When Is It Time for a New Bra?

If you keep shuffling through your lingerie drawer trying to find a bra — any bra — without a tear or stretched-out area, you might be in need of new undergarments. Not only do they make you self-conscious and rub you in all the wrong ways, but damaged bras can also leave you with unsightly bulges under otherwise amazing clothes. How your bra looks and feels makes a big difference to the rest of your appearance, so toss any that are old and worn out and stick with the ones that you feel proud to wear.

You might tend to think of your bust as the most reliable part of your anatomy, the asset you can count on when you want to wear something that really shows off your figure. But in reality, your breasts spend a lot of time changing shape, which can make even your best-fitting bra suddenly feel as if it belongs to someone else. Teen development, rapid weight loss or gain, pregnancy and giving birth can all cause dramatic changes that necessitate a trip to the local lingerie shop, but even daily weight fluctuations and normal aging can change your breast size over time. You should get a professional fitting once or twice a year to see if your bra size has changed.

If you've got a special occasion coming up, you might need a special bra, too. A wedding, prom, cocktail party or important date can all be great excuses to splurge on some fancy undergarments. If you're wearing a strapless or backless dress, a new bra could be a necessary item on your pre-party shopping list. You shouldn't rely on the bra you wore with that outfit even three years ago, even if you did shell out big bucks for some fancy underwear you only got to enjoy once. The likelihood that it still fits you correctly is low, and you definitely don't want to be thinking about your ill-fitting bra when you should be enjoying yourself.

If you find yourself peering into your lingerie drawer thinking that your bras are still all fine, but they don't really thrill you anymore, who says you need an excuse to get a new bra? Sometimes a girl just needs a change, and with all of the sexy, stylish bra styles coming out every day, there are plenty of tempting options to choose from. A new bra can boost your self-confidence and improve the look of your favorite top, so the reason you need a new bra might be simply that you want one.