first bra !

Find information, advice and teen stories

Hear first hand from girls how they chose their first bras and their most embarrassing moments.
What you need to know Learn what you need to know about when you need to start wearing a bra and what styles to choose from.
Choosing your first bra is a big step in any girls life.
Most girls worry about their breasts and just when is the right time for them to buy their first bra.
For many it will depend on just how supportive their mum is, if your mum is OK with it, she’ll probably support you and even go with you to get fitted for a bra.

When should I get my first bra ?

Girls mature at different ages, so some girls are out buying a training bra at the age of 7 or 8, whereas others are covering up in the school changing rooms until they buy their first bra at 15 or 16.

There is no “right” time to buy your first bra – probably the best time is when you start to feel self-conscious without one. There’s no harm in getting one before you need one and it can help you get used to wearing one.

How to measure your bra size?
If you’re buying your first bra it can be helpful to go to the lingerie area of a big department store so that you can be measured and fitted by a professional lingerie consultant, as determining your own bra cup size is difficult for any women. A consultant will help you understand about sizing and how your size will change as your grow up and may even be different at different times of the month.
Don’t just buy one bra, but at least two, to allow time for hand washing and drying.

You know it’s a bad day when you put your bra on backwards and it fits better.

Wrong fitting can lead to painful, tender breasts and red marks on your skin. With all the other changes going on in your body, a proper fitting can help prevent any health concerns or worries.

How to easily put on a bra?
Different women find their own way of putting on a bra – after a while you’ll do it without even thinking.
Here’s an easy way to follow:-
Place the straps over your shoulders
Lean forward and your breast should fall into the cups.
Stand up straight and hook the bra up.
Ask a friend, sister or your mum for advice on how to fasten and adjust your new bras so that they are comfortable and so that the straps don’t fall down at inconvenient moments.

What style of bra should I buy ?
Many girls opt for the sports bra style which gives a little support, but some may prefer a softly padded bra to enhance their growing breasts. Training bras refer to bras in specially small sizes for girls who don’t yet fit the standard women’s sizing.
Try on different styles of bras as you’ll find that different brands have slightly different fits.
If your mum will treat you to matching panties, so much the better, as you can really enjoy choosing which underwear to put on each morning.
Once you’ve started to fill out you can invest in a bra that gives support and for special occasions you might want to try a “cleavage” bra such as the Wonder bra.

Pictures of Bra Styles?
If you’ve seen a picture in a magazine of something you’d like, try keeping it somewhere safe until you’re going shopping.
Many families have store catalogues delivered to their homes, and browsing through one of these can give you an idea of the sorts of styles that you like.

Enjoy!
Most women have a warm memory of choosing their first bras – the feeling of becoming a woman that it gave them and leaving their childhood behind.