At Title Nine, we believe that there are no bad boobs, just bad bras! It's easier than most people realize to find a great fitting sports bra given the right knowledge.
So let's get you a head start to finding the right sports bra with two quick top tips: snug fit and no wrinkles. How do your sports bras fit you now? Ideally, you want a snug fit, not a super tight fit. It should be tighter than your regular, everyday bra, but not so tight that it's constricting or suffocating. You should be able to fit two fingers between the straps and your shoulders. If you can't, you're probably wearing the wrong size. If the fabric of the cup has wrinkles, the cup is too big.
We've bundled everything you need to know in our Sports Bra Guide, so you can choose the right sports bra and amount of support to get you in the game and keep you there—from finding a high impact sports bra to getting the right measurements and the right bra size.
Sports bras are not the same as everyday bras and we can't put up our best performance if we're distracted by the wrong bra! A sports bra is specifically designed to deliver proper support and comfort during our workout, from high-intensity activities like trail running and mountain biking, to lower-impact workouts like yoga and hiking. Made of performance fabrics, they're seat-wicking, which prevents chafing during workouts. It's important to invest in a quality sports bra so that we can have a bounce-free workout and avoid breast pain—that means our Cooper's ligaments (connective tissue in the breast that helps maintain support, i.e. where the perk comes from) are not permanently stretched. Believe it or not, a better-fitting sports bra is part of keeping our breasts and breast tissue healthy.
Too many of us won't think twice about dropping $5 every weekday on a latte, or $100 plus on a pair of running shoes, but balk when it comes to buying a good sports bra that costs more than a to-go pizza. At T9, we believe a well-fitting sports bra is an investment not just in good Cooper's ligament health and limiting breast movement, but in our overall health and fitness. Why double up on two mediocre bras to get support when you can have one with the perfect fit? Our most supportive, silent training partner—a great, well-engineered sports bra—can make or break our workout.
Yep, you can buy a "sports bra" from Victoria's Secret or you can buy one from Nike or Target or even Dick's Sporting Goods, but only at Title Nine will you get the expertise that comes from decades of selling, testing, and designing the best styles for physical activity. Only at Title Nine will you find sports bras from dozens of manufacturers. Only at Title Nine will you get expert fit advice from women who actually wear and test each and every sports bra, and only at Title Nine do you get the take-it-for-a-test-drive Guarantee so you can find the perfect fit. If you're not happy with your purchase, return it within 60 days.
In short, the larger the bust and higher the impact level of the activity, the more support you'll likely need—so don't send a low-impact A cup bra to do a high-impact job for a D!
There are three main types of impact levels: high, medium, and low. As noted under "How do I know how much support I need?" the wearer's bra size is an important factor—different size ranges need different levels of support. A B cup doing a high impact activity may not need a high-support style as someone with larger breasts would be doing the same physical activity. The following are some examples of each type of impact level:
The girls don't just move up and down but in a figure-eight movement: it's not just bounce we need to renounce, but multi-directional movement. That's why we're here to guide you to the right bra style for your size and activity. Sports bras sometimes say that they offer compression and encapsulation. Here are some basic definitions.
Compression bra: the sports bra has firm yet stretchy fabric that presses the
breasts against the body kind of like a hug while you run, jump, or hike. A compression-style is
usually found in 'classic' pullover racerback styles.
Encapsulation: supports each breast individually and gives you better support
from underneath. Encapsulation-style bras may look more like everyday bras.
Encapsulation and compression styles are often used by high-impact activity lovers and those with larger breasts. Sports bras offered by Title Nine use both encapsulation and compression, some using more compression, others relying more on encapsulation.
No longer are we restricted to just "small, medium, large" when it comes to sports bras. In most cases, your sports bra size will be the same as your bust measurement, or your everyday bra (now might be a good time to double check your cup and band measurements). Sports bras are designed to fit a bit firmer/snugger than your everyday bra, eliminating the need to downsize for more support or compression. (That could be doing more harm than good!) While most of our sports bras come in specific size combinations (think your normal bra size), some do come in certain size ranges. For these styles, we will always give the equivalents. For example: S(32BC-34B), M(34BC-36B), etc. If you need help figuring out your sports bra size, try our Sports Bra Fit Calculator.
The short answer: yes. A cups may not need as much support and construction as C and D cup gals, but some light-support styles help keep the A cups perky and those Cooper's ligaments healthy for a good long time. Plus, a sports bra can provide us with nipple coverage while eliminating that long-run, chafing problem.
