Читать книгу In Intimate Detail - Dita Teese Von, Cora Harrington - Страница 9

WHAT IS A BRA?

A bra is a garment designed and developed specifically to support the breasts. A bra may extend as far as the lower torso (as in longline bras or bustiers). However, undergarments that sculpt and shape other parts of the body in addition to the bosom (such as shaping slips or bodysuits) are rarely called bras. A bra, by definition, focuses primarily on the bust.

A great, well-fitting bra can help you feel confident, empowered, and fearless. Finding the right bra can almost feel like stumbling across your very own version of Cinderella’s magic slippers, transforming your life (and your wardrobe!) from depressing to enchanting. A good bra can not only lift your bust, it can lift your spirits—alleviating back pain, evenly distributing the weight of your breasts, and even improving your posture.

Because most clothing is made with certain assumptions about where the largest area of your chest will be, a quality bra can also help your clothes fit better and feel more comfortable. Finally, bras can be fun! I know that might be hard to believe if you’ve had trouble shopping for a bra, but a new bra is a great way to both treat yourself and refresh your wardrobe.

A Brief History of Bras

Interestingly enough, no one’s really sure who made the first bra. In the United States, the story goes that Caresse Crosby (also known as Mary Phelps Jacob) invented the first brassiere around 1910 when she wanted an alternative to the traditional boned corset. Together with her maid, Crosby crafted a bra from two handkerchiefs and a bit of ribbon, filed a patent, and in February 1914, the bra was officially recognized and registered in the United States. Crosby’s invention was more like a bralette (a bra with little or no structure) than the kind of undergarments we call bras today. However, what made her bra special is that it was soft, flexible, lightweight, and comfortable—a dramatic change from centuries of rigid corsets. However, despite filing a patent and being credited with the invention, it’s almost certainly true that Caresse Crosby’s bra was not the first one ever.

The first bras of prehistory were likely made from strips of hide or fur to bind the breasts. Later, after its invention, cloth was also used. Four-thousand-year-old paintings and sculptures from Crete show female figures with their breasts lifted from beneath by a corset-like garment. Greek sculptures from the fourth century BCE, display women in breast bands consisting of a wide strip of cloth wound around the breasts to keep them in place. Paintings and mosaics from the time of the Roman Empire present women in two-piece undergarment sets that look strikingly like a modern-day bra and briefs. We’ve even found a bra dating from the late Middle Ages, roughly around the fifteenth century! Made of linen, featuring two distinct cups, and trimmed in delicate needlepoint lace, this garment is the earliest physical example of a bra found yet (although they were called breast bags at the time, a decidedly unglamorous name).

The modern bra, as a concept, has its origins in corsetry (so does shapewear, which you’ll learn more about in chapter 3). The idea of supporting and shaping the body beneath clothing came into vogue around the invention of tailoring, which roughly coincides with the beginnings of the Renaissance, around the fourteenth century. The figure-hugging, tightly laced dresses of the Middle Ages gradually gave way to the firmly boned bodices, known as stays, of the sixteenth century.

Stays gave the body a cone-like shape. Heavily boned, their purpose in addition to supporting and lifting the bust was to brace the body for the pounds and pounds of heavy skirts women were beginning to wear. Stays remained the bust-supporting undergarment de rigueur for women until the French Revolution.

The French were among the first to see corsetry as necessary for a woman’s figure, and their attitude regarding underpinnings spread to other European courts. However, after the French Revolution, both stays and the massive volumes of skirts they helped support were seen as suspiciously aristocratic. At the end of the eighteenth century, a more natural empire-waist silhouette emerged. These soft, fluid gowns called for a different type of undergarment, which led to the development of the first “proto-bras.” Called short stays, these abbreviated corsets ended above the waist and featured separate cups, resembling what we might call a bustier today.

