Types of Bras
The type of bra you choose to wear often corresponds with the amount of support you need for the day or the aesthetic you’re planning to build around your underwear: be that the comfort of a soft everyday T-shirt bra or the support of a strapless bra.
As experts in lingerie, Lounge understands the importance of wearing the right bra on the right occasion – however, with so many styles to navigate, that is sometimes easier said than done. Lounge’s guide to the types of bra breaks down shapes, styles & functionality, so choosing the perfect bra becomes easy.
Scroll down to explore each kind of bra and find your perfect match:
Bra Shapes | Bra Styles | Bra Solutions
Bra Shapes
Choosing the right bra is about understanding your body and personal comfort. Each bra offers a distinct balance of support and luxury, effortlessly pairing with any ensemble, but knowing which bra best suits your silhouette is key. No matter which style you choose, you’ll feel confident and at ease with a bra designed to complement your shape. Read more on how different bra shapes and styles can support you below:
Balcony Bras & Balconette Bras
A popular choice for everyday wear, the curved design of a balcony bra creates a sweetheart neckline and provides support that enhances your silhouette from beneath the bust. This style delivers a beautiful lift with less coverage, offering a blend of allure and structure.
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With less coverage on the cups, balconette bras are perfect for tops or dresses with lower necklines, allowing you to showcase a smooth, rounded shape. This style pairs beautifully with layered outfits, adding a stylish touch underneath sheer tops and jackets.
Full-Coverage Bras
Full-coverage bras are a must-have in every lingerie drawer. They’re an everyday essential that provides support whilst accentuating your body’s natural shape. Whether you opt for a fuller-cup T-shirt bra or a nude push-up bra, you’ll enjoy complete comfort and coverage, ensuring you feel confident and secure throughout the day.
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For those with fuller busts, a full-coverage bra is the perfect choice, as it offers exceptional support for larger cup sizes. Whether you prefer wired options or wire-free alternatives, these bras provide a secure fit, with straps designed for a natural lift. Perfect for wearing under your favourite T-shirt, they offer both comfort and confidence all day long.
Demi Bras
The cup of the demi bra covers half of the bust while providing a lifting effect from underneath, drawing attention to the centre of the chest. This design is perfect for showing a hint of cleavage with a gentle lift
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With less coverage on the cup, demi bras are recommended for tops and dresses with slightly plunging necklines. This style provides additional support from beneath the bust, making it a comfortable choice for those with bottom-heavy or ‘teardrop’ breasts, delivering that extra lift.
Plunge Bras
For those seeking a seamless lift, the plunge bra is an exquisite choice. Designed with minimal wiring at the centre, it reduces the risk of discomfort while the open mid-section beautifully accentuates your shape.
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With cups that converge at the centre to create a stunning deep V neckline, this bra is recommended for wearing beneath any low-cut dress, for an elegant and flattering silhouette.
Bra Styles
Navigating the myriad of styles and shapes to find the perfect fit can be a challenge – however, this guide is here to show you every step of selecting the perfect bra. To simplify your experience, we’ve broken down the various bra styles, giving you a clearer understanding of which option best suits your needs.
Everyday Bras & T-Shirt Bras
The T-shirt bra, often referred to as the everyday bra, is a comfortable, dependable essential in every lingerie collection. With its wide straps, supportive underband, and full-coverage cups, this versatile bra ensures you feel secure and confident – no matter what you choose to wear with it.
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The T-shirt bra is universally flattering, making it an easy go-to – especially for those seeking added support and lift. Whether you prefer wired, non-wired, padded, or non-padded options, the everyday T-shirt bra is designed to provide exceptional comfort, even on your busiest days.
Longline Bras
This is the perfect “underwear as outerwear” type of bra. Offering additional fabric around the torso, these bras serve as excellent ‘bra tops’, offering enhanced lift and even weight distribution that minimises discomfort.
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Perfect for both fuller busts and smaller chests, the longline bra top provides exceptional posture support while gently cinching the waist. It offers a sleek silhouette without constriction to accentuate your curves. Pair your longline bra with high-waisted jeans or trousers and a blazer or jacket for a refined aesthetic.
Racerback Bras
The straps of this bra cross at the back, forming a practical X shape that ensures even weight distribution for enhanced mobility. This considered design makes it an excellent choice for both larger and smaller busts, providing comfort and support with every wear.
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The racerback bra style offers exceptional support for all bust sizes while remaining discreet under halterneck tops and dresses. Its cross-back design ensures that the straps stay securely in place, making it an ideal choice for those seeking hidden support and added security for an active day.
Padded Bras
It’s important to note that “padded” does not always equate to “push-up.” Traditionally, a padded bra provides greater coverage than its non-padded counterpart, effectively creating a smoother cup while enhancing shape for a sleek silhouette.
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For extra lift, a thick padded bra offers the perfect solution. However, if you’re simply looking for added coverage, a thinner padded bra may be the best choice for a more subtle enhancement.
