Our posture - the way we hold our body while we stand and sit - is incredibly important. It can dictate our emotions and moods, affect our productivity and even send signals to others. How our bra fits has a huge impact on our posture. We'll walk you through the 'science' behind the many and varied ways that bras can affect our posture, and how this can impact our well-being.
We'll also give you some hints and tips on what to look out for in your bra to ensure it's providing the best support for your back and bust. Throughout this article, we've also included various yoga poses to help improve your posture ( when paired with wearing a well-fitting bra ... )
Why is posture so important, and how can it affect me?
55% of our everyday emotions are communicated through body language, with posture playing a huge part. It’s basically the way that we tell people how we're feeling without even having to speak!
Research shows that power poses - where we take up more physical space by opening up our chests and stretching high with our heads - communicate confidence and an openness to others. Interestingly, power poses also enable us to tolerate more physical pain and emotional stress in these positions. The opposite also applies: if you’re slouched and hunched over, this can lead to reduced productivity, reduced communication, and also being less open to input.
Your mental well-being can also be shaped by your physical state, and vice versa - this communication of mind and body is called embodied cognition. Your posture can impact your moods, and your mood can be reflected in your posture.
If a third party - such as an ill-fitting bra - is at play, it could unwittingly be making your life much harder than it needs to be!
How can an ill-fitting bra cause bad posture?
An ill-fitting bra won't provide your bust with the support it needs and will likely cause discomfort. A bra can fit poorly for a number of reasons, which we'll dive into in more detail below.
If you're aware that your ill-fitting bra is negatively affecting the shape and appearance of your breasts - for example, if the cups are too small, causing your breast tissue to spill out - your body will naturally hunch, rounding your shoulders to conceal this. These often subconscious movements and habits that we pick up over time can be a struggle to undo!
If you have a fuller, heavier bust, and your bra band is too loose, it won't provide the support you need. The band will ride up your back, causing you to drop your shoulders, and your breasts to sit lower at the front. All of this can lead to muscle tightening and pain in the upper or lower back, neck or shoulders, as we adjust our posture to compensate.
Physically, we add stress to the bones and muscles when we adopt poor posture. This can also affect our breathing and even cause digestive problems.
In short, your mum was right - sit up straight!
Research shows that you will have higher self-esteem, a better mood, and lower fear when sitting up straight compared to slumping. Your rate of speech may well increase, your ability to focus can increase, and you'll likely have a higher resilience to stress.
Physically, encouraging your shoulders to move back will also decompress your nerves, improve your grip strength, and increase your lung function.
These improvements can also reduce fatigue and give a psychological boost in energy that can result in greater endurance and productivity.
How can my bra help?
It’s commonly thought that roughly 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size; however, we think it’s best not to focus solely on the numbers, as different manufacturers and bra styles will mean we all wear a variety of sizes at one time or another. When conducting a bra fitting, online or in our stores, we always provide the wearer with a bra size range, rather than a single size.
If your bra is fitted correctly, you will be using your entire chest area, shoulders and back to support your breasts. This should not only improve your breast shape and position but also, in turn, lift your head and open up your chest as you gain more confidence in your appearance. A good-fitting bra will also distribute the weight of your breasts evenly, avoiding pinch points which can put pressure on one part of your neck, back or shoulders,
What are the key fit points I should look for in a bra?
We've a great guide to fit points over on Instagram - be sure to check this out - but the key areas to look for are ...
A snug band
The majority of a bra's support comes from the band, so it's essential to ensure this isn't riding up your back, and is sitting in line with the underwires. You should be able to fit two fingers comfortably under the back fastening of your bra and be able to pull the band half an inch to an inch away from your back, with a comfortable amount of resistance. If it easily stretches more than an inch, it may be too loose. If you struggle to fit a finger under the band at all, it may be too small.
Correctly-fitting underwires
If your bra has underwires, the centre front should sit flat, snug to your body.* Your finger shouldn't be able to slip easily behind them. The wires should come all the way around to your underarm, and not sink into breast tissue. To test this, firmly push the the wire to check that it's sitting on the bone. If it's sitting on soft breast tissue, it may be too small in the cup.
*If you have a depressed sternum, this is not always possible. If this is something you experience, one of our senior bra fitters will be able to show you options that will work well for you, including softer / cushioned underwires, as well as those that don't rise between the bust.
Correctly-fitting cups
The cups of your bra should contain your breast tissue without spilling out of the top. If your bust is struggling to stay within the cup, you may need a larger cup or an alternative cup shape. For example, a balconette bra could be swapped for a plunge bra, both of which have a very different cup shape. Don’t be afraid to try multiple styles!
If your cups are gaping or folding inwards, they may be too large, or the wrong shape or material for you. If you've always worn a bra with a padded or moulded cup, venture out of your comfort zone and try one without. Pant Patrol, our friendly bra fitting experts, are always happy to offer alternative suggestions!
If, like most women, you have one breast larger than the other, be sure to fit to the bigger breast rather than the smaller one.
The best way to support our backs and boobs is to take care of ourselves. Whether you're sitting at a desk all day, pushing yourself in physical work, exercising, running around after the kids or juggling a busy household, good posture will enable you to function better, with less physical pain and in a better headspace.
Been a while since your last bra fitting, or need a little more expert assistance?
We'd love to welcome you for a free bra fitting in our Islington or Saffron Walden stores, or from the comfort of your own home via our coveted online bra fitting service - book your free fitting here.
Here’s to happy backs and boobs x
