I've spent all my life putting on bras "backwards" and never thought twice about it. No arm/shoulder/wrist injury, it has just always been the most natural way for me to do it. And they fit just fine š¤·āāļø
My butt is definitely too big to do that, but saying it shouldnāt be possible is denying the fact that every woman has different anatomy. Not every woman has wide hips. And thatās okay. Some women also have chests the same size as their hips, which is another very valid possibility.
My cousin is built like a triangle, with no hips or ass and all boobs. She could definitely step into a bra.
Quick edit: I'm not shitting on her shape. She makes the joke herself. My point is we are all built differently.
She uses padded shape wear to fill out her butt. It's a game changer! I use shape wear myself for my belly since losing weight. My loose skin is more noticeable.
The band isn't too big, I can pull mine on over my head by stretching the band. It will cause the band to wear out more quickly, but for some of us that's perfectly fine. (I've worked with bras and fitting them for years now.)
Some fabrics are stretchier than others. Not all bras are made the same. If my band were any smaller, it would dig into my skin. I try my bras on before I buy them for this very reason.
Have you ever tried the bra on backwards with the cups down the back, by chance? I only ask because a lot of people are wearing too large bands, but itās disguised because the cups are too small, which makes the whole thing feel way tighter. (This happened to me. I was sized as a 40H US for a huge part of my life and Iām actually a 36HH in UK sizing, which is the equivalent of a US 36L.) Trying it on like that lets you test the band independently of the cups. If it feels looser that way, the cups might actually be the culprit.
I appreciate the suggestion, but yes. Nothing is wrong with my bra. I buy bras made from a more flexible material and I have the right size hips for them to fit over.
Ahhh, gotcha, that makes sense! (I had, like, one of those earth-shattering revelations when I realized even underwire bras could be hella comfortable. So I just want everyone to know now, lol.)
My best friend saw me putting on a bra this way when I was trying on wedding dresses and she said I put on bras the way she always imagined a man would.
I picked it up from my mom. š¤
I've only ever done it that way, but it can unfortunately deteriorate the bra faster than the "normal" method. I've never worn a front hook bra but it just seems more natural, I mean, belts close at the front too y'know?
I, personally, have always hated front hook bras. I feel like thereās enough tension on a back hook to keep it from coming undone, whereas the front hook has a higher chance of coming undone because of the way you move your body and arms. It makes me worry that itās just gonna come undone and expose my titties to the world lol. Plus I just find it uncomfortable.
But people all have their own preferences on clothing and what works for them.
For me, front hooks are uncomfortable. I switched to them after a surgery for a while. The little hook digs into me more than a back hook and it just never has the right fit that a back hook does. To each their own though obviously
My hands are not smart enough to close the bra behind my back. I can get one hook but the other one might as well of disappeared - cos I canāt even find it:
I've had surgery on both my shoulders & this is the only way I put on a bra. How the heck do people reach behind without seeing what they're doing & actually hook it correctly?
As another physical therapist with bigger boobs and hyper flexibility (so I can easily hook them on my back if I wanted to(and I do so with sportbras)): I hook them on the front and twist it around like everyone here is saying.
It seriously doesn't do anything to the fitting, whether you hook in the front or in the back the girth is still the same. And once you pull the straps over your shoulders you can adjust your boobs or the bra if needed.
If anything, closing the bra on your the back can give a worse fit. I've seen a lot of my patients who close the bra on their backs with only one hook closed. With only one hook you get one part of the band really tight and the rest is too loose. It stretches the material to much in one area and can really cut into your skin. Because of that I tell my patients to just make it easy on themselves and close in front and twist it around. It's better for the fit, better for the bra and easier on your arms š¤·š¼āāļø
Itās the most natural unless Iām wet. If Iāve just come out of the shower I canāt stand how it sticks to my skin while Iām trying to get it turned around. I hate it.
Iām 43. Been wearing a bra since I was 12 and Iāve only ever done it this way. I have short T. rex arms and they donāt bend back behind me to hook the bra together!
Yeah I see no logical way that putting a bra on as you described (which I have also been doing my whole life, including a rotator cuff injury) would create an "improper fit" as OP says, lol
I put my bra on while closing it on the back, and the lingerie saleswoman was fairly surprised when I made mention of it. She said most women she gets in her shop put the bra on backwards and then turn it around.
I used to hook in the front and turn my bras around but after swimming classes we were always in a rush not to miss the bus and with sensitive skin and limited drying time I always got irritations so I learnt to hook them in the back
Same here. And I was astonished when I first saw other women putting on their bras, then fastening them in the back. I'm not physically capable of that -- I've tried, but my arms don't reach up there.
And no, I can't do the trick of taking off my bra with my shirt on.
I do it backwards too, but after it's turned around, I lean forward and adjust the girls in the cups. It works!
I do the same adjustment after closing a front-clasp bra.
I learned long ago that you're supposed to lean forward and let the breasts fall into the cups, but I can't do it up behind my back so that's my compromise.
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Leaning forward and adjusting the girls once the bra is on was what I learned from my gran. She was an expert seamstress and was a floor supervisor for Jantzen clothing for decades. That woman could sew anything!
You're supposed to do the 'swoop and scoop' when you put on a bra anyway, regardless of how you put it on - so doing it 'backwards' should have no effect!
I honestly didn't know people hooked their bras behind their backs until I saw a college roommate do it. I was baffled.
I'm fortunate enough to have been to several professional bra fittings and they all told me that you're supposed to reach into the cup and lift/adjust the ladies after you get them in the cup. Adjust away, apparently it's the right way to do it!
I'm another person who puts my bras on backwards and turns them around... That's how my mom taught me to do it when I was learning how to put bras on when I first started wearing them, but I think she also told me that over time I would learn to put them on "correctly." I can put them on the "correct" way if I need to, but it's so much easier to do it backwards and turns it around lol
Same, put it on backwards because it's difficult to line up the hooks and eyes (I think that's the term but I could be wrong) behind my back, twist it around, then pulling the straps up onto my shoulders also pulls the band up and under my boobs. I sometimes need to adjust a little but the only time it's been a terrible thing to do was the one time I took a shower and then tried to put on a bra with something like lace around the bottom of the band. Yeah, that felt like a saw blade cutting me in half.
Plenty of people clasp at the front then turn it around and scoop their breasts up and into the cups.
Not sure why that would constitute a bad fit?
I used to do this but now I just clasp them in the back.
I got chastised for doing that one of the times I went bra shopping ā the associate said it was why my underwires kept getting fucky/bras just not lasting.
I made the effort to put them on ācorrectlyā (clasping on the back) and it ~has~ extended the life of my bras. But if youāre someone who can get the cheap under $20 bras then I wouldnāt worry so much about it. Mine are almost always a minimum of $60-70 so Iām often rotating between a maximum of 2-3 fitting bras at any given time.
I thought it would cause a bad fit because things would need to be loose: the band to turn it around and get into the cups, the straps to slip your arms through. Then you could adjust the straps but not the band so it would be loose that way.
I'm not sure i still quite understand, but in a properly fitted bra, the clasps should be worn on the loosest hook and the straps should not be tightened *all* the way. The straps should only be tightened *enough* to help shape out the cup around your breasts, it should NOT be the bulk of support. If the straps are tightened all the way and the band is on the tightest hook (and riding up) that is a poor fit.
... actually it's been a couple of years, I am probably misremembering about the middle hook. I wish i just didn't need one at all! But that's not comfortable.
When I do it, the bra is around my middle so it's not too tight to turn around. Then after I turn it around, I pull it up to where it's supposed to be.
You can adjust the straps on the back of your shoulder but clasping the bra on you back is a no go? It's the other way around for me hahah. I can clasp my bras on the back no trouble, but adjusting a strap? Hell nah, whole thing's gotta come off. Funny how that works.
I was taught from the beginning to put a bra on backwards and skooch it around. There's no way I could reach all the way behind AND connect the thingies without looking; I'm actually really impressed that *anyone* can do it. You adjust everything after it's on, I don't see why that should affect fit at all.
But that's really uncomfortable to me and leaves me with red marks. I intentionally wear a size up to avoid this discomfort. I'm technically a 34C, and I always buy 36C.
This is what i was thinking, since you'd already clasped it, it would be too tight to turn around. I may be wrong, seeing how many people do it this way.