Non-Padded Bras
While the non-padded bra may offer slightly less support than its padded equivalent, it provides unmatched flexibility and softness, effortlessly moulding to your natural shape. This bra style subtly flatters your silhouette, allowing you to move through your day comfortably.
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The non-padded bra is perfect for those seeking a comfortable and relaxed fit without the need for full support.
Wired Bras
Don’t believe those who say wired bras are uncomfortable. When properly fitted, a wired bra can be just as comfortable as a wireless one. This style offers exceptional support, providing lift and comfort while enhancing your natural shape.
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Wired bras are recommended for those with fuller busts, offering strong support and lift from underneath while alleviating pressure from the top of the breast. This style is also perfect for smaller busts, as it provides a beautiful lift, subtly enhancing your shape without providing a dramatic push-up.
Wireless Bras
A wireless bra is crafted from soft, flexible fabrics, making it an equally ideal choice for a busy day. Whilst offering slightly less support than its wired counterpart, this style is designed with complete comfort in mind, ensuring you feel at ease throughout the day.
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Suitable for all shapes and silhouettes, a wireless bra offers a relaxed, everyday fit. For more active days, the added support of a wired bra may be a better option, as it ensures comfortable levels of lift and stability.
Bralettes
Unlike traditional bras that shape the bust, a bralette is designed to mould to your natural form, offering an effortless fit. Whether padded or non-padded, bralettes come in an array of styles, making them the perfect choice.
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Much like longline bras, bralettes can also be styled as outerwear, offering the perfect blend of comfort and quality. Whether worn at home or as part of a night-out style, the bralette is a versatile piece designed for effortless style.
Bra Solutions
With a diverse range of bra options, there’s a perfect solution for every occasion. Whether it’s post-surgery bras, multiway bras, or maternity bras, discover the perfect fit with a bra from Lounge.
Strapless Bras & Multiway Bras
Strapless bras and bras with removable straps offer the flexibility to customise your style. Whether you prefer to conceal or remove the straps entirely, they provide the perfect solution to any outfit. If you choose to remove the straps, it’s advisable to go down a band size for a snug fit. A slightly tighter band will compensate for the support lost by the lack of straps. These versatile multiway bras can also be styled as racerback or halterneck options, making them a comfortable, adaptable choice.
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Strapless bras and multiway bras provide essential support while remaining discreet under any outfit. Suitable for all bust sizes, these styles feature adjustable straps that lift and support the chest. They are recommended for strapless and low-cut tops and dresses, but if you’re searching for a solution for backless dresses, a stick-on bra may be a more suitable choice.
Seamless Bras
Seamless bras are expertly crafted without visible seams, creating a smooth and sleek finish. Seamless bras typically feature moulded and sculpted cups that offer support and lift, while ensuring no lines or seams are visible under clothing
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Seamless bras are perfect for wearing under form-fitting clothing. While these bras are often crafted from a single piece of fabric, there are also wired options that provide a subtle lift, making them suitable for every body type.
Push-Up Bras
Push-up bras typically feature thicker padding and/or wired cups that lift from underneath the bust, enhancing cleavage for a fuller, flattering silhouette.
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This bra variation offers a snug fit for all cup sizes, lifting and supporting while enhancing your curves and providing fullness to complement low-cut tops or dresses.
Front-Fastening Bras
Instead of reaching around your back, the front-fastening bra offers greater convenience with its clip positioned at the front.
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With the clasp in between the cups, the front-fastening bra can be worn with low-cut tops and dresses as well as tight, fitted clothing thanks to the seamless back on this type of bra.
Nursing Bras & Maternity Bras
Crafted from soft, stretchy fabrics for a comfortable fit, Lounge maternity bras feature breathable cups that adapt to the changing shape of your breasts. These bras are typically non-wired and unpadded, with detachable straps for easy breastfeeding.
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Designed not only for new mothers who are breastfeeding, maternity bras are recommended for all stages of pregnancy, providing one less worry during this transformative time. Maternity bras offer essential support and protection for your breasts, allowing you to feel comfortable and at ease as your body changes.
Post-Surgery Bras
Transitioning back to your regular bras after surgery can be challenging, which is why post-surgery bras are designed to offer support and hold while prioritising comfort. Immediately after surgery, it’s advisable to wear a light and flexible bra to ensure maximum comfort throughout each stage of the recovery process.
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Crafted from soft, flexible fabrics, this bra is gentle on the skin while providing the compression and stability your breasts need to reduce swelling when healing. This collection of bras and underwear sets has been curated in collaboration with a specialist in post-surgery recovery.
Stick-On Bras
Stick-on bras feature a gentle adhesive on the inner side of the cups, allowing them to stick directly to the body without the need for straps. Washable and reusable, these bras can be worn repeatedly, just like any other type of bra. A more minimal choice is nipple covers, also known as pasties, which are lightweight and non-padded (and reusable too).
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Stick-on bras are the perfect choice for strapless and backless dresses, providing a sleek and smooth silhouette under fitted clothing. While they may not offer the same lift as bras with straps, they are an excellent option for ensuring coverage and support.