Los Angeles, Nov 4 (IANS): That firstlayer is crucial; it's worth spending the time and money on some quality lingerie

As far as brassieres are concerned choose the right fit, rotate them and hand wash them, reports higgingtonpost.com.

There are few general brassiere rules that most women probably don't know about.

* Brassieres will never be a comfortable clothing item: They're not sweats, people. More likely than not, your brassiere isn't too tight. Its primary function is to support your breasts, so it's supposed to be firmly hugging your torso. As a general rule of thumb, you should be able to stick no more than two fingers between your back and the brassiere strap.

* Clasp those babies: To preserve your brassieres, be sure to clasp them while they live in your underwear/bra drawer. Leaving them unclasped allows other garments to get caught on the closures, which can potentially rip or pull both articles of clothing.

* You should definitely have more than one brassiere: Brassiere are like underwear, you should have more than one pair and rotate them.

* Be aware of the gore: The centre of the brassiere that connects the cups in front is called a gore. The gore should lie flat against your sternum without any gaps between your body and the bra.

* Hand wash your brassiere: No dryers and no dry cleaners... there's no way around it, people. It doesn't have to be every day, but hand washing will maximize the life expectancy of your delicates.

*Your brassiere size is subject to change: You are most likely a different brassiere size at various undergarment stores. Just like clothes and shoes, brassiere sizes run differently.