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When the assistant principal of Gilgandra High School noticed girls were sitting out of the school’s boxing program, she decided to ask why.
The answer was simple and confronting: Their breasts hurt, and they didn’t have the right bras.
That conversation led to a phone call to Orange bra specialist Philippa Mitchell, owner of The Fitting Studio, and the beginning of a program that is now helping girls across regional NSW stay in sport.
Philippa has operated The Fitting Studio for more than 10 years. After recognising a gap in the local market following the closure of Myer in Orange, she began with a party-plan bra business before travelling to Melbourne to train as a professional fitter of breast prostheses and mastectomy bras. That qualification allowed her to continue working through COVID as an essential service provider. In 2021, she opened her own studio in Orange and has since expanded her services well beyond the city.
Her dedication to women’s health and confidence was recognised last year when she won Business of the Year at the Central West Mummy Awards.
Her mobile fitting service now travels to markets in Millthorpe, Molong, Gooloogong and Cobar, she has attended the Nyngan Ag Expo, and regularly hosts pop-up shops in Gunnedah, Coonamble, Coonabarabran, Leeton, and Gilgandra, providing a vital service to rural communities without dedicated bra stores. She also works closely with breast care nurses in Orange and Parkes, as well as local breast surgeons, and offers virtual fittings for women in remote parts of Australia. Industry research suggests up to 80 per cent of women are wearing the wrong bra size, often leading to discomfort, poor posture, and reduced confidence.
It was this expertise that made an immediate impact at Gilgandra.
With equity funding approved on the second-last day of term, sports bras were ordered straight away. Early the following year, Philippa travelled to the school and professionally fitted 60 girls from Years 7 to 12. Each bra was packaged in matching pink bags and posted back to the school.
Two weeks later, at the athletics carnival, participation in girls’ events increased by 20 per cent.
Since that first visit, the program has expanded to nine high schools across the region, with some schools requesting repeat visits. Philippa has also travelled to Warren Central School to fit girls in Years 5 and 6, helping to address discomfort before it becomes a barrier to participation.
Using a comprehensive “fit kit” stocked with sports bras in every size and style, she creates a private and respectful fitting environment. Girls remain covered at all times and can choose to be fitted individually or in small groups. Students are fitted according to the sport they play. Those involved in contact sports such as rugby league or union often choose firm, non-wired styles, while netballers, hockey players or larger-busted girls may prefer underwired support. Senior students frequently opt for T-shirt styles, with the final choice always theirs.
The impact extends beyond the sporting field. Girls report they can concentrate better in class when straps no longer slip off their shoulders, underwires don’t dig in, and bras don’t ride up at the back. In rural communities, students helping with physically demanding farm work say correct support makes everyday tasks more comfortable.
Research consistently shows girls’ participation in sport declines during their mid-teens, with breast discomfort cited as a key reason. Addressing the issue early helps keep girls active, confident and engaged at a crucial stage of development.
While some schools are able to access equity funding or support from their P&C associations, smaller towns often face limited fundraising capacity. Philippa recently presented the program to the executive of the Country Women's Association of NSW, seeking broader backing. Although funding decisions sit with individual branches, local CWA groups may choose to support schools in their communities. Schools are also encouraged to approach local energy companies, mining businesses and other sponsors to help fund fittings and bras.
Sometimes the reason girls step away from sport isn’t lack of ability or interest.
Sometimes, it is simply discomfort, and thanks to one Orange business owner, that barrier is quietly being removed across regional NSW.
For more information, please visit www.thefittingstudio.com.au