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It's usually a good time to get a bra when your breasts have "budded," or begun to bump out a bit under the nipple. A training bra, a bralette or a sports bra are all good options at this early stage of breast development. Bras can provide some support and some modesty while your breasts are developing.

What age should you wear a bra?
Breasts can start growing for girls as young as 6 years old and doesn't actually stop until a woman is in her early 20's. The average age for a girl to start wearing a bra is age 11. Some girls need one by age 8, though, and some girls don't need one until they are 14. Every girl is different!

  • Sometimes girls who aren’t really that developed ask to wear a bra because their friend is wearing one. They could start out by trying a training bra.

  • You could also start out by wearing a tank top under your shirts. Either way, you should not stress out about whether you are developing like other girls. Everyone moves at their own pace, and that's OK.

What is the purpose of a training bra?
It is intended to be worn during puberty when the breasts are not yet large enough to fit a standard-sized bra. Training bras often provide minimal or no support, and may serve aesthetic purposes to fulfill cultural norms and local beauty standards. Training bras are usually made of a lightweight material.

What age should girls wear underwire bras?
Girls around 12 & 13 years old can wear underwired bras or if a girl's breasts are C cup or larger, an underwire bra is a good choice. Other bras may have more structured cups and some come with padding inside. Minimizer bras are also available for girls who want their breasts to appear smaller. These bras are usually made of thicker fabric with bigger backs and straps.

The ABCs of bra sizes:

Wearing the right size bra can decrease the number of other problems a girl will have with her bra. For instance, a bra that's the right size won't pinch, gap, or slide around. So it makes sense to spend some time learning about bra sizes.

There are two parts to a bra's size: the chest size (also called the band size) and the cup size. The chest or band size is represented by a number (32, 34, 36, etc.) and is the part of the bra that runs across a girl's chest and around her back. The cups are the parts of the bra that hold the breasts and come in letter sizes (AA, A, B, C, etc.).

Bras come in many sizes, which are different combinations of the chest sizes and cup sizes — 32AA, for instance. It's important to get both the chest and cup sizes right to ensure a proper fit. Some bra makers now also offer cup options in half sizes to help girls get a better fit.

What size bra to buy?

  • Run a tape measure just under your breasts, all the way around your back and ribcage. The tape measure should rest flat on your skin and lie straight across your back — not so tight that it digs in, but not so loose that it sags down in the back.

  • Make a note of your measurement and add 5 inches. That's your chest size.

  • To measure cup size, take the tape measure around your body across the fullest part of your breasts.

  • Write down this number and subtract your chest measurement from it. The difference between the numbers is a way of figuring out your cup size. If the difference between the two numbers is less than 1 inch, your cup size is AA. If it's 1 inch, your cup size is A; 2 inches, you're a B; 3 inches you're a C, and so on. For instance, if your cup measurement was 33 and your chest measurement was 32, that's a 1-inch difference. Your bra size is 32A.

If your chest measurement comes out as an odd number (such as 31 inches or 33 inches), it's usually a good rule to round down to the next number. Most bras have a few sets of adjustable hooks and eyes, so you can adjust the tightness. It's a good idea to round down, rather than round up, since bras tend to stretch over time.

Here are our top 10 favorite bras for girls.

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