Only six per cent of women are wearing the right size bra, putting up with discomfort, and feeling unsupported. The Hastings-based BRAologist Emma Raw is determined to change all that
As a BRAologist, Emma Raw is nothing if not supportive to women of every size, shape and age. From teenagers looking for their first bra, to women who’ve survived cancer, or are aged over 50 and beyond, Hastings-based expert bra fitter Emma is eager to help.
Whether it’s pregnancy, post-surgery or after the menopause, minds, needs and bodies shift – and a new bra may be all that’s needed to boost a woman’s comfort, confidence and wellbeing.
“‘When was the last time you felt truly supported by one of the most everyday items in your wardrobe?” isn’t a question many women expect to be asked,’ says Emma. ‘Bras tend to be something in the background, replaced when worn, tolerated when uncomfortable and rarely reconsidered unless something feels dramatically wrong.’
Yet, after puberty, during pregnancy or after our bodies have produced a family, helped us during our careers and in our precious spare time, it’s time to stop neglecting our lingerie, she insists.
Being measured for a correctly fitting bra can often make more than a visual difference – as support is both structural and emotional.
‘I’ve worked with teenagers, bridal parties, those navigating pregnancy, breastfeeding or menopause or recovering from surgery and people whose body shapes have changed over time,’ she says. ‘And they’ve been putting up with discomfort for so long it’s become normalised. As soon as they’re wearing the right size bra that mental load and noise is gone. That’s what most women notice first after a fitting.’
Emma, who doesn’t even use a measuring tape but can fit purely by eye, has discovered only six per cent of women wear the right size bra. She’s made it her mission to change that – so slipping straps, digging wires, cups that gape or spill and bands that ride up are a thing of the past.
Here, Emma, explains exactly how she can help – and why all women need support.
Why does bra fit become more important in midlife and beyond?
For many women, bras have long been treated as either practical purchases picked up in a hurry, or luxury items reserved for special occasions. In both cases, they are often tolerated rather than truly fitted. But as we move through our fifties and beyond, our bodies change in ways that make that approach less sustainable.
As oestrogen levels decline during and after menopause, breast tissue naturally softens and loses density. Skin elasticity reduces. Weight distribution shifts. Even posture can subtly alter. These changes affect how a bra functions. Straps begin to slip. Materials feel different against the skin. Bands feel either too tight or strangely unsupportive. Necklines collapse. Shoulders ache. And our relationship with ourselves evolves.
Yet countless women are still wearing a size and style they were fitted for decades ago, assuming this discomfort is simply part of ageing. In reality, it is often structural misalignment, a foundation no longer doing its job. The most common correction needed is a firmer band and a larger cup.
On average, women are fitted one to two cup sizes larger than they expected.
What makes your approach as The BRAologist different?
There is no cramped changing room or tape measure produced. The fitting is a journey that begins with a conversation. Women often arrive thinking they just need a new bra, while what they really need is to be heard and properly supported, physically and emotionally.
Then rather than relying solely on static measurements, I’ll fit through observation, expertise and two-way feedback. Shape, style and colour are refined only once the structural foundation feels right, until that unmistakable ‘Oh yes’ moment.
What difference can having the right support make?
Around 80 per cent of a bra’s support comes from the band, the firm foundation around the ribcage, not the straps. When that anchor is too loose, the shoulders compensate and muscular tension builds across the upper back and neck. Over time, what feels like normal discomfort becomes a daily drain. A badly fitting bra means that, without knowing it, you adjust, you fidget and you avoid certain clothes. When a bra fits properly that mental noise disappears.
When fitted correctly, shoulders release, the chest opens, breathing feels easier. Clothing falls more cleanly along the body, waistlines reappear and necklines feel intentional rather than something to disguise. Women often describe feeling lighter or balanced – and then something else shifts.
Confidence returns in small but meaningful ways: choosing clothes because they feel good, not because they camouflage; standing taller with shoulders back and entering a room without subtly adjusting.
In midlife, a time when many women are reassessing identity, career, family roles and health, feeling steady in one’s own body can be unexpectedly powerful.
How important is specialist fitting after breast surgery?
For women who have – or are about to undergo – breast reduction, reconstruction, lumpectomy or mastectomy, the lingerie landscape can feel especially complex.
Scar tissue may be sensitive, swelling and asymmetry are common and tissue density may change. Previous bras can suddenly feel restrictive or insufficiently secure and fear of causing damage often enters the mind.
A carefully fitted bra considers the needs of the individual situation, including the type of surgery, placement of scars, stage of healing, areas of sensitivity and when women are ready, a style that reflects them.
After surgery, women can feel disconnected from their bodies. Working with a specialist to find the correct bra removes stress, fear and overwhelm, allowing women to begin rebuilding their relationship with themselves. In these moments, fitting is not about silhouette. It is about reassurance.
How often should women be reassessing their bras?
More often than many realise. Bras are hardworking garments. Even when rotated and hand-washed carefully, most will last around nine to 12 months before elasticity begins to fatigue and their structural integrity weakens.
Bodies also evolve through hormonal shifts, weight fluctuation, fitness changes, surgery or simply time. A reassessment every 12 months helps ensure that support evolves alongside the body. After significant change such as surgery, menopause or weight variation, it is wise to check sooner.
Ultimately, what is all the work you’re doing really about?
It is not about turning back the clock. It is about ease, alignment and dignity in everyday comfort. I can see daily just how transformative having a correctly fitted bra can be – sometimes the shift is physical.
Often, it is emotional because feeling properly supported, in the most literal sense, has a quiet but profound effect on how a woman feels about herself. And at every stage of life, that matters..
thebraologist.co.uk
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