30 Types Of Bra Every Woman Should Know

How many times have you avoided wearing a certain outfit – simply because you didn’t have a bra to match? Or rather didn’t know what’s the right bra to wear underneath! We break down all the known bra types to help you find the right bra – fit for any outfit or occasion! Also no wonder we just can’t wait to pull the bra off the moment we reach home! We all are doing something fundamentally wrong. Simply put – start with a professional fitting, understand the different types of bras out there and most importantly invest in the bra that’s meant for YOU. That takes care of all your bra woes and so does this article. Scroll down to view various bra types with images.

30 Best Different Types Of Bras With Images and Names

Understanding, the right size is one thing and matching it with your body type is another. Our anatomy might be the same but each of us are unique, so it is important to be fully aware of your body, needs and what it needs. So, let’s discuss the best from the lot and look at 30 types of bras meeting the needs of various body type.

1. T-Shirt Bra

These come with molded protection, sometimes with an underwire, but not necessarily padded. They add rigidity, and depending on your bust size, give a minimized look. It is the underwire that offers complete coverage, and the whole idea is to take you far away from the fear of a double boob or a pop out. The experts always recommend a professional bra fitting at least once to avoid that.

2. Padded Bra

The padded bra has been a savior for so many reasons. It gives a fuller look for women with smaller boobs, and in winters, it gives you complete nipple coverage and an overall fuller look. Some women, however, do not prefer it because it can sometimes make their boobs look double their size. The reason could be an error while choosing the size or the design. Another interesting variant that is the soft-padded bra. If you do not prefer padded, wired or push-ups – this is your best bet in winters, plus they are super soft and comfortable. You also have the semi-padded cup bras that will go with deep neck dresses. And, the demi bra is a good option for women with petite frames or smaller breasts or both.

3. Sports Bra

We need to pay attention to the fundamentals – straps, cups, and the band. It needs to be snug and encompassing all around. However, it cannot suffocate your breasts or result in a uniboob. A few things to remember – run your finger along the band between your breasts and ensure you are able to pull about an inch from the chest – the front straps should be as less stretchy as possible for better motion control. And lastly, there is no spillage of the breasts, which will imply that you need the next size. Choose a bra based on the activity – a low impact sports bra is suitable for yoga, hiking or walking, and a high impact one is needed for rigorous exercises like aerobics, running, zumba, etc.

4. Push Up Bra

This is based on a simple mechanism of adding lift and volume to the breasts so that they are symmetric, closer, and fuller. For starters, a push-up bra helps women with a smaller bust line or those whose breasts do not stick high up at the chest. So, the myth that women with bigger breasts cannot wear push-ups remains untrue, because it does more than just making them fuller. These are available in every size starting from A to E, and come in myriad designs. Since most of the push-up bras are wired, make sure the underwire is not pinching your skin at the bottom but just snugly fits at the end of your bust line.

5. Strapless Bra

For some, wearing a strapless bra is a fiasco – every single time, until you have your first professional fitting. It is a real blessing if you get your basics right. Besides, always meddling with your bra is a real turn off. Apparently, you need to go down one step smaller because the band is like the one-man army holding the girls together, plus supporting your chest. Remember, your dress should be slightly looser near the chest and tighter near the waist, else we are back to square one.

6. Halter Bra

As the name suggests, these go perfectly well with your tanks, tubes, strapless dresses or racerback T-shirts. Most of the convertibles give you a choice of clear strap, cross-over back or halter neck, so camouflaging those straps is oh-so-easy!

7. Lace Bra

Lace is sensuous, and it just feels great to wear the fabric on your body, especially if it’s lingerie. You will never run out of options, but more often than not, they are known as a fancy variant than the actual functionality. So, check with the sales associate in the store or talk to a professional if you have questions on sporting these flawlessly unless you prefer your nipples pointy. On the contrary, lace fabric is used as an add-on outermost layer in everyday intimates like padded ones, push-ups, etc.

