How Many Bras Should You Own?

Have you ever gone through your lingerie drawer and realized you only have one bra you wear for every occasion? Or maybe you have 30 bras you hardly ever wear. If you're here you've probably asked yourself the question, "How many bras should I own?" The answer is a bit more complicated than one simple number, but we're here to help you figure out what that perfect number of bras is for your lifestyle.

Before figuring out how many bras you need, it's importatant to make sure you're buying the right size bras. One bra that fits perfectly is always going to be better than 10 ill-fitting bras. The best way to find your size is to get a professional bra fitting at a lingerie store with a wide range of sizes.

As a general rule, it's good to have at least 7 bras (one for every day of the week) but various preferences and lifestyle factors may change that number. To get you started, here are the main types of bras you'll want to build your lingerie collection around.

These are going to be the bras you wear most during your day-to-day life. Ideally, these will be smooth, neutral-colored bras that can be worn under anything. If skin-colored bras are too boring for you, red bras are a surprisingly great neutral that won't show under white clothing! The perfect everyday bra is going to vary based on your specific body shape and preferences. For some this may be a traditional molded cup t-shirt bra, for others, it may be a lacy balconette bra.

It's good to have at least two to three of these bras so you can alternate between them throughout the week.

If you do any amount of physical exercise, you should have at least one sports bra in your lingerie collection, but the more frequently you work out, the more sports bras you'll need. The goal is to avoid having to wear a sweaty bra or having to wash your bra multiple times a week.

This type of bra won't be necessary for everyone, but many women, especially those who are full-busted or full-figured, need or want the extra support of a lounge or sleep bra even when at home. These bras should be wire-free and made of soft, breathable fabric for maximum comfort. If you're wearing a lounge bra every day, you'll want 2-3 to cycle through during the week.

These are going to be your special occasion bras such as strapless or plunge. You might not wear them often, but it's good to have one or two bras that you can wear with your sleeveless or low-cut tops and dresses. For specialty bras, you'll likely only need one unless you wear this type of clothing frequently.

If your weight fluctuates throughout the year or month, it's a good idea to have a few bras that fit well at your different sizes to make sure you're always getting the proper support.

The types of clothing you typically wear will change the kind of bras you'll need more of. If you love wearing low-cut tops, you'll want to have more plunge bras and if you never wear anything strapless, you probably don't need a strapless bra.

The style of bra you enjoy wearing will also change the types of bras you'll have more of.

Unless you get particularly sweaty or dirty, you can wear bras 2-3 times before washing them. If you're okay with doing laundry multiple times per week, you can get away with only having a couple of bras, but if you like to space out the amount of time between loads, having at least three everyday bras will allow you to always have a clean bra to wear.

When buying bras, it's important to make sure you're buying high-quality ones. Bras from fast fashion retailers may be more affordable, but they will wear out faster and won't give you the proper level of support. To help cut down on the cost of buying bras you can space out when you make your purchases. Cost-effectiveness isn't the only reason why it's a good idea to space out your bra purchases. If you have weight fluctuation, buying bras at different times will allow you to always have a bra that fits perfectly no matter your weight or water retention level. Spacing out your bra purchases will also prevent your bras from needing to all be replaced at the same time.

Once you've found the perfect number of bras, it's important to take care of them properly so they last you as long as possible. Keep in mind that even when cared for perfectly, the bras you regularly wear should be replaced every 6 months to a year.

To get the most wear and keep your bras in their best condition, hand wash your bras with a mild detergent in cold water and hang them up to dry.