Oprah may have alerted us to the fact that most of us are wearing the wrong size bra, but there is another woman on a personal mission to "uplift" women all over America -- Susan Nethero.

Known as the "Bra Whisperer," Nethero has appeared on Oprah's show five times. She trained under June Kenton, the Royal Bra Fitter for the Queen of England, and opened her first Intimacy store in 1992 in Atlanta. Now 16 stores later, she is giving women a "holistic" approach to choosing that bare necessity -- a bra.

"Holistic means quite a few things, but the first thing most women notice is that we don't use a tape measure," says Nethero. "We use the bra you are currently wearing to determine what fit issues you have, and then we bring you several options in the bra size you should actually be wearing."

"But there is so much more to a bra fitting than fit," adds Nethero. "We focus on uplifting your confidence and self-esteem, giving you more comfort, and showing you style options you didn't know existed! It's truly a learning process, and we want you to walk away feeling better in your bra than you ever have before."

Nethero encourages women to invest in good bras like the European styles carried in her stores. "European bras are typically made with more components," she says. "The average America bra is made of 16-32 parts, while European bras consist of 40-plus. Also, the laces are stronger, the seam-work is more complex, and the detailing is more intricate."

The fashion trends on the runways inspire Nethero every season. "Lingerie designers use the same techniques major fashion houses use to pick their colors, designs and styles," she says. "This fall and winter, we are seeing most collections fall into one of four really cool trend categories: Vintage Chic, City Nights, the Beauty of Nature and Haute Couture."

Since over 85 percent of us are wearing the wrong size bra, according to this intimate apparel expert, we need some help. "First things first, get a professional bra fitting," she says. "There are many reputable, free bra fit services out there, so get yourself to a professional ASAP!"

Nethero says the most common mistake that she sees women make in choosing a bra is that the bra band is too big and the cup size is too small. "Women go up in the band size to get the right depth when they should really be going up in the cup size and keep the band firm," she notes.

If you simply can't see an expert first, then here are some basic tips to follow: _

-- Having a firm band is key. Make sure your band is nice and firm. Ninety percent of a bra's support should come from the band, and only 10 percent should come from the straps.

-- Don't overfill/underfill the cup. If your breast tissue is pillowing out above the cup, it's too small. If your cup is gaping over your breast tissue -- that is, not flush against your skin -- it's too large.

-- Don't fear the underwire. Many women are afraid of underwire bras. The secret is: make sure your cup fits right! If your bra fits right, your underwire should not poke you or stick out in any place, and the "bridge" of the bra (the centerpiece between the cups) should lay flat against your ribs.

-- Stretch your underwear budget. Once your bra band has stretched out and loses its supportive elasticity, it's time for some alterations. If you've already had your bra altered and it can't be altered any further without losing its integrity, then it's probably time to replace. This should be 6 months -- 1 year after you purchased the bra, depending on how often you wear it.

-- Make your bras last. To make your bras last longer, make sure you are not wearing the same one every day. You need to wait at least 24 hours before wearing it again, so it can gain its elasticity back. Hand-wash your bras in cold water with a gentle lingerie detergent to keep them newer longer. And never put them in the dryer -- the heat will destroy the supportive elastics that keep your bra firm.

In the photo: "Bra Whisperer" Susan Nethero, founder of Intimacy, has appeared on Oprah five times and is on a mission to help women all over America find the right bra size.

Photo courtesy of {intimacy}.

Sharon Mosley is a former fashion editor of the Arkansas Gazette in Little Rock and executive director of the Fashion Editors and Reporters Association.

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