How Long Should My Bra Last?

Your bras are an investment and it’s good to know how long you can expect that investment to last.  First, it’s worth understanding the signs of when it is time to replace your bra. If the answer is yes to the questions below it might be time to consider replacing your bra.

• Are you wearing your bra on the tightest fastening?
• Is any of the elastic fraying?
• Have the backstraps lost their stretch?
• Is it less comfortable than when you first bought it?
• Does it have any holes in it?
• Are the underwires bent?

The life of your bra will depend on a number of different factors.

How often do you wear your bra?

The more you wear your bra the shorter its life span will be.  I have bras that I only wear 2 or 3 times a year so unsurprisingly they can last 10 years or more. But there are always a few that get worn at least once a week.  My PrimaDonna Perle T-shirt bra gets worn to death over the summer months and looks like it wants to be put out of its misery come October. But I am not kind to my bras and put them in the washing machine.

How do you launder your bra?

As I have admitted I do not handwash the majority of my lingerie.  How you launder your lingerie has a big impact on how long your PrimaDonna bra or Marie Jo Bra will last.  Hand washing will considerably extend the life of your bra even if you are using the handwash cycle on your washing machine.  I save hand washing for my favourite pieces and use Soak lingerie wash which is ideal for delicates and it’s no-rinse as well to save you time. If you are popping your bras in the machine it’s worth putting them in a lingerie wash bag to save any rogue wires getting stuck in the drum.

How do you put your bra on?

If you do your bra up around your waist, whiz it around to the front, and pull it up over your boobs you are giving the elastic in your bra a bit of a morning work out.  This method puts additional strain on the band so it’s going to wear out quicker.  If you want to extend the life of your bra is to put it on with the least amount of stress on the band.

• Put your arms through the straps
• Bend forward at the waist and position the underwires at the root of the bust, where your boobs meet your chest.
• Do up the hook and eye fastening at the back and then adjust the shoulder straps.

It may take a little practice to perfect but it will help keep your bras in great shape as well as ensuring it gives you the best shape!