SHE had red marks and rashes near her breasts for a few weeks. It did not take long for undergraduate Beatrice Lau, 22, to realise that it was because her new brassiere, which she had worn for about three weeks, was too small for her. The marks have been there for three years.

Miss Lau said: "I was quite frustrated because I could not believe I could get something like this wrong. I thought I was wearing the right size. "I wish I had done something earlier." She has since become keen to raise awareness about the importance of buying a bra that is a perfect fit.

Miss Lau and three of her friends from Nanyang Technological University's Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information decided that their final year project would be about the importance of getting the right fitting bras.

They conducted a survey of 221 young Singaporean women, and found that 70 per cent of them did not know what kinds and sizes of bras they needed. This can lead to problems.

Lingerie retailer Wacoal said that wearing an ill-fitting bra can cause discomfort and, sometimes, even breathing difficulties.

And the best way to get the perfect fit is to get yourself fitted by bra fitters who are available at all major lingerie brands and departmental stalls.

Trained to measure

Bra fitters are trained to measure breasts so that they can pick out which bras would be suitable.

But most women here are not too fond of getting fitted at the stores. The survey found that only four per cent of the young women polled would approach a lingerie sales assistant.

Only 35 per cent agreed that it is important to get fitted every time. Mrs Elizabeth Wee, 39, a housewife, said: "I never thought to get myself fitted because it seems invasive and slightly embarrassing."

The survey also showed that 40 per cent were not comfortable with the fitting process. Even Miss Lau got fitted for the first time only because of the campaign. Miss Lau said: "It was more of trial and error at first."

She had always rejected bra fitters if they approached her because she thought she didn't need their help.

But lingerie retailer Wacoal's spokesman agrees that most people here lack the motivation to get themselves fitted.

"Eighty per cent of the women globally are still wearing the wrong size bra," said the spokesman.

The spokesman added: "Women will not know how to tell if the bra fits her because they are unsure of the checkpoints to look out for when trying on for fit." Bra fitter Esther Kai, 49, at the Minoshe outlet in Toa Payoh, said that some of these checkpoints are the straps, underwire and band.

The straps of the bra should fit snugly and not dig into the shoulders. The underwire should rest just under and around the breasts so that it does not cut into or put pressure on the flesh.

As for the band, you should be able to fit one or two fingers under it comfortably. Ms Kai said that most women who come to her shop do not want to be fitted because they assume that their bra size always stays the same.

Out of the surveyed respondents, 75 per cent always bought their bras in the same size. Ms Kai said: "Usually, the customers just come in and pick the bra that they like, based on its design, and this is a very common misconception."

Slight changes

The Wacoal spokesman said: "Our size will vary over time according to our diet, volume of exercise and even season, when our body is prone to slight changes without us noticing." Said Miss Pearl Lee, a 23-year-old undergraduate who was shopping for a bra: "I usually just buy whatever size I've been wearing."

She added that she last went for a fitting a few years ago. Ms Kai said that each fitting - which involves the use of a measuring tape and is usually done in the fitting room - lasts about five minutes.

Wacoal also said it is important to get fitted and to try on every bra before making a purchase.

"There are different materials, designs and cuts for every bra. So a C70 cup can differ from another C70 cup bra," said Wacoal's representative.

This article was first published in The New Paper.