20 Types of Bras: The Ultimate Bra Style Guide
Long gone are the days of not being able to wear an outfit solely because you did not have the right type of bra to go with it. From the simple t shirt bra to a backless bra to mastectomy bra to adhesive bras today, there are bras for every breast size, shape, and style—all you need to do is pick which will work best with your outfit.
With more than 20 different types of bras on the market (and counting) each one is crafted and tailored for different purposes. Some of the differences between bra types are minor (like a bralette versus a balconette), but others are more noticeable (like a plunge versus a bandeau). Whatever bra you choose should have you covered with all the support you could want. To help you choose a bra that best fits your personal style and needs, we’ve put together a guide of 20 bra types, bra design, and styles.
Before jumping, you’ll need to know your correct bra size and measurements. If you’re unsure, check out our bra size chart and guide to measuring your bra size. Our bra sister size chart can also be helpful!
20 Types of Bras For Every Women
Bras are like friends—they're there when you need them, but without the right bra for your breast shape and size they might be doing you more harm than good. To help you choose a bra that will be comfortable and supportive all day long, we’ve provided details around how they should fit, what to wear them with and what breast type they best serve.
Let’s get started with the bras that we offer!
1. Demi Bra
What’s a demi bra many of our customers ask! The demi bra is one of our most popular styles as it covers half of the breast and creates a beautiful and natural cleavage and lift.
Made of Second Skin fabric, our demi bra is lightly lined to provide lightweight support, has seam-free, smooth cups that disappear under clothes and fully adjustable straps for a classic or crossback fit. Wearers rave over it’s ComfortStrength™ Wing that provides ultimate support and no digging, slipping, or irritation.
Wear it with:
Low cut or scoop neck tops
Breast type:
Smaller breast sizes
Level of coverage:
Medium coverage
2. Bralette
Bralettes are a bra style without wires or molded cups. They are similar to a cami bra and often have adjustable straps and provide great coverage with light support.
We offer a range of bralettes with slightly different features. Our Second Skin Comfort Lace Bralette is made of super soft no-show lace that disappears under clothes, has a ComfortStrength™ Band that always stays put and built-in power mesh to lift, support, and separate your breasts.
Our Comfort Smoothing Bralette is made out of ultra breathable, lightweight and supportive Comfort Smoothing fabric, offers side and back smoothing that accentuates what you love, and smooths what you don’t as well as innovative wire-free support.
Lastly, our Second Skin Micro Rib Cross-Back Scoop Bralette is designed to be dig-free through its no-hardware design and built-in power mesh.
Wear it with:
Flowy or sheer tops or a bralette lace bra with high-waisted pants and flowy kimono
Breast type:
Small to mid-sized breasts because of minimal support
Level of coverage:
Medium coverage
3. Triangle Bra
A triangle bra gets its name from its triangle-shaped cups. Unlike the half cups of a demi bra, triangle bras are designed to provide less coverage–making them a sexy alternative to padded wireless bras. They serve as a versatile plunging neckline that works under a number of low-cut tops.
Made of Second Skin fabric, our Second Skin Triangle Bralette has a ComfortStrength™ Band that always stays put, built-in power mesh to lift and support as well as fully adjustable straps for a classic or crossback fit.
Wear it with:
Low-cut tops and plunging necklines
Breast type:
Smaller to medium sized breasts
Level of coverage:
Medium coverage
4. Wireless Bra
A wireless bra as it sounds, features no wire, but relies on the cut of the fabric and stitching to create shape and provide support. It is also called a “soft cup bra” and is great for anyone who gets irritated by the poking or pinching of underwires. This type of bra is very comfortable and holds you up with sturdy under-bands.
Our Cool Cotton Lightly Lined Wireless Bra is made out of natural cotton fabric, has a wireless, lightly lined pad to provide lightweight support, seam-free smooth cups and a perforated cup lining to allow for extra airflow.
Made of Second Skin fabric, our Pullover Wireless Bra is lightly lined to provide lightweight support, has seam-free, smooth cups that disappear under clothes and has fully adjustable straps for a classic or crossback fit. This bra also has a ComfortStrength™ Wing that provides ultimate comfort and no digging, slipping, or irritation.
Wireless bras make for cozy sleepwear if you prefer wearing bras at night. In fact, there’s nothing wrong with wearing a bra to sleep, and contrary to popular beliefs, it doesn’t make your breasts sag less or make them perkier.
Wear it with:
Low cut or scoop neck tops
Breast type:
Small to mid-sized breasts because of minimal support
Level of coverage:
Medium coverage
Types of Bras That Offer Light Support
Now that we’ve covered our famous bras, we can cover other types of bras you might see on the market. The following types of bras offer light support and can be discreetly hidden under strapless or backless clothing.
