Sports Bras

Sports bras come in three main types: shelf bras, compression bras and encapsulation bras. We've come a long way from the simple compression pullover bra -- there are many varieties to choose from and some are better for particular impact levels than others. Title Nine's Barbell ratings are hard to top for comparing support.

Shelf bras
Athleta and Title Nine both have a great selection of tops with built-in shelf bras; some of them are almost a crossover with the compression styles in terms of how they actually support the breast. As a general rule, these are more for the smaller-breasted woman for low-to-medium impact activities.
Recommendations: any of the bra tops at Athleta or Title Nine


Compression
Compression bras do just that - to a greater or lesser extent, they 'squish' the breasts against the chest wall to keep them from moving as much as possible. They tend to create that oh-so-attractive uniboob effect but can be very supportive. Examples of this style include Title Nine's Frog Bra, Moving Comfort's Melbourne bra and the Enell bra. Recommendations: The aforementioned Frog Bra takes this category






Encapsulation
More like a traditional bra, these lift and separate -- no more uniboob. Some are more for low-impact activities, while others can be as tough as you'd like them to be. Anita, Shock Absorber and Moving Comfort all make fantastic encapsulation bras. The encapsulation style is The Bra Geek's favorite type of sports bra.
Recommendations: Moving Comfort Bella for low impact, their Selene for higher impact; Anita Active CoolMax for high impact support.





Underwire
There are some good underwire sports bras out there too; opinion is divided on whether or not they are as good for you (particularly at a higher impact), but I like Title Nine's Cuz She Says So bra.
Recommendations: Moving Comfort Maia




Check out Shock Absorber's Bounce-O-Meter for a disturbing look at what happens when you don't wear a sports bra!

Bra Fitting

Yes, it's true that most women are wearing the wrong size. However, the standard advice on how to measure for fit (the old 'measure under the bust and add five inches' formula) is simply incorrect for most brands. You can get close to the correct cup size by measuring the difference between the under-bust measurement and the fullest-bust measurement, but even that is not an exact formula -- your best bet is still a professional fitting. If you're own your own, the best rule of thumb to follow is to make sure that the cups don't have any overspill (at the top or the sides) and that the band is at the same level all around your torso - if it's going up or down, it's the wrong size.

General Guidelines
Cup volumes vary depending on the band size -- this seems an obvious point if you have tried on too many bras, but it comes as a surprise to some. The cups of a 34C and a 32D bra are the same in volume (if their manufacturer is true to size, of course); likewise, a 36B and a 34C are also size-mates. The difference is in the band; that's where the bra is doing all the support work (and not in the straps as some assume). Quite often, women are wearing a band size that is too big -- this can be hard to pin down since a band that is too large rides up in back which throws off the fit overall. In the US in particular, it is harder and harder to find smaller band sizes in stores -- a 34 has become the standard 'small' end of the scale, even though it's actually very much in the middle.

Styles
Fit can vary enormously among various styles -- even for the identical size. A full-coverage bra and a demi bra can be really quite dissimilar; a sports bra is entirely different again (and within sports bras there are a number of sub-categories of the style). You may have found your size, but not all styles will necessarily be a good match for you (or for a particular outfit). The Bra Geek has never found a t-shirt bra that works for her, while many women swear by them.

Frequency
It might seem like the industry suggestion that you have a fitting every six months is a ploy to drum up business; while that may well be an element, even the best bras start to wear out after a few months of use (and washing - even hand washing). While all the parts may seem to work, eventually the support simply goes. And of course all the usual size changing elements - new baby, new workout, new medication, etc. can all have a major impact on your size.

Good advice
Sensible fitting advice can be found on Rigby & Peller's website; Figleaves and Bravissimo also have sound fitting advice. While the online bra size calculators are fun, they are almost never accurate. That's not to say don't order online (heaven forfend!), simply that you should know your size (and favorite styles) before you do so.

Bra Geek Approved Shops

A real bra shop employs professional fitters who can tell your size at a glance; if they employ a tape measure at all, it should be purely for alterations, not to determine your size. They should also have an encyclopedic knowledge of the variations between brands and be able to give you an option you might not have thought of which happens to have great style and support. These are the best The Bra Geek has managed to find so far -- and please feel free to submit your finds as well.

The Best

UK
Rigby & Peller, London, other locations
A fitting at Rigby & Peller is like a day out at a great spa; there's a very posh waiting room and the service is phenomenal. They have more than earned their Royal Warrant. I've never had a bad fitting there.
What to buy: Rigby & Peller (off-the-rack and bespoke), Prima Donna

Bravissimo, London, other locations
The only place to shop if you are a D+ cup -- even if you have a small back. Yes, a 30F does exist, and yes, they can fit you with something that is both fun and supportive - even fitted shirts! (And yes, they ship to the US).
What to buy: Freya, Fantasie, Bravissimo clothes, swimsuits

USA
Town Shop, NYC
The queen mother of American bra fitters, The Town Shop has been in the same family since 1888. Owner Selma Koch worked there until her late 90s and could tell your size at a glance; the staff continues on in the same tradition. It's not as fancy as Rigby & Peller, but they carry many of the same brands.
What to buy: Chantelle, Prima Donna, Freya

Intimacy, NYC, other locations
Now a crosstown rival to The Town Shop, Intimacy is based in Atlanta and has a great team of fitters at their Upper East Side store. It's a quieter, more perfumed atmosphere but the selection is largely similar. Warning: Intimacy's website lists their 'network' of fitters at stores in other cities; I've tried at least 3 of them and found them not at all up to scratch. I'm sure some are quite good, I just have not been lucky enough to find them.
What to buy: Felina, Chantelle, Freya

Canada
Bra Bar & Panterie, Winnipeg
A wonderfully friendly store with expert fitters and a great selection. It's a little more laid-back than the New York and London stores mentioned above but carries as much if not more - they also have great sports bras. Every city should have a bra salon like this.
What to buy: Chantelle, Anita, Shock Absorber, Fantasie

Not Awful

USA
Nordstrom, various locations
For a department store, they don't have a terrible selection, although many of their fitters don't seem to be quite on the level of those at a real bra shop. They do finally carry Freya and Wacoal, but you would be hard-pressed to find much (although there are some options) below a 34 band or above a D cup.

Avoid

USA
Touchables, Philadelphia
This has been touted in the local press as 'the place' to have a fitting and it fails on almost every level - they use tape measures, they don't carry much below a 34 and they have no concept of how cup sizes work in different brands. Good luck finding anything here if you are busty.

Victoria's Secret, Anywhere
Really, did you have to ask? Almost nothing is true to size and the fitters are chained to their tape measures. They used to be at least average, but now are really quite poor indeed. Don't be fooled by their line of Shock Absorber sports bras either - they are not the real thing.

Welcome

Welcome to The Bra Geek. Here's what we celebrate here:

• Well-fitted bras
• Great lingerie design
• The best places to get a good fitting
• Bra sizing that actually works

We don't like:

• Shops that only start with a 34 band size and end at a D cup
  
• Incorrect fitting advice
• Style without support and support without style

The labels on the right-hand side allow you to navigate by topic and feel free to suggest topics you would like to see covered. Now, on to a good fit!