“Informed Choices are the Powerful Choices”

A bra is an essential piece of garment for a woman that defines her outlook and adds elegance to the style of dressing. This simple piece of fabric allows a girl or woman to move around with self assurance. It’s vital for a woman to have the awareness about the different types of bras, which not only is beneficial for the physical well-being of the breasts but also impacts a great deal on the outlook of a dress.

The structure of a bra greatly impacts on its functions of providing support and coverage to the breasts. It is vital for us to know the basic anatomy and the underlying features of the bras.

Importance of Learning About Bras

Apart from the aesthetic point of view bras are important for the health of normal breasts too. They prevent exposure of the breasts to external injuries and consequent pathologies. Since there are new bras styles available, each one suited for a unique purpose. We need to have optimum knowledge about different bra types so that we can use them with more ease and confidence.

Types of Bra - A Quick Look!

Add variety to your wardrobe

There is no dearth in the variety of bras the souks have to offer, in fact there is an excessive variety available for the consumers to purchase. Following are the types of bras available in the market to select from.

Want to Know More About Different Types of Bra in-depth? Read On!

Here is some information about the types of bra which are easily available in the market, each having a unique purpose and a different design. Let us take a look.

1. Adhesive Bra/ Stick on Bra:

This type of bra lacks any strip or straps to provide support to the breasts, they are usually not very ideal in case a woman has bulky breasts since the amount of support and the lift provided them would be minimal. It is recommended for women who have breasts that need minimal support and are not very bulky. It works for outfits which are either backless and lack straps. Types of material it is usually available in are silicon and elastine.

2. Backless Bra

This type of bra is for those who like to wear backless blouse but are afraid to do so because their bra strap would show. These have either very low back straps or no back strap at all, that expose the back so you can flaunt any sexy backless dress.

3. Bandeau Bra

Amongst the other types, this type of bra is for females who have recently started putting bras on. It is not a complex type in fact it is very easy to use. This fabric simply and with ease just covers and envelopes around the breasts. Since it does not have any pulling mechanism or support such as the presence of straps and strips this bra is not very useful in providing support to the breasts and hence is considered suitable mostly for young girls in their breast development stage. It is recommended for adolescent and teenage girls whose breasts are in the development stage. Its availability is best at amazon.com, walmart, ebay, herroom and many e-commerce stores. Type of cloth used is mostly satin, laces and cotton.

4. Balconette/Demi Bra

This type of bra is provided with the availability of straps that aimed for providing support to the breasts. They also help in giving a firm shape to the breasts and create a significant impact on the outfit’s final look. Ideally they should be paired with dresses having a low neckline and low cut to give them a perfect look and keeping the breasts positioned firmly in place. It is recommended for females both with large or small breast may use them. It can be worn under low neck lines or low-cut tops and dresses. Best availability is at amazon, victoria’s secret, poems, enamor, paris beauty. Type of cloth used is polyester, cotton fabric and satin.

5. Belly Dance Bra

As the name of the bra suggests this type of bra is designed mostly for females in the profession of belly dance. This piece of fabric provides all the support needed to the breasts during the intricate dance moves adopted by the dancers. Also they help in giving maximum coverage to the breasts. It is important to select a smaller size when opting for them since they are by default larger than usual bras available in the market and can be difficult to handle if a larger size is selected. It can be worn under belly dance attire. Best availability is at victoria’s street, enamor. Type of cloth used are polyester, cotton and satin.

6. Bridal Bra/Corset

As the name implies this type of bra has been specially designed for the brides in the market. They are ideal as an inner wear since they not only provide support to the breast but also make it easy for the bride to put on her heavy wedding dress, giving it the required flow and shape. This bra is designed for cutting down on extra upper body fat and tones down the appearance of the body. It can be worn under body fitted outfits, wedding gown. Best available at amazon, bestbuy, walmart and victoria’s street. Type of cloth used polyester, cotton and satin.

7. Built-in Bra

The built in variety of bra is very famous currently and is the choice of most women these days, especially the celebrities who make frequent use of dresses and gowns. These bras are fixed to the interior of dresses and hence an additional bra is not needed by the consumer. It makes styling easier and creates less problems of adjustment with the dress. It is recommended for females who are reluctant wearing bras. It can be worn under lounge wear, tank tops, heavy flowy gowns. It is best available at amazon, target, herroom, walmart and enamor. Type of cloth it is available in are polyester, cotton and satin.