8. Soft Padded

A pain area that needs an answer and a customized solution for one problem that unites us all. Honestly, it is not all that fancy, we just need a T-shirt bra. These are basically well rounded yet seamless and natural. Not just T-shirts, these are ideal under flimsy fabrics like shirts, satin tops or dresses. You get a range of options in these like soft padded, padded, underwired, etc, so go with something depending on the size of your breasts.

9. Bandeau Bra

We all know of tube tops, don’t we? So bandeau bras work similarly. They need to be worn on the head and have no hooks to fasten them. And probably that’s what makes these comfortable. The support is taken purely from your breast and shoulders, so ensure you try them out to be sure it sits there right. You get these in plain as well as superior material such as lace, satin and layered. You could also use the fancy ones as a layer for your racerback tops.

10. Stick On Bra

When you go shopping and see some dresses, the first question that occurs to you is what bra you need to wear. The shapes, bodice, and necklines are so fancy that nothing seems to be a match. That’s when you need a stick-on bra. These silicon pads are adhesive sticks to your body and are intact. It gives just enough nipple coverage, but it’s not like your regular bras.

11. Shelf Bra

First things first, these bras are not meant for every day. These fall under the lingerie category because unlike the regular bras these do not give you nipple coverage. They usually come in fabrics like tulle, lace, and satin that support the entire breast but are transparent near the breast. You get a lot of variants in these, so go check them out and invest in a couple of them. After all, we all need some self-pampering too.

12. Longline Bra

Just as the name goes, longline bra extends till a little above your belly button or over it depending on the brand. These are usually snug and intact from the start till the very end, thus suitable for body hugging, corset, evening wear dresses etc. The straps are thick and offer support to any breast sizes except you need to be sure of the size—If the bra is too tight, it looks bulgy and protruding.

13. Balconette Bra

Underwired bras often get the support from the bottom and offer very little coverage in comparison to the other bras. They are horizontal like the demi bra but are much fuller around the breasts. These reveal the top parts of your breasts, so keep this in mind and map this with your dresses. It’s usually suited for small and medium-sized breasts. The only support system for these come from the thick straps and underwire.

14. Sheer Bra

Sheer bras basically show off a little bit of your skin with the fabrics used. These are usually made with fancy materials like satin, tulle, lace or chantilly lace etc with convoluted designs that are supportive yet fashionable. Unlike the lingerie and sensuous ones, these give nipple coverage and are well rounded.

15. Racerback Bra

This is pretty self-explanatory. The straps hover around the collarbone and not the arm, unlike your regular bras. And these bridge a huge gap for T-shirts, dresses, tanks and tops that have racerback necklines. The padded ones are comfortable and convenient during high-intensity workouts, either way, this is a bare essential.

16. Underwire Bra

Designed for the purpose of providing strength and support to the breasts, these come with an underwire at the bottom of the cup. They were initially made with a thin wire but now are also made of plastic and metal. They are meant to round off the shape of your breasts and contour any unwanted bulges. You might see a lot of articles floating around to question if an underwire is advisable to begin. But there’s no conclusive result so far. However, the only thing that matters is the quality your brand provides.

17. Demi Bra

Demi bras are ideal for smaller and firmer breasts. These are low cut with lesser coverage and smaller cup size. This lends support from the band and the underwire and makes it twice as important to choose the correct size. It also means that this is not for all body and breast types.

18. Front Open Bra

A model that has been around from the inception of women’s bra. It’s a little old-school according to some people considering the number of options out there. There is nothing right or wrong about them, it is a matter of choice and comfort. Women in the late forties and early fifties prefer these over the back open since they seem more convenient to wear these.

19. Plunge Bra

There’s a different type of bra for every dress. We just have to look around, and with a little bit of research, we are sorted. These plunge bras are all that we always needed because the struggle with deep cuts, V and now deep V-neck lines are real. And, that’s why you need one of these and frankly. this is a must-have in every girl’s lingerie closet. More often than not, these also act as push up bras and give added support.

