Back-To-School Bralettes

The Elli Bralette Needs To Be On Your List

When you think about back-to-school shopping, bralettes probably aren’t the first thing that come to mind. If you’ve got a tween girl, they should be.

To your developing daughter, a new bralette is as important as a new pair of sneakers. She’ll need the right size, with the right amount of coverage for where she is right now and as she continues to grow.

What You Need To Know Before You Shop

As adults we’re used to buying our favorite bralette in three or four colors and not having to think about it again because our sizes (likely) won’t change. Our daughters haven’t reached that comfort yet. They’re still growing, their bodies are still changing, and there’s a very good chance that they are either:

• Unaware that their current bralette no longer fits

or

• Resistant to going up a size in their bralette

Being a tween is full of insecurities and uncertainties that again, as adults, we don’t really need to contemplate anymore. We know that finding the right waterproof mascara isn’t a life-or-death situation. We know that fights with friends won’t mean the end of the world. But we also know how annoying a bra that’s too small can be. Bra fitting is the first of many adult grievances your tween girl is about to learn.

Why Is Your Tween Resistant To Going Up A Size In Her Elli Bralette?

With so many changes happening at a rapid pace, you might notice that she’s been wearing the same bralette over and over - even if she has others in her drawer. It’s probably the first or maybe only one she’s felt comfortable in. She’s become attached to it and is hesitant to try something new, even if it’s the next size up of the same style bralette.

To your tween, the next size is a whole new adjustment. It’s not actually about the bralette. Moving up a size means confronting her body image and accepting new changes that she has no control over. Her bralette size, however, provides a sense of control. Even though the next size of the Elli Bralette is just as butter-soft and the nipple concealing features will continue to help her feel more comfortable, she might not be willing to part with the comfort and control her current size provides.

Why finding and accepting the right size is a struggle for tweens

You don’t know what you don’t know. Your tween girl hasn’t really experienced the difference between comfortable and uncomfortable yet, leaving her with few tools to discern whether her bralette fits or not.

Take my own daughter for example. At 14, she’s aged out of the tween stage but our situation is certainly relevant. She’s been wearing the Elli Bralette in our Small Size for two years now and it’s time for her to size up. How do I know? Because the cups look like they're cutting her boobs in half, I’m afraid her nipple is going to pop out (yes, defeating the purpose of nipple concealing bralette), and the straps are hanging on for dear life.

So far, I haven’t been able to convince her into sizing up to the Medium. I tell her she’ll be more comfortable and she responds by saying that she likes her bralettes to be tight insert eye roll here). The struggle is real ya’ll, I get it.

Even though I can see the discomfort - from a distance - this is one of her first experiences with bra fitting. In addition to being forced into a new size and therefore out of her comfort zone, she simply doesn’t know how a bralette is meant to fit.

How can you help her find comfort in the right size?

Part of the solution is helping her understand fit. The Elli Bralette is seamless and made from a ribbed, nylon knit that’s designed to move with you. Along with its soft hand and built-in concealers to hide breast buds, its stretchy comfort is part of what makes it the perfect bralette for tween girls - but the stretch will only go so far. As her body changes, so will her bralette size.

If she’s grown a size or two since last year, you can also assume her Elli Bralette size has changed. For starters, pay attention to how the straps look. The Elli Bralette straps should never appear to be digging into her shoulders. If the chest band is tight or cups are too small, the bralette will appear taught, like a rubber band that’s stretched to its limit, as a whole.

This is all pretty straightforward information to most of us. We’ve been dealing with it for years. But if your tween girl is hesitant to change she might not be willing to hear it. Instead, the best thing to do may be to let her experience it. Make her new Elli Bralette size a sweet surprise without any fanfare. Our packaging is so discreet that she won’t know what’s inside until she opens it and even then, the bralettes are wrapped like a pretty little gift.

If you need help discerning the right size, we’ve made it easy for you to contact us for guidance. If it’s your first time ordering, please know our returns and exchange process is very quick and easy!