Choosing a confidence boosting bra

At Amoena, we like to think of lingerie that we feel good in as our secret weapon.

Sometimes bra shopping can be overwhelming. We've put together some tips & tricks that we hope will help you when you next buy a bra.

Let's start with a checklist.

Bra fit checklist:

Is the bra the best fit for you?

 We recommend that you book in for a bra fitting as too many women are wearing the wrong size bra. If you’ve had breast surgery, it’s even more important to make sure that your bra fits well. Remember bra sizes can change between brands, so don’t get hung up on being a certain bra size but focus on finding a bra that does great things for your body.

Are your breasts/breast forms supported?

Remember that the under bust band is designed to support & hold 80% of the breast tissue or breast form weight. The straps are a secondary support.

Do you like the silhouette that the bra creates?

We suggest bringing a favourite top with you for a fitting, so you can see how you look clothed. Take note of your breast shape, do you like the effect?

Is it comfortable?

Let’s be honest, if it isn’t comfortable, you’ll avoid wearing it!

All these areas contribute to how you feel & have the potential to build up your body confidence.

Need more inspiration? Try these:

• Colour
• Contrast
• Texture
• Feel
• Shape

Colour is often what grabs our eye first when shopping & it’s a powerful visual tool. When you’re choosing a bra, think about colour. Remember, you don’t just have to stick to neutral or skin tones. Fun fact- red bras disappear when worn under white! What colours appeal to you? What compliments your skin tone? What highlights your personality? What makes you feel good? Colour is such a simple but effective way to lift your mood & confidence.

Contrast is effective when highlighting details of our body & in our lingerie. If you have a bra with extra detail & want it to stand out, then look for contrast. Whether you choose contrasting colours in your lingerie, or a contrast colour against your skin tone, it's another way to give your look more impact. Playing with contrast can also be fun when it comes to textures.

Texture is great for activating our senses. We often think of lingerie from a visual perspective, but we can also activate touch & feel. Fabrics provide a great variety of textures. Typically, with lingerie you'll have a mix of smooth, lacy, silky, velvety & more. When you’re trying on lingerie, take note how it feels on your body. If there are areas where you have reduced sensation make sure you look for softer textures & avoid bulky seams. Also keep an eye out for red marks in these areas that may indicate irritation or pain points.

How we feel internally & externally is also important. What feels good on the body & to your hands? What improves your posture? What helps you feel relaxed? How does it make you feel about yourself? Does the lingerie feel good to wear?

Your shape can be modified & influenced with lingerie. A well-fitting bra can lift & support breast tissue, influencing the shape of the body & the breast. Think about your proportions, what do you want to enhance? Also think about the shape of your breast tissue- this can be influenced by the type of bra- whether it's a soft cup, padded, an underwire.

The shape of the bra cup is also important, different bra styles will give different shape. Do try some different style soft bra & see how it influences your shape, even if it's not something you'd usually try.

Soft cup bras can be constructed in different ways for different effects. The fabric used will also influence the cup shape- stretch fabrics will act differently to woven fabrics. Types of soft cup bras include a moulded cup (where the fabric has been moulded to the designed cup shape), two-part cup, three-part cup & more.

Underwires are great to support larger cup sizes. They may be added to a soft cup or a padded cup design.

Padded bras will look to smooth the cup or add extra volume. They may also help to smooth any unevenness in breasts. The padding is usually a moulded foam or a padded construction with filler added between layers of fabric.

The next time you’re choosing lingerie, we hope you’ll take the time to find a new secret weapon- something that you feel great in.