The delicious assortment of plus size bras on the market today means that even the most Rubenesque woman can enjoy comfortable support throughout the entire day. Women with very large breasts have historically been the victims of back and neck pain caused by difficulty locating the correct bra size. Thankfully, it is now easier than ever to find full figure bras that are made from beautiful materials.

The most important thing to remember when shopping for a bra is to purchase the correct bra size. This seems like an obvious point, but many women go about their daily lives wearing the wrong size undergarments. And, if you have picked up the newspaper or watched television lately, you'll know that close to 85% of North American women are wearing the wrong bra size. So, if you haven’t been sized in the last few months or even the past few years, take the time to stop in to a department store or lingerie retailer and ask an associate to size you. This service is usually free and will provide you with your current, accurate bra size. To ensure accuracy, wear a standard, unpadded underwire bra to your fitting. Your favorite cotton bras or most comfortable sports bras are a good choice to wear when you go to get fitted.

Once you know your correct bra size, it’s time to explore the extensive array of brassieres and lingerie undergarments that you can choose from. For everyday wear, bras with wide shoulder straps are usually the most comfortable bra styles. Spaghetti straps may look sexy, but they can dig painfully into your shoulders after several hours of wear. Many full figure bras have wider straps to guard against such discomfort; several brands even have light padding on the underside of the bra straps for this reason, which makes them more comfortable. You may also wish to consider bras with wider bands at the bottom; these help keep the bra in place without cutting into the skin around your ribcage.

Full-figured women looking to add some perkiness to their silhouette are well served by a balconette bra or demi bras. These types of bras provide horizontal support, lifting and separating the breasts. This bra type is also useful when worn under low-cut shirts, as the cups tend to leave the top portion of the breast exposed.

Sports bras present special challenges for full-figured women. Opt for a compression style with adjustable Velcro straps; the brassiere straps are usually anchored at the front, then threaded through the back-piece by the wearer, and cinched into place with a strip of Velcro at the front. This allows the wearer to customize the amount of tension and compression provided by the bra, and also allows for fit adjustments that accommodate changes in breast size during menstruation or pregnancy.

When possible, sports bras should always be tried on before purchase, since they are sized differently than normal lingerie. The goal is to immobilize the breasts as much as possible to eliminate painful bouncing during vigorous exercise. This immobilization also helps keep internal breast tissue from tearing, which can lead to premature sagging as women age.

Today’s full figure bras provide a host of options for women of all ages and body types. The days of the industrial-strength “over the shoulder boulder holder” are thankfully past; modern women no longer have to sacrifice appearance in the name of function. Bralleluja!