Wondering why the center of your bra doesn’t lie flat? If so, read on to find out what you should know.

The gore plays an important role in a bra – it separates the breasts and join the cups. However, sometimes, the center of the bra doesn’t lie flat on the chest.

Why is this so and how can you fix the problem?

A center gore of a well-fitting bra will always lie flat against the sternum. If this is not the case, you probably are wearing the wrong bra style or size.

Does the Gore Affect the Bra’s Fit?

The bra band might be too big or the cups small if the gore tends to float away from the chest. The breasts will spill out from the sides, top and bottom if the cups are too small.

To ensure the breasts are perfectly contained and encapsulated, you will need to go up a cup size and if it fits snugly,  down a band size. This will be necessary even when wearing the bra on the tightest hook.

The band riding up the back is a clear indication that you are wearing an ill-fitting bra. The right size should allow to fit two fingers underneath the band effortlessly. You’ll need to go down a size if you can slip more than two!

However, going up or down a size does not literally mean going from, for example, 32A to 32B. Instead, what we mean is sister sizing. For example, if you are a 32A, you can size up to 34AA.

Check this sister size chart for more information about bra sister sizes.

Determining the Shape of Your Breasts

Get a professional to measure you to ensure you are wearing the right bra size. A bra fitter will get your cup and band measurements correctly and can also recommend different bra styles to accommodate the shape of your breasts.

If you want to measure your bra size at home, check our guide on how to measure your bra size.

Speaking of your breast shape, the wrong style also affects how the center gore lies on the chest. This is why knowing your breast type is important to help you make informed decisions when it comes to choosing different bra styles.

Here is a guide on breast shape.

Finding The Right Bra Style

Different breast shapes need different bra styles! For instance, most full cup bras have high center gores, which is the complete opposite for plunge bras. Therefore, full cup bras are the best bet for women with larger breasts while a lower center gore works well for their counterparts with slender or athletic breasts.

When shopping for a bra, it’s also important to consider the space between your breasts. If you have wide-set breasts – they lay further apart towards the torso, go for a bra that has a wide center gore.

On the flip side, bras with narrower center gores work well for women with close set breasts. In this case, a demi bra will help separate the breasts without cutting into the breast tissue.

Conclusion

An ill-fitting bra will have the center gore floating away from your chest. However, wearing the right bra style that suits your breast shape can fix this uncomfortable problem. Before you go bra shopping, do some research to be conversant with the different types of bras in the market, especially on matters center gore placement.

It’s advisable to get fitted after every five to six months since bra sizes tend to change owing to different factors including weight gain/loss. Wearing the right size will keep you comfortable and save you a lot of bra-related issues. It will also ensure the center gore lies flat on the chest.