How Long Have You Really Had Your Favorite Bra?

How long have you had your favorite bra? A month? A year? Six years?

It turns out, most women hold onto their bras for far too long. If you’re wearing a bra every day or even four to five times per week, you should replace your bras every six months or so. Let that sink in for a second: you should realistically be refreshing your bra drawer once or twice a year.

We took a poll of the women we know best—our team—to see how long they’ve had their favorite bra, and why they ultimately replaced it. Here’s what we learned:

1. Women have emotional attachments to their bras.

Oftentimes, bras aren’t just bras—they remind us of major milestone moments, like our wedding or giving birth. Clare Karunawardhane, Director of Design at ThirdLove, says her favorite bra was an unlined lace balconette she wore just before giving birth. “It was my ultimate favorite bra”, she says. “It was sexy and gave a great shape. After giving birth and my breast tissue changed, the bra didn’t fit the same and it had to be retired. I still think fondly of that bra.”

Similarly, wedding dress bras can bring back a flood of emotion and fond memories. Stephanie Handy Crosland, Merchandise Planner at ThirdLove says, “When I got married my wedding dress was about 2 cups bigger than I was. Due to all the lace and beading it would have been very expensive to alter my dress in the chest, so I bought a huge push-up bra to fill out. I hung on to this bra for three years, although I never wore it with anything. Every time I tried to toss it, I couldn't do it for some reason. It felt like I was throwing away my wedding pictures which would kill me! Last year I finally got rid of the bra and thankfully the happy memories of my wedding day are still around.”

2. Bra shopping prohibits women from buying new bras.

It’s one thing if the bra you’re holding onto is actually your favorite—but it turns out, many women are holding onto bras just because they’re dreading their next bra shopping experience.

Antonia Rubell, Performance Marketing Associate at ThirdLove, says, “I’ve had some bras in my drawer for over six years—not because they’re my favorite, but because I don’t have time to go bra shopping or put energy into finding a new favorite. I feel like I would only replace them if it was easy for me to buy a bra from home, and if I didn’t have to spend more than 10 minutes on it. Now that I work at ThirdLove, my bra drawer is full with favorites!”

Sound familiar? Consider trying a bra before you buy it—from the comfort of your own home. You can actually try a ThirdLove bra free for 30 days before you commit!

3. Some women clean out their bras with the seasons—just like clothes.

Another common theme we’ve found? Some women clean out their bra drawers as the season change—genius! Lauren Johnson, Brand Operations Coordinator at ThirdLove, says, “Every time I do a closet clean out (which is typically every few months), I also donate bras that are discolored or worn and replace them with new ones.” If you’re undergoing a closet clean out, consider these closet clean out tips.

How long have you had your favorite bra? Here are five signs it’s time to let go.