However, this new trend didn’t last long, and thirty years into the nineteenth century, the corset made a comeback, this time emphasizing an hourglass figure instead of a conical one. The development of steel busks and metal eyelets allowed for a drawn-in waist and lifted bust. Yet the short stays of the early 1800s had left their mark, and in the late nineteenth century, a plethora of new “brassiere” designs emerged. While these early bras don’t have much in common appearance-wise with what we wear today, the concepts were there: bust support, separate cups for each breast, adjustable shoulder straps, and even hook-and-eye closures.

So what finally killed the corset? Well, sports played a part. Women began to participate in tennis, golf, basketball, swimming, and cycling—all activities for which the corset has obvious limitations. Yet it wasn’t the bicycle that wiped out the corset for good. Instead, we can pin its final demise on World War I.

In 1917, just three years after Caresse Crosby received her patent, the U.S. War Industries Board asked women to stop buying corsets so the steel “bones” could be freed up for the war. Their sacrifice made more than twenty-eight thousand tons of steel available—enough to build two battleships. Meanwhile, as women gave up their corsets, they also went to work in munitions factories, fire departments, and other occupations previously closed to them. As with athletics, the shortcomings (and potential dangers) of the corset, with its many bones and laces, became apparent. By 1918, more than fifty-two separate bra brands were on the market. The shift away from corsetry was complete.

By the 1920s, most corset makers had fully converted to making bras or the new, more modern girdles. In the 1930s, cup sizes, elastic, and underwires became a regular feature of the bra landscape. The word bra also first appeared in the 1930s. While the fashionable bra silhouette of the 1920s favored a bandeau style, which offered little support and mostly worked to flatten the bust, in the 1930s, the idea of the bra as a lifting and separating device took shape. By the 1940s, almost all Western women were wearing bras, and, as the saying goes, the rest is history.

A very high, perky bust was the trademark of the 1950s (bullet bras, with their world-famous torpedo cups, dominated the lingerie landscape in this era). The 1960s and 1970s favored a softer, more natural silhouette. Bras of this era were often sheer and lightweight, incorporating radical new stretch fabrics, which emphasized mobility and flexibility. The sports bra was also invented in the 1970s.

The 1980s saw a return of more structured bras, as well as a rise in the concept of the “invisible” bra—bras with smooth or lightly seamed cups that were intended not to be seen under clothing. The 1990s brought an obsession with deep plunges and push-up padding. Now, instead of simply shaping what you had, bras could add several cup sizes all on their own. In the 2000s, seamless, one-piece molded- and foam-cup bras became ubiquitous, replacing the cut-and-sew styles of previous generations and leading to that familiar dome or half-moon shape we all recognize today. More recently, the natural silhouette has made a comeback in the form of the bralette, but fashion is cyclical, and who knows when one of the bra trends of yesteryear will experience a revival?

The Parts of a Bra

Bras may look simple but they are actually highly specialized and very complex articles of clothing. The average bra contains dozens of components, and each, no matter how small, has a specific purpose. All these pieces must be put together by hand, so the time involved in sewing a bra is a large part of why bras are so expensive, despite their small size.

Understanding the construction of a bra can help you better describe what you like or dislike about a particular style or shape, and it can help you discover which kind of bra is best for you.

Cups

The cups of the bra are where your breasts sit. Usually rounded, as that’s the current fashion (think of your favorite T-shirt or contour cup bra), the cups section can also be pointed (as in a bullet bra) or even slightly collapsed (as in a seamed bra that won’t fill out until it’s on the body). In most bras, this area consists of two distinct cups, but certain bra styles, such as bandeaus or sports bras, have a single cup section meant to contain both breasts. Cups may be lined or unlined, as well as seamed or seamless. The underwires of your bra, if it has them, are also cup components, usually running in special channels along the bottom and sides of the cups.

