Just like dresses, shoes, and handbags, bras come in a wide variety of styles and types, with each one offering its own unique advantages and disadvantages. Having an assortment of bras in your lingerie drawer can help you put together looks that make you feel absolutely fabulous no matter what's on the agenda! Here are some of the most popular bra types to keep in your arsenal.
- The T-Shirt Bra - This one is for relaxing at home or styling with your more casual going-out outfits. T-shirt bras, such as the AnaOno Kiku T-Shirt Bra, are designed to look smooth and seamless beneath close-fitting tops, especially tees.
- The Strapless Bra - Strapless bras have no straps and are meant to provide you with support, padding and shaping while wearing sleeveless or spaghetti sleeved tops.
- The Sports Bra - Exercising without the proper bra can lead to serious pain and discomfort, which is why you need a supportive sports bra. These bras eliminate movement while you're getting active and tend to mitigate sweat and odor to keep you comfortable. See: Paige Wrap Front Sports Bra or the Bianca Front Closure Sports Bra.
- The Post-Surgical Bra - After breast surgery, such as a mastectomy or lumpectomy, you need to minimize movement and may not be able to lift your arms. A post-surgical bra simplifies recovery care and dressing with great features such as front closures.
- The Bralette - A bralette, such as the Gina Pocketed Bralette, is a wire free, unstructured bra that supports and shapes the bust without the oppressive feel of wires or thick pads. Often, bralettes are made with comfortable stretch lace for a pretty look.
- The Push-Up Bra - Push-up bras are designed to enhance the cleavage and give your bust some extra volume. They generally feature underwire and padding to lift and separate the breasts while making breasts look larger.
- The Minimizer Bra - Think of minimizer bras as the opposite of push-up bras. Rather than boosting cup size, they aim to shrink it. You may want to minimize your breast size to create the illusion of a smaller bust each day or just to streamline certain outfits.
- The Balconette Bra - The balconette bra is named as such because it resembles an opera balcony. It features a lower, straight-across cup style that shows more breast.
- The Demi Bra - Similar to a balconette, a demi bra features a partial cup to show more of the breast. Both balconette and demi bras are usually made with underwire. This type of bra may also be referred to as a shelf bra or half bra.
- The Plunge Bra - As their name suggests, plunge bras feature a plunging neckline to create some drama and to show some extra skin. The deep V-neckline is ideal for creating a figure flattering fit and also for staying inconspicuous beneath low-cut shirts and dresses. See our Molly Pocketed Plunge Bra as an example.