5. Sticky Bra
Sticky, stick-on or adhesive bras are strapless and backless bras that adhere to the breast using self-adhesive bra cups (usually made of silicone). By placing each sticky bra onto your breasts and smoothing your hand over them you can ensure they are properly stuck on. Some sticky bras even have a clasp in the middle to give you a little more cleavage.
Wear it with:
Strapless, sheer or backless tops or dresses
Breast type:
All breast types, but can be more supportive for smaller breasts
Level of coverage:
Light coverage
6. Bandeau Bra
A bandeau bra is a strapless strip of stretchy fabric with a thick band on top and bottom for better hold. It is similar to a strapless bra but does not have any closure. Bandeaus are easy to slip on, and can have molded cups or pockets to insert supportive pads. They are meant to cover nipples with strapless tops of sheer dresses and are commonly worn by themselves since they look similar to tube tops.
Wear it with:
Strapless or sheer tops or dresses
Breast type:
Smaller breasts due to limited support
Level of coverage:
Light coverage
7. Strapless Bra
Strapless bras are just like they sound, bras without straps. They are designed to be worn with off the shoulder or strapless tops and give you the freedom to wear whatever you want. The support from this bra comes from the band, so women with larger breasts need to make sure the bra will support them and the band won’t lose elasticity.
Wear it with:
Strapless or sheer tops
Breast type:
All breast types, but can be more supportive for smaller breasts
Level of coverage:
Light coverage
8. Unlined
An unlined bra is a bra made with one layer of fabric across the cups but does not have any padding or foam to reinforce the cups. They can have wires for additional support or be wire-free—either way they can still provide excellent support for larger chested women. Because there is less fabric and bulk they are lighter on the body and can be combined with other bra cut styles such as bralettes, mimizers and plunge bras.
Wear it with:
Any tops or dresses where you’d like to show your natural curves and shape
Breast type:
Large breast sizes
Level of coverage:
Medium coverage
9. Balconette Bra
Balconette bras (also known as a shelf bra or balcony bra) provide the breast a subtle lift to enhance your natural shape. They are very similar to demi bras as they show a little less than half the top of the breast but are cut smaller than full-coverage style bras. You can also tell a balconette bra by the wide-set straps and as the name suggests and the way the breasts get pushed up to the “balcony.”
Wear it with:
Any tops or dresses
Breast type:
Any breast size but very flattering for someone with wider set shoulders
Level of coverage:
Light coverage
Types of Bras That Offer Medium Support
For casual or everyday wear, you’ll want a bra that is comfortable and supportive. Peruse the following medium support bras that you can live in, whether you're traveling or spending a day around the house.
10. T-Shirt Bra
A t shirt bra is a smooth cup bra, usually underwired, that has padded or molded cups. T-shirt bras are the ultimate comfort wired bra and can be worn under T-shirts with a seamless silhouette.
Wear it with:
T-shirts of course but also can tight or form fitting tops
Breast type:
Works with all breast shapes and sizes
Level of coverage:
Medium coverage
11. Push Up Bra
A push up bra is designed to push the breast muscles towards the center and up to create a visible cleavage. Push up bras have padded cups with extra padding at the lower section of the cup and commonly have demi cups with lower necklines.
Wear it with:
Low cut tops and dresses
Breast type:
Smaller breasts that would like added cleavage
Level of coverage:
Medium coverage
12. Seamless Bra
A seamless bra has moulded cups, no seams and creates a very smooth finish under tighter clothing or T-shirts. Seamless bras have moulded cups to create a smooth finish and are a great choice for those who have sensitive skin as there is no pinching or poking. Seamless bras can also come in padded and push up form.
This bra is not only designed to stretch and support your body but is also a great supplement or transition to a maternity or nursing bra as it will give you all day comfort with the addition of drop down cups for easy discrete feeding.
Wear it with:
Tight fitting tops and dresses
Breast type:
Larger breast sizes
Level of coverage:
Medium coverage
13. Plunge Bra
A plunge bra features a deep v-neckline and flattering cut that hugs your curves. Thanks to its unique cup shape, a plunge bra looks flattering on a wide range of body types and breast shapes. Due to the angled cups and deeper-v in a plunge style bra, it will actually give you more cup coverage at the top, especially with a mesh overlay.
Wear it with:
Low-cut dresses and tops that typically wouldn't work with other bra styles
Breast type:
All breast types, but great for larger breast sizes
Level of coverage:
Full coverage
14. Padded Bra
A padded bra is designed to enhance bust size and cleavage as the cups are lined with shape-enhancing inserts or foam padding. Padded bras are meant to support the breasts but do not significantly increase cleavage like the push up bra.
Wear it with:
All tops or dresses
Breast type:
Smaller breast sizes
Level of coverage:
Medium coverage
Types of Bras That Offer Maximum Support
The following bras provide maximum support to keep your breasts in place. Whether you live an active lifestyle or just like a little lift, these bras are both stylish and supportive.