Band

The most important part of the bra, the band is responsible for providing most of the support. The band handles up to 80 percent of the work of supporting your breasts (which means your straps shouldn’t be doing much at all!) and includes everything that wraps around the torso. The band can be broken down into four distinct parts: the center panel—otherwise known as the gore or bridge—which connects the two cups together in the middle; the cradle, which is the portion of the band directly underneath the cups or underwires (not present in “bandless” bra styles); the wings, which are the sides and back of the bra, starting at the outer edge of the cups and ending at the closures; and the closures, usually consisting of hooks and eyes, but sometimes made of other materials. Note: If you’re wearing a front-close bra, the center panel and the closure are the same.

Straps

Straps help keep your bra stable and in place. They go over your shoulders (excepting, of course, strapless and halter bra styles) but are not meant to support the entire weight of your breasts. They should account for about 20 percent of the lift. The area where the straps meet the cups is called the apex. Straps are almost always adjustable, even in the most basic of bra styles. There are two popular types of strap attachments: the camisole (otherwise known as a right-angle or straight-back attachment) and a leotard (otherwise known as a ballet back or u-back attachment). The latter tends to be better for fuller busts (DD cups and above), as well as for narrower shoulders, as the straps are less likely to slide or fall.

Underwires

We’ve all seen an underwire bra before, but exactly what purpose does that little piece of curved wire at the bottom of your bra cup serve? Basically, why do bras have underwires?

Underwires have been around since 1931, and contrary to a popular rumor, the invention of the underwire is attributed to a woman—Helene Pons. It was another couple of decades before underwire bras overtook wireless styles in popularity. As with the corset, a war (World War II) needed to end before enough metal was available to explore the possibilities of the underwire.

An underwire is essentially an idealized breast root—the curve on the body where the breast tissue attaches to the torso. Underwires are meant to follow the contour of the breast, providing shaping and support from the bottom of the bra (the cradle and band area).

An underwire is usually narrower than the breast itself, which helps contain the breast tissue (it helps “scoop” it all into the cup). In conjunction with the bra cups, the underwire tells your breasts what shape to take and which direction to go, and this is what gives them an uplifted silhouette.

Underwires are typically made of metal, though occasionally they can be made of plastic or silicone. Bras for larger bust sizes, such as those over a DD cup, tend to contain sturdier wires to accommodate the weight of a heavier breast. Assuming there’s no underlying pain or condition, such as fibromyalgia, underwires shouldn’t hurt. So if a wire is bruising you, digging in, or otherwise feeling uncomfortable, it may be the wrong shape for your particular breast root, or it is too aggressive for your breast tissue. As always, listen to your body. If it doesn’t feel good, don’t wear it.

BONUS TIP

Avoid wearing the same bra multiple days in a row. This gives the elastic and the bra components time to “recover” (so they don’t get permanently stretched out)and helps avoid any potential irritation or pressure points from the bra pressing into the same places on your body for more than one day in a row.

Seams

Bra seams offer more than decoration. They’re essential for shaping the bust. In the United States, seamless contour cup bras are the most popular. However, a contour cup is not the most supportive type of bra, especially for large busts. That’s not a flaw; it’s simply a side effect of the limits of molded-cup technology.

The molded cup works by forcing your breast into a certain position. The bra doesn’t change its shape to accommodate your bust. Your bust changes shape to fit into the bra. That means whatever shape the molded cup has is the shape your breasts will have.

Unfortunately, how effective that shape is depends on the resilience of the fabrics and materials making up the cup. Beyond a certain size, a molded cup simply can’t adequately support the weight of a heavier bust. Even if you can technically wear the bra, it won’t be able to shape the tissue as well as it could for a smaller bust. That’s why bra brands that focus on larger sizes offer more seamed or cut-and-sew–style bras. It’s also why almost all bras beyond an H cup are cut-and-sew.

Seams gently guide the breast tissue into a specific shape. Keep in mind that the more seams a bra has, the more supportive it will be.

 Vertical seams: These seams direct the breast tissue upward, providing lift. The more vertical seams a bra has, the more lift and support you’ll get.

 Horizontal seams: These seams help give more forward depth to the cups, also known as projection. Sometimes, however, this seam can lead to what people call a “pointy silhouette.”

