Your bust deserves the best

**Picture the scene: an awkward teenage girl is standing waiting patiently for what will be one of the biggest moments of her life to date. No, it is not her first date, or getting her braces fitted; it is the moment she finally gets a proper bra fitting. And, as it always goes in these narrated scenes, that girl was of course me.**

No it wasn’t my first bra fitting. I had already suffered the baffling tape measure technique in a local M&S. “We don’t do your size, so I’ll put you in a larger band” was their answer. Bad fittings can happen to the best of us, but in all cases it’s just not acceptable. It may sound overly dramatic when I say that getting properly fitted changed my life, but it’s true.

Some of you might not think you have an issue with bras, or perhaps you don’t want to admit you do in the fear that you’ll have to spend what feels like an absolute fortune on a proper one. I’m not judging or finger wagging, however. I’m just here to hopefully disprove the horrible stereotype that big bras are ugly and expensive.

The first step is the fitting. Jump off the U1 and book yourself in for a free fitting at Bravissimo (just off the Parade, around the corner from River Island). On my first fitting I went down 2 back sizes and up 2 cup sizes and although my first bra was a white monstrosity to wear for school, every other bra has been beautiful.

The girls will help you decipher which style suits you, and try their best to find what you’re looking for. This is where you fork out the most cash. The fitting is free but the bra comes at a price – £30+ to be exact. It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that this will most likely do wonders for your posture and any niggling back pain you’ve been having from wearing an unsupportive bra. Once you know your size, the possibilities are endless.

As students, we don’t exactly have the money to maintain a well-stocked lingerie drawer when matching sets are £50. The internet comes to the rescue once again – behold www.brastop.com, whose slogan is ‘Big Bras at Small Prices’. There will always be trends with bras but as long as you’re not too fussy you can pick up good bras and swimwear from Freya, Curvy Kate and Panache at a discounted price.

Figleaves.com are also great for larger bras and, if you’re feeling extravagant, check out Mimi Holliday for something a little more glamorous. Wait for their twice-yearly sales if you can’t quite bring yourself to pay £50 for a bit of lace. Most online sites offer a larger range than Bravissimo, who appear to cater to a slightly older demographic.

The best way to find out what’s out there is to visit your favourite brand’s website for news of new collections, but your greatest tool will be a good blog. Yes, they exist and they are indispensible: these girls go to press fairs and review all of the popular bras, as well giving you a heads up on any great new styles. The online community of bloggers is great at helping you realise that everyone has similar problems and we all just want a cheap, pretty bra that fits.

I use investinyourchest.co.uk as Cheryl does reviews of 28 band bras, but also reviews all of the big brands, offering tips on caring for your bras (always handwash!) and the fitting services of some of the big retailers. She occasionally has competitions and there are numerous links on her blog to other resources.

Once you’ve found yourself some nice bras, the next crucial item is a good-fitting sports bra. Exercise is far more pleasant when you’re not forever worrying about ‘the bounce’. As larger breasts tend to cause back problems it’s really important to regularly stretch.

Pilates is perfect and has the added bonus of being nice and relaxing after a hard day of studying. If you don’t have the time to go to classes, it’s easy enough to find some stretches online or buy a DVD. If you’re still in pain book a sports massage at the Sports Centre with Gisela, who is nothing short of a miracle worker.

As much as getting the right bra is important, it’s vital that you regularly check for any lumps. Visit coppafeel.org for advice on how to do a ‘boob check’, and sign up for their text reminder service so that you don’t forget to examine yourself regularly. Part of the process involves naming your boobs, so get thinking about some appropriate nicknames to christen the twins and sign up!