Different Types of Bra

There are bras available for every occasion, from weddings and special occasions to pregnancy and sport. Whatever you are looking for in a bra, you are almost certain to find something that suits the occasion perfectly. Whether you want to enjoy a game of tennis or a flirtatious night out, the right bra is waiting for you!
There is so much choice these days which although great can be daunting.  We aim to help you navigate through this to find just what you are looking for.

Backless Bra

The backless bra has no back and is usually lightweight, self adhesive and self supporting. It's ideal for wearing under backless tops and dresses and of-the-shoulder numbers and the colours of the self adhesive types are often neutral or flesh colour, making them ideal to wear under sheer and low-cut clothing.

Balconette Bras

Balconette Bras are a more risque version of a demi bra with less coverage and more lift. They are a good choice for low neckline tops and dresses.
Although they offer lift like a push up bra they do no push the breasts together in the center and have quite wide set bra straps.
Balconette Bras can be worn under most clothing and suit a wide range of breast sizes.

 

Front fastening bras

Some people say that front fastening bras are more convenient than back fastenings as the clasps are easier to reach and the problem of fumbling with hooks behind your back is removed. Some men might say that front fastening bras are easier to deal with too! These bras can be wired or non-wired and come in a variation of styles and colours. They can be worn under any type of clothing including day wear and evening wear.

T-shirt Bra

T-Shirt Bras are made without any raised seams or decoration, this is to allow the bras to be worm with tight shirts without the bra being obviously visible. The cups are usually padded to hit the nipples from view and to give the bust a smoother look.
The T-Shirt bra is not only for t-shirts and can be worn with any thin top where you want to have the bra less visible. Because of this they can also be known as seamless bras.

Nursing Bra

Nursing bras are made to make breastfeeding easier by giving the baby easy access to the nipple. 
Usually nursing bras have cups made of flaps of fabric that can be unhooked at the top and pulled down to expose the nipple.
There are other designs out there involving holes built into the cup or zips and hooks for exposing the breast from the front but these are much less common.

 

Push Up Bra

Push up bras are structured in a way that lifts the breasts and pushes them closer together, enhancing the cleavage.The Wonderbra is a very well known brand of push up bra but there are many others. The padding in the bras are mostly either foam, gel or rubber. This padding is different from padded bras in its positioning, padded bras is centered under the breast and merely lifts them while push up bras have the padding at the side to push the breasts up and inwards.  Its this padding positioning which gives push up bras such full cleavage.

 

Strapless Bra

Designed for wearing with clothes which reveal the shoulders, strapless bras are just that, strapless.
A very technically challenging designs they rely completely on the strength on the material around the bust, the designs of the under-wire and the width and tightness of the band.
The most relaible strapless bras have a wide band around the back, boning under the arms,  deep under-wires at the front,  silicone strips along the inside to reduce slippage. Some larger size strapless bras also put boning in the cups for more support.
Different from other under-wires strapless under-wires are taller and curve in to encompass the breast more.
Even with all this sophisticated desigem strapless bras are still a little uncomfortable and can slip down during an active day or evening.

 

Minimizer Bra

Minimizer Bras are designed to play down the bust, particulary for cup sizes 34C and above. they work by compressing and shaping the breasts, helping to create the illusion of being a cup size or two smaller,
The minimiser also helps to prevent ‘spill over’ and should also help to give a more flattering, smoother look to the bust.  These bras can be worn with day and evening wear and can give a smoother look to the bust area under clothing. The minimiser can also give extra support for larger sizes.

Full Cup Bra

Full Cup Bras are designed to offer good support for the whole of the breast and are a practical bra for everyday wear.
Covering the entire breast makes the bra look larger than it is. The full cup is designed to give more support for the breasts, this is very important for keeping the shape and fullness of the breast. Full cup bras can be very stylish and sexy, depending on the fabric that they are made of. Ideal for larger breasts and pregnant women as less support can lead to slight breast sagging and back pains.

Padded Bra

Padded bras have padding inside the lining. They are designed for small breasts to provide a fuller shape. Unlike push-up bras most padded bras support the breasts but do not significantly lift them.
Padded bras do do vary slightly, some have more padding than others. They can offer anything from a slight lift to a more push up effect. All are very fashionable and feminine. Some padded bras may have removable inserts while others are just padded more on the lower part to give more lift and to help give the effect of more cleavage. Padded bras come in many sizes, colours and materials.

Sport Bra

Sports bras provide firm support for the breasts to prevent discomfort or embarrassment during exercise.
Usually made of stretchable material they provide a snug fit.  Their main role is to keep the breasts in place while exercising to reduce damage done to the soft tissues of the chest.

Demi Bra

One of the most popular of the many different types of bra is the demi bra. A Demi Bra is a half-cup bra style with wide set straps and a horizontal bust line. Usually boned or seamed, they give great cleavage. Offering less support, but allowing low cut garments to be worn without the bra being seen as well as providing lift.
Demi cup bras provide less breast coverage, generally cut to 1″ above the nipple. Most push-up bras are demi cups to show more cleavage. Most demi cups are designed to slightly push the breasts towards the center for more cleavage and remove breast tissue from under the arms. Demi Bras are great for petite women who have issues with poking under-wires.

 

Adhesive Bra

An Adhesive bra is comprised of bra cups with medical grade adhesive on one side, which allow for the bra to be worn several times. They provide little support, however, they help fill out the bust and conceal the nipples under light fabrics.
Adhesive bras have no straps or bands of any sort, this makes them ideal for backless and strapless fashions. They come in two types, disposable paper ones that use a strong adhesive and silicone ones that can be washed and reused.

Halter neck bras

These bras have clasps on the straps, which attach at the back of the neck and also around the back. They cover about 75% of the breasts and are suitable to wear under many types of clothes including strapless tops, dresses and off the shoulder numbers.

Multiway bras

Multiway bras have straps that can be worn in a variety of ways, such as over the shoulder, as normal, as a halterneck, crossed around the middle of the body or even removed altogether. It's extremely versatile and can be worn under all types and styles of clothing including low back, strapless and off the shoulder numbers.
The Multiway bra can also be worn as any standard bra with t-shirts and dresses. One of the best things about the multiway bra is that the shoulder straps can be completely removed, making is ideal for dinner dresses and outfits for special occasions.

Plunge bras

Plunge bras are distinguished by the part of the band that joins the cups. If it is below nipple level, then it's a plunge bra. These bras are ideal for wearing under low-cut tops and many plunge bras are padded to push your breasts together to maximise cleavage. The plunge bra won't give you the support and security you might normally want, but sometimes the WOW factor is worth the sacrifice for that special occasion.