 Diagonal or angled seams: These seams help center the breast tissue, pulling it away from the shoulders and armpits, and also provide lift. You’ll often see a diagonal seam used in conjunction with a vertical seam for the classic three-part cup shape (this is the cup shape shown in the diagram here). Together, these seams lift, center, and shape the breast tissue.

 Side seams or side panels: These seams run from the top to the bottom of the cup, usually along the outer edge. They are something extra that you’ll find in full-bust and plus-sized bras. The side panel helps make sure all the breast tissue is pulled away from the sides of the body and contained within the bra cups, front and center. For people with larger breasts, side seams help create a smaller profile.

Bra seams aren’t something to be intimidated by—they’re just a tool. Seams not only improve your bra’s fit, but also reinforce the cup structure. And if you’re a fan of beautiful bras, here’s some good news: cut-and-sew bras tend to use much prettier fabrics than contour cup bras. If you’ve tried all the contour cup bras available and found that none of them work for you, give seams a try. You may be surprised!

Why Wear a Bra?

I’m not here to give you lingerie rules, but I do want to give you as much information as I can. There are lots of good reasons to wear a bra. As I mentioned, bras can help with back, shoulder, and neck pain. They can improve posture, help keep the breasts from bouncing (which can be especially painful during physical activity), and provide a layer of protection or insulation between sensitive parts of the body, such as the nipples, and your outerwear. Bras can also help support confidence. Not having to think about your breasts and their comfort during the day means you can focus on other, more important things. And, of course, since most of our clothing is made with the assumption that we will be wearing a bra, bras can help our garments fit better on our bodies.

However, there is one thing bras do not prevent, and that’s breast sagging (ptosis). I know … I’m probably turning everything you’ve heard about this on its head, but stay with me because this is important. According to medical research, there are five major causes of ptosis, and none of them involve wearing a bra: smoking, significant weight loss and/or gain, pregnancy (not breastfeeding), growing older, and just plain-old genetics (which also determines the softness of your breast tissue, the elasticity of your skin, and the size and shape of your breasts, in general).

I can’t tell you how many people have come to me nearly in tears, worried they’ve “ruined” their breasts due to not wearing a bra or because they have been wearing a poorly fitting bra. Please know that no matter how your breasts look, they are not “ruined.” And you, as a human being, are certainly not “ruined.” You are more than your breasts.

It may seem strange to include a section in a chapter about bras telling you that bras won’t permanently change your breasts or ultimately make your breasts look any different than they do now, but I believe it’s important for people to have accurate information so they can make informed decisions … instead of relying on fear, rumors, or myths.

If you enjoy wearing a bra, keep wearing a bra. And if you feel like you need to wear a bra, for whatever reason, then you should wear a bra. I’m not here to tell you to stop or start doing anything. But please don’t think you’re doing bras “wrong” if your breasts don’t look like that perky model’s in the fashion magazine. More than likely, whether because of Photoshop trickery or just plain genetics, that model’s appearance is due to factors completely beyond your control.

BRA SIZING SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT

The Classic Method: Add four or five inches to your underbust measurement to arrive at your bra band size (it’s “four or five” because there are no odd-numbered band sizes for bras, so you’ll need to add five inches if your rib cage is an odd number). To put this into practice, if your rib cage is thirty inches around, your bra band would be a size 34. Using this method doesn’t mean the band is thirty-four inches long; it’s still cut for a thirty-inch rib cage. The only thing that has changed is the final number, much like how a size-16 dress doesn’t correspond to sixteen inches of anything; it’s just a number on the tag.

The New Method: Your underbust measurement corresponds exactly to your band-size number. So a thirty-inch underbust equals a thirty-inch band size (this is the example given in “Bra Sizes” on this page).

Bra Sizes

A bra size—whether it’s 32A, 38C, 34DD, 28J, or 42K—is really just a ratio. The number, or band size, roughly corresponds to the size of your rib cage or underbust. The letter, or cup size, represents the difference between your rib cage and your bust at its fullest point.

