While the previous strapless style is suitable for most cup sizes, this one is more minimal and better suited for A and B cups. In fact, it's hard to even find a strapless bra that's available in A-cup sizes. The fabric is buttery soft, and the brand says the bra is designed with just enough lift without too much padding in the cup. You should fill out the cups without any gaping (which means the cup is too big) or overflow (a sign the cup is too small). Finding the perfect bra is easier said than done. For starters, there are so many styles to choose from — strapless, bralettes, wireless and more with differences in padding, closures and support. It can feel nearly impossible to buy one that’ll meet your needs, fit you properly and feel comfortable enough to wear all day long. On top of that, bras can get pricey, so you want to make sure you’re investing in a quality bra that will feel good, look good and hold up well over time.

Tester notes: This bra was so smooth and comfortable that testers forgot they were even wearing it. It also provided incredible support, thanks to its full-coverage design and removable cups. One DDD-cup tester said, " This bra felt like a cloud when I put it on, it was so comfortable! I felt ZERO pressure on my shoulders and my breasts felt totally supported and lifted." Lexie Sachsis the Executive Director of the Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Fiber Science from Cornell University and more than 15 years of experience in the textiles industry, including merchandising and product development fields. Lexie joined Good Housekeeping in 2013 and has extensively tested intimate apparel of all kinds — including shapewear, bras, underwear and more — using specialized lab equipment and coordinating samples with hundreds of consumer testers. The fabric is also ultra-soft with slight compression, which the brand describes as feeling like your favorite pair of yoga pants. Just note that several users reported the band feeling a bit too snug, so we recommend sizing up. Pepper also makes an underwire bra with a curve that's optimized for smaller busts if you prefer more support. Hanes makes our list again, this time for its wireless bra that's lightweight yet surprisingly supportive. W hether you're wearing it in the summer or just want a barely-there feel, it fits like a second skin, so you won't be poked or weighed down. Not to mention, it’s one of the least expensive bras we tested.Underwire, removable convertible straps, hook-eye closure, light padding, non-slip binding around band Besides its stay-in-place powers, it held up in Lab tests without shrinking or stretching out. It comes with removable straps so you can wear it as a traditional bra, halter, criss-cross or one-shoulder style. Plus, it comes in a variety of colors and a wide range of band and cup sizes to fit many bodies. In fact, this style was especially loved by people with full figures and larger busts. This brand designs its bras specifically for A, AA and B cup wearers, unlike other bras that may just be scaled down to fit smaller cup sizes. It's wire-free yet still provides lift with its stretchy fabric, and its cups are shallower than traditional bras. Plus, the cups are lightly lined for modest coverage without excess material. Washability: Each bra is repeatedly laundered according to its care label and assessed for aspects like shrinkage and appearance after washing. It comes with convertible straps and has an X-bridge in between the cups for a better fit and easy folding. The bra washed well in our Lab tests, though it didn't fully recover its shape in our stretch recovery evaluations.

It's a traditional bra that's ideal for everyday wear thanks to its foam cups, supportive underwire, adjustable straps and hook-eye closure. It has plenty of coverage throughout, yet remains invisible under most clothing. A few testers shared that the lace straps were noticeable under some tops. It also comes in a variety of colors — including neutral shades and vibrant hues — and a wide range of cup sizes. Even though it's less expensive than other styles, the bra was still one of the top performers in our tests with high scores across the board. A few testers shared that it runs small, but it washed well in our evaluations without any shrinkage or noticeable signs of wear. Plus, it recovered its shape nicely after being stretched out. Unlike most bras where you shop by the band and cup size, this one ranges from small to 3X and has a size guide to follow when you buy. It's designed for band sizes 34 through 46 — which is a wider range than most styles, though it only specifies cup sizes B to DD in its size chart. And while it offers great shaping benefits with some built-in padding, it doesn't separate as well as underwire bras. This version has an underwire for good separation, though it also comes in a wireless version that still proved to be supportive in our tests. And though the panels are stretchy, the bra still kept its shape well after we put it through the wringer in our stretch recovery and laundering evaluations.This style earned the top spot in our tests and was rated the most comfortable bra by our panel, including those with both small and large cup sizes. On top of that, it proved to be durable in our Lab testing; it washed well and kept its shape after we stretched it out. In fact, it's the bra our own experts have preferred to wear for years, even after trying dozens of styles on the market.