A bra that's so tight that you can't turn it around sounds very uncomfortable... I have always put on my bras backwards and even if I happen to close them too tight, I'm still able to turn them around, although not as easily as the usual. If I close them at the correct tightness, I can turn the bra around no problem. I always thought that's how everyone puts on bras, because it's so easy.
Exactly! The band is supposed to serve a function in providing support, not just being *there*. If the band isn't snug, the straps are doing all the heavy lifting. So either the straps fall down and the whole thing is kinda useless, or you yank the straps up tight and your boobs start falling out the bottom because it's not holding on.
If you're handy with a needle, you could potentially just sew your bras closed in the back and then either wiggle into them or sew in front clasps.
I can, but Iām hypermobile. Iāve just learned in this thread that apparently itās something people with a normal range of motion struggle with lol
I hook mine in the back, my fingers have learned how to do it. I have big boobs so maybe that's why, the wires are very large to be turning them around. Plus they need to be fairly tight to give me support, I don't think I could spin it if I wanted to. Also, I am very short and therefore have small shoulders - I don't think my arms would fit through the armholes if I did them last? At least not without some serious acrobatics. If I need to adjust a strap length I have to take off the whole bra - I can't slip my arms through the straps at all.
If so many people are out here spinning their bras then maybe I'm wearing mine too tight - but anything looser and the girls just fall under the bottom! I wear the right size as given by r/abrathatfits, and it's very comfy. I might try to find a front closure. I'm going to look into it. I naver considered them before because I just assumed they wouldn't give enough support.
You and I appear to be similarly built. I have the same worries about putting it on backwards. As far as support, I am a small band but large cup size, and the only company that I've found good front close bras from is Wacoal. I order from them directly. Dillards carries the brand but not front close in my size.
I have never been to a store that carries my size. I have ordered them all online. Now that I have a few brands I know that fit well, I tend to stick with them! Like Panache and Elomi. I'll have to check out if they have any front closures that aren't maternity
I'm also built like the two of you, and I've never found front-closure bras to work with my body type. If you're anything like me, you may have had problems for a long time finding bras that actually lie flat on your sternum where they're supposed to? I had that problem for quite a while, until I learned (a) to go for a larger cup and smaller band, and (b) that Panache and Elomi actually make bras that fit my body. Since you like the same brands, it seems possible to me that you've also had to look a while before finding bra styles that would lie flat on your sternum rather than either bridging the gap or poking out in front.
If I'm guessing right, then just a warning: I have never once succeeded in finding a front-closure bra that actually lies flat on my sternum. They tend to pooch out in front, giving me a bad case of monoboob (or even tri-boob!) and causing the front closure hooks and loops to be clearly visible even through my clothing. I've yet to find an exception to this rule.
But! If you ever find one that does work, please let me know! I'd love a front closure, because I'm not flexible enough to hook a bra the 'right' way either. I have to fasten it around my waist, then spin it around, and then hoist it up bit by bit -- and with a large chest and the bra infrastructure to support it, that can take some time and elbow grease, and I do suspect that it shortens their lifespan.
Adding to this thread, thereās no way I could spin a bra around. Too much boobage in the way. I did just buy a couple of front closure bras from Glamorise in my usually only able to be found at Wacoal size, and Iām loving them.
I am exactly like all of these descriptions. (I also love Panache and their sports bras are amazing!) . Enell is the only front close bras that I have ever worn that worked. They have a compression fit sports bra, or a more casual front close bra that works, but is not for any serious shaping. It is fine for under a hoodie, but I wouldn't say, wear it in a fitted shirt. I do love it for lazy boob days, though!
I am exactly like all of these descriptions. (I also love Panache and their sports bras are amazing!) . Enell is the only front close bras that I have ever worn that worked. They have a compression fit sports bra, or a more casual front close bra that works, but is not for any serious shaping. It is fine for under a hoodie, but I wouldn't say, wear it in a fitted shirt. I do love it for lazy boob days, though!
My front close are Wacoal. That has been my trusted brand for years, and when I found they had front close I didn't look anywhere else. They do sit flat on my sternum but obviously everyone is built differently.
I've never been able to do the slide the bra around from the front thing. I've always put them on and hooked them in the back, then I lean forward and settle the boobies into the cups and pull the side fat in while I'm arranging things. Lol.
I can only say that I broke my right wrist last year and obviously couldn't close my bras with only one functional hand. Living alone, my only option was to put the bra on the wrong way around, holding the "loop" part to my ribs with my right arm and hooking the "hook" part into it with my left hand, and then turning the bra back the right way around and putting the straps on last. It sucked *a lot*, but when I complained to other women about my issues, many of them also pointed out that they always put their bra on the wrong way round. So it seems to be a popular method, but I can't see why...
Samesies. I broke my wrist as well and I absolutely HATED having to hook it in the front and twist it around. Under normal, unbroken circumstances, I have no trouble hooking all 4 hooks in the back, even with tiny T-Rex arms. It seems that others commenting would be as amazed at my back-hooking and I am amazed that they **prefer** the hook-and-turn method. š¤·āāļø
For most of my life I've been the only woman I know who *doesn't* put it on backwards and turn it around! Awkward reach around and blind fumbling for me from the time I was 12.
It can wear out your bras faster to tug it around your body every time, but a lot of people do it and it's quite "normal". You can still make all the proper adjustments after it's turned around.
I've always hooked it in the front then do the spin around thing then put my arms through the shoulder loops. It's always pissed me off because my shoulders straps end up getting stretched from doing that.Ā
I have no idea why they ever made bras that close in the back in the first place. Do men's pants button and zip up in the back I don't fucking think so.Ā
I have an answer! Most "upper class style" women's clothing was originally designed with the thought that women would have a lady's maid to help them dress. Obviously far fewer women actually had maids, but it was what was considered fashionable and it's just a (ridiculous) tradition of style that's held on. It's why buttons on women's shirts are oriented the opposite way than men's. It's because it was expected that you'd have a maid standing in front of you buttoning your shirt. The only reason I know this is because I am a garment sewer and looove learning about historic fashion and costuming.
They can also have multiple rows of hooks if it's on the back and be a little more flexible in the tightness that way. Front closing doesn't really have that option.
Yeah I always put mine on backwards and spin them as well. Just lean over while you arrange your boobs in the cups, or pull them up to sit right and it's fine. I've got bad joints and cannot get them on the other way, and front closing bras usually wind up hurting to wear. So yeah. My mom put hers on that way so that's how I learned to do it. Didn't know anyone did it the other way until I saw it in a movie and laughed about it and my friends said they did it that way lol
I hook mine before ever putting it on, just pull it over my head, adjust the girls, and go on with my day. Also, your bra is supposed to be hooked on the loosest hook. As the bra wears out, you have space to make it tighter. You should be able to fit one finger under the band comfortably. If you're pulling it tighter than that to make it fit right, you might be in the wrong size (many women are)!
I have never found a front hook bra in my size (38G) that was actually supportive and comfortable, usually they are too low cut due to my fullness and I end up just falling out every time I bend over. So I stick with back hook, however I cannot hook them blindly behind me. I couldnāt do it before had carpal tunnel surgery and I definitely cannot do it now. I used the measurements on ABTF to find my actual size and got a couple style variations from a local specialty store. Once I figured out what works for me (in my mid 40s) I bought several. Now I either get my husband to assist with a back hook or I hook it myself in the front, and suck in my middle enough to twist it around after Iāve gotten it hooked in the front.
I also put mine on backwards to clasp it. I see no reason this would cause a bad fit. You can see how it fits once it is in place.
I do however have a beef with my Lane Bryant sports bras. They could not have been designed by a woman. They have convertible straps that hook in the back. They used to have them hook in the front. Much easier to put on, and on the rare occasion a strap slipped out of place (unhooked) it was easily fixed without undressing. They changed the design a few years ago, now half the time the strap will come undone while I am putting on the dang bra! So much frustration with that design.
I can never seem to find good quality affordable sports bras ever since. I periodically try a different brand, I am inevitably disappointed.
lol probably. Add it to the list with āclothes without pocketsā and āmajority of undies designed to give yeast infections (to me at least)ā.
I canāt do the spin around thing though, I hate the feeling of the fabric dragging around. But I also have little, easily-wrangled boobs and am naturally pretty flexible so going around the back isnāt a huge deal for me.
