How To Buy A Bra That Fits.(Interview)

Byline: INTERVIEWS BY CARA BIRNBAUM, BROOKE LE POER TRENCH, HANNAH MORRILL, AND EMILY HSIEH

Expert advice on how to make over your bed, write a condolence note, buy a bra that really fits, and more.

An Interview With Lori Kaplan

Kaplan is co-owner of BraTenders, an appointment-only shop in New York City that has fit the cast of Revolutionary Road, The Aviator, and The Devil Wears Prada.

So many women wear bras that let them down. If the straps are cutting into your shoulders, or if your breasts look saggy or are spilling out of the cups, your bra doesn't fit properly. Plus, the right bra can make you look ten pounds lighter.

Measure up. Many of my customers wear the same size as the very first bra they ever boughtsometimes 20 years ago! An average woman's size can change more than six times over her life, which is why you should get professionally fitted every few years. Even if you don't feel that your body has changed, your bust may have.

Get the back story. The most common mistake women make is combining a back measurement that is too big with a cup size that is too small. It's not unusual for a customer to walk into our store wearing a 36C and walk out wearing a 32F. Ninety percent of a bra's support comes from the back band; when it's too big, it rides up between the shoulder blades and causes everything in the front to fall forward. Ideally, the band should feel snugbut not so tight that flesh spills out on either sideand should remain around the rib cage as you move around.