How many bras should a woman own? How many bras should a teenager ow? We’ve gotten this question many times before and today, we answer them. Read on.
According to an article on Glamour, the answer should be 16! This was in 2009, but when the same question was asked again in 2016, the number had gone down to 8!
Honestly, that number took me by surprise. When it comes to clothing, I consider myself a minimalist. On checking my collection of bras, I had about twenty of them. However, there are some that I rarely wear.
The number of bras a woman should have depends on how long you want them to last. If you wear one bra daily and handle it with care through regular handwashing, you could surely squeak by close to six months before the bra becomes non-functional from losing its elasticity. A bra’s mileage also depends on its construction.
When we decide to take on that logic, we can work out a formula. Let’s assume that you wear each of the bras equally. For every bra that is new in your rotation, add six months to it.
Bra mathematics is not quite easy. This is because not anyone wears each bra equally. Moreover, we barely throw out the bra when its time.
To use your bras to the maximum, you need to have enough so that every bra can get a day or so to rest. Apart from this, you should hand wash them to prolong their lifespan. Hand washing resets the bra’s fabric and prevents it from losing elasticity fast.
You obviously cannot put on one bra for every occasion. In as much as I get maximum support from my sports bra, I wouldn’t wear it under every outfit. Every woman has different needs, which depends on their lifestyle and fashion sense.
Bra Capsule Collection
An ideal capsule bar would fit in something like this:
3 Everyday Bras
The shape of your breasts and bra style that is comfortable should determine your everyday bra.
The ideal bras for me are either full cups or balconette bras. These two bras have a high cut that enhances their level of support. Moreover, I can wear them with several outfits comfortably.
Some women would want to add a t-shirt bra on this list since it offers that round smoothness. However, they have molded cups, which makes them unsuitable for those with saggy breasts.
I find the Panache Tango II balconette bra ideal for everyday wear. For full cup alternatives, I prefer the Elomi Caitlyn and Prima Donna Deauville.
2 Sports Bra
When I get on a gym streak, I usually go about four times a week. Moreover, I tend to sweat a lot. This, therefore, would mean washing the bra daily. The absolute minimum sports bras to have is two. Panache and Freya come in handy here.
1 Minimizer Bra
People tend to wear a minimizer bra only when the outfit fits perfectly well everywhere else apart from the chest. I don’t get to wear a minimizer bra most of the time. However, when I do, the Lilyette Enchantment bra is what I prefer.
1 Strapless Bra
This bra has a great longline. The only limitation of the bra is that you cannot wear it with just any outfit.
I’ll choose an exquisite strapless bra since it is convertible, meaning you can attach the straps only when you want for extra support. Currently, I find the Elila’s Microfiber Molded Strapless Bra ideal. It can come off as a t-shirt bra when you add the straps on, and it’s also super comfortable.
1 Lounging Bra
Every woman out there should at least have that to go to bra for unwinding in the house. The bra should offer little support and be comfortable.
To maximize on the options, I try to choose bras that are cross-functional. With a sexy balconette bra,I can wear it throughout the day and dress it either up or down. Get one in a nude color as you can easily wear it with multiple outfits.
Total Bras – 8
When you have a total of eight bras in your collection, the chances of washing your sports bras will come at 2 to 3 times a week, on average. Moreover, you can wash your regular bras twice every week. The number of washes could either rise or fall, depending on how often you do your laundry.
How many bras do you have? How many do you wear? And how many of the bras you are willing to throw away.