Women with small breasts often find it difficult to find bras that fit properly. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated issue. For most small-breasted women, whether you’re a Westerner or Asian, the perfect-fitting bra is like the Bermuda Triangle. Everyone knows it exists, but only a few know where or how to find it. It’s a tough challenge to find the right bra fit.

If you’ve got small breasts, an A cup, AA, or even AAA perhaps, chances are you’ve never really found a bra that fits you perfectly. Through the years, you’ve endured ill-fitting bras to the point where you start to believe that bras are just naturally uncomfortable and restricting. For the longest time, you’ve always dreamed of wearing a certain style bra but couldn’t because finding the right fit for your boobs just seems impossible.

Most petite women encounter this question, “Why do you need to wear a bra?” Personally, this kind of question is a bit offensive. Small-breasted or not, bras are a necessity because of one common reason, nipples. Whether you have tiny breasts or are carrying a hefty DD, your nipples will protrude and make their presence known when it’s chilly or cold.

Anne Hathaway should have known it would be chilly on the red carpet!

Apart from the physical aspect, there is also an emotional reason why small-breasted women embark on an exhaustive search to find a bra that fits them properly. Our society characterizes individuals by the way they act, dress, and handle themselves. Femininity is depicted by the woman’s elegance, the types of clothes she wears, her figure, and the size of her breasts. This is unfortunate, but true in several cases. Throughout history, women in a civilized society have always worn bras. And not being able to wear the proper-fitting bra just because you have small breasts can be degrading to some women, and it does make you feel a bit less womanly. A man who can’t grow a mustache can sometimes feel less manly. 

Another annoying thing about finding bras for petite women is that when you do find one that’s your size, it’s excessively padded or lined to make your breasts look bigger. When are these bra manufacturers going to realize that not all small-breasted women want to have bigger boobs? Just because fashion magazines and other media outlets say bigger is hipper and hotter doesn’t mean that everyone will buy what they’re selling. There are petite women who just don’t like to drink the Kool-Aid. Many of them just want a bra that provides a proper fit and a nice shape.

Things You Need To Know about Your Small Breasts

1. Even though you have small breasts, they still need the support that a proper-fitting bra can provide. And it doesn’t hurt to cover up those protruding nipples under sheer tops, don’t you think?

2. Wearing excessive bra padding is not necessary unless you want to fill in a particular dress or top. Sticking padding in your bra to make your bust look bigger isn’t always flattering, no matter what society tells you.

3. When finding a bra that fits properly, band size is absolutely crucial. Make sure that the band size fits you comfortably before you start thinking about cup sizes. In a bra fitting, make sure to fasten the strap on the loosest hook. Bras wear out and lose their elasticity over time. When they start to loosen, that’s when you start fastening the band on the tighter hooks. 

Fasten your bra on the outermost set of hooks (the loosest configuration). Use the inner hooks when the elastics start wearing away.

4. Don’t focus too much on your cup size. Cup sizes can differ as your body is constantly changing, not to mention the discrepancies between bra brands and designs. Some heavily lined push-up bras, for instance, can run smaller. This means the perfect fit is actually a size bigger than your typical bra size.

5. You need at least six to seven bras in your wardrobe. This particular tip has more to do with extending the life of your bras than proper fitting. To maintain their elasticity and sturdiness, never use the same bra consecutively. Rotate between your bras so that if you have seven bras in total, you end up using each of them only once a week.

6. Most importantly, though, never settle for a bra you’re not comfortable in. Bras are supposed to make you feel good and secure. If it’s not doing what it’s intended for, then what’s the point? So, wear only what you feel great in.

The bottom line is you need to get yourself fitted for a bra. Visit a reputable boutique in your area and get a professional bra fitting. If you like underwire bras, make sure they fit well around the base of your bosom. But you should also remember that underwires are not the only choices you have. There are plenty of wireless options available out there. Finally, shallow shell-shaped cup bras are a great choice for most small-breasted women. They can be more figure-flattering, whether lined or unlined.