The truth about bras

For women who face the constant tugging and pulling of an ill-fitting bra, there are a few experts in Yuma ready to help make sure they get the proper fit.

The Yuma Sun spoke with two local department stores' bra experts who say most women aren't wearing the right size bra - and there are several reasons why.

Sonia Galvan, area sales manager with Dillard's in Yuma, said nine out of 10 women are wearing the wrong size bra. Galvan stressed that wearing the wrong size can create back pain.

"Ninety-nine percent of the time, it will be because the bra is too loose," she said.

The very first thing they'll do with a client is measure her, said Galvan.

They also measure women at JCPenney in Yuma.

Bra fit specialist Kalia Ricker said a lot of customers don't understand what the size of a bra means. She said the number is the width around a woman and the letter is the cup size.

To find out a person's size, she said, they measure around the woman right below the bust, then again at the widest part of the breast.

She said the first number is the width, or the number portion of the side. Then count the difference in inches between that number and the number for the widest part of the breast. That's how you find out the cup size, she said.

For example, if the measurement around is 34 inches and other number is 37 inches, the difference is three inches, therefore the cup size is a C.

Galvan said women should replace bras every six months to a year. But women still need to get measured twice a year, she said, "because our body changes."

Ricker said a woman's bra size will change as she gains and loses weight.

But what's the difference between a department store bra and one from a different retail store?

Nothing, said Kathy Harper, supervisor with the women's department at JCPenney. "It's really just  brand names that people are paying for."

Representatives with both stores said they have trained associates ready to help women find their correct size - and they're discreet while helping even the most modest women. And women can still leave their bra on or they can even measure over a shirt.

Stephanie A. Wilken can be reached at swilken@yumasun.com or 539-6857.