20. Convertible Bra

Bras and lingerie are getting expensive by the day. But you cannot afford to not invest in these because these are bare essentials and a necessity for every woman. But, thanks to the novelty of the fashion industry, there is no dearth of ideas. So, convertible bras are the next big thing. Buy one that actually doubles or triples up for you. You have a variety of combinations for the multi-way bras. They usually come with a few types of strap sets that convert into halter, racerback, strapless, etc. A breeze while traveling as well.

21. Bridal Bra

The first thing that invariably comes to your mind when you think of your wedding is the wedding dress. A dress that you have been dreaming of is finally here, and you can’t wait for the big day, we know that feeling. But we hope you have sorted your intimates as well because it is no surprise that it is a big part of your puzzle. You need to make sure it’s comfortable, goes with your wedding outfit and does not turn out to be a peeping Tom. Lace and satin are preferable because they are seamless, light and comfortable. Do a dry run well in advance just to make sure it’s all concealed and good.

22. Wireless Bra

Padded, push-up and wired bras have taken over the lingerie world. We are in a way glad that it was a breakthrough we all needed. However, wired bras can be tough to deal with, they dig into your skin and poke your breasts constantly. Something about these makes it cumbersome and difficult to handle an entire day. Doctors also advise against it for the same reason, especially for women who have undergone a mastectomy. The only thing you need to remember is, just like any other bra, size is the most important part of it. Nothing else matters, and it will still be uncomfortable.

23. Full Support Bra

Staying true to its name, these bras give you maximum coverage. They come in all patterns, fabrics, and designs, but the constant here is the full support these bras give you. Ideal for women who have big or sagging breasts. It will round off the shape and also keep them firm.

24. Maternity Bra

A lot of things change when you’re pregnant, particularly your breasts. The first sign of pregnancy is sore breasts. They enlarge as you progress, prepping for lactation. And, it is critical for women to invest in good maternity clothing—inside, out. Maternity bras are smooth, provide full coverage and hold the breasts intact. Some brands make bras that are good during pregnancy and nursing. They double up, so it’s value for money. Also, remember first to try a few models to understand what suits your body type and the size of your breasts. This is important because, one, they are expensive; two, the discomfort it causes, and lastly, they will be used for a little over a year.

25. Corset Bra

This bra is so designed so that it shapes the upper part of the body and makes it easier for the bride to fit in her wedding dress. This one is usually done to decrease volume and give shape to the overall upper part of women.

26. Silicone Bra

These have been a rage since the time they were launched, for obvious reasons. For satin, ultra light or see through/backless dresses, these are just perfect. Most of them are reusable, soft, and comfortable. These work best for women with relatively small breasts.

27. Trainer Bra

As the name suggests, this bra is meant for young girls whose breasts have just started to swell up. These are meant to give support and yet not be too tight to let them from developing up.

28. Built-In Bra

Built-in bra, camisole or cami—these are all the same. It is basically a bra and a slip (tank) in one. A savior when you want to layer up or when you want to tuck your top away. These go perfectly well with your formal shirts or see-through sweaters and tops These are intact and neat.

29. Cupless Bra

Imagine the chassis of a car? This bra has the frame and structure but there’s hardly any cup space, exactly why it is called cupless. A variant that falls under the lingerie bucket. The options in cupless bras are bountiful. Some have strap structure and literally cupless, others have a negligible cup with an underwire, while others just show the nipples. It really depends on your taste. If you’re looking for attractive lingerie options, this might be it.

30. Bralette

Have you heard? A bralette is the next best thing since sliced bread. The buzz around is worth it, and we are so glad that something women probably needed from the inception of boobs is finally here. It is non-wired, non-padded, and non-structured—it just sounds so relaxing already! Plus, with the umpteen design choices you have in this segment, you will never feel like you’re wearing an undergarment. It is no exaggeration when we say that people swap it with a crop top sometimes and look spectacular. There is no hard and fast rule for wearing this. It goes with see-through dresses, backless tops or anything, really.

Best Bra For You – Based On Need, Occasion And Body Type

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