Pesky little buggers, these bra straps. Too loose and they’re making themselves familiar with everyone, too tight and they scar you for life. Is there a middle ground? If so, it’s a hard one to find. The shape of your shoulders are more often than not the reason for this; women who have slopey and narrower shoulders often find that the straps are harder to keep in place.
What makes is worse is that visible bra straps are strangely offensive in this country. There was a strange term that I learnt from the aunties in my society; every time someone’s bra strap wasn’t exactly where it needed to be- entirely covered and behind your clothes- they would aggressively whisper, “monkey is peeping!” Some would go the extra mile and shove it behind your top while telling you to do so.
See also:
- What Causes Itchy Breasts and how to prevent it
- Common Habits That Cause Pre-Mature Sagging
- How To Avoid Breast Sweating
If you’re wondering why this happens and how to limit their public appearance, this post is for you. There is some good news, that I will deliver now rather than later, it involves some shopping! Now that I have your attention, back to the topic. As discussed earlier, the shape of your shoulders is the most likely cause for this. If this isn’t the case, maybe your straps are just loose!
As simple as this may sound, most women forget to tighten the straps of their bras regularly (or ever) and over time, through the stretching of the fabric, your straps are bound to get looser. Don’t be lazy, tighten them up! If you’ve checked both these items off your list, and your bra straps are still sliding all over the place, you’re probably wearing the wrong style of bra; demi-cup bras like the 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 gives you a great cleavage and the appearance of a fuller bust , 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. The racerback bra or a u-shape bra are good alternatives to this problem; the former are firmly anchored between your shoulder blades while the latter has a narrower set of straps (and offers more coverage as compared to traditional bras.)
If I haven’t been able to help you out so far, worry not, I have one more explanation -and a solution of course- you’re probably part of the 80% that wears the wrong bra size. When you’re in the fitting room, or inspecting your new bra, adjust the bands so that they sit comfortably on your shoulders and make sure the cups and the band are in place. Next, do some exercises; bend down and pretend to pick up something off the ground, raise and lower your shoulders and rotate your arms forward. Basically 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. This isn’t an insurmountable problem, and with a little vigilance and some practical solutions, you’ll forget that they’re there!