To get the letter, use a cloth tape measure to take your bust and then your underbust measurements. Subtract the second number from the first one. Every inch of difference corresponds to one cup size. For example, if your bust measurement is forty inches and your underbust measurement is thirty-six inches, your bra size would be, approximately, 36D (thirty-six inches being your rib-cage measurement, and the D cup reflecting the four inches of difference between that measurement and your bust at its fullest point).

One inch of difference is an A cup, two inches of difference is a B cup, three inches of difference is a C cup, and four inches of difference is a D cup. Five inches, though? Well, here’s where a pesky lack of standardization comes in: U.S. bra manufacturers rarely venture beyond the letter D for cup size; instead they repeat it (D, DD, DDD, DDDD, and so on). U.K. bra companies use single letters, then double, then single again, starting with the D cup (D, DD, E, F, FF, and so on). And European bra brands progress straight through the alphabet (A to H). So for U.S. and U.K. brands, a five-inch difference is a DD, but for European brands, it’s an E.

Fortunately, you don’t have to remember all of this: when trying new brands, reference both the brand’s in-house size chart as well as the International Bra Cup Size Conversion Chart here, where you’ll find comparisons of U.S., U.K., and European sizes.

Here’s where things get even more tricky, though, because there are two major schools of thought when it comes to finding your bra size: the Classic Method and the New Method (also known as the Plus Four and the Plus Zero methods, respectively; see “Bra Sizing Schools of Thought”). The style you use will depend on the bra brand you wear. There is very little consistency in the lingerie industry, partly because every bra company chooses the sizing method they prefer. While it is confusing to learn both, having them in mind will help you be a better bra shopper and find the bras that work best for you.

Very generally speaking, bra brands for DD and above cups will use the New Method (that is, your exact underbust measurement for your band size), while bra brands specializing in A to D cups will use the Classic Method. You’ll know which method the brand uses if you check the fitting or sizing section on the company website or if you ask the salesperson in a bra boutique or department store. While it may seem unnecessary to know both, it’s important to remember that bra sizes aren’t static, and the size you wear often depends on the brand. This is why it’s entirely normal to have two or three different sizes in your bra drawer and for them all to fit perfectly.

The most important takeaway I want you to have from this section is that, no matter what bra size you wear and no matter what sizing system you use, all bra sizes are normal and okay. Even if you’ve been frustrated before, there’s a good chance someone, somewhere is making the bra of your dreams—and being aware of all this information about sizing can help you find it.

Sister Sizes

As you now know, your bra size is essentially shorthand for two separate measurements: your overbust and your underbust. Said another way, your bra size is a rough estimation of your breast volume, that is, the amount of space your breasts would occupy if they weren’t attached to your body.

A sister size is when the band and cup size of your bra changes but the cup volume (the amount of breast tissue the bra can hold) remains the same. Because sister sizing gives you more bra options to choose from, knowing this can be helpful if you wear a hard-to-find size or have special fit concerns, such as a flared rib cage or skin sensitivity.

PLUS SIZE VERSUS FULL BUST

As you’ve likely noticed, the lingerie world has a lot of unique terminology. When you’re bra shopping, keep in mind the difference between plus size and full bust. Many brands use those terms interchangeably, but they mean two very different things, and understanding that difference can help make bra shopping much easier.

Plus size usually refers to a band size of 38 or above. Although some plus-sized bra manufacturers make band sizes as small as 34 or 36 (because a rib-cage measurement of thirty-six inches is very different on someone who’s five feet tall versus six feet tall), most bra retailers won’t refer to a bra size as plus size until it passes that 38–40 band mark. If you’re plus-sized, you want to buy from retailers who specialize in that size range, because those brands really know their stuff about plus-sized bodies. They’re specialists and experts, and they will make the best-fitting and highest-quality bras for your size.

