Won’t the world be a better place with the following books published along with millions of titles we see every year?

The Idiot’s Guide to Donning Bras

Deciphering the Mystery of Brassieres

The Devil Wears Push-Up Bra

A Tale of Two Cup C’s

Charlie and the Lingerie Factory

Sweet Valley Twins (no pun intended)

Alright, enough naughtiness. You get the idea. With a lot of women in the world choosing wrong bras, the human race seriously needs books leading to the path of lingerie nirvana. Otherwise, the future would see a large fraction of the women’s population suffering from stretch marks, sagging breasts and even breast cancer.

Read on to find out the top ten mistakes in choosing and wearing bras. Until you see them, you may never know if you’re guilty of these mistakes yourself. To our male friends out there who are blessed with breasts, this list is also for you.

10. Using compressing sports bras.

Remember the ultimate cardinal rule in wearing bras: you wear them as support for your breasts. Now with sports bras, we tend to bend this rule a little. Most designs of sports bras compress your breasts rather than support them. Besides giving you an uneasy feeling, they hide your breasts’ real shape.

For these reasons, you must consider wearing a sports bra with depth in its seams, cut and shape. Such a bra prevents your breasts from jiggling while giving you comfort and showing your nice shape at the same time.

9. Wearing baggy cups.

Leave the baggy look to your pants. With baggy cups, you not only get an uncomfortable fit, your breasts also look artificial. You either have to go down a band size or a cup size.

Try doing the latter first and if you notice that creases show around your nipples, then get the original cup size again. This time, try a size smaller for the band.

8. Using just the normal type of bra when you have different cup sizes.

Don’t freak out if you notice your breasts are different sizes. Those nights of partying and drinking have nothing to do with it. Take consolation in the fact that many other women (and even men) out there share the same situation.

More often than not, the size difference is not obvious. Just the same, your breasts have different sizes and you have to do something about it. You may get away with the size dilemma by wearing a bra size to fit the larger side.

Now if the size difference is so big it is obvious even from afar, you have to sit down and think. No, we’re not suggesting that you go under the knife. Instead, you should consider getting a breast cup for the smaller breast. Your other option is having a customized or specialized bra made for you.

7. Taking something that fits right only on the tightest hook.

There’s a good reason why you have three or four hooks on your bra. It all boils down to one word: adjustment. Without these hooks, you are left with no choice but to buy another bra each time your bra feels too tight. That is, unless you have the patience to adjust your bra using safety pins.

This dilemma is a no-brainer at all. You should just make sure that your bra fastens on the loosest hook. Besides being a pre-cautionary step for whatever changes may happen to your breasts or frame, it provides an allowance after many times of washing your bra.

You see, studies show that a bra can grow up to four inches because of constant wash and wear. With the loosest hook fitting your breasts and frame perfectly, you don’t have to fret about getting a loose bra once the bra gets bigger after a few times of washing.

6. Wearing seamless bras everyday.

We know why you love them. They’re comfortable and almost feels like sports bras or even a second skin. Remember what we said about sports bras having no real depth in the seam? Remember what gravity does to breasts lacking the support of the right bra?

Yes, that’s right, fear gravity and get yourself a few pairs of seamed bras. Save those seamless bras for the few days you’re spending a more relaxing day in your friend’s pad or a stroll to the mall. You’ll thank yourself in the long run once you see the effects of the art of alternation.

5. Wearing bras with soft, non-underwire cups.

If you have big bosom, please do humankind a favor and wear underwired bras. Underline underwired. There’s nothing worse than seeing gravity working its full power on a woman’s big breasts. So get a bra with underwire and be amazed at how securely it can cradle your big girls.

While you’re at it, make sure that the underwire sits comfortably on your ribcage and lies flat against your breastbone. Otherwise, you should go for a bigger cup size. Of course there’s nothing better than having an underwired bra with soft cotton casing, so look for one and you may never dare wear seamless or non-underwired bras again.

4. Limiting your choice to department stores and specialty boutiques.

Almost every woman shops in the department store near her home or that specialty boutique girls in the office rave about. You must be doing the same with your lingerie shopping. Who wouldn’t, with the cheap deals like 50% discounts or two items for the price of one?

Not all department stores and specialty boutiques are lingerie shopping meccas. Some offer poorly made bras, so much so that you may end up wearing them out even within their first year. You’ll find that while high-end brands may offer more pricey items, you get more bang for your buck in the long run.

Besides having higher quality, lingerie specialty shops offer you more size and style options. If you need to have the size of a cup or band or any feature of the bra adjusted, they can make recommendations or make the modifications for you. Now that’s longevity with endless possibilities.

3. Wearing the wrong band size.

How many times have you seen women wearing see-through clothing only to reveal their back fat? No matter how much extra skin you have on your back, it can be hidden just by wearing a bra with the right band size.

Like many women, you may be guilty of wearing a bra with a band size bigger than what your frame needs. This results in a baggy back or slack at the back. More often than not, this slack causes the back of the bra to rise up. While this may not be an issue for you when you wear dark tops, it sure will be in the long run when you see your breasts sagging.

If you’re in doubt as to whether your band has just the right size, turn to your own fingers for help. If it leaves just enough room for a finger under the center front band and two under the back, then you’ve found the right band size.

Another tried-and-tested way to make sure you have the perfect band size is to wear a tight-fitting shirt. Look at yourself in the mirror and if you see no bulges or unsightly lines with your bra, then you may just have found your perfect fit.

2. Wearing the wrong cup size.

There’s nothing like breasts spilling over the cups of a bra or wrinkles showing underneath your top. Both these unsightly signs show that you’re wearing the wrong cup size. While the former is a sign of a small cup size, the latter shows cups having a size much larger than what you have naturally.

1. Resisting change.

Unless you’re a corpse buried six feet underground, you should expect your breasts to change in size every now and then. That should keep you from wearing the same bra for ten to twenty years. Remember, you’re not married to your lingerie, so there’s no reason to celebrate anniversaries or milestones with it.

Besides weight loss and gain, hormonal changes can cause changes both in your cup size and band size. For this reason, you should make it a point to get fitted for a bra at least twice a year.

Bras Take the Front Seat

Forget about buying a new dress or a pair of stilettos. Settle those bra issues once and for all. Once you have your bra issues solved, your shirts and dresses will fit better!