If you’re someone who chooses to wear a bra, you already know how much an ill-fitting choice can affect your day. The straps may fall down, the wires may dig into your ribcage, and the cup gaping can make your breasts feel unsupported. Unfortunately, most of us are set up for discomfort, because so few of us actually know our correct bra sizes. And since so many of us are now shopping online for our undergarments, we’re stuck in a perpetual loop of buying bras that fit fine but not great.
In order to make the process a bit more streamlined, and to help you wade through the thousands of bra styles out there, we are constantly testing and re-testing dozens of bra styles in sizes AA up to I.
ThirdLove – The best bra overall
At ThirdLove, no one is expecting you (or your breasts) to fit into a predetermined mold. In just 60 seconds, Thirdlove will help you find a bra that feels as though it was actually tailored to your body, all without your ever having to leave the couch, thanks to the brand’s fit finder.
Although the T-Shirt Bra is the classic choice, ThirdLove has plenty of other fantastic options for you to choose from as well, including a racerback, a lace racerback with a front closure (which is beautiful, by the way), and another personal favorite, the lace balconette (for special occasions).
Chantelle – The best bra for large cup sizes
Chantelle, a cult-favorite brand for shoppers with larger busts, is a family-owned French lingerie company with sizes that range from bands 30-44 and cups A-H. Its bras are supportive and offer a more natural and less bulky look than many of the other brands that cater to larger cup sizes. And, they skip the common flaws found in mass-produced bras for this size range — they don’t drop low or spread you out.
Chantelle bras are functional, but they’re also undeniably pretty, unlike many of the options available to women over a C-cup. You can find opaque T-shirt bras and multifunctional bralettes as well as beautiful lacy options — all of which prioritize the support, shaping, and structure a larger bust needs.
Hanes-The best budget bra
Hanes, the classic underwear brand makes one of the best wire-free bras on the market.
Whether you want to call it a bralette or a wireless bra, you’ll certainly call it supremely comfortable. The Comfort Wire-Free bra line by Hanes is one of the sturdier bras you can buy. Sure, it’s not made of sexy lace, but as a result, it can withstand quite a bit of wear and tear. It doesn’t lose its shape or stretch out in unattractive ways after several cycles in the washing machine, and because it doesn’t have an underwire, it’s incredibly lightweight and flexible. Because the Wire-Free bras are fully adjustable, they also stay put quite well.
Wacoal -The best convertible bra
Strapless bras in and of themselves are always a bit of a struggle, what with constant slippage and the seemingly never-ending need to adjust and readjust their fit. But with the Wacoal, you can bid your fidgeting days adieu.
A favorite is the Wacoal Red Carpet
Strapless Bra. Part of the secret of this great bra is that it’s not just strapless — it’s actually convertible. The removable straps can help keep you supported, but so too can the gripper strips inside the top and bottom edges that make sure that the bra stays adhered to your chest, and doesn’t begin wandering down. The back and side boning also helps the bra maintain its shape, while the mesh back keeps you comfortable.
True Body Co.- The best lounge bra
True & Co.’s True Body Collection is full of soft, wire-free bras that are perfect for lounging. Sizing ranges from 32A to 42DDD/F, and while it won’t give you as much support as a traditional wire bra, it does promise up to an inch of lift.
One of our favorite styles from the True Body collection is the V Neck Racerback. The bonded technology means no elastic or bulky, line-disrupting seams. The wire-free channel lends support like underwire without the wire, and the “super lift fabric” (a tightly knit blend) provides the noticeable lift and support. Most True Body bras come with removable pads, and range in colors from nudes to bright patterns. And after many less-than-careful loads of laundry, I haven’t seen any noticeable change in performance or look.
Posted on March 24, 2023