Of all the pieces of fitness attire that go into the perfect exercise outfit, the sports bra can definitely be the trickiest to buy. Some are too tight under your arms. Some aren’t quite supportive enough. Some are just plain ugly.

If you’re looking for the perfect combination of fashion and utility, you might find yourself browsing websites and going into any athletic store you can find until you’ve tried on every style on the market. Well, we want to make the process a bit simpler by sharing with you some of our tips for finding the perfect fitting sports bra.

All about the band

Let's start with this design element because it is really the most important part of your sports bra. Without a good fit here, you’re going to find yourself slipping out of your bra anytime you reach overhead or jump up and down.

You can make sure that you’ve got a good fit by checking the flexibility and range of motion when you try the sports bra on. The band should stay put right below your breasts without riding up or cutting into you. Doing high knee kicks and forward folds in the store may seem a bit funny, so try to get a large fitting room if you can!

The right strap

There’s nothing worse than straps that cut into you while you’re exercising, so look for straps that sit flat on your shoulders. When you put a finger under them and pull up, they shouldn’t give very much. But, you also shouldn’t feel any discomfort.

A great way to ensure a comfortable fit is to invest in a bra with adjustable straps, like the Kula Athletic Willow Bra.

Reliable support

Finally, you’re going to want a cup designed to make you feel covered and supported. You can opt for separate cups, a shelf design, or a combination of the two. We’ve found that for most sizes, the third option, which uses strategic seams and stretching fabric, is great for keeping everything covered and in place.

When you’re trying your bra on, be careful to notice any wrinkling or wiggle-room within the cup, which will tell you to go down a size. On the flip side of that, bulging over the top of the cup or over the sides means you need to go up one cup size.

Don’t forget to go for what makes you smile

Bright colors? Bold contrasts? Whatever your style, make sure that you find the right balance between good fit, good feel and great fabric. You should enjoy wearing that sports bra. After all, you’re going to be spending quite a lot of time in it!