Shopping for a bra can be a long and painful task for many women. There are many bras to chose from and many women don't know which style, and more importantly size, is right for them.

When shopping for a bra, finding the right size is vital; it is estimated that about 80% of women are wearing the wrong bra size. To make sure the bra you are buying is the correct size, watch for the following signs.

You should measure the width of your chest just below your breasts (on your ribs) before buying a bra. Take this number and add five inches to it. This will tell you what band size you should be trying on. For example, if you measure 31 inches around, you should be trying on a 36 sized bras. If you're number ends up being odd, go to the next size up. If you are 'plus sized', you don't have to add these five inches.

To find your correct cup size, have someone measure around the fullest part of your breasts. You should not wear a padded bra while doing this. Then take this number and subtract it from your rib measurement. This will tell you your cup size.

Negative difference - AA

1 inch - A
2 inch - B
3 inch - C
4 inch - D
5 inch - DD or E
6 inch - DDD or F
7 inch - DDDD or G

If your bra fits correctly, it should be snug around the middle, but still be able to fit one or two fingers under the band comfortably. If you can't do this, the bra is too tight. If the band comes away from your body very easily or the band rides up your back, the bra is too big. If you are wearing an under wire bra, the wire should lay flat across your chest. Whereas if you are wearing a bra with no under wire, it should separate your breasts so it doesn't look like you have one big boob. You should also look for the tightness of the bra on the breast. The breast should fill the cup perfectly. If your breast is lower than the cup, the cup is too big, but on the other hand, you don't want to be spilling out of the cup either. If your breasts are popping out on the sides, top or bottom, the bra is too small. If the band feels fine, just go up a cup size. When shopping for a bra, try raising your arms over your head- the bra should stay in place and not lift off of your chest. If it does this, its too big.

If you follow these tips, your next shopping trip for bras should be more enjoyable. Try on all different styles of bras to see which kind suits you best. Also, never rush while shopping for bras. Pay attention to how they look and feel to make sure you buy the perfect fit.