I had the amazing opportunity to attend the CurveNY Lingerie and Swimwear show this year. A big shout out to the Burgundy Fox crew for letting me tag along! One of the things that I looked forward to most was participating in was the Eveden Fit School - a seminar led by inspirational master bra fitter Freddy Zappe and her team. Freddy’s contagious enthusiasm, knowledge and passion for what she does made the experience particularly memorable and rewarding.

I learned so much at the seminar it was difficult to choose what to share but below are some of the insights I found to be most valuable:

1.Types of Fit

This section of the seminar really resonated with me having been a bra fit specialist for years. Freddy discussed and explained the psychology behind bra fitting. Women have been conditioned by media to think that certain sizes are large or that numbers matter. Because of this stigma, getting women into the right fitting bra is not a battle that is easily won. There are 3 types of fit to focus on:

Technical Fit: This type of fit focuses on the true measurements
Aesthetic Fit: This deals with appealing what is in the client’s head
Comfort Fit: Exactly as it sounds, this focuses on the level of comfort the client experiences

It is rare that all three can be met at once. As a remedy, Freddy provided guidance and recommendations on how to ease women into the right size by fitting both their body and mind. She explained that while a fitter can reveal the right technical fit they also have to pay attention to creating the right mental fit. Oftentimes when a woman’s true size is revealed it shocks them, and a compromise to a step in-between may be in order. This allows her to get comfortable with the tighter band and wrap her head around the positive changes that a well-fitting bra provides. The overall confidence and comfort that a woman feels in the moment when she is matched with a right fitting bra is what truly matters.

2.How to Determine if a Bra Fits

Keeping things simple when it comes to bra fitting is key. I loved that Freddy broke down the aspects of a good fitting bra into three key points. They are easy to remember and apply when trying out different brands, sizes and styles.

Gore Tacking -The gore, the center panel of your bra, should tack on your breastbone between your breasts
Underwire Not Hitting Bone -A correct fitting underwire should encase the entire breast while not hitting the bone from your rib cage
Bra Band Parallel and in Center of Back -Your bra band should not rise, but instead remain parallel in your mid-back

3.The Swoop and Scoop

Another fit tactic to ensure the bra you are trying on is fitting properly is to make sure that your breast tissue is filling out the cups. This can be done by using the “swoop and scoop”. Pull the underwire back as you pull your breast tissue forward then scoop from the side to the center of your bra. This moves the tissue to fill out the cups completely and helps make sure there is no unnecessary spillage.

4.Sister Sizes

Did you know that we all have two bra sizes?!? The first is your true size (the size you measure) and the second is the sister size, which you get by going down in the band size and up in the cup size. The cup volume of these two sizes should be identical and offer a similar fit, but the sister size will have a bit tighter of a band. For example if you measure in at a 32D you would have the sister size of a 30DD. Depending on how the band runs for that brand this could be a good fit solution.

5.A cup= 0 inches

I was surprised to learn this tip for fitting which refers to the inch difference from your band to your cup. Freddy explained that if you start an A cup being 0" difference and with B cup being the difference of 1”, etc. the cup measurement tends to be more accurate.

6.Red Bras aren't visible Under White

Everyone always thinks that nude is the only color bra you can wear under white. My mind was blown to find out that a red bra won’t be visible either. Have fun with colors and fabrics when trying on bras. If your bra shows a bit or isn’t completely smooth I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. Embrace it!

Freddy stated that “every bra has its own secrets." Just as no two body types are alike, no two bras are alike. I completely agree with this. While you may measure in at a certain size, the style and fabric of a bra may reveal you need to go up or down in the band or cup to get the right fit. As a bra fitter, you get to know and understand what bra works best for a certain body type through lots of trial and error. We are here to help you out and match you with bras you will love!

If you ever have a chance to attend Eveden fit school I highly recommend doing so, but the next best thing is to watch some of Freddy’s live appearances (like this one) so you can learn a little more about fit. A huge thank you to the Eveden brands for putting together this seminar!

6 Things I Learned at Eveden Fit School