A professional fitting for a better look

Jul 5 2007 by Emma Johnson, Liverpool Daily Post

Stylist Nicky Hambleton-Jones fronting Playtex's campaign to encourage women to wear the right size bra _320

AS THE NHS is urged by the British Medical Association to recruit professional bra fitters, lingerie manufacturers Playtex are keen to impress just how important wearing the right size bra is.

Back, neck and shoulder ache are just some of the health problems that can be caused when a bra is to big or too small.

And last week a motion presented to the BMA claimed that fewer women may feel it necessary to resort to drastic reduction surgery if there were professionals in the NHS to give women advice on their underwear.

Earlier this year, Playtex launched a series of in- store bra fittings across the UK and now they are collaborating with stylist Nicky Hambleton- Jones, of Channel Four’s 10 Years Younger, to show women how what you wear under your clothes can dramatically improve your overall look.

Says Nicky: "Being professionally fitted for your bra can be the fastest way to lift your bust and give the impression of dropping a dress size.

"Looking and feeling good starts from the inside out – and if the foundation is right everything else will fall into place."

"The fact the health service has recognised the importance of being professionally fitted is fantastic news," adds Tracey Hayward, from Playtex.

To help you make the most of your assets, Playtex offers this bra-buying guide:

• The bust should not spill over the top of the cup.

• The underwire should sit against your body and lie flat against the breast bone.

• The underband of the bra should take the weight of your bust. If the straps are digging into your shoulders it means they are taking the weight of your bust and you are wearing the wrong size.

• Breast size can fluctuate over time and even throughout the month – if you lose weight, as you get older, if you have children, etc – so it is important to be fitted regularly.

emmajohnson@dailypost.co.uk