If you have a bigger chest, I'm sure you're aware of the struggle that is finding flattering and functional clothing. As a girl with DDs who started an entire brand around that struggle, I'm officially deeming myself as the Big Bust Fairy Godmother.... sorry.
Today, we will be talking about sports bras because that is how Bells started. You would think it would be a relatively simple concept for a girl to get some support without strapping into armor, but I am living proof that it is actually quite challenging.
Here are all of the aspects I prioritized while creating the OG bra. Obviously I am bias, but consider this a dual-functioning list of things you should be looking for in any bra.
1. START WITH THE BAND - NOT THE STRAPS
Band, band, band. I cannot stress it enough. People (including past me) often assume that the straps do most of the work, but I am here to tell you that is NOT true. Your band holds 80% of the support in your bra so that thing is critical.
Now I'm gonna hit you with an annoying grey area I know you are sick of, but you don't want your band to be too tight or too loose. Lucky for you, there is a trick and as your Big Bust Fairy Godmother I am going to share it with you:
Once your bra is on and the girls are scooped (yes this is a critical step as well) you are going to (or attempt to) put two fingers into the band on your back. Reach your arm back there and give it a shot. There's 3 outcomes and I'm gonna need you to use your best judgement here:
- If you can breeze through and essentially fit your whole hand in there, it is way too loose
- If you are struggling to even get a finger, let alone 2 in there (I'm sorry this sounds weird) it is too tight
- If you can comfortable put 2 fingers in your band, with a little bit of friction, you are in the right size!
2. WIDER STRAPS ARE YOUR FRIEND
Now that we know the straps shouldn't be carrying all of the weight, let's talk about what they actually should be doing. Your straps are going the give a little extra security and, more importantly, distribute the weight of your chest evenly. I won't bore you with the science, but just know the wider the strap, the less they will need to overcompensate, and the more evenly your weight will be distributed.
3. FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU'RE ACTUALLY WEARING IT FOR
A hard lesson I have had to learn as a DD girl is that I can't buy all the cute little sports bras like my smaller-chested friends and wear them for any occasion . For me (and you if you clicked on this article) you can, and should, have different bras for different occasions.
After about 10 months of product development, I will tell you that there is no magic fix to make you forget they are there. However, there are important aspects you should prioritize for different types of movement.
I consider the OG bra to be a low-mid impact essential. HOWEVER, it is totally dependent on your body and preferences. I have had girls tell me it is the first time they ran comfortably with a H cup in years, and I've had others tell me it was not nearly enough support for them to be running and jumping.
Regardless, think of this as your new favorite bra for walking, yoga, lifting, pilates, biking, etc ....
4. COVERAGE MATTERS
Where many brands go wrong with big-bust options is they make the whole thing bigger. Sports bras - make the whole thing bigger. Bikinis - make the whole thing bigger. They fail to understand there are many of us out there who need more coverage without actually sizing up.
When you are looking for a sports bra, you want to make sure it has the coverage you need and prefer. For me, I prefer bras that come up a little higher on the sides because I cannot stand when I get side boob. I also think about coverage from top to bottom. Make sure there's enough room for your girls to actually exist in there, or else you'll find one hanging out the bottom, and that is not a fun conversation to have with anyone.
This aspect was one of my biggest priorities when I designed the OG bra. While the band doesn't change much from "standard sizing", I ensured that the coverage of the bra would be increasingly different than average sports bras.
6. DO THE MOVEMENT TEST
Once you're in your sports bra, the band feels comfortably snug, the straps are wide and NOT digging, and your coverage is there, you need to do a movement test. This will also help you determine what type of bra you want this to be - your new everyday bra, your running bra, your yoga bra, or anything in between.
Do some jumps to check bounce levels, stretch your arms every which way to make sure nothing comes out, and I like to do a downward dog to make sure nothing is hitting my chin...
As you move around, ask yourself these questions:
- Is my band moving/rolling?
- Am I spilling out anywhere?
- Are my straps digging into my shoulders? Could I wear this for a prolonged period oif time?
- Do I need to adjust the bra the second I move?
If you feel good about all of those, good news my friend, you are in the right bra!
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Your Big Bust Fairy Godmother says:
The best sports bra isn't necessarily the tightest one. It's the one that gives you the support you need for what you're doing: without making you think about your boobs the entire time.
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