Bras. They come with the territory of being a woman but (as you no doubt know) man do they present some challenges.
We’ve covered the topic of bras a lot here, like how to measure yourself. But as I’ve been delving into the world of bras more and more recently (rather than just accepting that they’re all uncomfortable!) I’ve come to work out that certain shapes are better than others for me.
Interestingly, it’s travel that has helped me work that out! Travel in it’s very nature is a tough gig for a bra – it truly is where you will find out of your bra is a hero, or a zero. They need to be able to handle you being constantly on the move, deal with more than normal sweatiness and keep you supported but still be comfortable comfortable. Recently Grana launched their new intimates range, and I took them with me for a text drive when I was in Bali… I’m a fan (try them out yourself with 10% off using the code ‘apasxgrana’).
What’s Your Go To Bra Style?
It’s All About the Triangle
For me, I’m all about the triangle bra these days. Me and wire just do not get on at all anymore. At all! BUT, not just any old one will do – they have to be well supported ones. Too often a triangle bra has no structure and you feel like you’re jiggling all over the place, or worse you feel a nip slip. Ugh. After my recent trip to Bali, a great, tried and tested bra for travelling (and sitting here in the studio in front of the computer, and also hanging at home) is this one. They added some extra support meaning it doesn’t suffer from the same floppy problem that many triangle bras have. Obviously if you’ve got really large breasts you might want to choose a lightly wired style instead, but for my (FYI) C/D size they work well. In addition, I recently discovered these cotton triangle bras that due to the wide band are super comfortable and have really great lift. Go forth and triangle!
Ideas for finding your go-to shape:
- Understand your bra goals: Is it, for example, all about lift, cleavage, enhancing size or just nipple coverage? For me it’s mainly about light lift (but not too much) which is why an unwired style suits me really well, whilst still giving a bit of support and shape.
- Understand your lifestyle: Working in a studio with a relaxed dress code seems to have filtered down all the way to my underwear, but if you operate in a different sort of environment you might prefer to go with a different shape that suits, say, what you wear or do all the time.
- Shop around: I think it’s really easy to just reach for the same style and brand over and over, I did this for years and always felt sooo uncomfortable! I guess I just thought that was normal but after a bit more work in this areas I worked out it needn’t be that way. So have a bit of an experiment.
Question
Do you have a go to shape that you love? Has it changed over time or have you always liked the same styles? Oh and if you prefer a wired style, I’d love to know what brand it is! Always wanting to experiment with new bra types and styles 🙂
Stay tuned for my next instalment of the Bra series, this one you guys have been asking for over and over!
This post is in collaboration with Grana, grab 10% off using the code ‘apasxgrana’.
Photos by Nicola Lemmon.
Such a coincidence. Triangle bras are my favourite as well. Just yesterday I gave my neglected underwire bras to my little sister! i love the bras in this post, they’re pretty!
/ ORRBLOG
They are super comfortable too! Lovely to hear you’re with me on the triangle. x
Yes, for me it is underwire. I used to be about triangle, but after two kids they don’t offer the lift I am looking for.
Linda, Libra, Loca: Beauty, Baby and Backpacking
I can completely understand that – some are better than others though – ones with winder bands and structure all the way around give way more lift. 🙂
I will try some again and keep that in mind.
Although I really like those triangle bras, they’re just not for my boob size to be honest!
https://www.makeandmess.com/
Oh shame! You’re too big or too small?
These look so beautiful!
http://azanah.wordpress.com
I know right> They’re really great to wear too x
Natori Feathers is an underwire bra. Very pretty and I find them quite comfortable. They are very lightly padded. Those triangle bras from Grana do look gorgeous.
I need to find this bra and give it a go! Thanks so much for the tip 🙂
I feel like the triangle bra are so “in” right now, but for me I’d be just teriffied wearing them idk why, I don’t want to have ny nip slip and i always feel like it could happen if I wear the triangle-shaped bra
VIOLA WIN | Beauty & Fashion Blog
http://www.beautyinline.blogspot.com
Hahahah I used to be so scared of this too, and I’ve worn a few bad ones that you realised after a few hours that both your nips and completely out, not good! I think it’s about ones that have the right amount of tension all the way around the bra, not just top and bottom.
I love this looking stunning! I love the triangle bras but would wear it with shirts that are not see thru otherwise my nipples would be like, you know what i mean!
Totally! I think the right structure for a triangle bra means that there’s enough tension in it to stop your nipples being too obvious, although we all have different nips and some people’s show more than others. I definitely agree though that I want total nip coverage when I wear bras!
