Photo: Ellen von Unwerth
In the 1920s, when bras were first invented, they were simple undergarments to provide breast support. Today, there are close to 20 different types of bras on the market – for all intents and purposes – with thousands of designers offering their own versions. Let’s go over the most popular types.
  • Full Cup Bra
    The most common bra. It provides full support, has underwired cups and covers most of the breasts. It is especially popular with larger-breasted women.
  • Demi Cup Bra
    My personal favorite. Also known as the Balcony bra or ‘balconette’, this bra covers only half the breasts with cups coming up above the nipples, which makes it excellent for plunging necklines. This bra is supportive, yet provides maximum exposure of the breasts - yay!
  • Padded Bra
    Popular with younger girls and smaller-breasted women, this bra comes with padding inside the cup linings, adding overall extra volume.
  • Maximizer/Push-Up Bra
    Also known as the Push-Up Bra, this is the most sought-after bra of today. It lifts the breasts and emphasizes cleavage through its unique structure and extra padding (usually foam or silicone). The goal is to give a fuller, more natural look to breasts of all sizes.
  • Minimizer Bra
    Popular with larger-breasted women who want to decrease their bust’s appearance by a cup or two.
  • The Plunge Bra
    This bra has a deep, U-shaped neckline and strong underwire support. As the name would suggest, it was designed specifically for outfits with deep-plunging necklines.
  • T-Shirt Bra
    A bra made without a raised seam in order to appear invisible when worn under a body-fitting t-shirt.
  • Sports Bra
    Ugly but practical bra. Designed to support breasts during intense physical activities – like running or jumping. Women with smaller breasts may not need to wear these at all.
  • Strapless Bra
    A bra with removable straps or no straps at all. Usually has rubbery trim around the edges to help stay put. Comes in handy with tube dresses and halter tops.

There are also erotic bras such as the Shelf bra (only covers the lower part of breasts leaving nipples exposed), a Peephole bra (has holes around the nipples) and the famous Cone bra, worn by Madonna during the Blonde Ambition tour.

Now that we have figured out which bra you want (it’s the Peephole, isn’t it?! ;)), it’s time to determine your bra size. Did you know that 7 out of 10 women wear wrong size bra? (Believe it or not, I was one of them! I always thought I was a 34A but apparently I’m a 34B – no wonder my boobies were always spilling out a little, and not in a sexy way!) Bra size consists of a two-digit number which refers to band size, and a letter which stands for cup size. This article will help you determine your correct bra size once and for all.

‘Till next week, Deerlings!