I work in lingerie at Nordstrom—These 3 bra styles are must-haves

It's kind of embarrassing to admit it, but the one item in my wardrobe I'm neglecting and putting off investing in is my underwear drawer . I have never spent more than £30 on a bra. In fact, I only have four that I usually wear. I haven't had my size measured in years either, but at 28, it's time for a more grown-up approach to my underwear drawer. My bra education started with measuring myself and finding out that all four of my bras were the wrong size (our bra size calculator comes in pretty handy). Then I turned to the experts to find out what types of bras they think everyone should have. They've also provided you with some tips on how to find the one that's right for you.

When it comes to fittings, you might be wondering how often you should get one. Eloise Rigby, founder of The Pantry Underwear, says "at least once a year. Don't let your wardrobe dictate when you buy a new bra. Your whole wardrobe will look better with a good fitted foundation." However, Ana Didillieu, senior designer at Wonderbra, says that people "often only think about the size of their breasts, but the shape of the breasts is just as important." Didillieu says that "people's body shapes can change over the years depending on weight, age, menstrual cycle and specific events such as pregnancy. Given these regular body changes, it is advisable to fit every time you buy a new bra."

Before detailing the bras considered "essential", I wanted to know the shelf life of an average bra. "Depending on the quality of the bra try to figure out the 'adjustment points' so if you can pull the back strap off your back more than an inch with ease on the tightest set of hooks , your bra also stretched a lot [or was too big in the first place],” says Eloise.

So is there a "bra starter pack"? "It completely varies from person to person - some women may find that one bra works for all purposes because they're just not comfortable in anything. I would recommend owning a t-shirt bra, an unmolded/padded plunge cup or balconette bra, a strapless option (this is not necessarily your strapless bra usual) and finally a cup size sports bra."