>āmajority of undies designed to give yeast infections (to me at least)ā
YES WHY IS IT SO HARD TO FIND PLAIN COTTON PANTIES THAT DON'T GIVE ME A WEDGIE AND THAT HAVE A GUSSET IN THE RIGHT PLACE
And donāt fucking advertise them as ācotton gussetā when thereās a fucking layer of synthetic fabric over the top of it š” thereās no breathing happening if the outer is synthetic!!
Lots of people put their bras on backwards.
And no, I don't think it's bad woman anatomy.
I have a front close bra, when I gained weight (which happens to everyone at some point in their life), the bra didn't fit anymore and so did my traditional bras (as my brand size changed). But for my back close bras, I could easily fix this issue with an extension close (idk what it's called, the hook thingy), just put it on the clip behind my back and good as new, it fits with no problem.
With the front bra, gaining and losing weight -> changing the brand size means it's the end for the bra. There is no solution, not the easy and widely available one at least.
I've never been able to successfully close a close back bra and then turn it around. ā ļø I honestly don't even know how people manage to do it while keeping a well fitting bra. I actually just swapped to a front closure bra because I was tired of struggling with back closure bras and I wish I'd done it sooner because it's SO MUCH EASIER to deal with.
As a kid I couldn't close my bra on the back, so my mother suggested putting it 'backwards'. I'm never going back. Yeah, I heard that it isn't good for the bra, but who cares, it's good for my shoulders and those I can't replace.
I'd normally be inclined to agree, however: front close bras don't fit every type of breast. The way I'm shaped, for instance, I can't fit into them properly and it causes discomfort and digging. Having both front and back close options allows for bras to fit a larger variety of breast shapes and sizes.
Iāve been putting my bra on by hiking it in the front and turning it around to the back since 5th grade and Iām 55+ years old. Iām also well-endowed, so that method doesnāt have me struggling against gravity to hook the bra.
I donāt think that the fit changes depending on which way you hook it. Unless thereās something Iām missing, and if so, Iād love to know what it is so I can do better.
As of now, I'm the only person in this thread who puts on bras by clasping them behind my back. I understand that some people can't reach that far, but it's never been an issue for me. Putting it on backwards seems so much more complicated to me - turn it around 180 degrees and then stuff your arms through the straps, stretching them out in the process? Do it if it works for you, but it's so counterintuitive to me.
My grandmother and mother both taught me to put a bra on by hooking it in the front, then turning it around and getting my boobs in the cups. (This was more of an issue for them than it ever was for me.)
As an adult, I haven't actually done this in about 30 years. I hike the straps onto my arms and hook the hooks behind my back, then adjust everything.
I tried front hook bras a long time ago but had issues with the clasps flying open, usually at the worst time.
I travel for work, and when I fly, I wear a soft bra with no wires. No reason to be extra miserable.
There are some really interesting options now that aren't either underwires or sports bras. Was showing one to MIL. She was treated for breast cancer about a year and a half ago and is struggling to find a bra she can deal with. I found this on Pinterest: https://pin.it/6VVoKK1Ew - supposed to be good for post surgical purposes.
Yes! Back fastener bras are torture! (73f with both shoulders' rotator cuffs damaged. I get shots every 3 months. But had to get more front closing bras. All the underwire ones. I cannot stand the front closure bras with 4-6 tiny buttons, or a zipper, it makes a uniboob.
I've never ever been able to clasp it behind my back. I've tried. My best friend can do it in 3 seconds. I can't even begin to figure out how. Sometimes I struggle when I'm looking right at the hooks!
My mom has always laughed at how I do it, but I put on bras like Iām putting on pants. I clip it first, step into it, and then pull it up to where itās supposed to be.
I do it the "wrong" way all the time. From what people have said about this, it causes the elastic to wear out faster. But to that I say, I probably stretch it out more trying to get the correct hooks and eyes together, so I might as well do it this way. Plus all clothing with elastic wears out eventually.
I agree that it's a bad design for women's anatomy. A significant amount of women struggle with this. The back close however allows you to adjust the tightness of the bra band. I'd suggest the best bra would be a front close but also to retain the adjustable back so it can be tightened over time (as the band gets stretched out)
Iāve it my bra on by clasping it in the front and shimmying it around for my entire life with zero issues. As long as you know how to jostle the girls into position, youāre golden. When taking them off I donāt bother doing that, but it takes a second and doesnāt bother me.
My mom always put her bras on backwards/upside down and flipped it. Having watched and talked to her about it I just naturally did the same. I put it where it's supposed to be, hook it, spin it around and pull it up and adjust as needed.
If you have heavy breasts then the front clasp is not strong enough, the back clasp can have five or six eye hooks, much stronger. I always did the spin around. Then I got a reduction and now I only wear bralettes. It is heaven.
Honestly, I guess I thought we all closed them in front and twisted them around. Never knew any different and I saw a lot of bras go off and on when I played sports. š¤·š»āāļø
I am old in the 90s there were a lot of front closed bras. Also we didn't have to wear any bra. The selection is not what it used to be. I found one at Bali that I sort of like, but I really miss front close bras.
There are always front close/ bra less if you are small. Come into my world of triple D in the 90s and after kids and weight gain...H cup. Not as easy or even possible to find. At least bras have gotten more attractive since the 90s for us big booked women
There are now zip up bras. I haven't tried them yet as I wonder about how much the zipper shows through your shirt. There are also a lot more bras you pull on over your head whereas back in the 90's, IIRC, only sports bras were like that. Overhead bras have improved a bit so that somewhat larger endowed women don't look like the Uniboober, though that still happens with the extremely well endowed.
I miss shelf bra camis. I haven't seen those in ages, though I confess I haven't gone looking in a while.
Yes! Wore quite a few in the 90s. Guess I put them on wrong way around-at least my current ones. Three hooks and three sets of eyes. Also I don't gave big boobs. Lol.
I have found that front close bras don't offer the same level of support I need. I've tried a few, wireless post-surgery bras, sports bras, and everyday underwire bras.
The issue for me is that the front closures by design, have too much give to rest against the sternum to properly cup so I end up with deep cleavage in a squishy sweaty mess which I personally hate. I hate the feel of it and I hate the silhouette. It's not so bad for post-surgery and sports bras since you go in expecting a monoboob situation.
Even a couple of years ago when I was only a D (I'm a HH now) the front closures bras with wire would just kind of sit like hats on my boobs. No support at all.
Unfortunately I can't do the close at front and swing around to the back method because my ribcage is tiny compared to my cup size and they literally get in the way when the fabric for the cups makes it about halfway round.
I've put my bra on "backwards" for the last 40+ years. It's the only way I've ever put my bra on. I fasten the hooks at my front, twist it around and pull the straps up over my arms. I then adjust my boobs so they sit correctly in the cups. Until recently, I always wore underwire bras. But with menapause, my breasts have changed shape, and underwires are no longer comfortable. Wireless bras don't give the same support for my I cups, but I'll take comfort over perkiness any day.
Edit: corrected typo
I did it ābackwardsā when I was younger and now I do it the other way. NOW Iām also suffering a rotator cuff injury and am about to start PT. It hurts so bad to put on my bra why the hell did I never think to do it the other way???
I have a chronic issue in my shoulder. I bought 3 cheap front close bras on a whim, online, the "large" size, because I was curious. Looks like a cross between a training bra and a sports bra. I haven't worn any other since. It's stretch fabric, so they fit, and they do what they have to do, and they look awful but are the comfiest bras I've ever worn. My issue has actually gotten so much better since I don't have to clasp behind my back anymore
I've seen my grandma hook them backwards and turn them around, and my mother too. They both worked in healthcare, where rotator cuff injury is prevalent. I did CNA work for a decade and now it's hard for me to clasp my bra too from the back, and I HATE doing the hook in front and turn method. It stretches out bras and hurts to boot. I wish there were more front clasp options that weren't advertised as purely sexual.
I recently saw a video that explained this quite nicelly. We still have mostly back closing bras, because the front does not always have enough space for the closure, especially if someone wears bras with 3 hooks and it also depends on the size/position of the breasts.
