NEW YORK -- Want to shave off a few pounds in mere minutes? Wear a bra that fits properly. ... Correct bra size trims pounds of

"I've heard many times: 'You've changed my life,' " says Rebecca Apsan, author of The Lingerie Handbook (Workman). "Investing in a good bra is the best way to make your whole wardrobe look better. . . . A good bra will give you confidence."

Even Selita Ebanks, one of the Victoria's Secret Angel models, had never been properly fitted for a bra until just a few weeks ago. She found out she'd been wearing the wrong size for years: a 34B instead of a 34C.

Apsan suggests women get fitted every six to 12 months and after every "body-changing event," such as pregnancy, weight loss or even depression. She adds: "Every time you put on your bra, adjust your breast to make sure everything is in the right part of the bra."

"A lot of women are in bra denial, especially when you get to D or beyond. I don't know what that's all about. Women think that when they wear a smaller size, they are smaller," says Apsan, who also owns the Manhattan lingerie store La Petite Coquette. Recalling a shopper in her store earlier this month, Apsan says, "She came in a 38C, went out 34G. She didn't want to put her breasts in a bigger size cup because she thought she'd look huge, but she left looking trimmer."

At Victoria's Secret, salespeople -- almost all women, spokesperson Monica Mitro notes -- are trained not only to take measurements but to work with embarrassed customers. They bring drawers full of bras to you in the dressing rooms so you can choose size and style in private.

- To measure the band, hold a tape measure beneath the shoulder blades and measure around the rib cage, directly under the bust. Add 13 centimetres (5 inches) to that result -- that's the proper band size.

Subtract this number from the band size, noting the difference in inches. This number is used for the cup size using these guidelines: A 1-inch difference is a size A, a 2-inch difference a B, a 3-inch difference a C, a 4-inch difference a D and a 5-inch difference a DD.

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