Currently, I’m living in smaller quarters than I’ve been accustomed to over the past several years; most of my “stuff” is in storage at the moment- kitchen wares, pictures, knick-knacks, furniture… On top of that, I chose to put my sewing desk and dress form in my space instead of my chest of drawers. (Priorities! :) Which means I had to drastically narrow my wardobe, and box up most of it for storage, including all the lingerie, sleepwear, swimwear and other foundations that I’ve acquired over the past eight years. As a buyer, I got to shop everything first at market, received samples sent by vendors, plus had a store discount- adding up tot quite a collection! So when I packed to move, I selected just a few items to move to my new home. The rest would be waiting for me to re-open them later, like a happy Christmas gift.
I chose a small but well-rounded collection of basics, solutions, and pretty bras; I followed the same principles to select the other foundations- panties, camisoles, and slips. I also considered the time of year (it was November then, so heading into the cooler months) and what my wardrode would need. It was a good exercise in wardrobe building!
I've tucked as many as I can neatly in a small drawer.
Now we are into April, and several months have passed by. And I’ve noticed something- my bras are wearing out ALOT faster than they used to! Especially my favorites, the ones I go-to often, are really getting stretched out! :( Why all of a sudden are they not holding up as well? They are still properly cared for- stored well, washed properly, worn the same way on my body.
I was rumaging through my drawer one day, pondering this and it dawned on me- I’d been so fortunate to have SO MANY bras in my rotation, that they hadn’t really gotten a chance to wear out! Now that I was only wearing a few bras, they were getting worn alot more often, and didn’t have nearly as much time to rest in the drawer. If I’m being honest, sometimes I’d lose bras in the bottom of my drawer for a few weeks before I’d refind them!
When I was fitting clients daily, I’d see this happen all the time, when customers would come in wearing a very sad bra- and it was only a few months old. But it was their favorite and they wore it as often as possible… Eventually, the fabric and elastic working so hard to support everything just gets tired! On top of that, sometimes corners are cut caring for the bra: a missed wash here, a dryer cycle there. All that makes for, sadly, a quicker bra death.
There is no way to really make a bra last forever. It will stretch out, just like socks or hair bands- eventually they lose their elasticity. But there are things you can do to make them last longer. Like I am doing right now, to make sure these few bras I have in my rotation last as long as possible!
Never scrimp on wash and care! Hand wash is best. But even I don’t hand wash all my things, just the few really fancy ones. The others go in a small load of delicates, hooks clasped, tucked in a lingerie bag. Use only detergents made for lingerie. Finally never ever put them in the dryer, and NEVER use softener sheets. (I've seen a 2 week old bra look a year old after a few runs through the dryer with a softener sheet.) Air drying is the only way to go.
Some of my favorite washes. ps- make sure that Woolite is made for delicates! The regular stuff leaves a fabric "conditioner" in the fibers. Good for wool, but very bad for synthetic bra fabrics!
I know quaility bras aren’t cheap, but if at all possible own several. Rotate between at least 3 bras (more if you can!). One’s being worn, one’s in the wash, one is resting. Yes, its good to let the elastic rest for a bit! Store them neatly; don't invert or squash the molded cups or smash them in a stuffed drawer.
Three's Company!
How often should you wash your bras? Every full day’s wear is a good rule of thimb. It is directly against your body; even if you don’t have a super strenuous, sweaty day, your body oils alone need to be washed out. Plus, if you wear it a second day, it will feel looser, like a pair of jeans would on a second day’s wear. With jeans, looser is usually more comfy, but it isn’t a good thing for bra support.
Worn - in jeans... Happy! :)
Does it matter how I put on a bra? Yes, it does. I’ve seen many creative methods so I cannot cover all of them, but if you are yanking, flipping, stretching wires, or jerking, slow down! All these actions can stretch out the elastic more quickly or disfigure the underwires. I know sometimes they seem impossible to put on, but taking an extra minute or two to be more gentle is better for your bra- and for you. (We could all slow down, couldn’t we?)
Realistically, how long should your bras last? There’s no hard and fast rule, but if you had only one bra you wore everday, even if you took great care to wash properly and hang to dry it would probably be pretty stretched out by the end of month 3. If you have three good bras, you can probably make them last a year.
Finally- when is it time to just let the bra go? If it’s suddenly starting to hurt you, that’s a good sign. If you’ve clasped it on the tightest row of hooks and it’s still riding up your back, that’s also a good time to stop wearing it. Unless you’ve experienced drastic weight loss, at this point the elastic side panels are probably not very stretchy anymore. Like those old hair ties that don’t hold your hair anymore.
Eventually, your bras just get tired and decide to retire. It happens.
We really don’t often think about how important this garment is to our well-being, but take a little extra care for your bras. They work hard to make your life more comfortable! And when it’s time for a new one, get a new one. You deserve it. :)