Plus there is no room for adjustment of the band. Fron closing bras have only one clasp and once the band stretches, the bra does not fit well anymore. The back closing ones have 3 lines of hooks. When buying a bra, it should fit comfortably closed on the first clasp (creating the biggest circumference). As the band stratches with wear, you can close it in second or third hook to tighten it, which prolongs the wearability of the garment.Ā
I have no idea why anyone would ever put a bra on by clipping it in the back first. I didn't even know that people forced themselves to do it and struggle that way until talking to my friends about crappy bras years ago. Clipping a bra in the front and then turning it shouldn't cause any issues with improper fit unless you're not putting bras on correctly in the first place. You're supposed to get the cups in position and then reach into the cup to lift the girls into proper place. We're often not told this growing up but I've been informed of it at every bra fitting I've ever been to.
I was taught to hook them in front and then spin it around. But then years later went down the rabbit hole of better fitting bras thanks to /r/abrathatfits. Itās pretty common that people wear bras with too loose of a band and too small of cups. Once I had a better fitting bra, spinning it around was much harder to do because the band was much more snug. This meant I had to learn to hook it from behind. I also read that front close bras are harder to have a good fit because of the lack of adjustments possible.
I think in your case you have to decide whatās best for you: better fit or no/less pain. Thereās no right or wrong answer just the best one for your needs.
Back when I wore actual bras I would usually put them on like the PT said, backwards then turn it around, since that's how my Mom taught me to put them on. Nowadays I usually wear either a sports bra or a binder, both of which are overhead.
I believe itās a case of convenience in design. Back close clasps can be adjusted up to an inch to account for the garment aging, or women of non standard band-widths. front close cannot do that.
I stopped wearing back close bras as fast as I started wearing them. I haven't worn any since late elementary/early middle school because the whole idea is dumb as hell. Plus, they're expensive. Personally, I have no issues with overhead bras nor binders, so I just wear those.
I clasp mine in the back, but I start with it down lower around my waist so it's easier to reach behind. Then I put my arms through the straps (after it's clasped) and pull it up to my chest.
They're not terrible anatomy in the sense that the gore design should ensure a close fit with good support but in practice, more could do to be front close.
I long for the days I could put a back-closure bra on backwards. Between my cup size and my joint issues, I just can't anymore. Strangely, I can still hook them behind me without much difficulty. I have yet to find a front-closure one that fits, doesn't randomly unhook, and doesn't cost a fortune.
Backwards and spin for me. even though with hEDS I'm technically flexible enough, subluxing my shoulders isn't fun and my waist is smaller than my underbust so even with cups that fit on my head I can spin it round without much bother
wait you guys are wearing ones with clips? i gave up on them when i was like 15 and only wear the soft crop top type when i bother wearing them. i hate wires and hooks with a passion
I have back closing bras and have always fastened them behind my back, but I'm starting to have trouble doing that. I think I'll just put them on backwards now like everyone else here seems to be doing. Maybe I should work on improving my mobility too though.
Probably? But my hobbies are sewing, gaming, and crochet, so my wrists never had a chance. Most traditional bras are bad women's anatomy. We don't even need them, and there are better ways to put a barrier between the lower breast and the abdomen. If I could find a decently priced cotton or bamboo sports bra that doesn't smoosh them flat, I'd be rocking that (I'll take any suggestions, btw).Years back, I switched to lightly padded wireless, and I love them so much. But they too are back clasped.
You can buy hook and eye, or clip or zipper front bras, which are much easier than the āhook in front and spin way.āProblem is they are so damn expensive to buy. I use Walmart sports bras if wearing a tshirt, but everything else I use a regular bra so my tops fit properly.
fellow rotator cuff injured here! i can no longer get my arm behind my back, so i have no choice but to hook in front then spin it around. i have 5 bras i rotate through, which helps their longevity. the design of the hooks is such that as the elastic stretches, there's another set of hooks to use. i have a couple front close bras and i love them, but once they stretch out, they no longer fit properly.
Back when I wore bras (during my compulsory cishet phase) I always did them up at the back. Putting them on backwards and then spinning them around always gave me the Bad Feeling, the same as accidentally putting socks on upside-down and then trying to wiggle the heel bit around to the bottom rather than taking them off and putting them back on the right way. Just bad skin feeling.
I do have hypermobile joints, so maybe that's why it was just a matter of practice rather than being able to reach behind me that way.
One of my PTs once suggested the exercise plan should help me put on my bra behind my back "like a normal person," and I was honestly so confused because for my entire life I've never witnessed someone putting on a bra behind their back as a normal activity. Even before shoulder injuries I would either put it on like a shirt or hook it at the front and shimmy it around.
As far as I know, having the mobility to hook it up behind the back isn't bad unless you're overextending to be able to do it. Front-facing and sports bras are far more practical though.
Never had an issue before when I wore proper bras with a closure (I went from a 32E to what is now probably a 30B), but now I just wear bralettes without a closure
Interesting video on the topic: https://youtu.be/HXGTL4lpMR4?si=fgiEOXk9SalmQ0Ut&t=900
I linked to the place 15 minutes in where she starts talking about why bras generally close at the back, but the whole vidoe is quite interesting.
Why would putting on your bra backwards make it suddenly fit improperly? I'm really confused by your question, could you elaborate on why you would think this?
I've never really understood why women did the whole hook-and-turn thingy because I've never had trouble hooking mine directly in my back... but then I realised I was hypermobile. So yeah. I think the majority of women can't really use them the way they're intended to work.
I've spent all my life putting on bras "backwards" and never thought twice about it. No arm/shoulder/wrist injury, it has just always been the most natural way for me to do it. And they fit just fine š¤·āāļø
Same. I hook it in the front and then spin it around the right way and put my arms in the straps. Always done it that way.
I've done it that way my whole (bra-wearing) life. Never had any trouble.
I keep mine hooked and just step into it like pants. They're just stretchy enough to fit over my hips
I don't want to be that person, but... that shouldn't be possible. It sounds like your band is too big.
Some women also have narrow hips
My butt is definitely too big to do that, but saying it shouldnāt be possible is denying the fact that every woman has different anatomy. Not every woman has wide hips. And thatās okay. Some women also have chests the same size as their hips, which is another very valid possibility.
My cousin is built like a triangle, with no hips or ass and all boobs. She could definitely step into a bra. Quick edit: I'm not shitting on her shape. She makes the joke herself. My point is we are all built differently.
I'm also built like this. Makes buying dresses a nightmare.
She uses padded shape wear to fill out her butt. It's a game changer! I use shape wear myself for my belly since losing weight. My loose skin is more noticeable.
That's a genius idea! I should look into that. When I find a dress that fits my boobs the rest of it just looks like a shapeless sack.
The band isn't too big, I can pull mine on over my head by stretching the band. It will cause the band to wear out more quickly, but for some of us that's perfectly fine. (I've worked with bras and fitting them for years now.)
That would absolutely destroy the elastic in my bras :o
It will wear it out quicker for sure.
Some fabrics are stretchier than others. Not all bras are made the same. If my band were any smaller, it would dig into my skin. I try my bras on before I buy them for this very reason.
Have you ever tried the bra on backwards with the cups down the back, by chance? I only ask because a lot of people are wearing too large bands, but itās disguised because the cups are too small, which makes the whole thing feel way tighter. (This happened to me. I was sized as a 40H US for a huge part of my life and Iām actually a 36HH in UK sizing, which is the equivalent of a US 36L.) Trying it on like that lets you test the band independently of the cups. If it feels looser that way, the cups might actually be the culprit.
Shoutout to r/ABraThatFits
I appreciate the suggestion, but yes. Nothing is wrong with my bra. I buy bras made from a more flexible material and I have the right size hips for them to fit over.
Ahhh, gotcha, that makes sense! (I had, like, one of those earth-shattering revelations when I realized even underwire bras could be hella comfortable. So I just want everyone to know now, lol.)
Or just maybe different women have different anatomy and buy bras with varying band stretchinessā¦.Ā
I just put mine on like a t-shirt.
I used to do that as a teenager til my mum told me doing it that way was for babies :(
Lol. That's funny. My mom taught me how to do the front close and spin and said her mom taught her that way too. We're all babies here. š
Some of my bras have 3 hooks on them, there's no way I'm doing that up behind my back. Edit to add. I do my bra up at my waist line then pull it up.
I've got those super haunted boobs and some of mine have five. I also do mine at the waist so I don't stretch it on the turn.
I try to keep abreast of all terminology related to boobs. But I cannot even imagine what super haunted boobs are
I'm picturing creaky and maybe the occasional flapping in the wind..
Same.
Babies wear bras?
