Every piece of clothing will go through its fair share of wear and tear and that includes your bras. And since they're working overtime, they likely need to be replaced more often than you'd think. In fact, experts recommend replacing bras every six months—or after about 180 wears.
“If you have a large selection of bras in rotation, you can go longer than six months before replacing your bras if you’re caring for those bras properly,” says Ali Cudby, author of Busted and Fit My Bras, and founder of Fab Foundations. “Putting your bras in the dryer breaks down the elastic much more quickly, so save your bras from an untimely death by letting them air dry and hand wash them when possible.”
"How often you need to replace your bra really depends on how often you wear it, and how well you care for it," explains Jené Luciani, a style expert. It is recommended you have one in the wash, one that you wear and a spare one. Although, this doesn't count sports bras, strapless or specific lingerie items. Once you figure out how many you own and how often you wear each, you can start deciding if six months is too short or too long. Ideally, the generally accepted lifespan of a bra one year max. Even with high-quality bras, signs that it's time to replace them will eventually emerge.
The following are signs that you need to buy a new bra:
- You’ve gained or lost weight.
- Your bra is stretched out.
- Your bra is worn out.
- Your straps are bothering you.
- You’re not fully covered.
- Your bra doesn’t sit right.
- Your bra is uncomfortable.
