Welcome to my bra buying guide! I'm excited to sit down and finally write this post as it's a very important one. I've been the guinea pig for the past year or so testing out some bras, and I've come to some final conclusions that I look forward to sharing with you all!
SHOP THIS POST HERE:
I want to talk a little more about my bra preferences, my sizing and my must-haves before getting into this so you can be generally aware where I stand and take my recommendations off of that. Ever since college (when I gained some weight) I've been a size D in bras. I'm never really one to show them off because it's not totally my style so if this is coming as a surprise to you ... surprise!
Last year I realized that I hated my current bra and I didn't know my true size (was always kind of guessing) so I went into Nordstrom and got a fitting. It's a little nerve wracking at first but it was 100% necessary. If you haven't been fitted in a year or two, I would suggest going in and doing that. The fitting is free and they will also recommend and pull different bras to make sure they fit and they are what you want.
I think Nordstrom is a great place to do it because they have a really great collection of designers and bras (this isn't sponsored in any way, they really are just great!), but I also hate Victoria Secret so take my advice for what it's worth. My gripe with VS is they make everything small to make you feel better. I'm not actually a 34FF. When I was fitted at Nordstrom, I was told I'm a 34DD and the saleswoman started to pull some bras that were ... not my style.
When it comes to bras I need ones that are in no way padded (don't need that extra oomph in my life), very supportive, full coverage and comfortable. And that's where the bras below will come in! So while I am full-chested, I do believe that these will work for anyone wanting the same thing.
I also want to note that good bras are expensive. If there is one item I would ever splurge on it's a bra. Think about how long you wear them, how often you wear them and how bad cheap ones are. They are 100% an investment and are worth every penny!
T-shirt Bra: (bottom two bras in photo above, 34DD) This is my ride or die. The one I wear 99% of the year. I have two nudes, a black and a brown in my collection and rotate them nicely. Of course, I mostly wear the nudes. I've recommended these to some friends and haven't heard negative feedback from anyone! This is 110% the best bra I have ever owned.
What I love about this bra is how comfortable it is. It never shows through shirts, it holds up in the wash (aka the edge of the cups don't curl over) and it keeps its shape! Just like every bra, it will stretch out over time but I've worn mine every day for about a year and I'm just starting to notice I can clasp it one size in.
My favorite feature is probably the simple lace straps. I HATE when bra straps show. It's my biggest pet peeve, but there are some shirts I'll wear with this bra specifically so the straps can be seen. It's a very delicate, simple lace strap that I think it's a nice touch!
Contour Bra: (top bra in photo above, 34DD) I have this bra in a light pink and a grey and these are my second-favorite bras ever! I don't do pushup bras (because I don't really need them) but these do "contour" my chest in a nice way. I don't really know how they do it because it is still a full coverage bra but I usually wear these with lower cut tops or v-neck t-shirts.
They are still extremely comfortable but not as comfortable as the t-shirt bra. Will anything ever be? What I love the most about this bra is the lace detailing on the front. I don't really do bralettes (more on that below) but I will wear this bra if there is ever a lose fitting top, a low plunging one or anything of that nature. The lace, like the above bra, is delicate and simple so it just seems to work!
So while I do recommend getting both, my ride or die is the t-shirt bra! Test that out first to make sure you love it and then treat yourself to the contour bra!
Strapless:
Ok, let's talk about strapless! I'm actually surprised by how many people leave me comments and send me emails or snaps asking about strapless bras. Up until a few months ago I was using a SUPER old one from Macy's that I hated, so I thought it was time for an upgrade. Just like my bras above, I went in to get fitted for a strapless bra because they are totally different in sizing.
For reference, I'm a 34DD and for the strapless bras she suggested going a waist size down and a cup size up. So I was a 32DDD or a 32F (these two sizes are represented above). You want to go a waist size smaller so the bra will stand up on it's own and a cup size bigger so you make sure you're not spilling over without straps.
I just want to say that there is no such thing as a comfortable strapless bra. They just don't make them! Strapless bras are defying gravity so they'll either be too loose and fall down, or a little tight and annoying when you sit down. Out of all the ones I've found, I like these two the best:
Red Carpet Convertible Strapless Bra: (bottom of the photo above -- 32DDD) This was the first bra the woman at Nordstrom pulled for me and it met all my requirements. It was VERY supportive, form-fitting and after the jump test, truly did stay in place. And for those reasons I would recommend this bra to anyone who is looking for the very best strapless bra out there. Even the reviews are amazing!
I'll get to the other bra in a second, but since I decided I only needed one strapless bra at the moment, this one didn't make the cut. It was too much bra for what I wanted. Most of the time when I need a strapless bra, my dresses or shirts are well structured so it's more of a formality. I guess this is all just personal preference but I didn't feel the need to get such a heavy duty strapless bra for my everyday life. I also wanted one that was a little more discrete with a lower cup line so it would work for lower cut tops. Does that make sense?
Eden Strapless Underwire Bra: (top of the photo above, 32F) This was the one I ended up going with. It was expensive but very much worth it. It was comfortable, as far as strapless bras go, it was very supportive and kept me in place and it had a young feel to it with the lace at the bottom and around the back.
What really sold me (I was in the room going back and forth for about an hour -- sorry, Andrew) was the deeper plunge on this bra. Trust me I didn't want to love this bra because it's worth a nice dinner out but I really couldn't say no! For the record, I didn't try it on with straps, but looking at the photo they look like shit anyway. I would just never suggest wearing the straps on a strapless bra. That's what your regular bras are for!
Reader Questions!
I opened it up to you guys last night on IG and asked if you had any questions for this post and here were the top ones:
Do you have recommendations on....
Sports bras?
I do! And will do a full separate post on it!
Bralettes?
In general I've never really been a big bralette person but I have done some research and found THIS one from Wacoal (a great brand for bras) that has some amazing reviews and really cute colors. I've personally never tried it so don't 100% take my word for it, but it would be one I would buy if I was in need of a bralette!
Backless Bras?
I have yet to find one that I would actually recommend because they all suck (and I'm feeling the same consensus from you guys as well). My recommendation is to not buy one that's expensive because they will eventually lose their stick and you'll need to repurchase. The ones I use when I need to are from a random brand in Target. They have stickies on the sides but even the largest size doesn't fit my boobs, which is a problem. I will continue the hunt!
I would also love to hear your recommendations and thoughts below so we can make this into a little conversation and readers can get more information from their peers as well! So leave me your favorite bras/bralettes/backless bras below!