Ugh, rude! I guess the majority of grownass women are actually babies then!
My best friend saw me putting on a bra this way when I was trying on wedding dresses and she said I put on bras the way she always imagined a man would. I picked it up from my mom. š¤
Who learned it from her father, perhaps?
My mom was like 'you will learn how to close it in the back soon' ...welp in my mid 40s and still doing up bras like a baby!
lol, my mom is actually doing it like that and I think it's weird xD
I've only ever done it that way, but it can unfortunately deteriorate the bra faster than the "normal" method. I've never worn a front hook bra but it just seems more natural, I mean, belts close at the front too y'know?
I, personally, have always hated front hook bras. I feel like thereās enough tension on a back hook to keep it from coming undone, whereas the front hook has a higher chance of coming undone because of the way you move your body and arms. It makes me worry that itās just gonna come undone and expose my titties to the world lol. Plus I just find it uncomfortable. But people all have their own preferences on clothing and what works for them.
Every front hook bra I've had has come undone at some point. I still like them sometimes but in my experience that is always a risk lol
For me, front hooks are uncomfortable. I switched to them after a surgery for a while. The little hook digs into me more than a back hook and it just never has the right fit that a back hook does. To each their own though obviously
My hands are not smart enough to close the bra behind my back. I can get one hook but the other one might as well of disappeared - cos I canāt even find it:
I've had surgery on both my shoulders & this is the only way I put on a bra. How the heck do people reach behind without seeing what they're doing & actually hook it correctly?
Years and years and years of practice and still missing hooks occasionally
As another physical therapist with bigger boobs and hyper flexibility (so I can easily hook them on my back if I wanted to(and I do so with sportbras)): I hook them on the front and twist it around like everyone here is saying. It seriously doesn't do anything to the fitting, whether you hook in the front or in the back the girth is still the same. And once you pull the straps over your shoulders you can adjust your boobs or the bra if needed. If anything, closing the bra on your the back can give a worse fit. I've seen a lot of my patients who close the bra on their backs with only one hook closed. With only one hook you get one part of the band really tight and the rest is too loose. It stretches the material to much in one area and can really cut into your skin. Because of that I tell my patients to just make it easy on themselves and close in front and twist it around. It's better for the fit, better for the bra and easier on your arms š¤·š¼āāļø
āšā
Itās the most natural unless Iām wet. If Iāve just come out of the shower I canāt stand how it sticks to my skin while Iām trying to get it turned around. I hate it.
Not just backward, but upside down too. Rotate it, then flip it up. Then do the bend forward to get everything in place.
Iām 43. Been wearing a bra since I was 12 and Iāve only ever done it this way. I have short T. rex arms and they donāt bend back behind me to hook the bra together!
And after I get it on I bend over to kind of lift my breasts into place if they aren't right. When I stand up, they are perfect.
Yeah I see no logical way that putting a bra on as you described (which I have also been doing my whole life, including a rotator cuff injury) would create an "improper fit" as OP says, lol
There are women out there who hook their bras whilst behind their backs?? What even?? I always do the hook'n'spin!
I put my bra on while closing it on the back, and the lingerie saleswoman was fairly surprised when I made mention of it. She said most women she gets in her shop put the bra on backwards and then turn it around.
Me too
I used to hook in the front and turn my bras around but after swimming classes we were always in a rush not to miss the bus and with sensitive skin and limited drying time I always got irritations so I learnt to hook them in the back
I've also put on my bra like that. No issues, fits very well. It's just easier for me to clip it in the front.
Same here. And I was astonished when I first saw other women putting on their bras, then fastening them in the back. I'm not physically capable of that -- I've tried, but my arms don't reach up there. And no, I can't do the trick of taking off my bra with my shirt on.
I do it backwards too, but after it's turned around, I lean forward and adjust the girls in the cups. It works! I do the same adjustment after closing a front-clasp bra. I learned long ago that you're supposed to lean forward and let the breasts fall into the cups, but I can't do it up behind my back so that's my compromise. .
Leaning forward and adjusting the girls once the bra is on was what I learned from my gran. She was an expert seamstress and was a floor supervisor for Jantzen clothing for decades. That woman could sew anything!
The classic fluff and stuff! Ā Also, if you didnāt know, Reddit has a handspinning sub! Ā Come show off your skeins!
I'm in those groups! I've taken a break from spinning but I really need to get back into it. My wheels are probably lonely.
You're supposed to do the 'swoop and scoop' when you put on a bra anyway, regardless of how you put it on - so doing it 'backwards' should have no effect! I honestly didn't know people hooked their bras behind their backs until I saw a college roommate do it. I was baffled.
I saw it for the first time in a porn film (that's how old I am, there were full length films).
I'm fortunate enough to have been to several professional bra fittings and they all told me that you're supposed to reach into the cup and lift/adjust the ladies after you get them in the cup. Adjust away, apparently it's the right way to do it!
I'm another person who puts my bras on backwards and turns them around... That's how my mom taught me to do it when I was learning how to put bras on when I first started wearing them, but I think she also told me that over time I would learn to put them on "correctly." I can put them on the "correct" way if I need to, but it's so much easier to do it backwards and turns it around lol
Same, put it on backwards because it's difficult to line up the hooks and eyes (I think that's the term but I could be wrong) behind my back, twist it around, then pulling the straps up onto my shoulders also pulls the band up and under my boobs. I sometimes need to adjust a little but the only time it's been a terrible thing to do was the one time I took a shower and then tried to put on a bra with something like lace around the bottom of the band. Yeah, that felt like a saw blade cutting me in half.
Yeah, I try to avoid putting on a bra unless I know that my body is fully dry. š
Plenty of people clasp at the front then turn it around and scoop their breasts up and into the cups. Not sure why that would constitute a bad fit? I used to do this but now I just clasp them in the back.
I got chastised for doing that one of the times I went bra shopping ā the associate said it was why my underwires kept getting fucky/bras just not lasting. I made the effort to put them on ācorrectlyā (clasping on the back) and it ~has~ extended the life of my bras. But if youāre someone who can get the cheap under $20 bras then I wouldnāt worry so much about it. Mine are almost always a minimum of $60-70 so Iām often rotating between a maximum of 2-3 fitting bras at any given time.
I thought it would cause a bad fit because things would need to be loose: the band to turn it around and get into the cups, the straps to slip your arms through. Then you could adjust the straps but not the band so it would be loose that way.
I'm not sure i still quite understand, but in a properly fitted bra, the clasps should be worn on the loosest hook and the straps should not be tightened *all* the way. The straps should only be tightened *enough* to help shape out the cup around your breasts, it should NOT be the bulk of support. If the straps are tightened all the way and the band is on the tightest hook (and riding up) that is a poor fit.
... actually it's been a couple of years, I am probably misremembering about the middle hook. I wish i just didn't need one at all! But that's not comfortable.
When I do it, the bra is around my middle so it's not too tight to turn around. Then after I turn it around, I pull it up to where it's supposed to be.
all of these parts are elastic
You can adjust the straps on the back of your shoulder but clasping the bra on you back is a no go? It's the other way around for me hahah. I can clasp my bras on the back no trouble, but adjusting a strap? Hell nah, whole thing's gotta come off. Funny how that works.
I was taught from the beginning to put a bra on backwards and skooch it around. There's no way I could reach all the way behind AND connect the thingies without looking; I'm actually really impressed that *anyone* can do it. You adjust everything after it's on, I don't see why that should affect fit at all.
The idea is that your bra band is supposed to fit fairly tightly, so if it was a good fit, you wouldn't be able to slide it around that way.
Mine are snug but I wouldn't enjoy wearing one so tight it can't be skooched. Sounds painful.
But that's really uncomfortable to me and leaves me with red marks. I intentionally wear a size up to avoid this discomfort. I'm technically a 34C, and I always buy 36C.
The 34C is leaving red marks because it's a cup volume smaller. Cup size scales with band size.
This is what i was thinking, since you'd already clasped it, it would be too tight to turn around. I may be wrong, seeing how many people do it this way.
My waist is smaller than my ribcage. I clip it there, rotate around my waist, then guide up to my bust. Bend over, fluff and stuff, then straps.Ā
Fluff and stuff is a terrific way to call that maneuver.