The very general guideline is never let a sports bra celebrate a birthday. But if you are a C, D or double D who runs then we recommend replacing it every time you replace your running/sports shoes. If you're wearing out your running shoes, you're also unknowingly wearing out your sports bra at the same time. No matter how often you wear it - and no matter how much you love cake and candles - a sports bra should never celebrate a birthday. If you are exercising more than four times a week, you'll need to replace it before the year is up. For more information on when it's time to replace a sports bra and how to take care of it, check out our sports bra care tips.
Say goodbye to the old-school methodology of doubling-up: sports bra advancements mean gals can be one-and-done at any size range (yes, even you, DD+ gals)! Advanced technology and engineering gives all chest sizes the support they need in a single bra. Plus, sweat-wicking abilities, built-in wires, and more. Whether it's a low impact or high impact sports bra, just one provides everything your girls need while you work it.
One well-fitted sports bra should do the job, period. Regardless of bust size, doubling up lesser sports bras will not deliver the same support that one properly sized, impact-level appropriate one can give. So, no more wearing a sports bra over an everyday bra, or wrapping oneself in bandages or tape. Getting in and out of all that is a workout unto itself! Do what's best for your bust and find the best-fitting, best-supporting sports bra for you.
Absolutely! We often hear from gals with larger breasts that it's difficult to find a sports bra with enough support for high-impact activities like running and horseback riding. For this reason, we carry the largest selection of DD-DDD+ high-impact sports bras on the market.
Our top picks for horseback D cup gals riders are our Trade-Up Sports Bra (a great high-support style for wire-free bra fans) and our Intrepid Underwire Sports Bra (high-support for underwire fans who prefer to stay away from the uniboob look.) Those who are DDD+ may instead consider the ultimate high impact sports bra: The Last Resort Sports Bra.
A sports bra should have a snug fit that's not too tight—it shouldn't fit so tight that you feel like you can't breathe. The straps should sit comfortably on your shoulders without slipping, digging, or pinching. Most sports bras come with adjustable straps, so you can tighten or loosen the straps as much or as little as you need. The compressive fit may vary across low, medium, or high-impact workouts, but it should still feel just right, never too tight.
Finding the right sports bra is everything. And at Title Nine, we have tons of styles to choose from that are up for all kinds of physical activity. With sweat-wicking fabrics, adjustable straps, removable cups, front closure, back closure, u-back and so many more features, Title Nine's collection is the real deal. All of our sports bras are categorized by our Bra Barbell Support System so you can find the right one based on your typical bra size and activity level.
Racerback Sports Bras: You can't go wrong with the classic. Title Nine racerback styles are game for pretty much anything. Plus, they're great for C-D cups.
Wireless Sports Bras: When you want support but can't be bothered with a wire, our wireless options are the go-to. Our range of wireless styles suit all bust sizes and activity levels.
Underwire Sports Bras: Sometimes you just want a little extra support while you work it. And that's where our underwire sports bras come into play. They help lift the girls but keep them in place throughout your entire workout.
Strappy Sports Bras: Whether it's more support you're looking for, or just a stylish option, our strappy sports bras deliver the best of both.
Pullover Sports Bras: Pull it on and go. Never fuss with a back closure with this stay-put style that's ready for whatever you throw at it.
Bra Tops: Our sporty crop bra tops are always good to go. Sports bra and workout top in one, they're a favorite among smaller-chested gals.
Is your bra a pain in the…girls? Let us be your bra whisperer and help troubleshoot what ails you—poking, slippage, close-but-not-quite and other common fit problems. And remember, there’s always extra help if you need it: our bravangelists are ready to guide you through even the biggest brablems.
Solution: Straps should only be doing about 10 percent of the support work, with the other 90 percent going to the band. If they’re digging into your shoulders they’re working too hard! If loosening the adjustable straps doesn’t fix the problem, it’s possible that the band is simply too big. A loose band is a band that is slacking in the support department, making the straps shoulder the load. Try sizing down one band size to see if this fixes the issue (Sadly it won’t fix our love for bad bra jokes). Don’t forget that the band should be low across the back and perpendicular with the floor — no rainbow arches. Bras with wider or padded straps may also help.
Solution: Does your cup overfloweth?! Your bra size might not be right. Try going up one cup size or going up one band size - this is called Sister Sizing (Check out Bra Wear Tips for more on this). If that doesn’t do the trick, it may be that you need a style that offers better coverage. Our bodies are all different and some options just won’t work as well as others. Try a full coverage style like the wirefree Tech Athena Bra or the Seismic Underwire Bra.
Solution: Do your breasts have so much room in the cup that they could throw a dance party? Make sure your bra is properly adjusted (it’s a good practice to always check and re-adjust it after washing). If that doesn’t do the trick, try going down one cup size. A style that doesn’t have as much coverage might help too, such as going from a full-coverage every day bra to a demi-cup style.
