Do you see yourself as an intelligent woman? Do you know your bra size? If you answered yes to both these questions, then why is there a mountain of bras in your cupboard that you are not wearing?
Natie Spangenberg, owner of Comfit/ Pandora Bra Studio in Krugersdorp says she has been a corsetiere for 20 years and wants to take this opportunity to unlock and reveal the mysteries of “The Bra”.
“A bra is part and parcel of every woman’s everyday life, and every woman should know the basics of bra fitting. Mothers should teach that to their daughters.
“To answer the question of why doesn’t the bra fit, I now shall explain the complex nature of The Bra.
“You see bras and breast are like feet and shoes. Sure the size must be right but, the shape of the shoe has to fit the shape of the foot. A broad foot cannot be squeezed into a narrow shoe, even if it is the right size.
“And here is the secret … the shape of the bra cup must fit the shape of the breast. Think about it, women’s feet are different shapes, and so are breasts. We cannot all wear the same shoes and we cannot all wear the same style bra.
“You know, you can always tell when a woman’s shoe or bra is pinching. It shows on her face – it sits between her eyes in a nasty frown.
“Oh yes, and the next thing you can tell is when the back size is too big. The bra moves up and sits between her shoulder blades like a revolver holster. It should sit comfortably just beneath the shoulder blades.
“The back size is very important, it gives you the support you need. Yes, I know you thought the cups or the wires give the support, but it’s not.
“If the bra is two loose around your body the back strap will ride up your back and what goes up at the back, come down in the front.
“It is easy to establish whether the back size is correct. Just lift your arms, like catching a ball, if the bra lifts up in the front or moves up over the breast, it is too big around the body and gives no support. If the bra is two tight around the body I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how to find that out, the elastic will curl and pinch until you are teary eyed.
“The third important point is the cup size. Ladies, cleavage is good, double bubbles are not. You should not pop out in front like bread dough that has risen too much or under the arms or at the back, for that matter. But more about the cups and shoulder straps and the rest of this mystery next time.”
