaint about uncomfortable underwires come from wearing the wrong bra size. Here is how to break out of the bra matrix.
* Do you need wide or narrow underwires? How to find out and which brands carry which.
* This is why I don't recommend ditching the underwires altogether, at least not before you have tries all the other hacks in this posts. Non-wired bras just don't offer the support that wired bras do.
Now that you have that down, chances are most of your bras fit comfortably. If you are still having issues with your underwires, here are the solutions:
* Underwires that are "embedded" into the band are much less likely to stretch and distort their shape than those that have a three-piece band.
* Tops of underwires dig into your armpits? You're either petite or have high set breasts. Choose bras with shorter underwires, that don't go up high under the armpits.
* When the bra pinches on the sternum: You might find plunges are right for you, as the underwires go very low in the front. For non-plunges that you already own, try bending the ends away. Place the bra on a flat surface with the part you want to bend away hanging off. Press on the part that is hanging of just a very little bit, and try the bra on again.
* If you feel that the underwires are too far apart, try sewing a little dart. If the problem is that the underwires go up too high in the front, try pushing them down the tunnel (the tunnel of the underwires is usually longer than the underwires).
* Do the underwires cut into your sides or the front of your ribs, because they refuse to follow the curve of your ribcage? Many underwires are two-dimensional and rigid, meaning they are as flat as a board. Our ribcages, on the contrary, are curved. The solution: how to shape your underwires like a person.
* Some underwires, like the Bravissimo Alana, have very inflexible underwires. While this is a big plus for such models in the bigger cup sizes, it may be uncomfortable in smaller cup sizes.
* If you have very sensitive skin, swelling or other medical issues, read this post. If you have pectus excavatus, here are some tips for you.
If your bras chronically tend to have uncomfortable underwires, you'll be better off buying online than in offline stores, because when buying online you can test-wear a bra for a few hours as compared to the few minutes in a store.
Have you tried any of these fixes? Do you know of any that I have not included? Do share in the comments!