Full bust refers to a cup size of DD or above. That DD cup mark is usually the point at which a bra’s pattern and style must change to accommodate the needs of a larger, heavier bust. That point is called a size break, and there is another size break around the H cup mark. While it can be frustrating to have to buy bras from specialty brands when you have a fuller bust, they are worth investing in because those companies use fabrics, wires, patterns, and finishes specifically designed to make the very best and most supportive bras for larger cup sizes. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment. Go to the experts for your size first.

To find your sister size, go up a band size and down a cup size if you’re looking for a larger band, or up a cup size and down a band size if you prefer a smaller band. For example, this is the lineup of sister sizes that go with my bra size (34C): 38A, 36B, 32D, and 30DD.

Knowing your sister size is useful for accommodating size and weight fluctuations. Your sister size is also helpful if bras in your “real size” are difficult to shop for, but bras in your sister size are more common (or less expensive) to buy. In particular, people with smaller rib cages and proportionately larger busts or people with larger rib cages and proportionately smaller busts will benefit most from sister sizing.

Generally speaking, you won’t want to sister size out more than two sizes in either direction. Beyond that, significant changes to the bra pattern mean you likely won’t get a good fit. For example, bras in cup sizes DD and above tend to use firmer materials and narrower underwires than A to D cup sizes; these added features are usually more supportive and more comfortable for a heavier bust. If your measured bra size is an H cup but you sister size into a D cup, there’s a good possibility you won’t get the shaping and support you might want from your bras.

One incredibly important thing sister sizing reveals is that cup size isn’t static across band sizes. Said another way, there is no such thing as a DD cup all on its own: 28DD, 32DD, 38DD, 44DD, and 50DD all have very different cup volumes. They’re each made for a completely different bra size. This is why lingerie experts will want to know your band size in addition to your cup size—DD simply doesn’t convey enough information.

No matter what the numbers and letters on the tag say, what matters most is finding the bra size that works for you. That might mean changing the size you’ve worn for years. It might even mean that you wear a different bra size than your friend or family member who has the exact same measurements. And it’ll probably mean that you have two or three different sizes in your lingerie drawer. That’s all normal. Please don’t suffer in an uncomfortable, ill-fitting bra. Cut out the tags if you have to, but wear a bra that makes you feel good … not one that makes you feel miserable.

BRALESS OPTIONS

Not everyone wears a bra, for various and personal reasons. Sometimes medical concerns, allergies, or skin sensitivity mean wearing a bra simply isn’t an option. Other times, it’s a matter of personal preference, identity, or self-expression. Whatever your reason, there are a lot of bra-free options available now that are worth knowing about.

Adhesive nipple covers, silicone pasties, breast tape, bodysuits, camisoles, and other garments with built-in bust seaming or darting can help replace a bra. These items also provide layers, which can disguise the outline of a nipple or an unsupported breast silhouette. Speaking of layers, thicker layers (such as sweaters and sweatshirts) can be useful as well, but even several thin layers (such as a crop top over a leotard) can provide a similar blurring effect.

Breast Shape

Knowing your breast shape is just as important as knowing your bra size when it comes to lingerie shopping. All breast shapes are normal, but being able to identify your particular breast shape can help you find the bras that will work best for you.

Before we go any further, I want to address breast unevenness or asymmetry. I get so many questions from people who wonder if having one breast larger than the other is normal or if there’s something wrong with them. Here’s the thing: everyone, unless they’ve undergone breast augmentation or reconstructive surgery, has differently sized breasts. Usually, the left breast is larger than the right. Differences between the two breasts can range from very slight and barely noticeable to a cup size or more. If there is a significant size difference between your breasts, you want to fit your bra to the larger breast and use a cookie, or insert, to fill out the cup for the smaller breast. And while consistent breast-size differences are normal, if you notice a sudden, abrupt change in size or shape, please see a doctor.

While there are as many breast shapes and types as there are people, the following five breast shapes will have the most impact on your bra-fitting experience.