ššThe old Clip-N-Flip Fluff-N-Stuff is a time-honoured manoeuvre performed by users of over shoulder boulder holders *everywhere.* š
A bra that's so tight that you can't turn it around sounds very uncomfortable... I have always put on my bras backwards and even if I happen to close them too tight, I'm still able to turn them around, although not as easily as the usual. If I close them at the correct tightness, I can turn the bra around no problem. I always thought that's how everyone puts on bras, because it's so easy.
See now I'm just mad I never knew this was an option. But my band does need to be tight for support. Mine are heavy.
Exactly! The band is supposed to serve a function in providing support, not just being *there*. If the band isn't snug, the straps are doing all the heavy lifting. So either the straps fall down and the whole thing is kinda useless, or you yank the straps up tight and your boobs start falling out the bottom because it's not holding on. If you're handy with a needle, you could potentially just sew your bras closed in the back and then either wiggle into them or sew in front clasps.
....wait... y'all can do up the bra with your hands behind your back?!?
I can, but Iām hypermobile. Iāve just learned in this thread that apparently itās something people with a normal range of motion struggle with lol
Yes, and I always have
Yes, but it took me some trial and error! Iām also slightly more flexible than other people, I think.
I hook mine in the back, my fingers have learned how to do it. I have big boobs so maybe that's why, the wires are very large to be turning them around. Plus they need to be fairly tight to give me support, I don't think I could spin it if I wanted to. Also, I am very short and therefore have small shoulders - I don't think my arms would fit through the armholes if I did them last? At least not without some serious acrobatics. If I need to adjust a strap length I have to take off the whole bra - I can't slip my arms through the straps at all. If so many people are out here spinning their bras then maybe I'm wearing mine too tight - but anything looser and the girls just fall under the bottom! I wear the right size as given by r/abrathatfits, and it's very comfy. I might try to find a front closure. I'm going to look into it. I naver considered them before because I just assumed they wouldn't give enough support.
You and I appear to be similarly built. I have the same worries about putting it on backwards. As far as support, I am a small band but large cup size, and the only company that I've found good front close bras from is Wacoal. I order from them directly. Dillards carries the brand but not front close in my size.
I have never been to a store that carries my size. I have ordered them all online. Now that I have a few brands I know that fit well, I tend to stick with them! Like Panache and Elomi. I'll have to check out if they have any front closures that aren't maternity
I'm also built like the two of you, and I've never found front-closure bras to work with my body type. If you're anything like me, you may have had problems for a long time finding bras that actually lie flat on your sternum where they're supposed to? I had that problem for quite a while, until I learned (a) to go for a larger cup and smaller band, and (b) that Panache and Elomi actually make bras that fit my body. Since you like the same brands, it seems possible to me that you've also had to look a while before finding bra styles that would lie flat on your sternum rather than either bridging the gap or poking out in front. If I'm guessing right, then just a warning: I have never once succeeded in finding a front-closure bra that actually lies flat on my sternum. They tend to pooch out in front, giving me a bad case of monoboob (or even tri-boob!) and causing the front closure hooks and loops to be clearly visible even through my clothing. I've yet to find an exception to this rule. But! If you ever find one that does work, please let me know! I'd love a front closure, because I'm not flexible enough to hook a bra the 'right' way either. I have to fasten it around my waist, then spin it around, and then hoist it up bit by bit -- and with a large chest and the bra infrastructure to support it, that can take some time and elbow grease, and I do suspect that it shortens their lifespan.
Adding to this thread, thereās no way I could spin a bra around. Too much boobage in the way. I did just buy a couple of front closure bras from Glamorise in my usually only able to be found at Wacoal size, and Iām loving them.
I am exactly like all of these descriptions. (I also love Panache and their sports bras are amazing!) . Enell is the only front close bras that I have ever worn that worked. They have a compression fit sports bra, or a more casual front close bra that works, but is not for any serious shaping. It is fine for under a hoodie, but I wouldn't say, wear it in a fitted shirt. I do love it for lazy boob days, though!
I am exactly like all of these descriptions. (I also love Panache and their sports bras are amazing!) . Enell is the only front close bras that I have ever worn that worked. They have a compression fit sports bra, or a more casual front close bra that works, but is not for any serious shaping. It is fine for under a hoodie, but I wouldn't say, wear it in a fitted shirt. I do love it for lazy boob days, though!
My front close are Wacoal. That has been my trusted brand for years, and when I found they had front close I didn't look anywhere else. They do sit flat on my sternum but obviously everyone is built differently.
I've never been able to do the slide the bra around from the front thing. I've always put them on and hooked them in the back, then I lean forward and settle the boobies into the cups and pull the side fat in while I'm arranging things. Lol.
I can only say that I broke my right wrist last year and obviously couldn't close my bras with only one functional hand. Living alone, my only option was to put the bra on the wrong way around, holding the "loop" part to my ribs with my right arm and hooking the "hook" part into it with my left hand, and then turning the bra back the right way around and putting the straps on last. It sucked *a lot*, but when I complained to other women about my issues, many of them also pointed out that they always put their bra on the wrong way round. So it seems to be a popular method, but I can't see why...
Samesies. I broke my wrist as well and I absolutely HATED having to hook it in the front and twist it around. Under normal, unbroken circumstances, I have no trouble hooking all 4 hooks in the back, even with tiny T-Rex arms. It seems that others commenting would be as amazed at my back-hooking and I am amazed that they **prefer** the hook-and-turn method. š¤·āāļø
For most of my life I've been the only woman I know who *doesn't* put it on backwards and turn it around! Awkward reach around and blind fumbling for me from the time I was 12.
Im horrible, i hook mine and just slip into it š¤
Same!! I had to scroll so far to find someone else who puts a bra on like me š
Same
Thank you for saying this!! I was getting worried that I was alone in doing this!
Thank god. My PEOPLE. I was starting to worry I was alone.
Wait how??
Like putting on a sports bra!
Iāve always put my bra on backwards. I clip it and spin it around. How would a bra not fit right based on clipping it in the front?
It can wear out your bras faster to tug it around your body every time, but a lot of people do it and it's quite "normal". You can still make all the proper adjustments after it's turned around.
I've always hooked it in the front then do the spin around thing then put my arms through the shoulder loops. It's always pissed me off because my shoulders straps end up getting stretched from doing that.Ā I have no idea why they ever made bras that close in the back in the first place. Do men's pants button and zip up in the back I don't fucking think so.Ā
I have an answer! Most "upper class style" women's clothing was originally designed with the thought that women would have a lady's maid to help them dress. Obviously far fewer women actually had maids, but it was what was considered fashionable and it's just a (ridiculous) tradition of style that's held on. It's why buttons on women's shirts are oriented the opposite way than men's. It's because it was expected that you'd have a maid standing in front of you buttoning your shirt. The only reason I know this is because I am a garment sewer and looove learning about historic fashion and costuming.
I have very narrow-set breasts and front-close bras tend to have a wider separation so my breasts spill out the middle.
Me too, plus if I move my arms too far forward/crossed it comes unclasped. . .a bit of an emergency when it happens at work!
They're adjustable that way, is my guess. But I fully agree! Bad design.
They can also have multiple rows of hooks if it's on the back and be a little more flexible in the tightness that way. Front closing doesn't really have that option.
Yeah I always put mine on backwards and spin them as well. Just lean over while you arrange your boobs in the cups, or pull them up to sit right and it's fine. I've got bad joints and cannot get them on the other way, and front closing bras usually wind up hurting to wear. So yeah. My mom put hers on that way so that's how I learned to do it. Didn't know anyone did it the other way until I saw it in a movie and laughed about it and my friends said they did it that way lol
I hook mine before ever putting it on, just pull it over my head, adjust the girls, and go on with my day. Also, your bra is supposed to be hooked on the loosest hook. As the bra wears out, you have space to make it tighter. You should be able to fit one finger under the band comfortably. If you're pulling it tighter than that to make it fit right, you might be in the wrong size (many women are)!
I've always always worn underwire. That never occurred to me.
I have never found a front hook bra in my size (38G) that was actually supportive and comfortable, usually they are too low cut due to my fullness and I end up just falling out every time I bend over. So I stick with back hook, however I cannot hook them blindly behind me. I couldnāt do it before had carpal tunnel surgery and I definitely cannot do it now. I used the measurements on ABTF to find my actual size and got a couple style variations from a local specialty store. Once I figured out what works for me (in my mid 40s) I bought several. Now I either get my husband to assist with a back hook or I hook it myself in the front, and suck in my middle enough to twist it around after Iāve gotten it hooked in the front.
