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Why Do Bra Straps Fall Down?

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By Marcy Montgomery Jones
Cupid Intimates

Do you find yourself constantly pulling up your bra straps?  This issue vexes many ladies and limits their ability to build diverse bra wardrobes.  So why do bra straps fall off shoulders in the first place?  There are several possible reasons, and each one has a straightforward solution.

First, the shape of your body’s frame, particularly the slope of your shoulders, may simply make you prone to this phenomenon.  You won’t be able to alter your anatomy, but maintaining good posture will help.  Remember to keep your back straight, and your shoulders back, as much as possible.

Second, your straps may simply be too loose.  When tightening your bra straps, make sure they’re adjusted so that you can’t fit more than two fingers underneath each one.

Third, your preferred bra style may be the culprit.  If you already know that a majority of the bras you own slide off your shoulders, try wearing a different style.  For example, demi-cup bras, including plunge, push-up, and balconette bras, are most often made with wide-set straps.  Wide-set straps sit further apart on your chest, and further out on your shoulders, than average-set bra straps.  While this look creates a dramatic décolleté and an appearance of a full bustline, the straps tend to slip more often than average-set straps.  Average-set straps can be found on full-coverage and minimizer bras.  These straps sit closer together on the chest and shoulders and are, therefore, less likely to fall down.  Another great alternative style is the racerback bra.  This bra has straps that are joined together with a piece of T-shaped fabric in the back.  The straps are thus anchored between the shoulder blades, and are unable to slip off the shoulders when adjusted properly.

You may have seen a commercial on television featuring a round or heart-shaped, plastic-strap attachment that appears to solve the strap-slippage problem by holding both straps together near the shoulder blades.  Before you pick up the phone to order one, keep in mind that when bras are designed, careful thought is given to strap placement in the front and back of the bra.  The shape of the tissue at the bottom and top of each breast is also considered.  Changing the angle and tension of your straps and cups, by using strap clips, can pinch your breasts, causing fitting problems and strange appearances.  Rather than relying on attachments, it’s better to find a bra that works with your body instead of fighting against it.

Finally, you may be wearing the wrong-sized bra.  Therefore, your final line of defense in the battle against bra-strap slippage is trying on your bras in the fitting room prior to purchasing them.  After putting them on, make sure you don’t notice any of the 14 signs that you may have chosen the wrong size.  Then, make sure to adjust the slides to their proper lengths so that the cups and band fit well.  Next, do some exercises.  Bend down and pretend to pick up something off the ground; raise and lower your shoulders; rotate your arms forward.  Try any movement you can think of that typically causes your bra straps to slide.  If the straps stay in place after putting them through their paces, you’ll be unlikely to experience any problems during your day-to-day activities.

The good news is that you don’t have to resign yourself to a lifetime of falling bra straps.  Practical solutions do exist that won’t force you to choose between wearing strapless styles and resorting to double-sided tape.

CC Image courtesy of stevendamron on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/sadsnaps/ / CC BY 2.0
CC Image courtesy of aturkus on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/aturkus// CC BY 2.0
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