8. Cupless/Shelf Bra

This type of bra is not famous for providing a lot of coverage since it lacks cups. It is not very commonly used throughout the globe but more In use by the western population. This variety of bra has the basic structure with straps to provide support but is revealing in terms of the fact that it lets the nipples exposed to the exterior of the dresses. It is recommended to be worn under night wears such as nightgowns and dresses. Type of cloth used are polyester, satin and cotton.

9. Convertible/Multiway Bra

It is a type of bras that allows us to adjust according to our needs. The fitting of the garment can be altered as per our desire and the demand of the dress. It is provided with straps which can be easily removed and added on when required. It is a popular type in the market and is used widely. It can be worn under any dress. Type of cloth used are polyester, cotton and satin.

10. Front Closure Bra

Front closure bra is a type of modified traditional garment. Unlike the usual bras they have hooks on the front rather than the back. This gives a smooth shape to the outfit from the back preventing the appearance of any crease or folds. Also the presence of hooks at the front provides a better grip and makes the breast positioned more firmly. It is recommended for females who have heavier and larger breasts than normal. Type of dress with which can be used are tight and body fitted clothes. Type of cloth used are polyester, satin and cotton. It is recommended for the breast shapes: round, large and side set.

11. Full Support Bra

This type of bra is common among the women and easily available in the market. It is the traditional or usual bra which not only provides essential support and sustainability to the breast but also ideally covers it. This covers any crease or folds and gives a smooth contour to the body and the outfit all at the same time. It is recommended for females with heavy and larger than usual sized breasts. It can be worn under formal dresses. It is best available at enamor and Calvin and Klein. Type of cloth used are polyester, cotton and satin. It is recommended for breast shape east west and bell shaped breasts.

12. Halter Neck Bra

The straps in this bra create a neck design to provide maximum support to the breasts. The amount of support provided is kept in line with the use of this undergarment. It is mostly used for people in the sports industry and for female players where the amount of support needed is significant and cannot be compromised. It is recommended for females attending gym or playing sports. It can be worn under backless and low neck outfits. It is best available at jockey, enamor and Calvin Klein.

13. Lace Bra

Lace bras look super sexy and alluring and women love wearing it. Out of all bra types, lacy bras are greatly sensual and seductive. It is available in numerous designs to choose from and is a must have for all the ladies out there.

14. Longline Bra

Longline bra gives great support to the breasts because it extends from the breasts all the way to the hip. It is good for those women who have problems regarding back because they get the support needed. It works great when worn under strapless dresses because it accentuates the beauty of the dress.

15. Mastectomy Bra

It’s a highly specialized type of bra that has been specially designed for females who have undergone breast surgery and removed their breasts. This bra is suitable for holding the prosthetic breasts in place at the same time gives a complete look to the outfit adding to the confidence of the consumer.

16. Maternity Bra

This type of bra has been designed for females who are in the child bearing zone of their life, that is, pregnancy. This garment is stretchable and allows accommodation for the increasing size of the breast during pregnancy. These days the structure of the maternity bras has been modified, they now are available without any under wiring or support to allow the breast to freely expand according to the hormonal changes in pregnancy. The cups provided in allows for maximal coverage of the breasts.

17. Minimizer Bra

This type of bra has been launched in the market for females with larger than usual breasts. It tones down the bulky breasts and gives an impression to form smaller, firmer breasts. Females with a breasts size of around 34C and plus can easily use for the desired purpose. It is recommended for females who have bulky breast.

18. Novelty Bra

These are an innovation to the types of bras available in the market. They are not used like the traditional bras. This is an explicit piece of garment that is not worn with any dress rather it is worn alone. They are considered as show off bras and are available in various designs and shapes according to the demands of the people. It can be worn at pool and beach parties.

19. Nursing Bra

The manufacturers have paid considerable heed to females who are in their unusual states of life while designing the different types of bras. It is for this reason a special type of nursing bra is available for lactating mothers. The design has been specially modified to suit the purpose. The cups are aided with removable flaps which can easily be removed during lactation making the whole process quite easy for the consumer. To provide support and strength to the breasts and also to prevent sagging they come with an in-built wiring system.