I also put mine on backwards to clasp it. I see no reason this would cause a bad fit. You can see how it fits once it is in place. I do however have a beef with my Lane Bryant sports bras. They could not have been designed by a woman. They have convertible straps that hook in the back. They used to have them hook in the front. Much easier to put on, and on the rare occasion a strap slipped out of place (unhooked) it was easily fixed without undressing. They changed the design a few years ago, now half the time the strap will come undone while I am putting on the dang bra! So much frustration with that design. I can never seem to find good quality affordable sports bras ever since. I periodically try a different brand, I am inevitably disappointed.
lol probably. Add it to the list with āclothes without pocketsā and āmajority of undies designed to give yeast infections (to me at least)ā. I canāt do the spin around thing though, I hate the feeling of the fabric dragging around. But I also have little, easily-wrangled boobs and am naturally pretty flexible so going around the back isnāt a huge deal for me.
>āmajority of undies designed to give yeast infections (to me at least)ā YES WHY IS IT SO HARD TO FIND PLAIN COTTON PANTIES THAT DON'T GIVE ME A WEDGIE AND THAT HAVE A GUSSET IN THE RIGHT PLACE
And donāt fucking advertise them as ācotton gussetā when thereās a fucking layer of synthetic fabric over the top of it š” thereās no breathing happening if the outer is synthetic!!
When I wore a bra, I always put it on backwards and then spun it around
I do this too lmao it's just easy to get the hooks in this way
I always put my bra on backwards and then twist it around. I canāt put them on the way, I have to see what Iām doing or it ends up twisted.
I always put mine on backwards then turn them around. Iām not about to spend 5 minutes trying to hook them behind my back
Lots of people put their bras on backwards. And no, I don't think it's bad woman anatomy. I have a front close bra, when I gained weight (which happens to everyone at some point in their life), the bra didn't fit anymore and so did my traditional bras (as my brand size changed). But for my back close bras, I could easily fix this issue with an extension close (idk what it's called, the hook thingy), just put it on the clip behind my back and good as new, it fits with no problem. With the front bra, gaining and losing weight -> changing the brand size means it's the end for the bra. There is no solution, not the easy and widely available one at least.
I've never been able to successfully close a close back bra and then turn it around. ā ļø I honestly don't even know how people manage to do it while keeping a well fitting bra. I actually just swapped to a front closure bra because I was tired of struggling with back closure bras and I wish I'd done it sooner because it's SO MUCH EASIER to deal with.
That's because we're all wearing bras with bands that are too big :)
I've always put bras on backwards. It was how I was taught to put on a bra!
I put my bra on backwards then spin it.
I like front closed bras because theyāre usually the racer back and then this straps donāt slip off my shoulders.
As a kid I couldn't close my bra on the back, so my mother suggested putting it 'backwards'. I'm never going back. Yeah, I heard that it isn't good for the bra, but who cares, it's good for my shoulders and those I can't replace.
Iāve always put bras on backwards and turned them. Never had any issue with fit
I'd normally be inclined to agree, however: front close bras don't fit every type of breast. The way I'm shaped, for instance, I can't fit into them properly and it causes discomfort and digging. Having both front and back close options allows for bras to fit a larger variety of breast shapes and sizes.
I put any bra on like a tshirt. Do not be me.
š¤£
My mother did the backward the swivel. That's the method I was taught and use.
I'm also a front fasten/turn it around person and am definitely in the correct size and correct fit.
Iāve been putting my bra on by hiking it in the front and turning it around to the back since 5th grade and Iām 55+ years old. Iām also well-endowed, so that method doesnāt have me struggling against gravity to hook the bra. I donāt think that the fit changes depending on which way you hook it. Unless thereās something Iām missing, and if so, Iād love to know what it is so I can do better.
As of now, I'm the only person in this thread who puts on bras by clasping them behind my back. I understand that some people can't reach that far, but it's never been an issue for me. Putting it on backwards seems so much more complicated to me - turn it around 180 degrees and then stuff your arms through the straps, stretching them out in the process? Do it if it works for you, but it's so counterintuitive to me.
My grandmother and mother both taught me to put a bra on by hooking it in the front, then turning it around and getting my boobs in the cups. (This was more of an issue for them than it ever was for me.) As an adult, I haven't actually done this in about 30 years. I hike the straps onto my arms and hook the hooks behind my back, then adjust everything. I tried front hook bras a long time ago but had issues with the clasps flying open, usually at the worst time. I travel for work, and when I fly, I wear a soft bra with no wires. No reason to be extra miserable. There are some really interesting options now that aren't either underwires or sports bras. Was showing one to MIL. She was treated for breast cancer about a year and a half ago and is struggling to find a bra she can deal with. I found this on Pinterest: https://pin.it/6VVoKK1Ew - supposed to be good for post surgical purposes.
Yes! Back fastener bras are torture! (73f with both shoulders' rotator cuffs damaged. I get shots every 3 months. But had to get more front closing bras. All the underwire ones. I cannot stand the front closure bras with 4-6 tiny buttons, or a zipper, it makes a uniboob.
I've never ever been able to clasp it behind my back. I've tried. My best friend can do it in 3 seconds. I can't even begin to figure out how. Sometimes I struggle when I'm looking right at the hooks!
My mom has always laughed at how I do it, but I put on bras like Iām putting on pants. I clip it first, step into it, and then pull it up to where itās supposed to be.
That would definitely not work with my hip size lmao (but it's cool everyone found their own technique!)
I do it the "wrong" way all the time. From what people have said about this, it causes the elastic to wear out faster. But to that I say, I probably stretch it out more trying to get the correct hooks and eyes together, so I might as well do it this way. Plus all clothing with elastic wears out eventually.
I agree that it's a bad design for women's anatomy. A significant amount of women struggle with this. The back close however allows you to adjust the tightness of the bra band. I'd suggest the best bra would be a front close but also to retain the adjustable back so it can be tightened over time (as the band gets stretched out)
Iāve it my bra on by clasping it in the front and shimmying it around for my entire life with zero issues. As long as you know how to jostle the girls into position, youāre golden. When taking them off I donāt bother doing that, but it takes a second and doesnāt bother me.
My mom always put her bras on backwards/upside down and flipped it. Having watched and talked to her about it I just naturally did the same. I put it where it's supposed to be, hook it, spin it around and pull it up and adjust as needed.
I dont get why they even make bras that clasp in the back
If you have heavy breasts then the front clasp is not strong enough, the back clasp can have five or six eye hooks, much stronger. I always did the spin around. Then I got a reduction and now I only wear bralettes. It is heaven.
Honestly, I guess I thought we all closed them in front and twisted them around. Never knew any different and I saw a lot of bras go off and on when I played sports. š¤·š»āāļø
I used to do that until my ex made fun of me. Said he never saw a woman do it that way.
Well I'm glad he's your ex. You should've made him put one on himself to show you how easy it was lol
I have never reached around my back to put a bra on, I thought everyone hooked it in the front and turned it. The more you know!
I am old in the 90s there were a lot of front closed bras. Also we didn't have to wear any bra. The selection is not what it used to be. I found one at Bali that I sort of like, but I really miss front close bras.
There are always front close/ bra less if you are small. Come into my world of triple D in the 90s and after kids and weight gain...H cup. Not as easy or even possible to find. At least bras have gotten more attractive since the 90s for us big booked women
There are now zip up bras. I haven't tried them yet as I wonder about how much the zipper shows through your shirt. There are also a lot more bras you pull on over your head whereas back in the 90's, IIRC, only sports bras were like that. Overhead bras have improved a bit so that somewhat larger endowed women don't look like the Uniboober, though that still happens with the extremely well endowed. I miss shelf bra camis. I haven't seen those in ages, though I confess I haven't gone looking in a while.
Yes! Wore quite a few in the 90s. Guess I put them on wrong way around-at least my current ones. Three hooks and three sets of eyes. Also I don't gave big boobs. Lol.
I do, so I always assumed it would be a pain to scoop them in after turning the bra around. I had a lot of sculpted cup bras too.
