Jockey, Le Mystère Push a Better-Fitting Bra

Brassieres, which have been around in one form or another since at least the 15th century, have been staples of women’s wardrobes for so long that you’d think their fit would adhere to some easy-to-follow guidelines. Yet 8 out of 10 women still wear the wrong size, according to undergarment makers such as Jockey and Wacoal. “They just don’t realize it, but it really does them a disservice,” says Christine Claro, who helps fit women in the lingerie department of Bloomingdale’s. “Once I help them find the right bra, I have girls hug me, kiss me, crying.”

Hoping to share that love—and the added sales that go with it—undergarment makers have renewed emphasis on the elusive art of pairing women with bras that actually fit and flatter. The stakes are high: Bras account for more than half of the U.S.’s $11 billion-a-year lingerie business, according to market researcher NPD Group. And since women have shown they’re willing to change their bras with the times—from the breast-flattening style preferred by 1920s flappers to the cleavage-inducing Wonderbras of the 1990s—companies are challenging long-held beliefs about the undergarments.