20. Padded Bra

As the name already suggests these bras come with extra padding and cushion effect. These are designed for small sized breasts and for females who wish to have bulky appearing breast. These however do not provide support or lift to the breast, a feature that distinguishes them well from the push up bras. It is recommended for females who have small sized breasts and can be worn under outfits with thin fabric and t-shirts.

21. Peephole Bra

These are unusually glamorous bras which are highly sensual and outlandish. These have the presence of holes in the cups for the nipples to be exposed to the exterior. These are not suitable and not highly used for regular wear in the market. They trend more in the western countries. It is recommended for lingerie wear and can be worn under exotic nightdress. It is made of georgette, polyester, cotton and satin.

22. Plunge Bra

Variations in the designing of dresses have brought changes in the types of bras as well. Dresses and outfits that have considerably low neck lines are best complimented by plunge shaped bras that are available as u-plunge bras too. The structure involves a thin centre joining piece that connects the cups of either sides and is present low in position. It is recommended for females who have good toned breasts. It can be worn under neckline dresses and gowns. Type of cloth it is available in are silk, georgette, cotton and satin.

23. Push-Up Bra

Push up bras can be considered another addition to the sensual and exotic variety of bras available in the market. Their mechanism of lifting the breast includes the presence of a type of foaming gel present within the cups that mechanically lifts up the breasts without actually adding bulk or volume to the breast and hence allows them to appear larger than usual. It is recommended for females with delicate breast and who desire large appearing breasts. It can be worn under deep necklines. It is best for asymmetric, tear drop, side set and round breast shapes.

24. Racer Back Bra/Sports Bra

This type of bra has been solely designed for the women who are in the field of sports. It not only provides support and strength to the breast but also is designed to allow a wide range of shoulder movements. The straps at the back are positioned adequately for the purpose. Wearing this piece of undergarment all kinds of physical activities can be performed with ease and comfort. It is recommended for females going to gym and are active in sports.

25. Sheer Bra

It is yet another variety of sensual and exotic undergarments. It’s transparency reveals the underlying breasts and is more suited to meet the purpose of glamour rather than regular and casual wear. It is used as a part of lingerie and transparency fancy nets and laces are used in its manufacture.

26. Soft Cup Bra

The softcup variety of bras have been carefully designed for regular and casual wear. The interior of the cups have been given slight padding for comfort and cushioning of the breasts, however support is provided with an under band rather an under wiring.

It is recommended to be worn under routine wear.

27. Strapless Bra

The name of the bra gives us a fair enough sense about its structure. This type of bra has no straps or strips to provide the extra grip to the breasts. It simply wraps the breast and the small amount of support is given as under band which can be close either on the front or on the back. It is not very ideal for large sized breast as the support provided by it is insignificant. Type of cloth it is available in are polyester, cotton and satin.

28. Trainer Bra

The trainer bras have been designed especially for young girls who have entered the age of puberty and have become hormonally active. Their breasts start developing and they need a support system for that. These bras are ideal since they do not cover the breasts very tightly so as to allow the breast to freely increase in size and also to improve compliance in young girls who have just started using bras. Type of cloth it is available in are cotton, satin and polyester.

29. Triangle Bra

They are also known as bikinis, they do not serve the purpose of providing support or firmness to the breasts neither do they help in lifting the breasts. They simply have the purpose of covering the breast. Their cups have a unique triangle shape which differs them from the rest of the available bras. Most commonly they are used while going to beaches or in pool parties. It is recommended for females with small breasts.

30. Underwire Bra

If a bra is to be selected to provide maximum support to the breast and to keep them positioned firmly in their place then this type is a good choice. It is aided with an in-built wiring mechanism that increases its durability in providing strength and support. It is recommended for females with large breasts. It is easily available and the type of cloth it is available in are cotton, satin and polyester.

31. Vintage Bra

Vintage bra is given the name according to the time period it has stayed for in the market. The advent of these bras took place around the 1940s in the market. They are designed to provide full support and strength. It has an axis which is directed at right angle to the breast resembling a parabolic. It is recommended for females with large breasts. Type of cloth it is available in is cotton.

Endnote

A thorough knowledge about the basic parts of bra and also the various types of bras available in the market is the prerequisite before selecting the right kind of bra for yourself.

Also one should select a bra based on the features it is aided with and also according to an individual’s own trait such as age, profession, type of breast etc. You can try different types of bras at different occasions.