The Language of Lingerie Series: Parts of a Bra

The Language of Lingerie Series: Parts of a Bra

Ladies, we have to continue talking about how we talk about our bras!  What better place to start than with the parts of the bra? 

So many parts go into making a bra that it can be hard to describe what you are looking for when bra shopping if you can't verbalize exactly what it is that you want or what you don't like about your current bras.  As fitters, we want to make sure you are as comfortable as possible in your bras.  We can let you know if a bra fit is correct, but what we can't tell you is your comfort level in that specific bra- that important info has to come from you.  If an underwire is poking you, or a side seam feels rough, or the under band hem is bothering you, we rely on you to let us know.  We're going to give you all of the bra lingo you need to do so!

The diagram above is a great depiction of this.  Not every bra will look exactly like this, this one happens to be a cut and sew (or seamed cup) bra as oppose to a T-shirt bra (which includes contour cups and molded cups). Every bra will have most, but not necessarily all, of these components.

As you can see from the diagram, what we commonly refer to as the "band" (the part that straps around your torso) is actually made up of several parts- the wings, the hook & eye tapes, a side seam (if there is one present) and so forth.  The cradle is the base that the cups sit upon, and the bridge brings the two cups together.  The height and angle of the "cup neck hem" determines the neckline of a bra, or the amount of cup coverage you will get.

Now that you've got an idea of the basic components of a bra, in the next part of the series we'll focus on the language used to define levels of cup coverage.  


Best Rack Around is a lingerie & bra fitting boutique located in Market Station in Leesburg, Virginia in beautiful Loudoun County.  We proudly serve women of all ages, body types, and stages of life.  In addition to the selection of every day bras and special occasion bras, we also have nursing bras, sports bras, mastectomy bras & forms and post-surgical bras.  Call us at (571) 918-4738 to schedule a fitting or visit our website to book an appointment online!

The Language of Lingerie Series: Intro

Let's talk about how we talk about our lingerie.

One of the things that we aim to do at Best Rack Around is to provide you with the best bra fittings in Northern Virginia.  We don't want to keep any secrets from you about your bras, or why the ones we fit you in are right for you.  We're going full transparency here- we're going to give you all of the information you need to talk about your bras correctly. Armed with these terms, you can go and spread the word to your family and friends about the benefits of properly fitted bras and how the right styles for different body and breast types can make a world of difference in feel and support!

Stay tuned to our Language of Lingerie Series to get all of the info you'll need to be a savvy, educated consumer.

Being Properly Fitted for Bras: It's a Matter of Health

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We don't preach often, but when we do, it's health related!  So listen up...

If you're like most women, you don't think about your bras a whole lot, unless they start to fall apart or are extremely uncomfortable. Many women accept defeat & surrender to bra discomfort. But you probably didn't realize that poorly fitted bras can have an impact on more serious aspects of your health including posture, the condition of your skin, and strain on various parts of your body- mainly your, neck, shoulders, & back.

Why do Chiropractors send their patients to Best Rack Around?

If your bras are fitted correctly, they do a big job of taking strain off of your body.  Sadly, many women don't have the proper support they need because there are few places to get a professional bra fitting.  Many of the Chiropractors in Leesburg and surrounding Loudoun County know that our bra fitters can provide the education & quality of product needed to help women get bras that do the job!

Breast tissue is heavy & needs to be supported properly- with your torso bearing most of the weight, as oppose to your shoulders.  The cup size also affects support.  If the cups of your bra are too small, they aren't designed to support the weight of your breast tissue.  This weight then gets transferred to your shoulders which can lead to back, shoulder, and neck issues.  Permanent shoulder dents from too much tension on bra straps are common & can lead to nerve damage.  The earlier in life a woman is educated about how a bra should support & fit, the less damage done to the body over time.

Why do Dermatologists send their patients to Best Rack Around?

The results of "boob sweat" are no joke! Properly fitted bras reduce skin-on-skin contact which can lead to rashes such as Intertrigo (a.k.a. diaper rash), which occurs with excessive moisture, heat, lack of air circulation, & friction between skin folds.  Often times, this can lead to painful yeast, fungal, or bacterial infections of the skin.

Skin tags can be both caused and exasperated by poorly fitting bras.  Skin tags in the underarm area are often caused by underwires that sit too far back, causing continual friction in the underarm. Skin tags on the torso can form from a bra band that is too loose and continually moves around on the body instead of staying stationary, as it would on a properly fitted bra.

Treat your body with respect!  It works hard for you. We recommend coming in for a fitting once every six to eight months & times when your body is going through changes as a result of weight loss or gain, pregnancy, hormonal changes, new medications, or transitional growth & development (for tweens & teens).

Best Rack Around is a lingerie & bra fitting boutique located in Market Station in Leesburg, Virginia in beautiful Loudoun County.  We proudly serve women of all ages, body types, and stages of life.  In addition to the selection of every day bras and special occasion bras, we also have nursing bras, sports bras, mastectomy bras & forms and post-surgical bras.  Call us at (571) 918-4738 to schedule a fitting or visit our website to book an appointment online!

Love Yourself, Always. It's Our Motto.

Best Rack Around exists for one mission: 

helping women love, appreciate, and care for their bodies.  

Our bodies do so much for us, and often, we speak so poorly of them, nit picking and spotting every "imperfection".  They take us through life and all the experiences that we have, help us further the human race.  They change and morph without our permission.  But then, when we need them the most, our bodies kick into high gear and fight hard to get us through stressful times.  So why do we judge them so harshly based on crazy Hollywood standards?

At B.R.A., we are a negativity free zone.  Bodies come in all shapes and sizes.  We have worked with beautiful women from size 00 to size 28 to help each one feel comfortable within her own skin.  Women come to us because they feel like they don't fit within the parameters of "normal sizes" available at mall shops and department stores. But what is "normal" exactly?  34-38 band sizes and A-DD cup?  Hardly.  When you visit us, you'll see sizes like 30H, 42JJ and everything in between.  Because those are sizes that real, unaltered women come in!  Plus, you'll see...size ain't even a thing.  Really. It's not. You'll have more than one bra size!  It's all about fit and feel.  And a little bit of fashion.

Trust us, you deserve to take care of the body that takes care of YOU.  A professional bra fitting results in increased confidence, improved self image, better fitting clothing, a better posture, and a whole new appreciation of the body you're in!

Love yourself.  Always.  It's our motto.  
And rock what you've got because there's nothing more beautiful than a confident woman.

Best Rack Around is a lingerie & bra fitting boutique located in Market Station in Leesburg, Virginia in beautiful Loudoun County.  We proudly serve women of all ages, body types, and stages of life.  In addition to the selection of every day bras and special occasion bras, we also have nursing bras, sports bras, mastectomy bras & forms and post-surgical bras.  Call us at (571) 918-4738 to schedule a fitting or visit our website to book an appointment online!