Bras and Breast Forms: Do’s and Don’ts

When it comes to shopping for bras to wear with breast forms, it is easy to be overwhelmed. There’s so much more to choosing a cute bra in your favorite color! We’re sharing some of the most common questions that come up when it comes to wearing bras and breast forms together.

What types of bras work best with breast forms?

For the most security, we recommend going with a pocketed bra. Pocketed bras are like regular bras, except they have built-in pockets to keep your breast forms securely in place. Pocketed bras are ideal if you’re planning any vigorous activity, such as dancing, or if you just want to be comfortable and secure!

Breast forms also look very good in full coverage bras (sometimes called “full cut” bras). Full coverage bras cover the edges of the breast forms, so they look seamless on your body.

Demi cup, half cup and peek-a-boo bras generally do not work well with breast forms, as they often do not provide enough security to keep your forms securely in place.

Molded cup bras (sometimes called “t-shirt” bras) will work with breast forms, as long as they do not have any “push-up” padding inside the bra cup.

Padded and push-up bras do not work with breast forms, with the exception of the very few breast forms that are push-up friendly. These bras are designed to move breast tissue around on the body, whereas breast forms are designed to stay in the shape of the breast. What often happens is that the bra will cause the breast form to shift out of place on your body (possibly falling out), or the bra will sit out from your body, causing your body to look lumpy and unnatural.

I already have breast forms, but I don’t know what size they make me. How do I find out?

Determining what bra size your breast forms make you takes similar steps as to finding out your correct bra and breast form size. Rather than taking a measurement through your nipple, take a measurement through the fullest part of your breasts when you are wearing your breast forms in a soft cup bra.

Using the measurement that you just took through the fullest part of your nipples, subtract your body’s bra band size (not your underbust measurement). Then, use the following chart to find out what cup size you are:

Difference	Cup size
Less than 1 inch	AAA or AA cup
1 inch	A cup
2 inches	B cup
3 inches	C cup
4 inches	D cup
5 inches	DD cup
4 inches	DDD or E cup (depending on manufacturer)

Why can’t I wear the same bra size I’ve always worn?

Although there’s nothing wrong with wearing a bra size that’s diferent than what your body says you are, you’re likely to find that your breast forms will sit in an unnatural way on your body. You may also be more likely to damage your breast forms if they are being worn in a bra that’s too small.

Signs that your bra band is too small for your body

• It leaves red marks, lines, and other signs of irritation around your rib cage
• It creates funny lumps under your clothing, rather than laying smooth against your body
• The shoulder straps are sliding off of your shoulders
• The underwire or bottom seam of the bra seems to start on the front of your chest, rather than stopping underneath your arm
• The bra band is riding down your back, sitting close to your elbows, and the front of the bra rides up higher (this makes your breast forms look fake or ‘stuck on top’)
• Your breast forms seem to be positioned right in the middle of your chest, rather than covering the width of your chest
• You have to do your bra up on the first hook, making the bra fit the largest, or have to use an extender for the bra to fit or fit comfortably

Signs that your bra band is too big for your body

• The bra straps will either dig in to your shoulders (especially when wearing forms), leaving bumps or grooves
• The bra band is riding up your back, rather than sitting evenly around your rib cage
• The front of the bra (between the two cups) isn’t laying against your body
• You have to do your bra up on the last hook, making the bra fit the smallest, for the bra to fit or fit comfortably

How do I know if my bra is the right size?

It’s much better to have a properly sized bra for your frame when wearing breast forms, because everything will look and feel much more natural and the weight of the forms won’t be uncomfortable. It also makes shopping for clothing and lingerie much easier!

When buying a new bra, it’s best to always do the bra up on the center set of hooks. Bras have multiple hooks on them because the elastic does stretch out over time, making the bra fit looser. It is also because many women find that their weight fluxuates during their menstral cycle, and may need a looser or tighter bra at different times in the month.