Solution: We know how annoying this can be—we all want the strap to be supportive, but it can become a problem when it creates unflattering bulges in the back. Counter-intuitive as it may be, try going down a band size, which should sit snugly and lower on the back, or choose a bra that has wider wings.
Solution: You’re smaller than you think! The band size is likely too big for you, so the straps have to do more than their standard 10 percent of the lifting. If it wasn’t like this when you bought the bra, it could possibly be stretched out and that it’s time to replace it. If you are wearing a 34D and have the issue of the band riding up, try sizing down in the band to 32, while going up in the cup for the equivalent amount of coverage. Instead of your measured 34D, try a 32DD. This is called Sister Sizing (see Wear Tips for more on this).
Solution: The band does 90 percent of the support work, so it’s important to have one that is working well. The standard three sets of hooks on a bra actually correspond with sizes. On a size 38, the hook that makes it the largest is a ‘39,’ the center hook is a ‘38’ and the smallest hook is a ‘37.’ If you fit best into a size where you’re on the smallest hook when the bra is new, try sizing down a band size and starting on the largest hook. This way when you buy a new bra, you can be sure that it is still fairly snug on the farthest hook so that you can tighten it as it begins to stretch.
Solution: Many women tell us they don’t like the look when their nipples show. If your headlights are always on, try finding bras that have extra lining in them, or a bra with a contour cup (a shaped cup made of spacer fabric). Some styles offer double and triple-lining to prevent this. A contour cup is not the same as a molded cup. While a molded cup has been molded to have a predefined shape, this does not necessarily mean that it has spacer fabric for modesty. One example of a molded cup bra is our Soothe Underwire Bra. Our bras that offer modesty can be found here.
Solution: Even if your girls naturally live in separate zip codes, the center yoke (the piece in the center where the cups connect) on a well-fitted and adjusted bra should sit flush against the body. There are a few things that may cause a yoke to not lay flat. One possibility is that your cup size is too small and thus the cups are too shallow. It could also be that the band is too large. Try going up one cup size OR down one band size, and don’t forget to adjust!
Solution: A too-small cup may cause the wire to lay against a sensitive area, which is not only distracting, but means we’re likely not getting the best possible fit. If going up a cup size doesn’t do the trick, try a style that has fuller cup coverage and/or wider wings, which will help to push the breasts away from the arms.
Solution: Chafe-free bras are the Holy Grail of sports bra design. There are three components to a chafe-free option. Choose silky polyester/spandex for best results and avoid cotton at all costs. Seam-free styles also help minimize chafing. Finally, careful design and placement of seams can eliminate chafing. When all else fails, and on long runs it often does, we rely on topical anti-chafing sticks and balms. Also known as no-chafe sports bras or comfort bras.
Solution: In the cup-band support arena, the underband does about 90 percent of the work with the other 10 percent going to the straps. If tightening the adjustable straps didn’t work, try finding a style that has the straps located closer to each other in the back. It could be that your shoulders slope in a way that makes straps slip easily. One example of a bra with inset straps is our Super Lace Bra.
Solution: You might want to size up to get a more comfortable fit from your sports bra. While sports bras are meant to have a compressive fit, they shouldn't be so tight that they're suffocating. Consider going up a band size, cup size, or both! See if they pass the no-bounce test, too. If the girls feel safe and secure while you're moving around, you've found a better fit already. Try out a variety of cup and band size combinations until you find the sweet spot: not too tight, not too loose, but just right.
When we find the perfect bra, we want it to last as long as possible. While no one bra will last a lifetime, you can extend the life of your bra by taking proper care of it. We’ll also tell you when it’s time to give your bra the boot.
It’s a good idea to have three sports bras that you rotate: think one on your body, one in the drawer, one in the wash. This will extend the life of your bras, as will having a variety in your drawer (varying impact levels call for different types of bras). If you are very active, you’ll likely need more sports bras, so there is always one ready to go while the others are in the laundry. Here are some key tips to prolong the use of all your bras.
All good things must come to an end. Many of us have that favorite bra that we don’t want to part with, but it’s important that no sports bra celebrate a birthday. Our Cooper’s ligaments (the ones that keep our breast tissue in place, the home of perk) can be stretched permanently without proper support.
To keep your girls happy and healthy, look for these signs that it’s time to send your bra to the big laundry pile in the sky:
Filed under “things Mom didn’t sit us down on the bed and teach us,” here are some of our bravangelist-approved tried and true wear tips:
Mom, competitor, triathlete and adventure trail runner, Molly has been the resident Bra Expert at Title Nine. She not only leads and manages wear testing across the entire line, but also works with our in-house product development team and women across the industry to uncover and adopt the features most important to us in bras regardless of your cup size or activity.
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