Full on Bottom

Full-on-bottom breasts mean most of your breast mass or weight is located on the lower half of the breast, beneath the nipple line. Plunge styles are especially good for full-on-bottom shapes, as are demi cups.

Full on Top

Full-on-top breasts mean most of your breast volume is located within the upper half of the breast, usually above the nipple line. Balcony bras and other styles that are open at the top of the cup are perfect for full-on-top shapes. Full-coverage bras with a stretchy lace upper panel are also a good fit.

Full All Around

Full-all-around breasts have evenly distributed fullness around the top and bottom halves of the breast (that is, you have roughly equal amounts of breast tissue above and below the nipple). Full-all-around breasts often appear round or spherical, and this is often the shape of the breast after augmentation surgery (though, obviously, not all full-all-around breasts are augmented). Most bra styles work well for full-all-around shapes, including balconette, full-coverage, and plunge styles.

Pendulous

Pendulous breasts are softer breasts where most of the breast tissue hangs below the breast root (where your breast attaches to your body). Your breast shape can be full on bottom or full on top in addition to pendulous, because those first two definitions hinge primarily on nipple placement; however, pendulous breasts usually lack volume. Pendulous breasts are common in all ages; wearing or not wearing a bra has nothing to do with having a pendulous shape. That said, sometimes breasts can become more pendulous after pregnancy or with age. Full-coverage bras and bras with cut-and-sew cups will help shape the breast, giving it lift and projection.

Tuberous

Tuberous (also known as tubular) breasts have very little breast tissue and are characterized by an elongated, narrow, and cylindrical shape—like a tube. Other characteristics of tuberous breasts include large, puffy areolas, wide spacing between them, and a narrow breast root. Molded or padded push-up or plunge styles (such as T-shirt bras) help give tuberous breasts a more even and projected shape.

In addition to knowing your breast shape, it’s useful to be able to identify if your breasts are widely or narrowly spaced.

Narrowly Spaced

Narrowly spaced or close-set breasts mean your breasts are very close together and may even touch at the top of your chest. If you find that the center panel of your bra rarely rests flat against your sternum but is instead sitting on top of breast tissue, you may have closely set breasts. Bras with low, short, and narrow center panels (as in many demi and plunge styles), work well and are most comfortable for narrowly spaced breasts.

Widely Spaced

Widely spaced breasts are farther apart on the chest, usually wider than two or three finger widths apart. Interestingly, plunge bras can also work well for this breast placement! Widely spaced breasts often cannot achieve that pushed-together cleavage look, but Marie Antoinette–style cleavage (of the “heaving bosoms” variety) is still an option with widely spaced breasts. Front-closure styles and balconette bras are also good for this breast placement.

Shallow/Projected

Finally, it’s good to know if your breasts are shallow or projected. It’s best to think of shallowness and projection on a spectrum (as opposed to two entirely separate and distinct characteristics) describing how much space on your chest your breasts occupy.

Shallower breasts tend to have a broad base and occupy much of the width of the chest laterally, but they don’t project very far away from the chest wall. Projected breasts cover less of the chest wall (that is, they have a narrower root or point of attachment to the chest) but stick out farther from the body. To use an analogy, the concept of shallow versus projected is a bit like putting liquid into a plate versus a bowl. Even if you pour the same amount of liquid, it will take up a wider amount of space in the plate but a higher amount of space in the bowl. Shallow breasts are usually full on bottom as well (and may even appear “pointy,” especially from the side), while projected breasts may be full on bottom, full on top, or full all around.

Demi, balconette, and plunge styles, especially those with open tops and wide wires, are perfect for shallower shapes as there’s not usually enough projected breast tissue to fill out a full-coverage cup. Deep bra cups with narrow wires are ideally suited to projected shapes and may be found in plunge, balconette, or full-coverage styles.

As always, these are just general guidelines and suggestions. Nothing—not me, not this book, not anyone—can replace trying on bras for yourself and discovering what you love best.

