Fit of Brassieres and Influencing Factors in Bra Selection: A Study of the University of Cape Coast Community

The brassier is the nearest foundation garment which helps to mould the female breast and provide a good shape of the outer garment. This exploratory study was aimed at looking at the fit of brassieres currently used by female students at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana and the factors influencing the choosing of brassieres by these women. Fifty women were randomly selected from the halls of residents. A closed ended questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents and the results analysed using simple frequencies and percentages.

The results indicated that the most influential factors in brassiere selection are size (45), style (42), colour (40) and brand (16). Secondly although size was the highest influential factor and 45 of the respondents reported their current brassiere sizes, only one of those sizes matches the sizes determined by the researchers through their measurements. Thirdly although 47 respondents reported feeling comfortable in their current bra there were a number of responses which showed that there were a considerable number of brassiere fitting problems both in terms of the brassiere being too small or too big.

It was concluded that although size was the most important criteria in brassiere selection, respondents did not take time to determine their actual brassiere size. It was therefore recommended that women should take time to fit brassieres properly before buying them and also read more on factors that affect the fit and comfort of brassieres.