Two years ago, “dressing up” meant putting on a new dress and some lipstick – but post-lockdown, we feel really fancy if we bother putting on a bra that day.
But while we usually just reach for the same old tatty sports bras, one expert has warned that our ancient undies might be doing us more harm than good.
Speaking to Tyla, certified bra fitter Olivia Hagan claimed that wearing tight-fitting, restrictive underwear on an everyday basis could actually stop your boobs from growing.
She warned: “If you have a bigger bust, wearing sports bras every day is definitely not recommended.
“They work by compressing your chest, which over time can damage your breast tissue and affect your lymphatic system.”
Although Olivia said sports bras are the worst for this, she also urged women to think twice about tankinis too as they’re also restrictive.
Instead, the expert said women shouldn’t shy away from underwires – as these provide the best support.
A correctly-fitting bra should have underwire that “encapsulates the whole breast” and “sits behind the breast tissue”.
She also recommended searching bras which have a high centre plate – i.e. the section that joins the two cups together.
And to make sure you aren’t putting too much strain on your back, Olivia says there’s a simple way to test the band.
She added: “Your bra band supports 80% of the bust weight. Ideally it should fit right to the body so when pulled away the gap isn’t greater than an inch.
“You should always wear new bras on the furthest hook, and work your way in as the band stretches.”
Overall, Olivia says balconette bras are the most supportive for the majority of women as “they lift the bust up”.