The way a bra is cut, assembled and sewn has a big impact on how it fits your unique shape. In this section we'll dissect each part that goes into a bra and explain its function and how it affects your bra fit.
FOR OPTIMAL WEAR, YOUR BRA’S BACK CLOSURE HOOKS SHOULD FIT SNUG ON THE FIRST (CLOSEST TO THE END) SET OF LOOPS.
As your bra gets worn and natural stretch takes place over time, you will be able to tighten your bra by hooking it on the other sets of loops. There are several opinions out there as to how many hooks should be on the back of a bra for optimal support. Young women tend to want fewer hooks because they don’t want their bra to look like a harness. Older women tend to want more hooks because they feel they get more support and less back bulges. The answer here is to leave it to the manufacturers and their designers. More hooks does not necessarily guarantee a more supportive fit.
Here is an example of a very supportive bra with a pared down back hook count. This bra is still supportive, but by incorporating a leotard back design, the back looks lighter while still giving great support. If hook count is important to you, HerRoom provides this information in our "Fitters Comments" section just below the "Detail" description for every bra we sell.
HOW A BRA BACK IS DESIGNED HAS A LOT TO DO WITH WHETHER YOU WILL HAVE BULGES, OR WHAT IS NOW BEING CALLED "BACK FAT."
As we get older, the tissue on our back becomes softer. Any pressure will create indentations or flesh bulges. For example, bra backs with more coverage and curving lines will mitigate back bulges. Bra styles with thin straps and narrow backs will absolutely give you back bulges if you are prone to back fat. Both back styles are leotard back styles, so it is incorrect to assume that if the back is designed with leotard styling, it will eliminate back fat.
There are several options now on the market to reduce or eliminate back bulge. The first is a simple purchase of a shapewear camisole. This garment can be put on over any of your existing bras to give you a smooth back. You can continue to wear your existing bras while eliminating that worrisome back fat. Another solution is to pay better attention to the back design of your bras. More and more companies are creating bras with greater back coverage and/or designs that tend to mask the bulging. Thanks to some of these styles, back bulge can now be considered a problem of the past.