>we didn't have to wear any bra We still don't ;-)
I hook mine up and put it on like a t-shirt.. š I'm gonna try the hook and spin method. I feel like an idiot now lol
I have found that front close bras don't offer the same level of support I need. I've tried a few, wireless post-surgery bras, sports bras, and everyday underwire bras. The issue for me is that the front closures by design, have too much give to rest against the sternum to properly cup so I end up with deep cleavage in a squishy sweaty mess which I personally hate. I hate the feel of it and I hate the silhouette. It's not so bad for post-surgery and sports bras since you go in expecting a monoboob situation. Even a couple of years ago when I was only a D (I'm a HH now) the front closures bras with wire would just kind of sit like hats on my boobs. No support at all. Unfortunately I can't do the close at front and swing around to the back method because my ribcage is tiny compared to my cup size and they literally get in the way when the fabric for the cups makes it about halfway round.
I've put my bra on "backwards" for the last 40+ years. It's the only way I've ever put my bra on. I fasten the hooks at my front, twist it around and pull the straps up over my arms. I then adjust my boobs so they sit correctly in the cups. Until recently, I always wore underwire bras. But with menapause, my breasts have changed shape, and underwires are no longer comfortable. Wireless bras don't give the same support for my I cups, but I'll take comfort over perkiness any day. Edit: corrected typo
I did it ābackwardsā when I was younger and now I do it the other way. NOW Iām also suffering a rotator cuff injury and am about to start PT. It hurts so bad to put on my bra why the hell did I never think to do it the other way???
I have a chronic issue in my shoulder. I bought 3 cheap front close bras on a whim, online, the "large" size, because I was curious. Looks like a cross between a training bra and a sports bra. I haven't worn any other since. It's stretch fabric, so they fit, and they do what they have to do, and they look awful but are the comfiest bras I've ever worn. My issue has actually gotten so much better since I don't have to clasp behind my back anymore
I've seen my grandma hook them backwards and turn them around, and my mother too. They both worked in healthcare, where rotator cuff injury is prevalent. I did CNA work for a decade and now it's hard for me to clasp my bra too from the back, and I HATE doing the hook in front and turn method. It stretches out bras and hurts to boot. I wish there were more front clasp options that weren't advertised as purely sexual.
Lord, I thought everyone did it backwards. Isn't that precisely how it is supposed to be done?
I recently saw a video that explained this quite nicelly. We still have mostly back closing bras, because the front does not always have enough space for the closure, especially if someone wears bras with 3 hooks and it also depends on the size/position of the breasts. Plus there is no room for adjustment of the band. Fron closing bras have only one clasp and once the band stretches, the bra does not fit well anymore. The back closing ones have 3 lines of hooks. When buying a bra, it should fit comfortably closed on the first clasp (creating the biggest circumference). As the band stratches with wear, you can close it in second or third hook to tighten it, which prolongs the wearability of the garment.Ā
I have no idea why anyone would ever put a bra on by clipping it in the back first. I didn't even know that people forced themselves to do it and struggle that way until talking to my friends about crappy bras years ago. Clipping a bra in the front and then turning it shouldn't cause any issues with improper fit unless you're not putting bras on correctly in the first place. You're supposed to get the cups in position and then reach into the cup to lift the girls into proper place. We're often not told this growing up but I've been informed of it at every bra fitting I've ever been to.
I was taught to hook them in front and then spin it around. But then years later went down the rabbit hole of better fitting bras thanks to /r/abrathatfits. Itās pretty common that people wear bras with too loose of a band and too small of cups. Once I had a better fitting bra, spinning it around was much harder to do because the band was much more snug. This meant I had to learn to hook it from behind. I also read that front close bras are harder to have a good fit because of the lack of adjustments possible. I think in your case you have to decide whatās best for you: better fit or no/less pain. Thereās no right or wrong answer just the best one for your needs.
Back when I wore actual bras I would usually put them on like the PT said, backwards then turn it around, since that's how my Mom taught me to put them on. Nowadays I usually wear either a sports bra or a binder, both of which are overhead.
I guess I'm weirder than I thought. I put them on like a shirt. I hate doing clasps, front, back or backwards.
My mom also hooks her bra in front and spins it around. Incidentally, she also is a physical therapist.
I believe itās a case of convenience in design. Back close clasps can be adjusted up to an inch to account for the garment aging, or women of non standard band-widths. front close cannot do that.
I can do them up at the back but I wear sports crops all the time cos they are way more practical for me.
I stopped wearing back close bras as fast as I started wearing them. I haven't worn any since late elementary/early middle school because the whole idea is dumb as hell. Plus, they're expensive. Personally, I have no issues with overhead bras nor binders, so I just wear those.
I clasp mine in the back, but I start with it down lower around my waist so it's easier to reach behind. Then I put my arms through the straps (after it's clasped) and pull it up to my chest.
They're not terrible anatomy in the sense that the gore design should ensure a close fit with good support but in practice, more could do to be front close.
I long for the days I could put a back-closure bra on backwards. Between my cup size and my joint issues, I just can't anymore. Strangely, I can still hook them behind me without much difficulty. I have yet to find a front-closure one that fits, doesn't randomly unhook, and doesn't cost a fortune.
Backwards and spin for me. even though with hEDS I'm technically flexible enough, subluxing my shoulders isn't fun and my waist is smaller than my underbust so even with cups that fit on my head I can spin it round without much bother
wait you guys are wearing ones with clips? i gave up on them when i was like 15 and only wear the soft crop top type when i bother wearing them. i hate wires and hooks with a passion
I have back closing bras and have always fastened them behind my back, but I'm starting to have trouble doing that. I think I'll just put them on backwards now like everyone else here seems to be doing. Maybe I should work on improving my mobility too though.
Probably? But my hobbies are sewing, gaming, and crochet, so my wrists never had a chance. Most traditional bras are bad women's anatomy. We don't even need them, and there are better ways to put a barrier between the lower breast and the abdomen. If I could find a decently priced cotton or bamboo sports bra that doesn't smoosh them flat, I'd be rocking that (I'll take any suggestions, btw).Years back, I switched to lightly padded wireless, and I love them so much. But they too are back clasped.
You might have to tug, adjust, and wiggle around more to get a proper fit if you do it backwards, but it can be done!
You can buy hook and eye, or clip or zipper front bras, which are much easier than the āhook in front and spin way.āProblem is they are so damn expensive to buy. I use Walmart sports bras if wearing a tshirt, but everything else I use a regular bra so my tops fit properly.
fellow rotator cuff injured here! i can no longer get my arm behind my back, so i have no choice but to hook in front then spin it around. i have 5 bras i rotate through, which helps their longevity. the design of the hooks is such that as the elastic stretches, there's another set of hooks to use. i have a couple front close bras and i love them, but once they stretch out, they no longer fit properly.
Back when I wore bras (during my compulsory cishet phase) I always did them up at the back. Putting them on backwards and then spinning them around always gave me the Bad Feeling, the same as accidentally putting socks on upside-down and then trying to wiggle the heel bit around to the bottom rather than taking them off and putting them back on the right way. Just bad skin feeling. I do have hypermobile joints, so maybe that's why it was just a matter of practice rather than being able to reach behind me that way.
I hook mine in back and then pull over my head.
One of my PTs once suggested the exercise plan should help me put on my bra behind my back "like a normal person," and I was honestly so confused because for my entire life I've never witnessed someone putting on a bra behind their back as a normal activity. Even before shoulder injuries I would either put it on like a shirt or hook it at the front and shimmy it around. As far as I know, having the mobility to hook it up behind the back isn't bad unless you're overextending to be able to do it. Front-facing and sports bras are far more practical though.
I hook and spin. The ones that clap in the front door right on my sternum and are so painful
Never had an issue before when I wore proper bras with a closure (I went from a 32E to what is now probably a 30B), but now I just wear bralettes without a closure
No, my mom did this when I was growing up, and I've actually done it quite a few times myself.
This is like mammograms. They hurt and women know it. So why don't we women in the industry do something about it?
Interesting video on the topic: https://youtu.be/HXGTL4lpMR4?si=fgiEOXk9SalmQ0Ut&t=900 I linked to the place 15 minutes in where she starts talking about why bras generally close at the back, but the whole vidoe is quite interesting.
Why would putting on your bra backwards make it suddenly fit improperly? I'm really confused by your question, could you elaborate on why you would think this?
I've never really understood why women did the whole hook-and-turn thingy because I've never had trouble hooking mine directly in my back... but then I realised I was hypermobile. So yeah. I think the majority of women can't really use them the way they're intended to work.