Tips On Choosing The Right Bra For Yourself

I think one of the most difficult task that we, women, have to learn and agree to is How To Find The Best Fitted Bra for ourselves. Well, we do agree that we need the right size, the right shape that works for our figure. But frequently we go against the knowledge what’s good for our health by opting into what is fashionable and what’s being advertized to us heavily.

I love Victoria’s Secret fashion! Who doesn’t? But I had to come to agreement with my own self that not every wonderous bra from their no less wonderous collection actually works for me. It was hard to do that. But I had to. The last drop in my decision-making to opt into what is healthy and works best for my fit was an article describing various negative side effects on health of badly-fitted bra.

Yes, Oprah Winfrey talked about the importance of wearing a good bra that works for you and only you many years ago. Yes, we listened and forgot. Now is the time to be reminded about this special subject as What It Means To Have A Properly Fitted Bra.

I went out and found an expert on this subject! This is Haidee Johnstone from Leading Lady company that designs bras and intimate apparel for women of all walks of life: with babies and without, single or married, passionate about intimate apparel or simply dedicated to it.

To understand where Haidee is coming from, here’s her professional story how she got where she is today.

“I attended Fashion Institute of Technology for fashion design. I was lucky enough to start my designing career in couture knitwear with Mady Gerard. We made wonderful knit clothes, which often had woven silk accents that made them so different and interesting. It was a fabulous experience for a young designer – all of the glamour of 7th Ave. and marvelous clothes finished by hand.

We also created the knitted trims for Maximilian Fur Company and a few other 7th Ave. firms, including John Anthony. Along with designing collections, we also worked with private customers. I then went to work for Carol Horn, who was a Coty Award winner and made very special sportswear. These were both incredible training experiences for me. One of my career highlights was to work for Christian Dior, for the 50 Anniversary of the House of Dior, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in NYC.

I am from the Midwest and wanted to stay in the fashion industry but be closer to my family, as my parents were getting older. I went to work for a company in Wisconsin that made Bill Blass down coats. After a year, I moved to Minneapolis to work for a maternity sportswear company, Over The Rainbow, which was eventually bought by Leading Lady.  I started to take over more of the design responsibilities for Leading Lady’s sleepwear and then the bras and other intimates as well.

In order to design bras, I had to learn entirely new skills. I was lucky enough to have Walter Bursynski as my first mentor and teacher. He has always had the highest reputation for excellence in our industry. His first opinion of me was that I should find a different kind of design job.  Usually a designer spends his or her whole career in one field, so he thought it was odd for me to switch to bras.  He came around over the years and seems to think I am OK now! Meg Shultz has also been incredibly influential in helping me learn the language of bras.

I actually think it has been helpful to have an “outsiders” design perspective.  It allows me to look at product in creative ways and think beyond just the bra to related products. Because Leading Lady is a family owned company, there have been interesting possibilities that would not have been available to me in a large corporate environment. I have been able to work with sales, sourcing, pricing, factories and all phases of production, as well as product design, which is very lucky for me as I am interested in all parts of the business. Of course, I could not accomplish what I do without my invaluable design team: Hope, Judi, Barb, Ludmila and Linda!”

How To Achieve Your Proper Bra Fit

At Leading Lady, fit is extremely important to us so I want to share some tips on how to maximize the fit, comfort and support of your bra for the health of your breasts.

To achieve your proper bra fit, start by measuring yourself using Leading Lady’s fit calculator. Many women are in-between sizes so it may take a few tries to find your ideal fit. You will know you have achieved bra perfection when

1. Your breasts sit upright and centered on your chest
2. Your breasts are encapsulated by the cup without using the under-bust elastic, and
3. The band sits flush against your chest in front and on your back without digging into your skin or the cup being wrinkled.

It is essential to select bras that are appropriate for the variety of activities in your lifestyle.

When selecting a bra you are planning to wear all day, try it on and move around a bit. If your straps slip off or cut into the shoulder, adjust the straps or try a different size bra.

Wider and padded shoulder straps will help to keep you comfortable for a fabulous fit from morning until night.

And when you’re hitting the gym, remember that fuller breasts require more support. So look for light compression that still allows a full range of motion.  The goal is to prevent bounce as breasts move up and down as well as side to side.