We understand that bra fitting can be tough. There are a lot of different adjustments and techniques to getting a great fit and it can be hard to remember all of them. However if we were to give one tip to anyone struggling to find the correct bra then this would be it....for more info on our top tips click here

How should a bra fit under the arm?

SCOOP AND SWOOP
This is the method used to pull all the breast into the cup. Breasts tissue starts much further under the armpit than most people think and by making sure you pull all this forward into the cup you can ensure that the cup your wearing is the correct size for all your breast. Below we demonstrate how a bra can appear to fit at first glance but it may not be the case once adjusted....
 

DSC_3364 "My bra wire pokes my underarm..."

Our Model wears a 32FF before adjusting.

This image shows a bra that has been put on but the 'Scoop and Swoop' hasn't been carried out. To the untrained eye this bra would appear to fit - the wires are sitting flat and all the breast tissue looks to be encased in the cups however its just not the case. As you can see below....
 
DSC_3371

How is a bra supposed to fit?

Our Model wears a 32FF after adjusting.
See! Now all the breast tissue has been pulled forward from under the armpit and in to the cup it now shows that the cup is too small. The breast tissue is spilling out of the top and the wires are no longer sitting flat in the middle.
See again below:
Before 'Scoop and Swoop':
 
DSC_3366

"My bra digs in at underarms..."

32FF before adjusting...
 
After 'Scoop and Swoop':
DSC_3373
32FF after adjusting.
Next up well show you a bra in the cup size up, it looks too big at first but once this nifty trick has been carried out....it fits like a dream!
The model is now wearing a 32G and before scooping all the breast tissue into the cup, it looks like this:

How to tell if a bra cup is too big?

 
DSC_3353 The cups look too large and are gaping at the top.
 
DSC_3354 Again, the cups are gaping at the top..
However once our model 'Scoops and Swoops'...
DSC_3359 All the breast tissue is now contained...
 
DSC_3361 ...And now she has the perfect fit!
Basically this post is here to show you that a bra can appear to fit at first glance but until you have made all the adjustments - specifically the 'Scoop and Swoop' you won't know if you have the correct size.

"My bra gaps when sitting..."

The images below demonstrate this with a more severe sizes change...
DSC_3320
DSC_3327
This bra is a 36E, to a professional bra fitter it is clear that this isn't the correct size however it is understandable that some women would assume this fits and wear it. The breasts looks to be contained, they're not spilling and the back band looks ok, however when the model 'Scoops and Swoops' just see what happens...
DSC_3323
DSC_3324
Now this bra clearly doesn't fit. The weight of the breasts are pushing on the cups and not containing them at all. There's a large amount of spillage from the front and sides and because the back is too large the bra won't be supporting as it should.
 

Where should the underwire of a bra sit?

 In the first instance the cups are 'sitting on' the breasts rather than encasing them. The breasts are laying against the body as they would if there wasn't a bra there and the wires aren't sitting under the root of the breast (where the breast sticks out of your body). It means the bra is pushing the tissue down and in towards the body rather than lifting it up and out. If you were to perform the 'Swoop and Scoop' in this bra you would find that the cups are much too small. The wires need to sit further back under the arm and sit all the way round the root of your boob, flat against your rib-cage, the cup also needs to have enough volume to allow for all the breast tissue to fit perfectly.
The second image shows how a correctly fitting bra looks on a breast. The wire is far enough back that it encases all the tissue. The cup is large enough to allow the breast to be projected and lifted up and outwards. The back band is parallel with the floor and is tight enough to pull the wires flush against the body. Overall the breast look much perkier and rounded, by being lifted they expose the waist and the secure back band will result in a much more comfortable fit. Scoop and Swoop= Happy Boobs!
Have a watch of our video to see the technique in action and prove what a difference it makes on our bra fitting page here
 
A Blogger we love, Bras and Body Image shows some more examples of this technique - plus some handy tips about how to put on a bra. So check her out for some inspiration here and to see lots of different shapes and sizes doing the Scoop and Swoop! Hooray!
So if you're trying a bra and you think it fits then before you buy then just try the 'Swoop and Scoop' - you may be surprised!! Who else uses this method? Have you tried it and realised you need a new bra? We'd love to hear from you. Tweet us @CurvyKate using the hashtag #ScoopandSwoop.
Big love x

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