FITTING MATTERS

Did you know that 4 out of 5 Indian women wear the wrong bra size? Are you one of them?

Talking about bra sizes has always been such a hush-hush topic among Indians that it’s almost as if it’s non issue. For something that is such an essential part of a woman’s every day routine, it is grossly ignored. The implication to this has been that majority of the women are still uneducated in the matters of all things bra. Why is it that we feel shy to use the ‘B’ word in a conversation when it is a very basic need? I personally know so many women who can’t tell the difference between their 32s-34s to their cup sizes. I once remember having a conversation with a friend, who honestly believed that her bra size was the number we prefix before the As and Bs and so on. This came as a huge surprise to me, but I soon realised that she wasn’t alone. Zivame recently conducted a survey which showed that 4 out of 5 Indian women do not know their right size and have been wearing wrong size bras all their life! And 82% of women in India have never received professional help in finding the right bra though all of them buy lingerie at least once in 6 months.

And no, it doesn’t just end there, you’ll find most of the sales girls unequipped with the knowledge to ‘consult’ handing you an ‘alternative’ size if your size is unavailable or out of stock, which is usually a sad substitute and the worst thing you can do. Not only is finding and buying your right size important from a comfort point of view, what most of us don’t realise is that it also has health and wellness implications involved. So let’s clear this once and for all, women pay attention! The numbers 32/34/36 is the band size that goes around and under your frame and clasps at the back, the cup sizes A/B/C/D is what your bra size is. So when you say you’re a size 32, all you’re saying is that you have a petite frame. How many of you knew that sports bra also comes with cup sizes? Be honest! It’s not supposed to be as generic as a small medium and large. So the next time you go lingerie shopping, make sure you get a professional to help you measure and pick out the right size. Because ladies, the ramification could be as minimal as painful scars but it’s a slippery slope from there to poor body posture resulting in severe back pains.

While we aspire towards the perfect beauty rituals, the perfect manicures and the perfect body – let’s try to get our basics right and then begin from there. For most women and girls, buying lingerie is an awkward experience that we want to just get over with because none of us are sensitized or freely talk about the issue at hand. Senior Physician Dr Priyanka Wadhwani says, “The bra is a constant presence in the life of a woman and it is critical to make sure that it is chosen and worn well. Women face a lot of physical discomfort and pains from wearing bras that are not right for them and they do not even know that the bra is the culprit!”

Zivame has recently launched the ‘Fit is my Right’ campaign to address this concern under which it plans to help over five lakh women find their right bra sizes over the next 12 months. To achieve this, a ‘Mobile Fitting Lounge’ which will house three fitting experts who will help women in identifying their right size, will be travelling to colleges in the city.

So ladies, wake up! Be confident and feel beautiful.