Types of Bras

Now that you know your size and your breast shape, it’s time to talk bra styles. Following are twenty-four of the most popular types of bras. Keep in mind that a single bra can cross two or even three categories on this list (for example: a strapless, cut-and-sew longline or a plunge, wireless, maternity bra). In addition, as with everything else in the lingerie industry, not all brands are in agreement on which terms should be used for which bras. Think of these groups as broad, general categories to help you use the right language when bra shopping.

Adhesive

Adhesive bras are usually strapless and backless, and they stay on the body with medical-grade adhesive or sticky tape, sometimes in combination with silicone for traction and “grip” (hence their other name, stick-on bra). Adhesive bras are the ultimate wardrobe solution, offering coverage and shape for even the most revealing garments, such as backless, strapless, and deep-plunge styles. Their biggest downside? They’re not supportive and give very little lift, a potential deal breaker for heavier busts.

Balconette

A balconette (or balcony) bra is a type of half-cup bra and is essentially a lower-cut or less-coverage demi style with prominent vertical seams. Balconette bras have wide necklines, and, in their most dramatic variation, the top of each cup is cut straight across, giving a profile reminiscent of a balcony—hence the name. In addition to wide necklines, balconette bras tend to have widely spaced straps, making them a potentially difficult fit for people with narrow shoulders (the straps can slide off too easily). Balconette bras give high, rounded cleavage and are a go-to style for those with broad shoulders and full-on-bottom breasts. For everyday wear, balconette styles are ideally suited for low-cut tops. As a sidenote, some readers, especially those who wear DD cup sizes or higher, may find that balconettes in their size range more closely resemble demi cups, and vice versa!

Bandeau

A version of the bandeau has been worn since ancient times, making this the original bra. Nowadays, bandeaus are made from a wide band of stretchy fabric. Usually lacking closures or underwires, bandeaus resemble a shortened tube top and are essentially a less-structured version of a strapless bra. Because of their lack of structure, bandeaus offer very little support or shaping, which can make them a difficult fit for larger breasts but a fun and easy wardrobe option for smaller busts. Bandeaus are typically available in a wide range of colors, prints, and laces, which make them perfect for peeking out from under a tank top or maxi dress.

Bralette

Like the bandeau, a bralette is an unstructured or lightly structured bra without wires and with few seams. Bralettes may be lined or unlined. They may have either front or rear closures or can be slipped on over the head. Many bralettes resemble a triangle bikini top or a crop top. The bra Mary Phelps Jacob invented in the early twentieth century would likely have been called a bralette today. Bralettes are a comfortable, laid-back, no-fuss option, and, like bandeaus, are also popular among people with smaller busts (though anyone can wear them). However, they are not supportive and do little to shape or lift the breasts. Some people like to wear bralettes as sleep or lounge bras at home, especially when the bralette is made from a soft, comfortable fiber like bamboo or cotton. (See here for more information on fiber types.)

Bullet

A vintage style, bullet bras were popular in the 1950s and famous for their concentric circles of stitching around the bra cup. This stitching created a pointed bullet shape (which gave them their other name—torpedo bras). Bullet bras aren’t really worn on a day-to-day basis anymore, but they are essential for pinup or retro fashions. Many people find them to be quite supportive as well, especially if they don’t like underwires. Bullet bras are one of the few styles that can provide significant lift and shaping (although a very specific shape) without an underwire. Those with shallower or full-on-bottom bust shapes may find they need to use bullet bra pads to entirely fill out the cup.

Bustier

Bustiers, also known as basques, are a modern-day version of the corset. Bustiers lift the bust, shape the waist, and smooth the tummy, usually with the assistance of metal or plastic boning. Extremely supportive, especially for all-day wear, bustiers are popular among brides as the undergarment of choice beneath wedding dresses. Because bustiers distribute the weight of the bust along a greater surface area (think of it as an extra-long band … and most of the support for your bra comes from the band), they’re a wonderful option for people with especially heavy busts. (See chapter 3