How To Choose The Right Bra & Panties For You

A bra is just a bra and panties are just panties, right? WRONG! Your underwear is not just for covering your lady parts, but can also affect your posture, silhouette, and how your outer clothes fit. 

My first job right out of college was at a popular lingerie store. The pay was trash, but I worked hard anyway. I rose through the ranks and became Bra Specialist. I learned a lot about the functions of bras, underwear, and how they should fit various body types, shapes, and sizes. I also learned a lot about women, seeing them in one of their most vulnerable moments. I've had to wipe tears, comfort, advise, and even encourage. Many of us, including myself prior to working there, have no idea what our actual bra size is (we're mostly just guessing), the different styles of bras that exist, which one to choose for our particular needs, and the kind of panties we should be choosing to go along with them.

Now with that said, I'd like to offer you some tips and advice so you can look your best outside, because you have the right things on underneath. 

 BRAS

• Demi- the most common style of bra. Lightly lined with a sweetheart neckline. Provides medium coverage and low to moderate support depending on the size of the gore (the center piece that connects the cups). Great for everyday wear, T-shirts, and certain blouses.

• Full Coverage- these bras are also lightly lined, however they come up higher on chest, offering maximum coverage. Preferred usually by older women and those with larger breast. Good for everyday wear, T-shirts, and certain blouses.

• Balconette- this style can come lightly lined or in push up form. Straps are wide and the cups come up halfway in a "shelf-like" or "balcony" fashion. Think pin-up girl. Lifts and separates. Best for tube-tops, corset tops, and square low-cut tops. High support.
  

• Unlined- has no padding or lining; just a thin shapeless fabric (usually silk or lace) acting as the cups. Mostly novelty as there's little support and nipple protection. Works best for women with smaller breast. It's great for the summer months or warm climates.

• Wireless- has no underwire. May be lightly lined or unlined. Good for lounge-wear, sleeping, or post-surgical procedures. Medium to full coverage. Low support.
  

• Push-up- can be lightly or heavily padded. Used to lift and push together to create cleavage. Helps with large gaps between breasts. May give shape and size to breast. Great for V-neck tops and plunged-necklines. Women with small and large breast enjoy this style.
  

• Nursing- used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Has a latch that allows for fast and easy access to the nipples. Very supportive and great for enlarged breast. Usually wireless and lightly lined. For women of all breast sizes.
  

• Strapless or Multi-way- comes with or without detectable straps that can be reconfigured. Can be found with high and low necklines. Can be padded or lightly lined. Good for halter tops, racer backs, tube-tops, and cross-backs. Very sturdy and supportive.
  

Common Concerns, Solutions & Tips

• Bra is visible through shirt. Light shirt? Dark colored bra. Thin light colored shirt? Nude colored bra. White shirt? Nude colored bra. Thin black shirt? Black bra.

• Avoid bras with heavy embroidery, lace, and rhinestones. They're cute but not practical.

• Gap between breast and cups. You may need to adjust the straps or go down a cup size.

• Spillage over and under the cups and tight on breast. You may need to go up a cup size.
  

• The cups fit but bra can only be worn on the most inner hooks or the ban fits but the cups don't. You may need to be switch to your sister size. Sister sized bras are bras that have the same cup size but different ban sizes. This is to accommodate women that may have smaller frames but have large breast or women that may have large frames but smaller breast.
  

• Do not put your bras in the dryer. Dry by laying flat.

• Some bras may be required to be hand-washed.
  

 PANTIES

• Bikini-low rise on the hips and high cut on the legs. Usually a thin band or string. Can have exposed cheeks or be fully covered. Can have high or low waistbands. Great for everyday wear.

• Brief- the classic style of underwear. Affectionately known as "grannie panties". Full coverage and high rise waistbands. Older women and women with larger bottoms often prefer this style.

• Boxer Brief/Boy Shorts- rises to the hips but comes down lower on the thigh, creating a "shorts" look. Elongates the torso. Has full coverage and comfortable for everyday wear. Women with larger bottoms enjoy this style.
  

• Hip-Hugger/Hipster- a style of brief that is lower; waistbands rising only to the hips. Can be full coverage or exposed cheeks. Comfortable for everyday wear. Worn with jeans. Most common style of panties.
  

• Thongs- triangular shaped panties with no bottom coverage. Back is thin enough to go in-between cheeks. Prevents pantie lines being visible while wearing form fitting pants, skirts, and dresses. Can be high rise or low rise. Also worn for intimate occasions and novelty reasons.

• V-String- thin, v-shaped panties held together by string or ultra thin band. Very little coverage in the front and no coverage in the back. Worn to hide panty line in form fitting clothing. Also worn for novelty reasons and intimate occasions.

• Period Panties- high rise and heavy absorbent underwear designed to be used during menstrual cycle. FDA approved and reusable.
  

• Seamless Panties- panties made with flat stretch material that doesn't show panty lines. Comes in all the aforementioned styles. Good choice for women who prefer not to wear thongs or v-strings. Material causes sweat. 

TIPS & ADVICE

• Cotton is the best fabric choice for your panties as it won't irritate your lovely lady parts.
• If there a "little more of you to love," choose high briefs. They help prevent muffin tops.
• You should own roughly 24-30 pairs of panties that you are rotating.
• Panties should be discarded after 6 to 12 months. This is to avoid bacteria build-up.
• Change your panties daily.
• Sleeping without panties promotes good vaginal health as it lowers risks of yeast infections.
• Wash your panties after you buy them before you wear them. Some retailers allow panties to be worn prior to purchase.

Whew! That was a lot! But we made it through. Choosing the right underwear is one of the first steps to looking your best when you get dressed and step out into the world. When your underwear fits right, your clothes fit right. When your clothes fit right, you can confidently go about your day looking your best. So in the wise words of Maria Kondo, treat your bras and panties like royalty. Take some time and find the right size and style that works for you!