15. Full Coverage Bra
A full-coverage bra is a bra in which the cup extends to cover all or most of the breast tissue, giving it a "high neck line" appearance. They help to prevent spill-over, provide support, and they can even be designed to redistribute the weight of the chest for a better, more comfortable fit.
Wear it with:
Higher neckline tops and dresses
Breast type:
Larger breast sizes
Level of coverage:
Full coverage
16. Underwire Bra
An underwire bra is a bra that has a fitted semicircular strip of metal or plastic inside the fabric under each cup. If you’re like many who think underwire bras are uncomfortable check out comfortable bra alternatives.
Underwire bras do provide more support and shape, thanks to their wired structure so if you are looking for more support a comfortable non poking wired bra is your best bet.
Wear it with:
All tops and dresses
Breast type:
Larger breast sizes
Level of coverage:
Full coverage
17. Minimizer Bra
A minimizer bra is a bra that minimizes the appearance of the breasts. Since minimizer bras compress and redistribute the breast tissue your silhouette appears smoother and more balanced. Many wear minimizer bras under button-down shirts to reduce the gap between the buttons and breasts as well as the bras can provide extra support and reduce the amount of bounce.
Wear it with:
Button-down shirts or tight fitting tops or dresses
Breast type:
Larger breasts
Level of coverage:
Full coverage
18. Maternity/Nursing Bra
A maternity bra is a specialized bra that provides additional support to pregnant women who will experience rapid increase in breast growth. A good maternity bra will contain extra layers of fabric such as cotton to help with support and comfort. The top part of the cup will often be stretchy to accommodate any fluctuation in breast size and the back band will have extra hooks and eyes for expansion as your rib cage expands.
A nursing bra is designed a little differently as they have a clasp at the top of the cup that can be released to expose the breast for breastfeeding.
Wear it with:
All tops and dresses
Breast type:
Breasts that will experience rapid increase in breast growth or if breastfeeding
Level of coverage:
Full coverage
19. Racerback Bra
Racerback bras are bras where the straps criss-cross or join in the back to form an “X” shape. The benefits of this style are you can hide straps for tank tops and dresses as well as add an extra angle of life to your bra. When combined with a supportive brand and cups, the racerback bra can offer mega support.
Wear it with:
Tanks or dresses when you’d like to hide straps but not wear a strapless
Breast type:
Offers support for all sizes, but are particularly helpful for women with large breasts
Level of coverage:
Medium coverage
20. Sports Bra
Sports bras provide support to breasts during physical exercise. They are sturdier than typical bras and are designed to minimize breast movement and alleviate discomfort. Sports bras can provide different levels of support from low, medium and high depending on the impact level of the exercise.
Wear it with:
Workout clothing
Breast type:
Offers support for all sizes, but are particularly helpful for women with large breasts
Level of coverage:
Full coverage
FAQs Around the Different Types of Bras
We all can’t be experts in types of bra and know what works best for a woman's breast shape and size. For those who want to know more about finding your dream bra, we’ve answered your most frequently asked questions around the different types of bra.
Which type of bra is best?
Want to know what to look for in a bra? The “best” type of bra is completely based on preference and what works best for your breast shape and needs. Many prioritize support when selecting a bra, so if that’s you, underwire bras are known for providing optimal support. ort.
Which type of bra is best for daily use?
The best type of bra for daily use is one that is comfortable, supportive and works well with most outfits. Many wear T-shirt, demi or wireless bras on a daily basis and save their strapless or cage bras for special occasions and outfits.
What is ABCD in bra size?
The letters on bra sizes like A, B, C, D stand for cup sizes. The numbers like 32, 34, 36, 38 tell you the band size (the part of the bra that goes around your torso). For more information on bra sizing and how to measure bra size, check out our fitting guide.
What’s the difference between bras and bralettes?
The main difference between a bra and a bralette is that bralettes are softer, more lightweight and are usually made without wiring, padding or structure. As a result, they give lighter support than a regular bra.
Demi vs full coverage: What’s the difference?
Demi cup bras are half-cup versions of their full coverage counterparts. They're generally cut 1 inch above the nipples and made with shorter and shallower underwires that are more comfortable for smaller breast sizes.
What’s the difference between balconette and demi bras?
Both the balconette and demi-cup styles offer less coverage than full cup bras (balconettes covering a little less). Since the balconette pushes your breasts up to the “balcony” think of the demi bra creating more of a square neckline, while balconettes create a sweetheart shape.
We hope our comprehensive guide on the 20 types of bras helps you build the bra wardrobe of your dreams! Our bras and bralettes are the most comfortable on the planet and they provide soft, breathable, supportive, easily washable and stretchy fabrics to ensure comfort all day—no matter the style of bra you need, we have you covered with all the support you could want.
