A few years back, I bought some new vanishing back bras on a business trip, at Soma, which is part of the Chico’s/White House Black Market family. They were very comfortable. The back was smooth under clothes.

However, about the same time, I was having the most terrible time finding clothes that were flattering. I knew I was heavier than I wanted to be, so I just supposed I was old and fat. And one day in a dressing room it came to me that the problem was my breasts—or rather, those bras, which were doing me no favors, letting my breasts be wide—my arms brushed them when I reached forward--and low, which, on a short person inclined to be chunky, is a very matronly look. I went to VS, found a bra that wasn’t an ideal fit but was adequate, but more importantly, brought me up and together, and voila—shopping got easier and all my clothes were cuter. I felt like I looked like I’d lost weight, just by buying underwear. The VS bra was a different, smaller cup size than the ones from Soma—maybe the problem was the size of the other bras wasn’t right. Anyway, that was my theory.

Meanwhile, we got a new Soma where I live about a month ago. I like their vanishing edge panties, and I finally got around to having time to try on some bras. However, this time, my eye is more trained for what I need a bra to do for me. Again, I tried on multiple bras that fit, they absolutely fit me, in terms of coverage and all that, but, they did nothing for my bust—they just kept it company, and left it where it wanted to be in a state of nature; comfortable, but low, wide and matronly, and they were visually eating my middle in clothing by hanging low.

I did, finally, find a bra design there that has extra support on the sides that worked for me. (Also, it is much cuter!) My breasts are entirely on the front of my body, and they are elevated to a place they once occupied in their youth. What is funny is that they look smaller in this bra than they did in the low and wide ones, which for fashion, I count as a good thing.

So the lesson from that trip is this: a badly fitting bra is bad, but a correctly fitting bra can also be a problem if it doesn’t add value. Fit is not the end of the story—also look at lift and positioning.