I unfortunately can’t pull off a wireless bra – I envy you! Haha. These are very pretty though. I actually did a post on how to find the perfect bra – check it out here: http://bit.ly/2mF6zbO
Christina | http://www.cuddlepill.com
Thanks so much for the link! Thats a great post x
Where can I find the dress? It’s not on their website 🙁 thanks for awesome article!
I love triangle bras, but I do admit that I’m a big fan push-up bra, because they give me just the right amount of “oomph”!
XO, Elizabeth
http://clothestoyouuu.com/
You are easily a size D. Stop deluding yourself. Why go to all this effort to find a nice bra then cram your gigantic girls into bikini tops made for A-B cuppers? Then again since Grana are obviously paying you big bucks…
I think it is an interesting (and too often overlooked) idea to be asking what you want out of your bra. For me, it became not enough to be worth it. I have been bra-less for a little over a year.
It kind of started by accident when I was done at my last job and I just wouldn’t wear them when I didn’t leave the house for a while. I then started doing some research and found so many negative outcomes to wearing a bra. Long story short, your breast were designed to bounce to move the fluids inside. On top of that wearing a bra constantly is letting your ligaments get lazy and weaker and your breast end up sagging more in the long run. I’m not saying it’s for everyone, but taking the step to find a bra that is a little less constricting or maybe just trying to go bra-less a couple days out of the weak can be very good for your health.
As for my nips – it has really never bothered me as much as others if they’re noticeable – but that with a lil lift is still probably the main reason I wore a bra. However because I have now been bra-less for so long, I have also been able to orient my shopping to items that are less likely to show them through. (i.e. Flannel and woven tops, cami bace layers, and I wear a lot of black which tends to make them less noticeable even if they are out).
Sorry for the book, but I do feel it’s important for women to at least know that there are other options. 🙂
I totally agree! I go bra-less where possible, and on the occasions I have to wear them, they are agonizingly uncomfortable! I hate that they nearly always fall off my shoulders, no matter the occasion, and I’m forever ‘hitching’ them up. Without a doubt they live up to an all-round bad experience – I call them ‘tonsil chokers’!!! Going without not only liberates you, but it gives you a complete sense of abandonment and a feeling of empowerment. Try it girls! A couple of centuries ago they got rid of those dreadful bodices that had to be laced tight. Women in those days lived short lives (I wonder why). The underwear was condemned and deemed dangerous for women’s health. Instead of burning them, they ‘reinvented’ the wheel – only to emerge as the new gen bras we favour today – underwired, for the most part!!! Have we really learned from our past mistakes, girls? Take control of your boobs, and let them go with the flow! 😉
I tend to prefer underwired balconette bras, as they seem to be what fits my bust shape the best. I’d love to wear pretty bralettes or those triangle bras (I don’t mind lace on those), but I have yet to find one that I don’t spill out of that also offers enough support. Being someone way outside the A-D range with a small band size special lingerie stores are usually my only option, and shopping for bras is not exactly a blast even there. As a minimalist I’d love wearing something simple and stylish like this, but after my last visit I ended walking out this bra instead because I was too exhausted from trying on all those bras and just settled for the best fit, forgetting all about what I was originally supposed to buy.
Those earrings!!! I’m obsessed. I googled “The East earrings” and did not find them. Can you provide a link? This brand is new to me and I need to shop it! Please and thank you! xoxo
When I was younger, all I ever did was try to make my breasts look as big as possible. I owned a lot of different push-ups, and found them quite uncomfortable. That’s not a good way to start healthy relationship with your underwear, and body, too.
Once, in college, I found this triangle completely see-through black thing, and fell in love with it. It was beautiful, simple, and so comfortable. Since then, those kind of minimalistic, very light bras are the only things I own. Different shapes, fabrics, colors. I love the diversity and how my breasts look in these bras. Most of them come from Tezenis, but I keep an open mind to underwear brands.
I’m all about the nipple covers. I can’t stand bras now that I’ve given them up. Even sports bras get old in 2 hours. Luckily I have big A, small B breasts so this is possible.
Hi! I love your blog! I would be so happy if you could check out mine and tell me what you think: fashionpsychic.com
I wear mostly push up bras because I feel like I need that extra padding, I wouldn’t say my boobs are small but the’re certainly not big and I wish that they where sometimes. If I were more comfortable with my boobs or if they where bigger I would definitely wear pretty unpadded lace bras. I’m a size 32B by the way.
Yes it has stretch!