THE SECRET IS OUT: OUR FAVE BRAS REVEALED
Even though this supportive staple has been holding our assets in place since the late 1800’s, a staggering 80% of women still have no idea what their bra size is! Considering the average woman will wear six different sizes throughout her life, this bra business can all get a bit uncomfortable after a while if we keep repeating the same mistakes. Hands up if you’ve suffered through days of digging straps, spillage or armpit bulge because your go-to bra doesn’t fit quite right but you wear it anyway. No More!
Comfort Makes a Comeback
Today’s global bra market is worth a whopping $16.42b and accounts for more than half of all sales in lingerie worldwide. A study of 80 lingerie brands across the UK, US and Europe showed sell-out rates of push-up bras reduced by 50% last year with more comfortable bras seeing a sharp increase. And while slipping on something outrageously sexy is every woman’s prerogative, trends are starting to show most of us really do value function and comfort in our daily lives above all else.
We’re not talking about the elaborate, show-stopping numbers we wear for ourselves or significant others, but the faithful everyday bra that can handle any situation we throw at it with support, comfort and versatility.
We snuck a peek at what bras you’ve been searching for on Google and the numbers confirm it.
• Comfy bralettes are super in-demand in your search bars right now with around 50,000 searches online a month, on average.
• Supportive sports bras are also coveted items among us girls with over 40, 000 searches a month on Google, on average.
• There’s been a 15% spike in women searching for the T-shirt bra since last year, and the ultra-comfortable everyday fave is a rising star as more women demand more for their boobs.
• Last year, the search for comfortable bras on Google was huge! Searches are up almost 18% since last year while the search for sexy bras has declined by almost 2%.
Comfort is so hot right now!
What’s Changed?
Well. We Have! A rise in active lifestyles, healthy eating and increased emphasis on body confidence, self-love and celebrating how diverse women’s bodies can be, has not only changed the way we feel about ourselves but how we shop too.
Today we expect more from our underwear – in addition to support and comfort, smooth lines, neutral tones and natural versatility are also required to make our outfits look better.
Research shows that, on average, UK women spend more on bras than any other type of underwear, and while the boob-emphasising push-up bra was one of the most coveted and sought-after styles in the 90s, preferences have shifted towards daily comfort and faves like the T-shirt bra are taking over the lingerie drawer.
Boob Education: We’ve all seen the surveys and stories about women wearing their 10-year-old bras on repeat or rotating ‘old faithful’ with one or two others until the elastic is about to snap. Thankfully, breast education is something we get from health organisations, brands, influencers and the media these days, so we should know better. Women are also feeling more inspired to find what works for them and are realising that a simple bra that fits perfectly and looks great can be just as empowering as an elaborate sexy number.
In a study of women aged between 45 and 65, 80% said they’d noticed a significant change in their breasts with ageing, while over 50% said they’d never wear the bra they wore in their 20’s.
Here’s what they said their most important criteria for a bra is:
• 99% said comfort
• 97% said a bra that stays in place
• 93% said fit
• 86% said appearance under clothes
• 84% said support
The Future Looks Good for Boobs: The natural look has become the new sexy and basic has never been this beautiful! A poll showed 72% of women love flesh-toned lingerie, and with more of us choosing simple, straightforward nudes as our versatile faves, more flesh toned colours have become available in our favourite styles. A comfortable bra is precisely the soulmate every woman wants in her life right now. Have you found yours?
Sources: stylecraze.com/articles/how-to-choose-the-perfect-bra/#gref; researchandmarkets.com/reports/4590705/global-market-review-of-lingerie-forecasts-to; edited.com/blog/2017/03/lingerie-trend-changing-category/; fungglobalretailtech.com/research/deep-dive-lingerie-report/; ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5549204/; dr-beckmann.co.uk/