The ‘at home’ fitting

When Kim Louise got her hands on Janie the first thing she did was show how there was a large gap between the middle of the pretty George bra she was wearing and Janie’s rib cage. “And that,” says Kim, “is the trouble with most women’s bras. They are wearing a band around their chest that is far too big. The middle part of a bra should fit snug against the rib cage for maximum comfort and support.”

Kim immediately suggested a smaller band size and bigger cup for a better fit. Interestingly, it is more economically viable for the larger department stores to recommend a bigger band and stick to the B, C and D cup sizes which they order in volume and save the bigger cups for fuller breasted ladies.

Kim went on to ask Janie what she wanted out of a bra. “A balconette will push boobs up; a plunge will push boobs together for an enhanced cleavage. Then there’s strapless, T-shirt, padded and unpadded. The choice is endless so it all depends on the look you want to achieve,” she explains.

Kim provides a bra fitting service in customer’s homes, either one to one or in parties of up to five ladies. “Ladies feel relaxed in their own environment and can really enjoy the experience and take their time,” she explains.  Kim orders from numerous lingerie manufacturers including Freya, Fantasie and Adore. All bras have knickers to match and most manufacturers include a range of swim wear. They take up to five days to arrive following your order.

The 'In-store' Fitting

There are two facts about Pearsons that you may not know – 1) they have their very own bra fitter, Deborah xxxxx and 2) they sell a wonderful array of lingerie including Gok’s favourite nude Wonderbra (the one he puts his models in before they don his creation and strut down the catwalk). At £33 this is what Deborah calls an investment bra but one we are likely to wear over and over even if it isn’t the prettiest to look at.

A good bra fitter can usually take one look at a customer and ascertain her size - this is what Deborah does with Janie before double checking with the tape measure. “Although I’ve been doing this for so many years that I can instinctively tell what size a customer is likely to be, manufacturers really do vary quite dramatically from each other. So you do have to try on several to find the one that you are really comfortable with.”

A cardinal sin that most of us are guilty of, according to Deborah, is holding on to your lingerie for longer than 6 months! “Ideally you should buy a T-shirt bra, a pretty bra, a ‘nude’ bra and a black bra and rotate those and then get rid and buy new...regularly. The elastic will give over time and the bra that supported you so well will really have given up the ghost six months later.”

“That’s why,” she goes on to say, “you should always buy a bra that fits on the widest hook so that as the elastic gives, you can tighten the bra using the remaining hooks.” Not only can Pearsons help you find the right bra so your boobs look great, they also stock swimwear and all-in-one Spanx to control your tummy. They also stock a range of bras with inter changeable straps and pretty charm add-ons.

Top Tips

• Get fitted properly - bigger boobs will feel better supported and smaller ones can look and feel a whole lot bigger

• Hook a bra together when washing – that way hooks won’t get bent

• Boobs change size over time – get measured regularly

• Try and hand wash when you can; don’t wring out just drip dry

• Know what look you want to achieve before selecting a style