The band should be level with your ribcage without riding up, and the center gore, the section of the bra that stretches between the two cups, should lie flat against your breastbone. Luciani adds, "Obvious signs of wear and tear such as crushed cups, bent underwire, stretched out straps, broken or bent clasps and when the material loses its elasticity — all good signs it’s time to toss. Other signs that are maybe not so obvious are if it suddenly seems big or it’s not holding you up the way it should be! That may mean it’s time to replace." You can start by measuring your bra size at home or with a consultant in a store. Even then, you should still try on a few different sizes to see what fits and feels best. Freno urges you to focus on what feels good instead of getting caught up on a specific size, especially because fit varies between brands. It helps to go up and down a few band and cup sizes if the fit doesn’t feel right. Remember that just like with clothing, each brand will fit you differently. Experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab test bras of all kinds and have evaluated more than 100 styles with over 250 real users in the last few years. Altogether, we've collected upwards of 3,500 data points to help us find the best bra styles for different preferences and body types. Our analysts assess the bras in our Lab for properties like stretch recovery, construction and how well they hold up to repeated laundering. Then we send them out to our consumer testers — hundreds of people ranging from small cup sizes to larger busts— who share their thoughts on fit, comfort, appearance and more. With f ull-coverage cups to avoid spillage, wide straps to reduce stress on shoulders and wide side panels that smooth to prevent bulge, this bra is your best bet if you're looking for all-over support. The cups are lightly lined so there's not too much padding, and the fabric feels smooth throughout, looking flattering under clothes.The thoughtful design offers support yet still works with most clothing because the cut isn't too high and the straps aren't too wide. It's adjustable and has an underwire for good separation, plus soft cups for a rounded shape. Although our testers found it to fit nicely, some online reviewers share that it runs on the smaller side, so be sure to review the size chart before buying, especially since it's offered in UK cup sizing.

We updated this article in March 2023 t o include more information about each of our top-tested bra recommendations. We also added a new video with helpful instructions for measuring your bra size. There's an underwire for good separation and lift, and the smooth fabric is intended to look seamless under clothing. Just note that the fabric stretched out a bit in our Lab tests, though it held up well when we laundered it. Whether you're working from home or just looking to stay comfortable, a bralette is often less constricting than a traditional bra, thanks to its minimalist design. This style has no clasps, hooks or hardware of any kind. Instead, it offers full coverage support with smooth fabric and removable padded cups. The band is on the firmer side, but the brand says you can size up if you prefer a looser fit. While the design may make it harder to wear discreetly under certain clothing, it's the perfect lounge bra and is extremely flattering under tops with more coverage. It's a pullover style but is still easy to put on and take off.

Customer reviews

This bra proves you don’t have to sacrifice support to go strapless. In fact, it had higher scores from our testers than many of the non-strapless styles we analyzed. It uses silicone strips along the top of the cup and on the band that help it stay in place as you move and features wide side panels with boning for more stability and smoothing benefits. Our testers found the bra to feel comfortable, but a few online reviewers noted that although the bra stayed put, the silicone strips and boning dug in. Finding a good bra can be especially difficult if you have a larger cup size, but this fashionable yet functional style may end your shopping struggles. It goes up to a size HH (which is the UK equivalent of a US size L) and it performed exceptionally well in our tests. It was durable in our Lab’s evaluations without any issues to report, and our tester panel loved wearing it. Wear tests: Users with a range of band and cup sizes try the bras and fill out thorough surveys, scoring factors like ease of putting on and taking off, fit, comfort, support, stay-in-place capabilities, visibility under clothes and overall appearance. Testers also have the opportunity to share comments about specific things they liked and disliked about each bra. Another standout feature of this bra is its straps: They lie flat without slipping and are the ideal width to be supportive yet discreet. Its buttery soft fabric also kept its shape perfectly after we stretched it out in Lab tests, and it washed well with no signs of wear.